the ragged trousered philanthropists-第113节

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king　for　Smeariton　and　Leavit；　but　as　they　had　been　paying　in　from　the　first；　they　had　elected　to　go　to　the　Beano　rather　than　have　their　money　back。　The　Semi…drunk　and　one　or　two　other　habitual　boozers　were　very　shabby　and　down　at　heel；　but　the　majority　of　the　men　were　decently　dressed。　Some　had　taken　their　Sunday　clothes　out　of　pawn　especially　for　the　occasion。　　Others　were　arrayed　in　new　suits　which　they　were　going　to　pay　for　at　the　rate　of　a　shilling　a　week。　　Some　had　bought　themselves　second…hand　suits；　one　or　two　were　wearing　their　working　clothes　brushed　and　cleaned　up；　and　some　were　wearing　Sunday　clothes　that　had　not　been　taken　out　of　pawn　for　the　simple　reason　that　the　pawnbrokers　would　not　take　them　in。　　These　garments　were　in　what　might　be　called　a　transition　stage　…　old…fashioned　and　shiny　with　wear；　but　yet　too　good　to　take　for　working　in；　even　if　their　owners　had　been　in　a　position　to　buy　some　others　to　take　their　place　for　best。　　Crass；　Slyme　and　one　or　two　of　the　single　men；　however；　were　howling　swells；　sporting　stand…up　collars　and　bowler　hats　of　the　latest　type；　in　contradistinction　to　some　of　the　others；　who　were　wearing　hats　of　antique　patterns；　and　collars　of　various　shapes　with　jagged　edges。　　Harlow　had　on　an　old　straw　hat　that　his　wife　had　cleaned　up　with　oxalic　acid；　and　Easton　had　carefully　dyed　the　faded　binding　of　his　black　bowler　with　ink。　Their　boots　were　the　worst　part　of　their　attire：　without　counting　Rushton　and　his　friends；　there　were　thirty…seven　men　altogether；　including　Nimrod；　and　there　were　not　half　a　dozen　pairs　of　really　good　boots　amongst　the　whole　crowd。

When　all　were　seated　a　fresh　start　was　made。　　The　small　brake；　with　Rushton；　Didlum；　Grinder　and　two　or　three　other　members　of　the　Band；　led　the　way。　　Next　came　the　largest　brake　with　Misery　on　the　box。　Beside　the　driver　of　the　third　brake　was　Payne；　the　foreman　carpenter。　Crass　occupied　a　similar　position　of　honour　on　the　fourth　brake；　on　the　back　step　of　which　was　perched　the　man　with　the　coachman's　horn。

Crass　…　who　had　engaged　the　brakes　…　had　arranged　with　the　drivers　that　the　cortege　should　pass　through　the　street　where　he　and　Easton　lived；　and　as　they　went　by　Mrs　Crass　was　standing　at　the　door　with　the　two　young　men　lodgers；　who　waved　their　handkerchiefs　and　shouted　greetings。　　A　little　further　on　Mrs　Linden　and　Easton's　wife　were　standing　at　the　door　to　see　them　go　by。　　In　fact；　the　notes　of　the　coachman's　horn　alarmed　most　of　the　inhabitants；　who　crowded　to　their　windows　and　doors　to　gaze　upon　the　dismal　procession　as　it　passed。

The　mean　streets　of　Windley　were　soon　left　far　behind　and　they　found　themselves　journeying　along　a　sunlit；　winding　road；　bordered　with　hedges　of　hawthorn；　holly　and　briar；　past　rich；　brown　fields　of　standing　corn；　shimmering　with　gleams　of　gold；　past　apple…orchards　where　bending　boughs　were　heavily　loaded　with　mellow　fruits　exhaling　fragrant　odours；　through　the　cool　shades　of　lofty　avenues　of　venerable　oaks；　whose　overarched　and　interlacing　branches　formed　a　roof　of　green；　gilt　and　illuminated　with　quivering　spots　and　shafts　of　sunlight　that　filtered　through　the　trembling　leaves；　over　old　mossy　stone　bridges；　spanning　limpid　streams　that　duplicated　the　blue　sky　and　the　fleecy　clouds；　and　then　again；　stretching　away　to　the　horizon　on　every　side　over　more　fields；　some　rich　with　harvest；　others　filled　with　drowsing　cattle　or　with　flocks　of　timid　sheep　that　scampered　away　at　the　sound　of　the　passing　carriages。　　Several　times　they　saw　merry　little　companies　of　rabbits　frisking　gaily　in　and　out　of　the　hedges　or　in　the　fields　beside　the　sheep　and　cattle。　　At　intervals；　away　in　the　distance；　nestling　in　the　hollows　or　amid　sheltering　trees；　groups　of　farm　buildings　and　stacks　of　hay；　and　further　on；　the　square　ivy…clad　tower　of　an　ancient　church；　or　perhaps　a　solitary　windmill　with　its　revolving　sails　alternately　flashing　and　darkening　in　the　rays　of　the　sun。　　Past　thatched　wayside　cottages　whose　inhabitants　came　out　to　wave　their　hands　in　friendly　greeting。　　Past　groups　of　sunburnt；　golden…haired　children　who　climbed　on　fences　and　five…barred　gates；　and　waved　their　hats　and　cheered；　or　ran　behind　the　brakes　for　the　pennies　the　men　threw　down　to　them。

From　time　to　time　the　men　in　the　brakes　made　half…hearted　attempts　at　singing；　but　it　never　came　to　much；　because　most　of　them　were　too　hungry　and　miserable。　　They　had　not　had　time　to　take　any　dinner　and　would　not　have　taken　any　even　if　they　had　the　time；　for　they　wished　to　reserve　their　appetites　for　the　banquet　at　the　Queen　Elizabeth；　which　they　expected　to　reach　about　half　past　three。　　However；　they　cheered　up　a　little　after　the　first　halt　…　at　the　Blue　Lion；　where　most　of　them　got　down　and　had　a　drink。　　Some　of　them；　including　the　Semi…drunk；　Ned　Dawson；　Bill　Bates　and　Joe　Philpot　…　had　two　or　three　drinks；　and　felt　so　much　happier　for　them　that；　shortly　after　they　started　off　again；　sounds　of　melody　were　heard　from　the　brake　the　three　first　named　rode　in　…　the　one　presided　over　by　Crass　…　but　it　was　not　very　successful；　and　even　after　the　second　halt　…　about　five　miles　further　on　…　at　the　Warrior's　Head；　they　found　it　impossible　to　sing　with　any　heartiness。　　Fitful　bursts　of　song　arose　from　time　to　time　from　each　of　the　brakes　in　turn；　only　to　die　mournfully　away。　　It　is　not　easy　to　sing　on　an　empty　stomach　even　if　one　has　got　a　little　beer　in　it；　and　so　it　was　with　most　of　them。　　They　were　not　in　a　mood　to　sing；　or　to　properly　appreciate　the　scenes　through　which　they　were　passing。　　They　wanted　their　dinners；　and　that　was　the　reason　why　this　long　ride；　instead　of　being　a　pleasure；　became　after　a　while；　a　weary　journey　that　seemed　as　if　it　were　never　coming　to　an　end。

The　next　stop　was　at　the　Bird　in　Hand；　a　wayside　public　house　that　stood　all　by　itself　in　a　lonely　hollow。　　The　landlord　was　a　fat；　jolly…looking　man；　and　there　were　several　customers　in　the　bar　…　men　who　looked　like　farm…labourers；　but　there　were　no　other　houses　to　be　seen　anywhere。　　This　extraordinary　circumstance　exercised　the　minds　of　our　travellers　and　formed　the　principal　topic　of　conversation　until　they　arrived　at　the　Dew　Drop　Inn；　about　half　an　hour　afterwards。　　The　first　brake；　containing　Rushton　and　his　friends；　passed　on　without　stopping　here。　　The　occupants　of　the　second　brake；　which　was　only　a　little　way　behind　the　first；　were　divided　in　opinion　whether　to　stop　or　go　on。　　Some　shouted　out　to　the　driver　to　pull　up；　others　ordered　him　to　proceed；　and　more　were　undecided　which　course　to　pursue　…　a　state　of　mind　that　was　not　shared　by　the　coachman；　who；　knowing　that　if　they　stopped　somebody　or　other　would　be　sure　to　stand　him　a　drink；　had　no　difficulty　whatever　in　coming　to　a　decision；　but　drew　rein　at　the　inn；　an　example　that　was　followed　by　both　the　other　carriages　as　they　drove　up。

It　was　a　very　brief　halt；　not　more　than　half　the　men　getting　down　at　all；　and　those　who　remained　in　the　brakes　grumbled　so　much　at　the　delay　that　the　others　drank　their　beer　as　quickly　as　possible　and　the　journey　was　resumed　once　more；　almost　in　silence。　　No　attempts　at　singing；　no　noisy　laughter；　they　scarcely　spoke　to　each　other；　but　sat　gloomily　gazing　out　over　the　surrounding　country。

Instructions　had　been　given　to　the　drivers　not　to　stop　again　till　they　reached　the　Queen　Elizabeth；　and　they　therefore　drove　past　the　World　Turned　Upside　Down　without　stopping；　much　to　the　chagrin　of　the　landlord　of　that　house；　who　stood　at　the　door　with　a　sickly　smile　upon　his　face。　　Some　of　those　who　knew　him　shouted　out　that　they　would　give　him　a　call　on　their　way　back；　and　with　this　he　had　to　be　content。

They　reached　the　long…desired　Queen　Elizabeth　at　twenty　minutes　to　four；　and　were　immediately　ushered　into　a　large　room　where　a　round　table　and　two　long　ones　were　set　for　dinner　…　and　they　were　set　in　a　manner　worthy　of　the　reputation　of　the　house。

The　cloths　that　covered　the　tables　and　the　serviettes；　arranged　fanwise　in　the　drinking　glasses；　were　literally　as　white　as　snow；　and　about　a　dozen　knives　and　forks　and　spoons　were　laid　for　each　person。　Down　the　centre　of　the　table　glasses　of　delicious　yellow　custard　and　cut…glass　dishes　of　glistening　red　and　golden　jelly　alternated　with　vases　of　sweet…smelling　flowers。

The　floor　of　the　dining…room　was　covered　with　oilcloth　…　red　flowers　on　a　pale　yellow　ground；　the　pattern　was　worn　off　in　places；　but　it　was　all　very　clean　and　shining。　　Whether　one　looked　at　the　walls　with　the　old…fashioned　varnished　oak　paper；　or　at　the　glossy　piano　standing　across　the　corner　near　the　white…curtained　window；　at　the　shining　oak　chairs　or　through　the　open　casement　doors　that　led　into　the　shady　garden　beyond；　the　dominating　impression　one　received　was　that　everything　was　exquisitely　clean。

The　landlord　announced　that　dinner　would　be　served　in　ten　minutes；　and　while　they　were　waiting　some　of　them　indulged　in　a　drink　at　the　bar　…　just　as　an　appetizer　…　whilst　the　others　strolled　in　the　garden　or；　by　the　landlord's　invitation；　looked　over　the　house。　　Amongst　other　places；　they　glanced　into　the　kitchen；　where　the　landlady　was　superintending　the　preparation　of　the　feast；　and　in　this　place；　with　its　whitewashed　walls　and　red…tiled　floor；　as　in　every　other　part　of　the　house；　th