the ragged trousered philanthropists-第43节

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melancholy　‘pip；　pip'　of　its　hooter　and　trying　to　console　themselves　with　the　reflection　that　they　would　see　him　again　in　a　few　hours'　time　at　the　evening　service。



Chapter　18

The　Lodger


In　accordance　with　his　arrangement　with　Hunter；　Owen　commenced　the　work　in　the　drawing…room　on　the　Monday　morning。　　Harlow　and　Easton　were　distempering　some　of　the　ceilings；　and　about　ten　o'clock　they　went　down　to　the　scullery　to　get　some　more　whitewash。　　Crass　was　there　as　usual；　pretending　to　be　very　busy　mixing　colours。

‘Well；　wot　do　you　think　of　it？'　he　said　as　he　served　them　with　what　they　required。

‘Think　of　what？'　asked　Easton。

‘Why；　hour　speshul　hartist；'　replied　Crass　with　a　sneer。　　'Do　you　think　'e's　goin'　to　get　through　with　it？'

‘Shouldn't　like　to　say；'　replied　Easton　guardedly。

‘You　know　it's　one　thing　to　draw　on　a　bit　of　paper　and　colour　it　with　a　penny　box　of　paints；　and　quite　another　thing　to　do　it　on　a　wall　or　ceiling；'　continued　Crass。　　'Ain't　it？'

‘Yes；　that's　true　enough；'　said　Harlow。

‘Do　you　believe　they're　'is　own　designs？'　Crass　went　on。

‘Be　rather　'ard　to　tell；'　remarked　Easton；　embarrassed。

Neither　Harlow　nor　Easton　shared　Crass's　sentiments　in　this　matter；　but　at　the　same　time　they　could　not　afford　to　offend　him　by　sticking　up　for　Owen。

‘If　you　was　to　ast　me；　quietly；'　Crass　added；　‘I　should　be　more　inclined　to　say　as　'e　copied　it　all　out　of　some　book。'

‘That's　just　about　the　size　of　it；　mate；'　agreed　Harlow。

‘It　would　be　a　bit　of　all　right　if　'e　was　to　make　a　bloody　mess　of　it；　wouldn't　it？'　Crass　continued　with　a　malignant　leer。

‘Not　arf！'　said　Harlow。

When　the　two　men　regained　the　upper　landing　on　which　they　were　working　they　exchanged　significant　glances　and　laughed　quietly。　　Hearing　these　half…suppressed　sounds　of　merriment；　Philpot；　who　was　working　alone　in　a　room　close　by；　put　his　head　out　of　the　doorway。

‘Wot's　the　game？'　he　inquired　in　a　low　voice。

‘Ole　Crass　ain't　arf　wild　about　Owen　doin'　that　room；'　replied　Harlow；　and　repeated　the　substance　of　Crass's　remarks。

‘It　is　a　bit　of　a　take…down　for　the　bleeder；　ain't　it；　'avin'　to　play　second　fiddle；'　said　Philpot　with　a　delighted　grin。

‘'E's　opin'　Owen'll　make　a　mess　of　it；'　Easton　whispered。

‘Well；　'e'll　be　disappointed；　mate；'　answered　Philpot。　　‘I　was　workin'　along　of　Owen　for　Pushem　and　Sloggem　about　two　year　ago；　and　I　seen　'im　do　a　job　down　at　the　Royal　'Otel　…　the　smokin'…room　ceilin'　it　was　…　and　I　can　tell　you　it　looked　a　bloody　treat！'

‘I've　heard　tell　of　it；'　said　Harlow。

‘There's　no　doubt　Owen　knows　'is　work；'　remarked　Easton；　'although　'e　is　a　bit　orf　is　onion　about　Socialism。'

‘I　don't　know　so　much　about　that；　mate；'　returned　Philpot。　　‘I　agree　with　a　lot　that　'e　ses。　　I've　often　thought　the　same　things　meself；　but　I　can't　talk　like　'im；　'cause　I　ain't　got　no　'ead　for　it。'

‘I　agree　with　some　of　it　too；'　said　Harlow　with　a　laugh；　‘but　all　the　same　'e　does　say　some　bloody　silly　things；　you　must　admit。　　For　instance；　that　stuff　about　money　bein'　the　cause　of　poverty。'

‘Yes。　I　can't　exactly　see　that　meself；'　agreed　Philpot。

‘We　must　tackle　'im　about　that　at　dinner…time；'　said　Harlow。　　‘I　should　rather　like　to　'ear　'ow　'e　makes　it　out。'

‘For　Gord's　sake　don't　go　startin'　no　arguments　at　dinner…time；'　said　Easton。　　‘Leave　'im　alone　when　'e　is　quiet。'

‘Yes；　let's　'ave　our　dinner　in　peace；　if　possible；'　said　Philpot。　‘Sh！！'　he　added；　hoarsely；　suddenly　holding　up　his　hand　warningly。　They　listened　intently。　　It　was　evident　from　the　creaking　of　the　stairs　that　someone　was　crawling　up　them。　　Philpot　instantly　disappeared。　　Harlow　lifted　up　the　pail　of　whitewash　and　set　it　down　again　noisily。

‘I　think　we'd　better　'ave　the　steps　and　the　plank　over　this　side；　Easton；'　he　said　in　a　loud　voice。

‘Yes。　　I　think　that'll　be　the　best　way；'　replied　Easton。

While　they　were　arranging　their　scaffold　to　do　the　ceiling　Crass　arrived　on　the　landing。　　He　made　no　remark　at　first；　but　walked　into　the　room　to　see　how　many　ceilings　they　had　done。

‘You'd　better　look　alive；　you　chaps；　he　said　as　he　went　downstairs　again。　　‘If　we　don't　get　these　ceilings　finished　by　dinner…time；　Nimrod's　sure　to　ramp。'

‘All　right；'　said　Harlow；　gruffly。　　‘We'll　bloody　soon　slosh　'em　over。'

‘Slosh'　was　a　very　suitable　word；　very　descriptive　of　the　manner　in　which　the　work　was　done。　　The　cornices　of　the　staircase　ceilings　were　enriched　with　plaster　ornaments。　　These　ceilings　were　supposed　to　have　been　washed　off；　but　as　the　men　who　were　put　to　do　that　work　had　not　been　allowed　sufficient　time　to　do　it　properly；　the　crevices　of　the　ornaments　were　still　filled　up　with　old　whitewash；　and　by　the　time　Harlow　and　Easton　had　‘sloshed'　a　lot　more　whitewash　on　to　them　they　were　mere　formless　unsightly　lumps　of　plaster。　　The　‘hands'　who　did　the　‘washing　off'　were　not　to　blame。　　They　had　been　hunted　away　from　the　work　before　it　was　half　done。

While　Harlow　and　Easton　were　distempering　these　ceiling；　Philpot　and　the　other　hands　were　proceeding　with　the　painting　in　different　parts　of　the　inside　of　the　house；　and　Owen；　assisted　by　Bert；　was　getting　on　with　the　work　in　the　drawing…room；　striking　chalk　lines　and　measuring　and　setting　out　the　different　panels。

There　were　no　‘political'　arguments　that　day　at　dinner…time；　to　the　disappointment　of　Crass；　who　was　still　waiting　for　an　opportunity　to　produce　the　Obscurer　cutting。　　After　dinner；　when　the　others　had　all　gone　back　to　their　work；　Philpot　unobtrusively　returned　to　the　kitchen　and　gathered　up　the　discarded　paper　wrappers　in　which　some　of　the　men　had　brought　their　food。　　Spreading　one　of　these　open；　he　shook　the　crumbs　from　the　others　upon　it。　　In　this　way　and　by　picking　up　particles　of　bread　from　the　floor；　he　collected　a　little　pile　of　crumbs　and　crusts。　　To　these　he　added　some　fragments　that　he　had　left　from　his　own　dinner。　　He　then　took　the　parcel　upstairs　and　opening　one　of　the　windows　threw　the　crumbs　on　to　the　roof　of　the　portico。　　He　had　scarcely　closed　the　window　when　two　starlings　fluttered　down　and　began　to　eat。　　Philpot　watching　them　furtively　from　behind　the　shutter。　　The　afternoon　passed　uneventfully。　From　one　till　five　seemed　a　very　long　time　to　most　of　the　hands；　but　to　Owen　and　his　mate；　who　was　doing　something　in　which　they　were　able　to　feel　some　interest　and　pleasure；　the　time　passed　so　rapidly　that　they　both　regretted　the　approach　of　evening。

‘Other　days；'　remarked　Bert；　‘I　always　keeps　on　wishin'　it　was　time　to　go　'ome；　but　today　seems　to　'ave　gorn　like　lightnin'！'

After　leaving　off　that　night；　all　the　men　kept　together　till　they　arrived　down　town；　and　then　separated。　　Owen　went　by　himself：　Easton；　Philpot；　Crass　and　Bundy　adjourned　to　the　‘Cricketers　Arms'　to　have　a　drink　together　before　going　home；　and　Slyme；　who　was　a　teetotaler；　went　by　himself；　although　he　was　now　lodging　with　Easton。

‘Don't　wait　for　me；'　said　the　latter　as　he　went　off　with　Crass　and　the　others。　　‘I　shall　most　likely　catch　you　up　before　you　get　there。'

‘All　right；'　replied　Slyme。

This　evening　Slyme　did　not　take　the　direct　road　home。　　He　turned　into　the　main　street；　and；　pausing　before　the　window　of　a　toy　shop；　examined　the　articles　displayed　therein　attentively。　　After　some　minutes　he　appeared　to　have　come　to　a　decision；　and　entering　the　shop　he　purchased　a　baby's　rattle　for　fourpence　halfpenny。　　It　was　a　pretty　toy　made　of　white　bone　and　coloured　wool；　with　a　number　of　little　bells　hanging　upon　it；　and　a　ring　of　white　bone　at　the　end　of　the　handle。

When　he　came　out　of　the　shop　Slyme　set　out　for　home；　this　time　walking　rapidly。　　When　he　entered　the　house　Ruth　was　sitting　by　the　fire　with　the　baby　on　her　lap。　　She　looked　up　with　an　expression　of　disappointment　as　she　perceived　that　he　was　alone。

‘Where's　Will　got　to　again？'　she　asked。

‘He's　gone　to　'ave　a　drink　with　some　of　the　chaps。　　He　said　he　wouldn't　be　long；'　replied　Slyme　as　he　put　his　food　basket　on　the　dresser　and　went　upstairs　to　his　room　to　wash　and　to　change　his　clothes。

When　he　came　down　again；　Easton　had　not　yet　arrived。

‘Everything's　ready；　except　just　to　make　the　tea；'　said　Ruth；　who　was　evidently　annoyed　at　the　continued　absence　of　Easton；　‘so　you　may　as　well　have　yours　now。'

‘I'm　in　no　hurry。　　I'll　wait　a　little　and　see　if　he　comes。　　He's　sure　to　be　here　soon。'

‘If　you're　sure　you　don't　mind；　I　shall　be　glad　if　you　will　wait；'　said　Ruth；　‘because　it　will　save　me　making　two　lots　of　tea。'

They　waited　for　about　half　an　hour；　talking　at　intervals　in　a　constrained；　awkward　way　about　trivial　subjects。　　Then　as　Easton　did　not　come；　Ruth　decided　to　serve　Slyme　without　waiting　any　longer。　With　this　intention　she　laid　the　baby　in　its　cot；　but　the　child　resented　this　arrangement　and　began　to　cry；　so　she　had　to　hold　him　under　her　left　arm　while　she　made　the　tea。　　Seeing　her　in　this　predicament；　Slyme　exclaimed；　holding　out　his　hands：

‘Here；　let　me　hold　him　while　you　do　that。'

‘Will　you？'　said　Ruth；　who；　in　spite　of　her　instinctive　dislike　of　the　man；　could　not　help　feeling　gratified　with　this　attention。　　‘Well；　mind　you　don't　let　him　fall。'

But　the　instant　Slyme　took　hold　of　the　child　it　began　to　cry　even　louder　than　it　did　when　it　was　put　into　the　cradle。

‘He's