put yourself in his place-第24部分

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rindstone。　　Where　you　see　the　dents　the　stone　struck　the　ceiling；〃　he　added　very　gravely；　〃and；　when　it　came　down　again；　ask　yourself；　did　it　ALWAYS　fall　right？　　These　histories　are　written　only　on　the　ceiling　and　the　walls。　　The　floor　could　tell　its　tales　too；　but　a　crushed　workman　is　soon　swept　off　it；　and　the　wheels　go　on　again。〃

〃That　is　too　true；〃　said　Henry。　　〃And　it　does　a　chap's　heart　good　to　hear　a　gentleman　like　you〃

〃I'm　not　a　gentleman。　　I'm　an　old　Saw。〃

〃Excuse　me；　sir；　you　look　like　a　gentleman；　and　talk　like　one。〃

〃And　I　try　to　conduct　myself　like　one：　but　I　AM　an　old　Saw。〃

〃What！　and　carry　a　gold　eyeglass？〃

〃The　Trade　gave　it　me。　　I'm　an　old　Saw。〃

〃Well；　then；　all　the　better；　for　you　can　tell　me；　and　please　do：　have　you　ever　actually　known　fatal　accidents　from　this　cause？〃

〃I　have　known　the　light　grinders　very　much　shaken　by　a　breaking　stone；　and　away　from　work　a　month　after　it。　　And；　working　among　saw…　grinders；　who　use　heavy　stones；　and　stand　over　them　in　working；　I've　seen　　Billy；　go　and　look　at　thy　shilling；　in　the　yard；　and　see　which　is　brightest；　it　or　the　moon。　　Is　he　gone？　　I've　seen　three　men　die　within　a　few　yards　of　me。　　One；　the　stone　flew　in　two　pieces；　a　fragment；　weighing　about　four　hundredweight　I　should　say；　struck　him　on　the　breast；　and　killed　him　on　place；　he　never　spoke。　I've　forgotten　his　very　name。　　Another；　the　stone　went　clean　out　of　window；　but　it　kicked　the　grinder　backward　among　the　machinery；　and　his　head　was　crushed　like　an　eggshell。　　But　the　worst　of　all　was　poor　Billy's　father。　　He　had　been　warned　against　his　stone；　but　he　said　he　would　run　it　out。　　Well；　his　little　boy；　that　is　Billy；　had　just　brought　him　in　his　tea；　and　was　standing　beside　him；　when　the　stone　went　like　a　pistol…shot；　and　snapped　the　horsing　chains　like　a　thread；　a　piece　struck　the　wall；　and　did　no　harm；　only　made　a　hole；　but　the　bigger　half　went　clean　up　to　the　ceiling；　and　then　fell　plump　down　again；　the　grinder　he　was　knocked　stupid　like；　and　had　fallen　forward　on　his　broken　horsing；　the　grindstone　fell　right　on　him；　and；　ahI　saw　the　son　covered　with　the　father's　blood。〃

He　shuddered　visibly；　at　the　recollection。　　〃Ay；〃　said　he；　〃the　man　a　corpse；　and　the　lad　an　idiot。　　One　faulty　stone　did　that；　within　four　yards　of　me；　in　a　moment　of　time。〃

〃Good　heavens！〃

〃I　was　grinding　at　the　next　stone　but　one。　　He　was　taken；　and　I　was　left。　　It　might　just　as　well　have　been　the　other　way。　　No　saw…　grinder　can　make　sure；　when　he　gets　on　his　horsing；　that　he　will　come　off　it　alive。〃

The　visitor　left　Henry　to　think　of　this　while　he　drew　Bayne　aside；　and　spoke　on　another　matter。

Afterward；　all　three　left　the　works　together；　and　Henry　was　so　pleased　with　his　new　ally；　that　he　told　him；　at　the　gate；　he　should　be　glad　if　he　might　be　allowed　to　make　his　acquaintance。

〃By　all　means；〃　said　the　other。　　〃I　am　quite　at　your　service。　　You　will　find　me　at　the　'Cutlers'　Arms。'〃

〃Who　shall　I　ask　for？〃

〃George　Grotait。〃

〃Grotait。　　The　devil！〃

〃No；　no。　　Not　quite　so　bad　as　that。〃

〃What；〃　said　Henry；　roughly；　〃do　you　mean　to　say　you　are　old　Smitem？〃

〃That　is　a　name　FOOLS　give　me。〃

Henry　had　no　reply　ready；　and　so　the　sturdy　old　secretary　got　the　better　of　him　again；　and　went　his　way　unruffled。

Henry　scolded　Bayne　for　not　telling　him。　　Bayne　excused　himself　on　the　ground　that　he　thought　everybody　knew　Grotait。　　He　added；　〃He　knew　you；　and　told　me　if　he　could　serve　you；　without　being　unjust　to　the　Trades；　I　was　to　tell　him。〃

Henry　replied　to　this　only　by　a　snort　of　defiance；　and　bade　him　good…night。

The　next　day　and　the　next　were　spent　in　other　works；　and　then　Henry；　having　no　more　facts　to　learn；　fell　into　deep　dejection　again。　　He　saw　he　must　either　cheat　Dr。　Amboyne；　by　shamming　work；　or　else　must　leave　Hillsborough。

He　had　the　honesty　to　go　to　the　doctor　and　say　that　he　had　mastered　the　whole　matter；　and　didn't　see　his　way　to　take　any　more　wages　from　a　friend。

〃You　mean　you　have　mastered　the　broad　facts。〃

〃I　have；　sir；　and　they　are　beyond　belief；　especially　the　file…　cutters。　　They　are　the　most　numerous　of　all　the　Trades；　and　die　like　sheep。　　If　your　notion　about　Life；　Labor；　and　Capital　is　right；　the　Trades　are　upside　down；　for　the　deadliest　are　the　worst　paid。〃

〃And　are　you　prepared　with　the　remedies？〃

〃Not　I。〃

〃Yet　you　fancy　you　are　at　the　end　of　your　work。　　Why；　you　are　only　beginning。　　Now　comes　the　real　brain　work；　invention。　　Now　are　craniology　and　you　upon　your　trial。　　But　you　are　quite　right　about　weekly　salary。　　Invention　must　not　be　so　degraded；　but　paid　by　the　piece。　　Life；　Labor；　and　Capital　are　upside　down　in　this　place；　are　they？　　Then　you　shall　be　the　man　to　set　them　on　their　legs。〃

Henry　shook　his　head。　　〃Never；　sir；　unless　I　could　give　the　masters　bowels；　and　the　men　brains。〃

〃Well；　and　why　not？　　To　invention　all　things　are　possible。　　You　carry　a　note…book？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Got　it　in　your　pocket？〃

〃No；　on　my　shoulders。〃

〃Haw！　haw！　haw！　　Then　write　this　down　in　it'THERE'S　A　KEY　TO　EVERY　LOCK'〃

〃It's　down；　sir。〃

〃Now　you　must　go　out　trout…fishing　with　Billy。　　He　will　take　you　on　the　hills；　where　the　air　is　pure；　and　favorable　to　invention。　　You　will　divert　your　mind　from　all　external　subjects；　especially　Billy；　who　is　a　fool；　and　his　trout…killing　inhumane；　and　I　a　merciless　glutton　for　eating　them；　and　you　will　think；　and　think；　and　think；　and　forge　the　required　key　to　this　lock　with　three　wardsLife；　Labor；　Capital。　　And；　when　forged；　the　Philanthropic　Society　shall　pay　you　a　good　price　for　it。　　Meantime；　don't　dream　of　leaving　Hillsborough；　or　I　shall　give　you　a　stirrup…cup　that　will　waft　you　much　further　than　London；　for　it　shall　be　'of　prussic　acid　all　composed；'　or　'juice　of　cursed　Hebenon　in　a　vial。'　　Come；　away　with　you。〃

〃Good…by；　doctor。　　God　bless　you。　　You　have　found　'the　key　to　my　heart'　somehow。　　I　come　to　you　a　miserable　broken…hearted　dog；　and　you　put　life　and　hope　into　me　directly。　　I　declare　talking　with　you　it's　like　drinking　sunshine。　　I'll　try　all　I　know　to　please　you。〃

He　went　down　the　street　with　his　old　elastic　tread；　and　muttered　to　himself；　〃There's　no　lock　without　a　key。〃

Next　day　he　went　out　on　the　hills　with　Billy；　and　saw　him　tickle　trout；　and　catch　them　under　stones；　and　do　many　strange　things；　and　all　the　time　he　thought　of　Grace　Carden；　and　bemoaned　his　sad　fate。　He　could　not　command　his　mind；　and　direct　it　to　philanthropy。　　His　heart　would　not　let　him；　and　his　personal　wrongs　were　too　recent。　After　a　short　struggle；　these　got　so　thoroughly　the　better；　that　he　found　himself　stealing　the　doctor's　words　for　his　own　purposes。　　〃No　lock　without　a　key。〃　　Then　there　must　be　some　way　of　outwitting　these　cursed　Trades；　and　so　making　money　enough　to　set　up　as　a　master；　and　then　court　her；　and　woo　her；　and　marry　her。　　Heaven　seemed　to　open　on　him　at　this　prospect；　and　he　fell　into　a　deep　reverie。　　By…and…by；　as　he　pondered；　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　the　shadow　of　a　coming　idea　was　projected　in　advance　of　the　idea　itself。　He　knew　somehow　there　was　a　way　to　baffle　his　enemies；　and　resume　his　business；　and　yet　he　could　not　see　the　way；　but　still　he　was　absolutely　conscious　it　existed。

This　conviction　took　such　hold　of　him；　that　he　became　restless；　and　asked　Billy　to　leave　off　and　come　away。　　The　youth　consented；　and　they　returned　to　the　town　with　a　basket　of　trout。　　Henry　sent　Billy　on　to　the　doctor　with　half　of　them；　and　took　the　other　half　to　his　friend　Bayne。

On　what　a　trifle　things　turn。　　Bayne　was　very　much　pleased　with　his　little　attention；　and　asked　him　to　take　them　to　his　lodging；　and　beg　the　landlady　to　cook　them　for　dinner。　　〃Tell　her　you　dine　with　me；　old　fellow。〃

〃Oh；　hang　it；　I　wasn't　fishing　for　a　dinner。〃

〃As　if　I　didn't　know　that。　　But　you　must。　　Then　I　shall　enjoy　your　company　in　peace。　　I　shall　be　there　in　an　hour。〃

And　so　he　was：　but　in　that　one　hour　events　had　occurred　that　I　shall　leave　Mr。　Bayne　to　relate。

During　dinner　neither　of　the　friends　wasted　much　time　in　talk；　but　after　dinner；　Bayne　produced　a　bottle　of　port；　notwithstanding　Henry's　remonstrances　at　being　treated　like　a　stranger；　and　it　soon　became　apparent　that　the　host　himself　was　not　in　the　habit　of　drinking　that　generous　mixture　every　day。　　At　the　second　glass　he　so　far　forgot　himself　as　to　utter　the　phrase　〃Eternal　friendship；〃　and；　soon　after；　he　began　to　writhe　in　his　chair；　and；　at　last；　could　no　longer　refrain　himself；　but　told　Henry　that　Miss　Carden　had　been　canvassing　customers。　　She　had　just　sent　in　six　orders　for　sets　of　carving…tools；　all　for　friends　of　her　own。

Henry　colored　to　the　temples　at　this　unexpected　proof　that　she　he　loved　thought　of　him　too。

〃Oh；　Bayne；〃　cried　the　poor　young　man；　almost　choking；　〃I　little　thoughtGod　bless　her！〃

〃Let　us　drink　her　health；〃　said　Bayne；　excitedly。

〃Ah；　that　I　will！〃　and　this　was　the　first　glass　Henry　drank　honestly。

〃Now；　Little；　I'm　not　doing　quite　right；　you　know；　but　I　MUST　tell　you。　　When　we　lost　youyou　know　that　set　of　tools　the　Union　dropped　in　our　yardwell；　he　sent　them　to　London　for　yours。〃

〃That　is　just　like　him；〃　said　Henry；　bitterly。

〃And　I'll　tell　you　a　good　joke；　they　were　in　the　place　when　you　called；　only　not　unpacked　till　just　before　I　came　away。　　Returned；　sir！　with　a　severe　reprimand。　　'Wonder　you　should　send　us　such　things　as　these　for　carving…tools　by　Little。　　If　the　error　is　not　repaired　shall　consider　ourselves　at　liberty　to　communicate　direct　with　that　workman。'　　A　regular　sugar…plum。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you；　my　kind　friend；　for　telling　me。　　The　world　isn't　all　bitterness；　after　all：　a　poor　fellow　gets　a　sweet　drop　of　friendship　now　and　then。〃

〃Yes；　and　a　good　drop　of　port　now　and　then；　though　I　say　it　that　shouldn't。　　Fill　up。　　Well；　my　boy；　Cheetham　is　in　a　fine　way。　　I　left　him　walking　about　the　office　like　a　hyena。　　So　now　is　your　time。　　You　can't　fight　the　Trades；　but；　if　Cheetham　will　go　in　with　you；　and　I　know　he　will；　for　he　is　sorer　than　you　are；　you　can　trick　the　Trades　yet。〃

〃Ah！　tell　me　how；　that　is　all。〃

〃Oh；　I　can't　tell　you　exactly。　　I'll　try；　though。　　I　say；　what　a　glorious　thing　the　Ruby　is：　it　inspires　us；　and　fires　us；　et　cetera；　and　gives　us　ideas　beyond　our　sphere。　　Did　you　ever　see　on