put yourself in his place-第20部分

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and　B　draws　him　gently　out　of　Hillsborough　for　the　same　reasons；　A　and　B　can　not　possibly　be　co…operating。　　Messrs。　Parkin　and　Jobson　had　so　little　confidence　in　this　argument；　which　is　equivalent　to　saying　there　is　no　such　thing　as　cunning　in　trade；　that　they　employed　a　third　party　to　advance　it　with　all　the　weight　of　his　popularity　and　seeming　impartiality。　　But　who　is　this　candid　person　that　objects　to　assume　the　judge；　and　assumes　the　judge？　　He　is　the　treasurer　and　secretary　of　an　Union　that　does　not　number　three　hundred　persons；　yet　in　that　small　Union；　of　which　he　is　dictator；　there　has　been　as　much　rattening；　and　more　shooting；　and　blowing…up　wholesale　and　retail；　with　the　farcical　accompaniment　of　public　repudiation；　than　in　all　the　other　Unions　put　together。　　We　consider　the　entrance　of　this　ingenuous　personage　on　the　scene　a　bad　omen；　and　shall　watch　all　future　proceedings　with　increased　suspicion。〃

Henry　had　hardly　done　reading　this；　when　a　man　came　into　the　works；　and　brought　him　his　fifteen　pounds　back　from　Mr。　Jobson；　and　a　line；　offering　him　his　expenses　to　London；　and　two　pounds　per　week；　from　the　Edge…Tool　Forgers'　box；　till　he　should　find　employment。　　Henry　took　his　money；　and　sent　back　word　that　the　proposal　came　too　late；　after　the　dastardly　attempt　to　assassinate　him；　he　should　defy　the　Unions；　until　they　accepted　his　terms。　　Jobson　made　no　reply。　　And　Henry　defied　the　Unions。

The　Unions　lay　still；　like　some　great　fish　at　the　bottom　of　a　pool；　and　gave　no　sign　of　life　or　animosity。　　This　did　not　lull　Henry　into　a　false　security。　　He　never　relaxed　a　single　precaution。　　He　avoided　〃Woodbine　Villa；〃　he　dodged　and　doubled　like　a　hare；　to　hide　his　own　abode。　　But　he　forged；　handled；　and　finished；　in　spite　of　the　Unions。

The　men　were　civil　to　him　in　the　yard；　and　he　had　it　all　his　own　way；　apparently。

He　was　examined　by　a　surgeon；　and　reported　healthy。　　He　paid　the　insurance　premium；　and　obtained　the　policy。　　So　now　he　felt　secure；　under　the　aegis　of　the　Press；　and　the　wing　of　the〃　Gosshawk。〃　　By…　and…by；　that　great　fish　I　have　mentioned　gave　a　turn　of　its　tail；　and　made　his　placid　waters　bubble　a　little。

A　woman　came　into　the　yard；　with　a　can　of　tea　for　her　husband；　and　a　full　apron。　　As　she　went　out；　she　emptied　a　set　of　tools　out　of　her　apron　on　to　an　old　grindstone；　and　slipped　out。

The　news　of　this　soon　traveled　into　the　office；　and　both　Cheetham　and　Bayne　came　out　to　look　at　them。

They　were　a　set　of　carving…tools；　well　made；　and　highly　polished；　and　there　was　a　scrap　of　paper　with　this　distich：


　　　　　〃We　are　Hillsborough　made；　　　　　　　Both　haft　and　blade。〃


Cheetham　examined　them；　and　said；　〃Well；　they　are　clever　fellows。　　I　declare　these　come　very　near　Little's：　call　him　down　and　let　us　draw　him。〃

Bayne　called　to　Henry；　and　that　brought　him　down；　and　several　more；　who　winded　something。

〃Just　look　at　these；〃　said　Cheetham。

Little　colored：　he　saw　the　finger　of　the　Unions　at　once；　and　bristled　all　over　with　caution　and　hostility。

〃I　see　them；　sir。　　They　are　very　fair　specimens　of　cutlery；　and　there　are　only　about　twenty　tools　wanting　to　make　a　complete　set；　but　there　is　one　defect　in　them　as　carving…tools。〃

〃What　is　that？〃

〃They　are　useless。　　You　can't　carve　wood　with　them。　　None　but　a　practical　carver　can　design　these　tools；　and　then　he　must　invent　and　make　the　steel　molds　first。　　Try　and　sell　them　in　London　or　Paris；　you'll　soon　find　the　difference。　　Mr。　Bayne；　I　wonder　you　should　call　me　from　my　forge　to　examine　'prentice…work。〃　　And；　with　this；　he　walked　off　disdainfully；　but　not　quite　easy　in　his　mind；　for　he　had　noticed　a　greedy　twinkle　in　Cheetham's　eye。

The　next　day　all　the　grinders　in　Mr。　Cheetham's　employ；　except　the　scissors…grinders；　rose；　all　of　a　sudden；　like　a　flock　of　partridges；　and　went　out　into　the　road。

〃What　is　up　now？〃　inquired　Bayne。　　The　answer　was；　their　secretaries　had　sent　for　them。

They　buzzed　in　the　road；　for　a　few　minutes；　and　then　came　back　to　work。

At　night　there　was　a　great　meeting　at　the　〃Cutlers'　Arms；〃　kept　by　Mr。　Grotait。

At　noon　the　next　day；　all　the　grinders　aforesaid　in　Mr。　Cheetham's　employ　walked　into　the　office；　and　left；　each　of　them；　a　signed　paper　to　this　effect：

〃This　is　to　give　you　notice　that　I　will　leave　your　service　a　week　after　the　date　thereof。〃　　（Meaning　〃hereof；〃　I　presume。）

Cheetham　asked　several　of　them　what　was　up。　　Some　replied　civilly；　it　was　a　trade　matter。　　Others　suggested　Mr。　Cheetham　knew　as　much　about　it　as　they　did。

Not　a　single　hot　or　uncivil　word　was　spoken　on　either　side。　　The　game　had　been　played　too　often　for　that；　and　with　results　too　various。

One　or　two　even　expressed　a　sort　of　dogged　regret。　　The　grinder　Reynolds；　a　very　honest　fellow；　admitted；　to　Mr。　Cheetham；　that　he　thought　it　a　sorry　trick；　for　a　hundred　men　to　strike　against　one　that　had　had　a　squeak　for　his　life。　　〃But　no　matter　what　I　think　or　what　I　say；　I　must　do　what　the　Union　bids　me；　sir。〃

〃I　know　that；　my　poor　fellow；〃　said　Cheetham。　　〃I　quarrel　with　none　of　you。　　I　fight　you　all。　　The　other　masters；　in　this　town；　are　mice；　but　I'm　a　man。〃

This　sentiment　he　repeated　very　often　during　the　next　six　days。

The　seventh　came　and　the　grinders　never　entered　the　works。

Cheetham　looked　grave。　　However；　he　said　to　Bayne；　〃Go　and　find　out　where　they　are。　　Do　it　cleverly　now。　　Don't　be　noticed。〃

Bayne　soon　ascertained　they　were　all　in　the　neighboring　public…　houses。

〃I　thought　so；〃　said　Cheetham。　　〃They　will　come　in；　before　night。　They　sha'n't　beat　me；　the　vagabonds。　　I'm　a　man；　I'm　not　a　mouse。〃

〃Orders　pouring　in；　sir；〃　sighed　Bayne。　　〃And　the　grinders　are　rather　behind　the　others　in　their　work　already。〃

〃They　must　have　known　that：　or　why　draw　out　the　grinders？　　How　could　they　know　it？〃

〃Sir；〃　said　Bayne；　〃they　say　old　Smitem　is　in　this　one。　　Wherever　he　is；　the　master's　business　is　known；　or　guessed；　heaven　knows　how；　and；　if　there　is　a　hole　in　his　coat；　that　hole　is　hit。　　Just　look　at　the　cleverness　of　it；　sir。　　Here　we　are；　wrong　with　the　forgers　and　handlers。　　Yet　they　come　into　the　works　and　take　their　day's　wages。　But　they　draw　out　the　grinders；　and　mutilate　the　business。　　They　hurt　you　as　much　as　if　they　struck；　and　lost　their　wages。　　But　no；　they　want　their　wages　to　help　pay　the　grinders　on　strike。　　Your　only　chance　was　to　discharge　every　man　in　the　works；　the　moment　the　grinders　gave　notice。〃

〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　so；　then？〃

〃Because　I'm　not　old　Smitem。　　He　can　see　a　thing　beforehand。　　I　can　see　it　afterward。　　I'm　like　the　weatherwise　man's　pupil；　as　good　as　my　master；　give　me　time。　　The　master　could　tell　you；　at　sunrise；　whether　the　day　would　be　wet　or　dry；　and　the　pupil　he　could　tell　you　at　sunset：　and　that　is　just　the　odds　between　old　Smitem　and　me。〃

〃Well；　if　he　is　old　Smitem；　I'm　old　Fightem。〃

At　night；　he　told　Bayne　he　had　private　information；　that　the　grinders　were　grumbling　at　being　made　a　cat's…paw　of　by　the　forgers　and　the　handlers。　　〃Hold　on；〃　said　he；　〃they　will　break　up　before　morning。〃

At　ten　o'clock　next　day　he　came　down　to　the　works；　and　some　peremptory　orders　had　poured　in。　　〃They　must　wait；〃　said　he；　peevishly。

At　twelve　he　said；　〃How　queer　the　place　seems；　and　not　a　grindstone　going。　　It　seems　as　still　as　the　grave。　　I'm　a　man；　I'm　not　a　mouse。〃

Mr。　Cheetham　repeated　this　last　fact　in　zoology　three　times；　to　leave　no　doubt　of　it　in　his　own　mind；　I　suppose。

At　1。00；　he　said　he　would　shut　up　the　works　rather　than　be　a　slave。

At　1。15　he　blustered。

At　1。20　he　gave　in：　collapsed　in　a　moment；　like　a　punctured　bladder。　〃Bayne；〃　said　he；　with　a　groan；　〃go　to　Jobson；　and　ask　him　to　come　and　talk　this　foolish　business　over。〃

〃Excuse　me；　sir；〃　said　Bayne。　　〃Don't　be　offended；　but　you　are　vexed　and　worried；　and　whoever　the　Union　sends　to　you　will　be　as　cool　as　marble。　　I　have　just　heard　it　is　Redcar　carries　the　conditions。〃

〃What；　the　foreman　of　my　own　forgers！　　Is　he　to　dictate　to　me？〃　cried　Cheetham；　grinding　his　teeth　with　indignation。

〃Well；　sir；　what　does　it　matter？〃　said　Bayne；　soothingly。　　〃He　is　no　more　than　a　mouthpiece。〃

〃Go　for　him；〃　said　Cheetham；　sullenly。

〃But；　sir；　I　can't　bear　that　your　own　workman　should　see　you　so　agitated。〃

〃Oh；　I　shall　be　all　right　the　moment　I　see　my　man　before　me。〃

Bayne　went　off；　and　soon　returned　with　Redcar。　　The　man　had　his　coat　on；　but　had　not　removed　his　leathern　apron。

Cheetham　received　him　as　the　representative　of　the　Unions。　　〃Sit　down；　Redcar；　and　let　us　put　an　end　to　this　little　bother。　　What　do　you　require？〃

〃Mr。　Little's　discharge；　sir。〃

〃Are　you　aware　he　is　with　me　on　a　month's　notice？〃

〃They　make　a　point　of　his　leaving　the　works　at　once；　sir；　and　I　was　to　beg　you　to　put　other　hands　into　his　room。〃

〃It　is　taking　a　great　liberty　to　propose　that。〃

〃Nay。　　They　only　want　to　be　satisfied。　　He　has　given　a　vast　o'　trouble。〃

〃I'll　give　him　a　month's　warning。　　If　I　discharge　him　on　the　spot；　he　can　sue　me。〃

〃That　has　been　thought　on。　　If　he　sues　you；　you　can　talk　to　the　Unions；　and　they　will　act　with　you。　　But　the　grinders　are　not　to　come　in　till　Little　is　out。〃

〃Well；　so　be　it；　then。〃

〃And　his　rooms　occupied　by　Union　men？〃

〃If　I　swallow　the　bolus；　I　may　as　well　swallow　the　pills。　　Anything　more？〃

〃The　grinders　are　not　to　lose　their　time；　a　day　and　a　half。〃

〃What！　am　I　to　pay　them　for　not　working？〃

〃Well；　sir；　if　we　had　come　to　you；　of　course　the　forgers　and　handlers　would　have　paid　the　grinders　for　lost　time；　but；　as　you　have　come　to　us；　you　will　have　to　pay　them。〃

Cheetham　made　a　wry　face；　but　acquiesced。

〃And　then；　sir；〃　said　Redcar；　〃there's　another　little　matter。　　The　incidental　expenses　of　the　strike。〃

〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean。〃

〃The　expenses　incurred　by　the　secretaries；　and　a　little　present　to　another　gentleman；　who　advised　us。　　It　comes　to　thirty　pounds　altogether。〃

〃What！〃　cried　Cheetham；　struggling　with　his　rising　choler。　　〃You　want　me　to　pay　men　thirty　pounds　for　organizing　a　strike；　that　will　cost　me　so　dear；　and　rob　me　of　a　whole　trade　that　was　worth　L300　a　year？　　Why　not　charge　me　for　the　gunpowder　you　blew　up　Little　with；　and　spoiled　my　forge？　　No；　Bayne；　no；　this　is　too　unjust　and　too　tyrannical。　　Flesh　and　blood