the ragged trousered philanthropists-第28节

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ran　behind　it。　　The　front　part　of　the　shop　was　stocked　with　wall…hangings；　mouldings；　stands　showing　patterns　of　embossed　wall　and　ceiling　decorations；　cases　of　brushes；　tins　of　varnish　and　enamel；　and　similar　things。

The　office　was　at　the　rear　and　was　separated　from　the　rest　of　the　shop　by　a　partition；　glazed　with　muranese　obscured　glass。　　This　office　had　two　doors；　one　in　the　partition；　giving　access　to　the　front　shop；　and　the　other　by　the　side　of　the　window　and　opening　on　to　the　back　street。　The　glass　of　the　lower　sash　of　the　back　window　consisted　of　one　large　pane　on　which　was　painted　‘Rushton　&　Co。'　in　black　letters　on　a　white　ground。

Owen　stood　outside　this　window　for　two　or　three　seconds　before　knocking。　　There　was　a　bright　light　in　the　office。　　Then　he　knocked　at　the　door；　which　was　at　once　opened　from　the　inside　by　Hunter；　and　Owen　went　in。

Rushton　was　seated　in　an　armchair　at　his　desk；　smoking　a　cigar　and　reading　one　of　several　letters　that　were　lying　before　him。　　At　the　back　was　a　large　unframed　photograph　of　the　size　known　as　half…plate　of　the　interior　of　some　building。　　At　another　desk；　or　rather　table；　at　the　other　side　of　the　office；　a　young　woman　was　sitting　writing　in　a　large　ledger。　　There　was　a　typewriting　machine　on　the　table　at　her　side。

Rushton　glanced　up　carelessly　as　Owen　came　in；　but　took　no　further　notice　of　him。

‘Just　wait　a　minute；'　Hunter　said　to　Owen；　and　then；　after　conversing　in　a　low　tone　with　Rushton　for　a　few　minutes；　the　foreman　put　on　his　hat　and　went　out　of　the　office　through　the　partition　door　which　led　into　the　front　shop。

Owen　stood　waiting　for　Rushton　to　speak。　　He　wondered　why　Hunter　had　sneaked　off　and　felt　inclined　to　open　the　door　and　call　him　back。　　One　thing　he　was　determined　about：　he　meant　to　have　some　explanation：　he　would　not　submit　tamely　to　be　dismissed　without　any　just　reason。

When　he　had　finished　reading　the　letter；　Rushton　looked　up；　and；　leaning　comfortably　back　in　his　chair；　he　blew　a　cloud　of　smoke　from　his　cigar；　and　said　in　an　affable；　indulgent　tone；　such　as　one　might　use　to　a　child：

‘You're　a　bit　of　a　hartist；　ain't　yer？'

Owen　was　so　surprised　at　this　reception　that　he　was　for　the　moment　unable　to　reply。

‘You　know　what　I　mean；'　continued　Rushton；　‘decorating　work；　something　like　them　samples　of　yours　what's　hanging　up　there。'

He　noticed　the　embarrassment　of　Owen's　manner；　and　was　gratified。　　He　thought　the　man　was　confused　at　being　spoken　to　by　such　a　superior　person　as　himself。

Mr　Rushton　was　about　thirty…five　years　of　age；　with　light　grey　eyes；　fair　hair　and　moustache；　and　his　complexion　was　a　whitey　drab。　　He　was　tall　…　about　five　feet　ten　inches　…　and　rather　clumsily　built；　not　corpulent；　but　fat　…　in　good　condition。　　He　appeared　to　be　very　well　fed　and　well　cared　for　generally。　　His　clothes　were　well　made；　of　good　quality　and　fitted　him　perfectly。　　He　was　dressed　in　a　grey　Norfolk　suit；　dark　brown　boots　and　knitted　woollen　stockings　reaching　to　the　knee。

He　was　a　man　who　took　himself　very　seriously。　　There　was　an　air　of　pomposity　and　arrogant　importance　about　him　which　…　considering　who　and　what　he　was　…　would　have　been　entertaining　to　any　observer　gifted　with　a　sense　of　humour。

‘Yes；'　replied　Owen　at　last。　　‘I　can　do　a　little　of　that　sort　of　work；　although　of　course　I　don't　profess　to　be　able　to　do　it　as　well　or　as　quickly　as　a　man　who　does　nothing　else。'

‘Oh；　no；　of　course　not；　but　I　think　you　could　manage　this　all　right。　It's　that　drawing…room　at　the　‘Cave'。　　Mr　Sweater's　been　speaking　to　me　about　it。　　It　seems　that　when　he　was　over　in　Paris　some　time　since　he　saw　a　room　that　took　his　fancy。　　The　walls　and　ceiling　was　not　papered；　but　painted：　you　know　what　I　mean；　sort　of　panelled　out；　and　decorated　with　stencils　and　hand　painting。　　This　'ere's　a　photer　of　it：　it's　done　in　a　sort　of　JAPANESE　fashion。'

He　handed　the　photograph　to　Owen　as　he　spoke。　　It　represented　a　room；　the　walls　and　ceiling　of　which　were　decorated　in　a　Moorish　style。

‘At　first　Mr　Sweater　thought　of　getting　a　firm　from　London　to　do　it；　but　'e　gave　up　the　idear　on　account　of　the　expense；　but　if　you　can　do　it　so　that　it　doesn't　cost　too　much；　I　think　I　can　persuade　'im　to　go　in　for　it。　　But　if　it's　goin'　to　cost　a　lot　it　won't　come　off　at　all。　'E'll　just　'ave　a　frieze　put　up　and　'ave　the　room　papered　in　the　ordinary　way。'

This　was　not　true：　Rushton　said　it　in　case　Owen　might　want　to　be　paid　extra　wages　while　doing　the　work。　　The　truth　was　that　Sweater　was　going　to　have　the　room　decorated　in　any　case；　and　intended　to　get　a　London　firm　to　do　it。　　He　had　consented　rather　unwillingly　to　let　Rushton　&　Co。　submit　him　an　estimate；　because　he　thought　they　would　not　be　able　to　do　the　work　satisfactorily。

Owen　examined　the　photograph　closely。

‘Could　you　do　anything　like　that　in　that　room？'

‘Yes；　I　think　so；'　replied　Owen。

‘Well；　you　know；　I　don't　want　you　to　start　on　the　job　and　not　be　able　to　finish　it。　　Can　you　do　it　or　not？'

Rushton　felt　sure　that　Owen　could　do　it；　and　was　very　desirous　that　he　should　undertake　it；　but　he　did　not　want　him　to　know　that。　　He　wished　to　convey　the　impression　that　he　was　almost　indifferent　whether　Owen　did　the　work　or　not。　　In　fact；　he　wished　to　seem　to　be　conferring　a　favour　upon　him　by　procuring　him　such　a　nice　job　as　this。

‘I'll　tell　you　what　I　CAN　do；'　Owen　replied。　　‘I　can　make　you　a　watercolour　sketch　…　a　design　…　and　if　you　think　it　good　enough；　of　course；　I　can　reproduce　it　on　the　ceiling　and　the　walls；　and　I　can　let　you　know；　within　a　little；　how　long　it　will　take。'

Rushton　appeared　to　reflect。　　Owen　stood　examining　the　photograph　and　began　to　feel　an　intense　desire　to　do　the　work。

Rushton　shook　his　head　dubiously。

‘If　I　let　you　spend　a　lot　of　time　over　the　sketches　and　then　Mr　Sweater　does　not　approve　of　your　design；　where　do　I　come　in？'

‘Well；　suppose　we　put　it　like　this：　I'll　draw　the　design　at　home　in　the　evenings　…　in　my　own　time。　　If　it's　accepted；　I'll　charge　you　for　the　time　I've　spent　upon　it。　　If　it's　not　suitable；　I　won't　charge　the　time　at　all。'

Rushton　brightened　up　considerably。　　‘All　right。　　You　can　do　so；'　he　said　with　an　affectation　of　good　nature；　‘but　you　mustn't　pile　it　on　too　thick；　in　any　case；　you　know；　because；　as　I　said　before；　'e　don't　want　to　spend　too　much　money　on　it。　　In　fact；　if　it's　going　to　cost　a　great　deal　'e　simply　won't　'ave　it　done　at　all。'

Rushton　knew　Owen　well　enough　to　be　sure　that　no　consideration　of　time　or　pains　would　prevent　him　from　putting　the　very　best　that　was　in　him　into　this　work。　　He　knew　that　if　the　man　did　the　room　at　all　there　was　no　likelihood　of　his　scamping　it　for　the　sake　of　getting　it　done　quickly；　and　for　that　matter　Rushton　did　not　wish　him　to　hurry　over　it。　　All　that　he　wanted　to　do　was　to　impress　upon　Owen　from　the　very　first　that　he　must　not　charge　too　much　time。　　Any　profit　that　it　was　possible　to　make　out　of　the　work；　Rushton　meant　to　secure　for　himself。　He　was　a　smart　man；　this　Rushton；　he　possessed　the　ideal　character：　the　kind　of　character　that　is　necessary　for　any　man　who　wishes　to　succeed　in　business　…　to　get　on　in　life。　　In　other　words；　his　disposition　was　very　similar　to　that　of　a　pig　…　he　was　intensely　selfish。

No　one　had　any　right　to　condemn　him　for　this；　because　all　who　live　under　the　present　system　practise　selfishness；　more　or　less。　　We　must　be　selfish：　the　System　demands　it。　　We　must　be　selfish　or　we　shall　be　hungry　and　ragged　and　finally　die　in　the　gutter。　　The　more　selfish　we　are　the　better　off　we　shall　be。　　In　the　‘Battle　of　Life'　only　the　selfish　and　cunning　are　able　to　survive：　all　others　are　beaten　down　and　trampled　under　foot。　　No　one　can　justly　be　blamed　for　acting　selfishly　…　it　is　a　matter　of　self…preservation　…　we　must　either　injure　or　be　injured。　　It　is　the　system　that　deserves　to　be　blamed。　What　those　who　wish　to　perpetuate　the　system　deserve　is　another　question。

‘When　do　you　think　you'll　have　the　drawings　ready？'　inquired　Rushton。　‘Can　you　get　them　done　tonight？'

‘I'm　afraid　not；'　replied　Owen；　feeling　inclined　to　laugh　at　the　absurdity　of　the　question。　　‘It　will　need　a　little　thinking　about。'

‘When　can　you　have　them　ready　then？　　This　is　Monday。　　Wednesday　morning？'

Owen　hesitated。

‘We　don't　want　to　keep　'im　waiting　too　long；　you　know；　or　'e　may　give　up　the　idear　altogether。'

‘Well；　sat　Friday　morning；　then；'　said　Owen；　resolving　that　he　would　stay　up　all　night　if　necessary　to　get　it　done。

Rushton　shook　his　head。

‘Can't　you　get　it　done　before　that？　　I'm　afraid　that　if　we　keeps　'im　waiting　all　that　time　we　may　lose　the　job　altogether。'

‘I　can't　get　them　done　any　quicker　in　my　spare　time；'　returned　Owen；　flushing。　　‘If　you　like　to　let　me　stay　home　tomorrow　and　charge　the　time　the　same　as　if　I　had　gone　to　work　at　the　house；　I　could　go　to　my　ordinary　work　on　Wednesday　and　let　you　have　the　drawings　on　Thursday　morning。'

‘Oh；　all　right；'　said　Rushton　as　he　returned　to　the　perusal　of　his　letters。

That　night；　long　after　his　wife　and　Frankie　were　asleep；　Owen　worked　in　the　sitting…room；　searching　through　old　numbers　of　the　Decorators'　Journal　and　through　the　illustrations　in　other　books　of　designs　for　examples　of　Moorish　work；　and　making　rough　sketches　in　pencil。