the ragged trousered philanthropists-第81章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e　he　lay　half　stunned；　in　the　midst　of　the　ladders　and　planks。　　When　they　got　him　out　they　were　astonished　to　find　that；　thanks　to　the　special　Providence　that　watches　over　all　small　boys；　he　was　almost　unhurt　…　just　a　little　dazed；　that　was　all；　and　by　the　time　Sawkins　returned　with　another　cart；　Bert　was　able　to　help　to　gather　up　the　fallen　paint…pots　and　to　accompany　the　men　with　the　load　to　the　yard。　　At　the　corner　of　the　road　they　paused　to　take　a　last　look　at　the　‘job'。

‘There　it　stands！'　said　Harlow；　tragically；　extending　his　arm　towards　the　house。　　‘There　it　stands！　　A　job　that　if　they'd　only　have　let　us　do　it　properly；　couldn't　'ave　been　done　with　the　number　of　'ands　we've　'ad；　in　less　than　four　months；　and　there　it　is；　finished；　messed　up；　slobbered　over　and　scamped；　in　nine　weeks！'

‘Yes；　and　now　we　can　all　go　to　'ell；'　said　Philpot；　gloomily。

At　the　yard　they　found　Bundy　and　his　mate；　Ned　Dawson；　who　helped　them　to　hang　up　the　ladders　in　their　usual　places。　　Philpot　was　glad　to　get　out　of　assisting　to　do　this；　for　he　had　contracted　a　rather　severe　attack　of　rheumatism　when　working　outside　at　the　‘Cave'。　　Whilst　the　others　were　putting　the　ladders　away　he　assisted　Bert　to　carry　the　paint…pots　and　buckets　into　the　paint　shop；　and　while　there　he　filled　a　small　medicine　bottle　he　had　brought　with　him　for　the　purpose；　with　turpentine　from　the　tank。　　He　wanted　this　stuff　to　rub　into　his　shoulders　and　legs；　and　as　he　secreted　the　bottle　in　the　inner　pocket　of　his　coat；　he　muttered：　‘This　is　where　we　gets　some　of　our　own　back。'

They　took　the　key　of　the　yard　to　the　office　and　as　they　separated　to　go　home　Bundy　suggested　that　the　best　thing　they　could　do　would　be　to　sew　their　bloody　mouths　up　for　a　few　months；　because　there　was　not　much　probability　of　their　getting　another　job　until　about　March。

The　next　morning　while　Crass　and　Slyme　were　finishing　inside；　Owen　wrote　the　two　gates。　　On　the　front　entrance　‘The　Cave'　and　on　the　back　‘Tradesmens　Entrance'；　in　gilded　letters。　　In　the　meantime；　Sawkins　and　Bert　made　several　journeys　to　the　Yard　with　the　hand…cart。

Crass　…　working　in　the　kitchen　with　Slyme　…　was　very　silent　and　thoughtful。　　Ever　since　the　job　was　started；　every　time　Mr　Sweater　had　visited　the　house　to　see　what　progress　was　being　made；　Crass　had　been　grovelling　to　him　in　the　hope　of　receiving　a　tip　when　the　work　was　finished。　　He　had　been　very　careful　to　act　upon　any　suggestions　that　Sweater　had　made　from　time　to　time　and　on　several　occasions　had　taken　a　lot　of　trouble　to　get　just　the　right　tints　of　certain　colours；　making　up　a　number　of　different　shades　and　combinations；　and　doing　parts　of　the　skirtings　or　mouldings　of　rooms　in　order　that　Mr　Sweater　might　see　exactly　…　before　they　went　on　with　it　？what　it　would　look　like　when　finished。　　He　made　a　great　pretence　of　deferring　to　Sweater's　opinion；　and　assured　him　that　he　did　not　care　how　much　trouble　he　took　as　long　as　he　…　Sweater　…　was　pleased。　　In　fact；　it　was　no　trouble　at　all：　it　was　a　pleasure。　　As　the　work　neared　completion；　Crass　began　to　speculate　upon　the　probable　amount　of　the　donation　he　would　receive　as　the　reward　of　nine　weeks　of　cringing；　fawning；　abject　servility。　　He　thought　it　quite　possible　that　he　might　get　a　quid：　it　would　not　be　too　much；　considering　all　the　trouble　he　had　taken。　　It　was　well　worth　it。　　At　any　rate；　he　felt　certain　that　he　was　sure　to　get　ten　bob；　a　gentleman　like　Mr　Sweater　would　never　have　the　cheek　to　offer　less。　　The　more　he　thought　about　it　the　more　improbable　it　appeared　that　the　amount　would　be　less　than　a　quid；　and　he　made　up　his　mind　that　whatever　he　got　he　would　take　good　care　that　none　of　the　other　men　knew　anything　about　it。　　HE　was　the　one　who　had　had　all　the　worry　of　the　job；　and　he　was　the　only　one　entitled　to　anything　there　was　to　be　had。　　Besides；　even　if　he　got　a　quid；　by　the　time　you　divided　that　up　amongst　a　dozen　…　or　even　amongst　two　or　three　…　it　would　not　be　worth　having。

At　about　eleven　o'clock　Mr　Sweater　arrived　and　began　to　walk　over　the　house；　followed　by　Crass；　who　carried　a　pot　of　paint　and　a　small　brush　and　made　believe　to　be　‘touching　up'　and　finishing　off　parts　of　the　work。　　As　Sweater　went　from　one　room　to　another　Crass　repeatedly　placed　himself　in　the　way　in　the　hope　of　being　spoken　to；　but　Sweater　took　no　notice　of　him　whatever。　　Once　or　twice　Crass's　heart　began　to　beat　quickly　as　he　furtively　watched　the　great　man　and　saw　him　thrust　his　thumb　and　finger　into　his　waistcoat　pocket；　but　on　each　occasion　Sweater　withdrew　his　hand　with　nothing　in　it。　　After　a　while；　observing　that　the　gentleman　was　about　to　depart　without　having　spoken；　Crass　determined　to　break　the　ice　himself。

‘It's　a　little　better　weather　we're　'avin'　now；　sir。'

‘Yes；'　replied　Sweater。

‘I　was　beginnin'　to　be　afraid　as　I　shouldn't　be　hable　to　git　heverything　finished　in　time　for　you　to　move　in　before　Christmas；　sir；'　Crass　continued；　‘but　it's　hall　done　now；　sir。'

Sweater　made　no　reply。

‘I've　kept　the　fire　agoin'　in　hall　the　rooms　has　you　told　me；　sir；'　resumed　Crass　after　a　pause。　　‘I　think　you'll　find　as　the　place　is　nice　and　dry；　sir；　the　honly　places　as　is　a　bit　damp　is　the　kitchen　and　scullery　and　the　other　rooms　in　the　basement；　sir；　but　of　course　that's　nearly　halways　the　case；　sir；　when　the　rooms　is　partly　hunderground；　sir。

‘But　of　course　it　don't　matter　so　much　about　the　basement；　sir；　because　it's　honly　the　servants　what　'as　to　use　it；　sir；　and　even　down　there　it'll　be　hall　right　hin　the　summer；　sir。'

One　would　scarcely　think；　from　the　contemptuous　way　in　which　he　spoke　of　‘servants'　that　Crass's　own　daughter　was　‘in　service'；　but　such　was　the　case。

‘Oh；　yes；　there's　no　doubt　about　that；'　replied　Sweater　as　he　moved　towards　the　door；　‘there's　no　doubt　it　will　be　dry　enough　in　the　summer。　　Good　morning。'

‘Good　morning　to　YOU；　sir；'　said　Crass；　following　him。　　‘I　'opes　as　you're　pleased　with　all　the　work；　sir；　everything　satisfactory；　sir。'

‘Oh；　yes。　　I　think　it　looks　very　nice；　very　nice　indeed；　I'm　very　pleased　with　it；'　said　Sweater　affably。　　‘Good　morning。'

‘Good　morning；　sir；'　replied　the　foreman　with　a　sickly　smile　as　Sweater　departed。

When　the　other　was　gone；　Crass　sat　down　dejectedly　on　the　bottom　step　of　the　stairs；　overwhelmed　with　the　ruin　of　his　hopes　and　expectations。　　He　tried　to　comfort　himself　with　the　reflection　that　all　hope　was　not　lost；　because　he　would　have　to　come　to　the　house　again　on　Monday　and　Tuesday　to　fix　the　venetian　blinds；　but　all　the　same　he　could　not　help　thinking　that　it　was　only　a　very　faint　hope；　for　he　felt　that　if　Sweater　had　intended　giving　anything　he　would　have　done　so　today；　and　it　was　very　improbable　that　he　would　see　Sweater　on　Monday　or　Tuesday　at　all；　for　the　latter　did　not　usually　visit　the　job　in　the　early　part　of　the　week。　　However；　Crass　made　up　his　mind　to　hope　for　the　best；　and；　pulling　himself　together；　he　presently　returned　to　the　kitchen；　where　he　found　Slyme　and　Sawkins　waiting　for　him。　　He　had　not　mentioned　his　hopes　of　a　tip　to　either　of　them；　but　they　did　not　need　any　telling　and　they　were　both　determined　to　have　their　share　of　whatever　he　got。　　They　eyed　him　keenly　as　he　entered。

‘What　did　'e　give　yer？'　demanded　Sawkins；　going　straight　to　the　point。

‘Give　me？'　replied　Crass。　　‘Nothing！'

Slyme　laughed　in　a　sneering；　incredulous　way；　but　Sawkins　was　inclined　to　be　abusive。　　He　averred　that　he　had　been　watching　Crass　and　Sweater　and　had　seen　the　latter　put　his　thumb　and　finger　into　his　waistcoat　pocket　as　he　walked　into　the　dining…room；　followed　by　Crass。　　It　took　the　latter　a　long　time　to　convince　his　two　workmates　of　the　truth　of　his　own　account；　but　he　succeeded　at　last；　and　they　all　three　agreed　that　Old　Sweater　was　a　sanguinary　rotter；　and　they　lamented　over　the　decay　of　the　good　old…fashioned　customs。

‘Why；　at　one　time　o'　day；'　said　Crass；　‘only　a　few　years　ago；　if　you　went　to　a　gentleman's　'ouse　to　paint　one　or　two　rooms　you　could　always　be　sure　of　a　bob　or　two　when　you'd　finished。'

By　half　past　twelve　everything　was　squared　up；　and；　having　loaded　up　the　hand…cart　with　all　that　remained　of　the　materials；　dirty　paint…pots　and　plant；　they　all　set　out　together　for　the　yard；　to　put　all　the　things　a