put yourself in his place-第22部分

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want；　a　wildness；　and　a　weakness。　　To　be　sure　Henry　saw　it　at　a　disadvantage：　for　vivid　intelligence　would　come　now　and　then　across　this　mild；　wild；　vacant　face；　like　the　breeze　that　sweeps　a　farm…yard　pond。

〃Good…morning；　Little。　　This　is　your　fellow…workman。〃

〃He　does　not　look　up　to　much；〃　said　Henry；　with　all　a　workman's　bluntness。

〃What；　you　have　found　him　out！　　Never　mind；　he　can　beat　the　town　at　one　or　two　things；　and　it　is　for　these　we　will　use　him。　　Some　call　him　an　idiot。　　The　expression　is　neat　and　vigorous；　but　not　precise；　so　I　have　christened　him　the　Anomaly。　　Anomaly；　this　is　Mr。　Little；　go　and　shake　hands　with　him；　and　admire　him。〃

The　Anomaly　went　directly；　and　gazed　into　Little's　face　for　some　time。

He　then　made　his　report。　　〃He　is　beautiful　and　black。〃

〃I've　seen　him　blacker。　　Now　leave　off　admiring　him；　and　look　at　these　pictures　while　I　prose。　　Two　thousand　philosophers　are　writing　us　dead　with　'Labor　and　Capital。'　　But　I　vary　the　bore。　　'Life；　Labor；　and　Capital；'　is　my　chant：　and；　whereas　Life　has　hitherto　been　banished　from　the　discussion；　I　put　Life　in　its　true　place；　at　the　head　of　the　trio。　　（And　Life　I　divide　into　long　Life；　and　happy　Life。）　　The　subject　is　too　vast　to　be　dealt　with　all　at　once；　but　I'll　give　you　a　peep　of　it。　　The　rustic　laborer　in　the　South　sells　his　labor　for　too　little　money　to　support　life　comfortably。　　That　is　a　foul　wrong。　　The　rustic　laborer　in　the　North　has　small　wages；　compared　with　a　pitman；　or　a　cutler；　but　he　has　enough　for　health；　and　he　lives　longer　and　more　happily　than　either　the　pitman　or　the　cutler；　so　that　account　is　square；　in　my　view　of　things。　　But　now　dive　into　the　Hillsborough　trades；　and　you　will　find　this　just　balance　of　Life；　Labor；　and　Capital　regarded　in　some；　but　defied　in　others：　a　forger　is　paid　as　much　or　more　than　a　dry…grinder；　though　forging　is　a　hard　but　tolerably　healthy　trade；　and　dry…grinding　means　an　early　death　after　fifteen　years　of　disease　and　misery。　　The　file…cutters　are　even　more　killed　and　less　paid。　　What　is　to　be　done　then？　　Raise　the　wages　of　the　more　homicidal　trades！　　But　this　could　only　be　done　by　all　the　Unions　acting　in　concert。　　Now　the　rival　philosophers；　who　direct　the　Unions；　are　all　against　Democritus　that's　myself；　they　set　no　value　on　life。　　And　indeed　the　most　intelligent　one；　Grotait；　smiles　blandly　on　Death；　and　would　grind　his　scythe　for　himAT　THE　STATEMENT　PRICEbecause　that　scythe　thins　the　labor　market；　and　so　helps　keep　up　prices。〃

〃Then　what　can　we　do？　　I'm　a　proof　one　can't　fight　the　Unions。〃

〃Do？　　Why；　lay　hold　of　the　stick　at　the　other　end。　　Let　Pseudo…　Philosophy　set　the　means　above　the　end；　and　fix　its　shortsighted　eyes　on　Labor　and　Capital；　omitting　Life。　　（What　does　it　profit　a　file…cutter　if　he　gains　his　master's　whole　capital　and　loses　his　own　life？）　　But　you　and　I；　Mr。　Little；　are　true　philosophers　and　the　work　we　are　about　to　enter　on　issaving　cutlers'　lives。〃

〃I'd　rather　help　take　them。〃

〃Of　course；　and　that　is　why　I　made　the　pounds　guineas。〃

〃All　right；　sir；〃　said　Henry；　coloring。　　〃I　don't　expect　to　get　six　guineas　a　week　for　whistling　my　own　tune。　　How　are　we　to　do　the　job？〃

〃By　putting　our　heads　together。　　You　have；　on　the　side　of　your　temple；　a　protuberance；　which　I　have　noticed　in　the　crania　of　inventors。　　So　I　want　you　to　go　round　the　works；　and　observe　for　yourself　how　Life　is　thrown　gayly　away；　in　a　moment；　by　needless　accident；　and　painfully　gnawed　away　by　steel…dust；　stone　grit；　sulphuret　of　lead；　etc。；　and　then　cudgel　your　brain　for　remedies。〃

〃Sir；〃　said　Henry；　〃I　am　afraid　I　shall　not　earn　my　money。　　My　heart　is　not　in　the　job。〃

〃Revenge　is　what　you　would　like　to　be　at；　not　Philanthropyeh？〃

〃Ay；　doctor。〃　　And　his　black　eye　flashed　fire。

〃Well；　well；　that　is　natural。　　Humor　my　crotchet　just　now；　and　perhaps　I　may　humor　yours　a　month　or　two　hence。　　I　think　I　could　lay　my　hand　on　the　fellow　who　blew　you　up。〃

〃What；　sir！　　Ah！　tell　me　that；　and　I'll　do　as　much　philanthropy　as　you　likeafter〃

〃After　you　have　punched　your　fellow…creature's　head。〃

〃But　it　is　impossible；　sir。　　How　can　you　know？　　These　acts　are　kept　as　secret　as　the　grave。〃

〃And　how　often　has　the　grave　revealed　its　secrets　to　observant　men？　Dr。　Donne　sauntered　about　among　graves；　and　saw　a　sexton　turn　up　a　skull。　　He　examined　it；　found　a　nail　in　it；　identified　the　skull；　and　had　the　murderess　hung。　　She　was　safe　from　the　sexton　and　the　rest　of　the　parish；　but　not　from　a　stray　observer。　　Well；　the　day　you　were　blown　up；　I　observed　something；　and　arrived　at　a　conclusion；　by　my　art。〃

〃What；　physic？〃

〃Oh；　dear；　no；　my　other　art；　my　art　of　arts；　that　I　don't　get　paid　for；　the　art　of　putting　myself　in　other　people's　places。　　I'll　tell　you。　　While　you　lay　on　the　ground；　in　Mr。　Cheetham's　yard；　I　scanned　the　workmen's　faces。　　They　were　full　of　pity　and　regret；　and　were　much　alike　in　expressionall　but　one。　　That　one　looked　a　man　awakened　from　a　dream。　　His　face　was　wild；　stupid；　confused；　astonished。　　'Hallo！'　said　I；　'why　are　your　looks　so　unlike　the　looks　of　your　fellows？'　　Instantly　I　put　myself　in　his　place。　　I　ceased　to　be　the　Democritus；　or　laughing　philosopher　of　Hillsborough；　and　became　a　low　uneducated　brute　of　a　workman。　　Then　I　asked　this　brute；　viz；　myself；　why　I　was　staring　and　glaring　in　that　way；　stupidly　astonished；　at　the　injured　man？　　'Were　you　concerned　in　the　criminal　act；　ye　blackguard？'　said　I　to　myself。　The　next　step　was　to　put　myself　in　the　place　of　the　criminal。　　I　did　so；　and　I　realized　that　I；　the　criminal；　had　done　the　act　to　please　the　Unions；　and　expecting　the　sympathy　of　all　Union　workmen　to　be　with　me。　　Also　that　I；　being　an　ignorant　brute；　had　never　pictured　to　myself　what　suffering　I　should　inflict。　　But　what　was　the　result？　I　now　saw　the　sufferer；　and　did　not　like　my　own　act；　and　I　found　all　the　sympathy　of　my　fellows　went　with　him；　and　that　I　was　loathed　and　execrated；　and　should　be　lynched　on　the　spot　were　I　to　own　my　act。　I　now　whipped　back　to　Dr。　Amboyne　with　the　theory　thus　obtained；　and　compared　it　with　that　face；　the　two　fitted　each　other；　and　I　saw　the　criminal　before　me。〃

〃Good　heavens！　　This　is　very　deep。〃

〃No　slop…basin　was　ever　deeper。　　So　leave　it　for　the　present；　and　go　to　work。　　Here　are　cards　admitting　you；　as　my　commissioner；　to　all　the　principal　works。　　Begin　with　　Stop　a　moment；　while　I　put　myself　in　your　place。　　Let　me　see；　'Cheetham's　grinders　think　they　have　turned　me　out　of　Hillsborough。　　That　mortifies　a　young　man　of　merit　like　me。　　Confound　'em！　　I　should　like　to　show　them　they　have　not　the　power　to　drive　me　out。　　Combine　how　they　will；　I　rise　superior。　　I　forge　as　they　could　not　forge：　that　was　my　real　crime。　Well；　I'll　be　their　superior　still。　　I'm　their　inspector；　and　their　benefactor；　at　higher　wages　than　they；　poor　devils；　will　ever　earn　at　inspecting　and　benefiting；　or　any　thing　else。'　　Ah！　your　color　rises。　　I've　hit　the　right　nail；　isn't　it　an　excellent　and　most　transmigratory　art？　　Then　begin　with　Cheetham。　　By…the…bye；　the　Anomaly　has　spotted　a　defective　grindstone　there。　　Scrutinize　all　his　departments　severely；　for　no　man　values　his　people's　lives　less　than　my　good　friend　John　Cheetham。　　Away　with　you　both；　and　God　speed　you。

Henry　walked　down　the　street　with　the　Anomaly；　and　tried　to　gauge　his　intellects。

〃What's　your　real　name；　my　man？〃

〃Silly　Billy。〃

〃Oh；　then　I'm　afraid　you　can't　do　much　to　help　me。〃

〃Oh　yes；　I　can；　because〃

〃Because　what？〃

〃Because　I　like　you。〃

〃Well；　that's　lucky；　any　way。〃

〃Billy　can　catch　trout　when　nobody　else　can；〃　said　the　youngster；　turning　his　eyes　proudly　up　to　Henry's。

〃Oh；　indeed！　　But　you　see　that　is　not　exactly　what　the　doctor　wants　us　for。〃

〃Nay；　he's　wrapped　up　in　trout。　　If　it　wasn't　for　Billy　and　the　trout；　he'd　die　right　off。〃

Henry　turned　a　look　of　silent　pity　on　the　boy；　and　left　him　in　his　pleasing　illusion。　　He　wondered　that　Dr。　Amboyne　should　have　tacked　this　biped　on　to　him。

They　entered　Cheetham's　works；　and　Henry　marched　grimly　into　the　office；　and　showed　Mr。　Bayne　his　credentials。

〃Why；　Little；　you　had　no　need　of　that。〃

〃Oh；　it　is　as　well　to　have　no　misunderstanding　with　your　employer's　masters。　　I　visit　these　works　for　my　present　employer；　Dr。　Amboyne；　with　the　consent　of　Mr。　Cheetham；　here　written。〃

〃Very　well；　sir；〃　said　Bayne；　obsequiously；　〃and　I　respectfully　solicit　the　honor　of　conducting　our　esteemed　visitor。〃

A　young　man's　ill…humor　could　not　stand　against　this。　　〃Come　along；　old　fellow；〃　said　Henry。　　〃I'm　a　bear；　with　a　sore　heart；　but　who　could　be　such　a　brute　as　quarrel　with　you？　　Let　us　begin　with　the　chaps　who　drove　me　outthe　grinders。　　I'm　hired　to　philanthropize　'emdn　'em。〃

They　went　among　the　dry…grinders　first；　and　Henry　made　the　following　observations。　　The　workman's　hair　and　clothes　were　powdered　with　grit　and　dust　from　the　grindstones。　　The　very　air　was　impregnated　with　it；　and　soon　irritated　his　own　lungs　perceptibly。　　Here　was　early　death；　by　bronchitis　and　lung　diseases；　reduced　to　a　certainty。　　But　he　also　learned　from　the　men　that　the　quantity　of　metal　ground　off　was　prodigious；　and　entered　their　bodies　they　scarce　knew　how。　　A　razor…grinder　showed　him　his　shirt：　it　was　a　deep　buff…color。　　〃There；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃that　was　clean　on　yesterday。　　All　the　washerwomen　in　Hillsbro'　can't　make　a　shirt　of　mine　any　other　color　but　that。〃　　The　effect　on　life；　health；　and　happiness　was　visible；　a　single　glance　revealed　rounded　shoulders　and　narrow　chests；　caused　partly　by　the　grinder's　position　on　his　horsing；　a　position　very　injurious　to　the　organs　of　breathing；　and　partly　by　the　two　devil's　dusts　that　filled　the　air；　cadaverous　faces；　the　muscles　of　which　betrayed　habitual　suffering；　coughs　short　and　dry；　or　with　a　frothy　expectoration　peculiar　to　the　trade。　In　answer　to　questions；　many　complained　of　a　fearful　tightness　across　the　chest；　of　inability　to　eat　or　to　digest。　　One　said　it　took　him　five　minutes　to　get　up　the　factory　stairs；　and　he　had　to　lean　against　the　wall　several　times。

A　razor…grinder　of　twenty…two；　with　death　in　his　face；　told　Henry　he　had　come　into　that　room　when　he　was　eleven。　　〃It　soon　takes　hold　of　boys；〃　said　he。　　〃I've　got　what　I　shall　never　get　shut　on。〃

Another；　who　l