the ragged trousered philanthropists-第22节

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t　and　laying　a　plank　across；　he　sat　down　in　front　of　the　fire；　which　was　now　burning　brightly　under　the　pail；　and；　lighting　his　pipe；　began　to　smoke。　　The　boy　went　into　the　scullery　and　began　washing　up　the　cups　and　jars　for　the　men　to　drink　out　of。

Bert　was　a　lean；　undersized　boy　about　fifteen　years　of　age　and　about　four　feet　nine　inches　in　height。　　He　had　light　brown　hair　and　hazel　grey　eyes；　and　his　clothes　were　of　many　colours；　being　thickly　encrusted　with　paint；　the　result　of　the　unskillful　manner　in　which　he　did　his　work；　for　he　had　only　been　at　the　trade　about　a　year。　　Some　of　the　men　had　nicknamed　him　‘the　walking　paint…shop'；　a　title　which　Bert　accepted　good…humouredly。

This　boy　was　an　orphan。　　His　father　had　been　a　railway　porter　who　had　worked　very　laboriously　for　twelve　or　fourteen　hours　every　day　for　many　years；　with　the　usual　result；　namely；　that　he　and　his　family　lived　in　a　condition　of　perpetual　poverty。　　Bert；　who　was　their　only　child　and　not　very　robust；　had　early　shown　a　talent　for　drawing；　so　when　his　father　died　a　little　over　a　year　ago；　his　mother　readily　assented　when　the　boy　said　that　he　wished　to　become　a　decorator。　　It　was　a　nice　light　trade；　and　she　thought　that　a　really　good　painter；　such　as　she　was　sure　he　would　become；　was　at　least　always　able　to　earn　a　good　living。　　Resolving　to　give　the　boy　the　best　possible　chance；　she　decided　if　possible　to　place　him　at　Rushton's；　that　being　one　of　the　leading　firms　in　the　town。　　At　first　Mr　Rushton　demanded　ten　pounds　as　a　premium；　the　boy　to　be　bound　for　five　years；　no　wages　the　first　year；　two　shillings　a　week　the　second；　and　a　rise　of　one　shilling　every　year　for　the　remainder　of　the　term。　　Afterwards；　as　a　special　favour　…　a　matter　of　charity；　in　fact；　as　she　was　a　very　poor　woman　…　he　agreed　to　accept　five　pounds。

This　sum　represented　the　thrifty　savings　of　years；　but　the　poor　woman　parted　with　it　willingly　in　order　that　the　boy　should　become　a　skilled　workman。　　So　Bert　was　apprenticed　…　bound　for　five　years　…　to　Rushton　&　Co。

For　the　first　few　months　his　life　had　been　spent　in　the　paint…shop　at　the　yard；　a　place　that　was　something　between　a　cellar　and　a　stable。　There；　surrounded　by　the　poisonous　pigments　and　materials　of　the　trade；　the　youthful　artisan　worked；　generally　alone；　cleaning　the　dirty　paint…pots　brought　in　by　the　workmen　from　finished　‘jobs'　outside；　and　occasionally　mixing　paint　according　to　the　instructions　of　Mr　Hunter；　or　one　of　the　sub…foremen。

Sometimes　he　was　sent　out　to　carry　materials　to　the　places　where　the　men　were　working　…　heavy　loads　of　paint　or　white　lead　…　sometimes　pails　of　whitewash　that　his　slender　arms　had　been　too　feeble　to　carry　more　than　a　few　yards　at　a　time。

Often　his　fragile；　childish　figure　was　seen　staggering　manfully　along；　bending　beneath　the　weight　of　a　pair　of　steps　or　a　heavy　plank。

He　could　manage　a　good　many　parcels　at　once：　some　in　each　hand　and　some　tied　together　with　string　and　slung　over　his　shoulders。　Occasionally；　however；　there　were　more　than　he　could　carry；　then　they　were　put　into　a　handcart　which　he　pushed　or　dragged　after　him　to　the　distant　jobs。

That　first　winter　the　boy's　days　were　chiefly　spent　in　the　damp；　evil…smelling；　stone…flagged　paint…shop；　without　even　a　fire　to　warm　the　clammy　atmosphere。

But　in　all　this　he　had　seen　no　hardship。　　With　the　unconsciousness　of　boyhood；　he　worked　hard　and　cheerfully。　　As　time　went　on；　the　goal　of　his　childish　ambition　was　reached　…　he　was　sent　out　to　work　with　the　men！　　And　he　carried　the　same　spirit　with　him；　always　doing　his　best　to　oblige　those　with　whom　he　was　working。

He　tried　hard　to　learn；　and　to　be　a　good　boy；　and　he　succeeded；　fairly　well。

He　soon　became　a　favourite　with　Owen；　for　whom　he　conceived　a　great　respect　and　affection；　for　he　observed　that　whenever　there　was　any　special　work　of　any　kind　to　be　done　it　was　Owen　who　did　it。　　On　such　occasions；　Bert；　in　his　artful；　boyish　way；　would　scheme　to　be　sent　to　assist　Owen；　and　the　latter　whenever　possible　used　to　ask　that　the　boy　might　be　allowed　to　work　with　him。

Bert's　regard　for　Owen　was　equalled　in　intensity　by　his　dislike　of　Crass；　who　was　in　the　habit　of　jeering　at　the　boy's　aspirations。　‘There'll　be　plenty　of　time　for　you　to　think　about　doin'　fancy　work　after　you've　learnt　to　do　plain　painting；'　he　would　say。

This　morning；　when　he　had　finished　washing　up　the　cups　and　mugs；　Bert　returned　with　them　to　the　kitchen。

‘Now　let's　see；'　said　Crass；　thoughtfully；　‘You've　put　the　tea　in　the　pail；　I　s'pose。'

‘Yes。'

‘And　now　you　want　a　job；　don't　you？'

‘Yes；'　replied　the　boy。

‘Well；　get　a　bucket　of　water　and　that　old　brush　and　a　swab；　and　go　and　wash　off　the　old　whitewash　and　colouring　orf　the　pantry　ceiling　and　walls。'

‘All　right；'　said　Bert。　　When　he　got　as　far　as　the　door　leading　into　the　scullery　he　looked　round　and　said：

‘I've　got　to　git　them　three　bloaters　cooked　by　breakfast　time。'

‘Never　mind　about　that；'　said　Crass。　　‘I'll　do　them。'

Bert　got　the　pail　and　the　brush；　drew　some　water　from　the　tap；　got　a　pair　of　steps　and　a　short　plank；　one　end　of　which　he　rested　on　the　bottom　shelf　of　the　pantry　and　the　other　on　the　steps；　and　proceeded　to　carry　out　Crass's　instructions。

It　was　very　cold　and　damp　and　miserable　in　the　pantry；　and　the　candle　only　made　it　seem　more　so。　　Bert　shivered：　he　would　like　to　have　put　his　jacket　on；　but　that　was　out　of　the　question　at　a　job　like　this。　He　lifted　the　bucket　of　water　on　to　one　of　the　shelves　and；　climbing　up　on　to　the　plank；　took　the　brush　from　the　water　and　soaked　about　a　square　yard　of　the　ceiling；　then　he　began　to　scrub　it　with　the　brush。

He　was　not　very　skilful　yet；　and　as　he　scrubbed　the　water　ran　down　over　the　stock　of　the　brush；　over　his　hand　and　down　his　uplifted　arm；　wetting　the　turned…up　sleeves　of　his　shirt。　　When　he　had　scrubbed　it　sufficiently　he　rinsed　it　off　as　well　as　he　could　with　the　brush；　and　then；　to　finish　with；　he　thrust　his　hand　into　the　pail　of　water　and；　taking　out　the　swab；　wrung　the　water　out　of　it　and　wiped　the　part　of　the　ceiling　that　he　had　washed。　　Then　he　dropped　it　back　into　the　pail；　and　shook　his　numbed　fingers　to　restore　the　circulation。　　Then　he　peeped　into　the　kitchen；　where　Crass　was　still　seated　by　the　fire；　smoking　and　toasting　one　of　the　bloaters　at　the　end　of　a　pointed　stick。　　Bert　wished　he　would　go　upstairs；　or　anywhere；　so　that　he　himself　might　go　and　have　a　warm　at　the　fire。

‘'E　might　just　as　well　'ave　let　me　do　them　bloaters；'　he　muttered　to　himself；　regarding　Crass　malignantly　through　the　crack　of　the　door。　‘This　is　a　fine　job　to　give　to　anybody　…　a　cold　mornin'　like　this。'

He　shifted　the　pail　of　water　a　little　further　along　the　shelf　and　went　on　with　the　work。

A　little　later；　Crass；　still　sitting　by　the　fire；　heard　footsteps　approaching　along　the　passage。　　He　started　up　guiltily　and；　thrusting　the　hand　holding　his　pipe　into　his　apron　pocket；　retreated　hastily　into　the　scullery。　　He　thought　it　might　be　Hunter；　who　was　in　the　habit　of　turning　up　at　all　sorts　of　unlikely　times；　but　it　was　only　Easton。

‘I've　got　a　bit　of　bacon　I　want　the　young　'un　to　toast　for　me；'　he　said　as　Crass　came　back。

‘You　can　do　it　yourself　if　you　like；'　replied　Crass　affably；　looking　at　his　watch。　　‘It's　about　ten　to　eight。'

Easton　had　been　working　for　Rushton　&　Co。　for　a　fortnight；　and　had　been　wise　enough　to　stand　Crass　a　drink　on　several　occasions：　he　was　consequently　in　that　gentleman's　good　books　for　the　time　being。

‘How　are　you　getting　on　in　there？'　Crass　asked；　alluding　to　the　work　Easton　and　Owen　were　doing　in　the　drawing…room。　　‘You　ain't　fell　out　with　your　mate　yet；　I　s'pose？'

‘No；　'e　ain't　got　much　to　say　this　morning；　'is　cough's　pretty　bad。　　I　can　generally　manage　to　get　on　orl　right　with　anybody；　you　know；'　Easton　added。

‘Well；　so　can　I　as　a　rule；　but　I　get　a　bit　sick　listening　to　that　bloody　fool。　　Accordin'　to　'im；　everything's　wrong。　　One　day　it's　religion；　another　it's　politics；　and　the　next　it's　something　else。'

‘Yes；　it　is　a　bit　thick；　too　much　of　it；'　agreed　Easton；　‘but　I　don't　take　no　notice　of　the　bloody　fool：　that's　the　best　way。'

‘Of　course；　we　know　that　things　is　a　bit　bad　just　now；'　Crass　went　on；　‘but　if　the　likes　of　'im　could　'ave　their　own　way　they'd　make　'em　a　bloody　sight　worse。'

‘That's　just　what　I　say；'　replied　Easton。

‘I've　got　a　pill　ready　for　'im；　though；　next　time　'e　start　yappin'；'　Crass　continued　as　he　drew　a　small　piece　of　printed　paper　from　his　waistcoat　pocket。　　‘Just　read　that；　it's　out　of　the　Obscurer。'

Easton　took　the　newspaper　cutting　and　read　it：　‘Very　good；'　he　remarked　as　he　handed　it　back。

‘Yes；　I　think　that'll　about　shut　'im　up。　　Did　yer　notice　the　other　day　when　we　was　talking　about　poverty　and　men　bein'　out　of　work；　'ow　'e　dodged　out　of　answerin'　wot　I　said　about　machinery　bein'　the　cause　of　it？　　　'e　never　answered　me！　　Started　talkin'　about　something　else。'

‘Yes；　I　remember　'e　never　answered　it；'　said　Easton；　who　had　really　no　recollection　of　the　incident　at　all。

‘I　mean　to　tackle　'im　about　it　at　breakfast…time。　　I　don't　see　why　'e　should　be　allowed　to　get　out　of　it　like　that。　　There　was　a　bloke　down　at　the　〃Cricketers〃　the　other　night　talkin'　about　the　same　thing　…　a　chap　as