put yourself in his place-第25部分

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〃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　one　of　these　new　portable　forges？〃

〃No；　never　heard　of　them。〃

〃No　wonder；　they　are　just　out。　　Well；　buy　one　of　themthey　were　invented　hereand　carry　it　to　some　dismal　cavern；　where　the　foot　of　man　never　treads：　make　Cheetham　grind　your　blades　in　another　county：　and　who　will　ever　know？　　Go　to　him；　and　don't　say　a　word；　but　just　ask　him　for　your　month's　salary。　　Then　he　will　open　the　door　of　business　himselfsafe。　　I'll　drink　his　health。　　He's　not　a　bad　sort；　Cheetham：　only　he'd　sell　his　soul　for　money。　　I　hate　such　rubbish。　　Here's　'Perdition　to　the　lot；　and　no　heel…taps。'〃

These　words　of　fire　set　Henry　pondering　deeply；　and；　as　he　pondered；　Bayne　stuck　to　the　port；　and　so　effectually；　that；　at　last；　after　an　interval　of　silence；　he　came　out　in　a　new　character。　　He　disturbed　his　companion's　reverie　by　informing　him；　in　a　loud；　aggressive　tone；　that　it　had　long　been　his　secret　wish　to　encounter　the　Hillsborough　Trades；　in　the　persons　of　their　secretaries；　under　the　following　conditions：　a　twenty…four　feet　ring；　an　experienced　referee；　and　a　kingdom　looking　on。　　As　to　the　order　of　the　pugilistic　events；　he　was　not　unreasonably　fastidious；　must　stipulate　to　begin　with　old　Smitem；　but；　after　that；　they　might　encounter　their　fate　in　any　order　they　chose；　one　down　t'other　come　on。　　He　let　him　know　that　this　ardent　desire　for　single　combats；　in　an　interminable　series；　arose　from　their　treatment　of　his　friend　〃the　best　friendthe　best　heartoh！the　best　companyoh！　oh！　the　bestoh！　oh！　oh！〃　　Whereupon　he　wept；　the　bellicose　Bayne。　And；　after　weeping　the　usual　quantity；　he　twaddled；　and；　after　twaddling；　he　became　as　pacific　as　ever；　for　he　went　to　sleep　in　his　chair。

And；　while　he　snoozed；　the　words　he　had　uttered　set　his　friend's　brain　boiling　and　bubbling。

When　the　time　came　at　which　Bayne　ought　to　return　to　the　works；　Henry　called　the　landlady；　and　said；　〃Mr。　Bayne　is　not　very　well。　　I　am　going　to　make　his　excuses。　　I　wouldn't　disturb　him　till　five；　if　I　was　you；　and　then　I'd　give　him　a　strong　cup　of　tea。〃

Henry　then　went　direct　to　the　office；　and　found　Mr。　Cheetham　there。

〃Well？〃　said　Mr。　Cheetham；　rather　surlily。

〃I　am　come　to　ask　for　my　month；　sir。〃

〃So　I　guessed。　　Do　you　really　mean　to　exact　that？〃

〃Why　not；　sir？〃

〃Haven't　you　heard　how　they　ground　me　down？〃

〃Yes；　sir。　　But　why　did　you　give　in？　　I　was　true　to　you；　but　you　failed　me。　　I'd　have　shut　up　the　works　for　three　months；　rather　than　be　made　a　slave　of；　and　go　from　my　word。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　that's　bachelor's　talk。　　I've　got　a　wife　and　children；　and　they　make　a　man　a　mouse。〃

〃Well；　sir；　I　forgive　you：　but　as　to　my　month's　wagesnow　all　I　say　isPUT　YOURSELF　IN　MY　PLACE！〃

〃Well？〃

〃You　are　me。　　You　are　brought　from　London；　under　an　agreement；　a　month's　notice　on　either　side。　　You　work；　and　give　satisfaction。　You　are　threatened；　but　you　don't　run　from　your　employer。　　You　are　blown　up；　and　nearly　killed。　　You　lose　a　fortnight；　but　you　don't　charge　for　it；　'twasn't　your　employer's　fault。　　You　come　back　to　him；　and　face　the　music　again。　　You　work　with　the　sword　hanging　over　you。　　But　your　employer　gives　in；　and　sacks　you　in　a　minute。　Oughtn't　you　to　have　your　month？　　Come　now；　man　to　man；　oughtn't　you？〃

〃I　ought；　and　that's　the　truth。　　I　didn't　look　at　it　that　way。　　I　saw　my　own　side。　　Thereno　more　about　itI'll　draw　the　checkwith　a　good　heart。〃

He　drew　his　check…book　to　him；　with　a　face　as　if　vultures　were　tearing　his　vitals。

When　Henry　found　him　Amboynable；　and　saw　his　piteous　look；　he　felt　a　little　softened　toward　him；　and　he　said；　very　impressively；　〃Wait　one　moment；　sir；　I've　got　an　idea。　　I'm　not　the　sort　that　likes　to　be　beat。　　Are　YOU？〃　　The　men　looked　steadily　at　each　other。

Cheetham　lowered　his　voice。　〃I've　had　hell　inside　me　ever　since。　　I　thought　I　was　a　man；　but　they　made　a　mouse　of　me。　　If　you　know　any　way　to　beat　them；　I'll　go　in　with　you。〃

〃Well；　sir；　there　is　a　key　to　every　lock。〃

〃That　is　well　said；　and　I　believe　it；　but　one　can't　always　find　the　key。〃

〃I　almost　think　I　have；　sir。〃

〃See　nobody　is　listening。　　Where　is　Bayne？　　He　is　due。〃

〃Oh；　he　is　not　very　well；　sir；　and　I　was　to　ask　you　for　an　hour's　absence。〃

〃Let　him　have　the　whole　afternoon。　　I'll　not　have　a　soul　in　this　but　us　two。　　Now　come　close；　and　tell　me。〃

They　sat　opposite　each　other；　and　put　their　heads　together　over　the　table；　and　the　following　dialogue　passed　almost　in　a　whisper。　　To　see　them；　you　would　have　thought　they　were　conspiring　against　the　law；　instead　of　combining　to　hide　a　lawful　act　from　the　violaters　of　the　law。

〃I　can　forge　the　blades　a　dozen　miles　from　Hillsborough。〃

〃Not　you；　you　will　be　told　of。　　That　won't　do。〃

〃I　shall　not　be　told　of；　for　nobody　will　know　but　you。　　I　shall　only　forge　at　night；　and　the　building　is　out　of　the　world；　and　wedged　in；　out　of　sight；　between　two　bleak　hills。　　Sir；　it　is　a　deserted　church。〃

〃What；　forge　blades　in　a　church？〃

〃A　deserted　church；　why　not？〃

〃Little；　you　are　A　1。　　Go　on。〃

〃I　can　get　the　blades　ground　by　a　friend　at　Birmingham；　and　my　mother　and　I　can　put　them　together　at　home。　　The　complete　articles　will　come　to　you　in　parcels　of　a　certain　colored　paper；　invoiced　in　cipher　outside；　so　that　they　need　not　be　opened；　you　can　trust　the　invoice；　and　dispatch　them　to　your　London　agent。〃

〃All　right。〃

〃The　steel　you　must　supply　me　at　the　current　price；　and　charge　it　against　me。〃

〃Certainly。　　But　your　price　per　gross？　　For　this　work　can't　be　done　by　time。〃

〃Of　course　not。〃　　And　Henry　named　a　price　per　gross　at　which　Cheetham　lifted　up　his　hands。　　〃Why；　you'll　take　nine　pounds　a　week　at　that！〃

〃Ay；　and　more；〃　said　Henry；　coolly。　　〃But　I　sha'n't　make　it。　　Why；　this　scheme　entails　no　end　of　expenses。　　A　house；　and　stables　with　back　entrance。　　A　swift　horse；　to　gallop　to　the　forge　at　sunset；　and　back　by　noon。　　A　cart　to　take　the　things　to　the　railway　and　back；　and　to　the　parcel　delivery　for　you。　　And；　besides　that；　I　must　risk　my　neck；　riding　over　broken　ground　at　night：　and　working　night　and　day　shortens　life。　　You　can't　reduce　these　things　to　Labor　and　Capital。　　It's　Life；　Labor；　and　Capital。〃

〃Hallo！　　There's　a　new　cry。　　I　tell　ye　what；　you　know　too　much　for　me。　　You　read　the　Beehive。　　I　take　you　at　your　price。〃

Then　he　had　a　misgiving。　　〃That　old　Smitem's　as　crafty　as　a　fox。　　If　he　finds　you　stay　here；　with　no　visible　employment；　he　will　soon　be　down　on　us。〃

〃Ay；　but　in　the　day…time　I　shall　appear　as　a　carver　of　wood；　and　also　an　inspector　of　factories　for　Dr。　Amboyne。　　Who　will　suspect　me　of　a　night　trade；　as　well　as　two　day　trades？〃

Cheetham　slapped　the　table　triumphantly：　but；　recovering　his　caution；　he　whispered；　〃It's　planned　first…rate。〃

〃And　now；　sir；　there　is　one　difficulty　you　must　help　me　in；　if　you　please。　　It　is　to　set　up　the　forge　unobserved。〃

〃What；　am　I　to　find　the　forge？〃

〃There's　a　question；　sir！　　Of　course　you　are。　　One　of　these　new　portable　forges。〃

Cheetham　reflected　for　some　little　time。　　He　then　said　it　was　a　ticklish　thing；　and　he　saw　but　one　way。　　〃The　forge　must　come　here；　after　closing　hours；　and　you　and　I　must　fetch　it　away　in　the　dead　of　night；　and　take　it　down　to　the　old　church；　and　set　it　up。〃

〃Well；　but；　sir；　we　shall　want　assistance。〃

〃Nay；　nay。　　I've　got　the　last　suit　of　moleskin　I　ever　worked　in　laid　away。　　I'll　air　'em；　and　put　'em　on　again；　and；　when　I've　got　em　on　once　more；　I　shall　feel　a　man　again。　　I'll　have　neither　fool　nor　spy　in　it：　the　thing　is　too　serious。　　I　might　bring　some　country　fellow；　that　can't　read　or　write；　but　no；　these　portables　are　small　things；　and　I'm　one　of　the　strongest　men　in　Hillsborough。　　Best　keep　it　to　ourselves。　　When　is　it　to　be？〃

〃Say　next　Wednesday；　two　hours　after　midnight。〃

〃Then　that　is　settled。　　And　now　I'll　square　the　old　account　agreed。〃　He　drew　his　check…book　toward　him　again。

But　Henry　slopped　him。　　〃Fair　play's　a　jewel；〃　said　he　smiling。　〃The　moment　you　sacked　me〃

〃Say　the　Trades；　not　me。〃

〃Dr。　Amboyne　hired　me；　at　six　guineas　a　week；　to　inspect　the　works。　So　you　owe　me　nothing；　but　to　be　true　to　me。〃

This　trait；　though　it　was　one　of　simple　probity；　astonished　and　gratified　Mr。　Cheetham。　　He　looked　on　the　young　man　with　marked　respect。　　〃You　are　hard；　but　you　are　very　square。　　I'll　be　true　as　steel　to　you；　and　we'll　outwit　our　tyrants　together；　till　I　get　a　chance　to　put　my　foot　on　them。　　Yes；　I'll　be　open　with　you；　there　are　plenty　of　orders　from　London　and　the　Continent；　and　one　for　six　sets　from　swells　in　Hillsborough。〃

〃Might　I　see　that　order？〃

〃Why　not？　　There；　run　your　eye　over　it。　　I　want　to　go　into　the　packing…room　for　a　minute。〃

He　then　tossed　Henry　the　order；　as　if　it　was　nothing　more　than　an　order。

But　it　was　a　great　deal　more　than　that　to　Henry。　　It　was　Grace　Carden's　handwriting；　the　first　specimen　he　had　ever　seen。

He　took　the　paper　in　his　hand；　and　a　slight　perfume　came　from　it　that　went　to　his　heart。　　He　devoured　the　delicately　formed　letters；　and　they　went　to　his　heart　too：　he　thrilled　all　over。　　And　the　words　were　as　like　her　as　the　perfume。　　She　gave　the　order；　and　the　addresses　of　her　friends；　with　a　pretty　little　attempt　at　the　businesslike；　but；　this　done；　she　burst　out；　〃and　we　all　entreat　you　to　be　good　to　poor　Mr。　Little；　and　protect　him　against　the　wicked；　cruel；　abominable　Unions。〃

These　sweet　words　made　his　heart　beat　violently；　and　brought　the　tears　of　tenderness　into　his　eyes。　　He　kissed　the　words　again　and　again。　　He　put　them　into　his　bosom；　and　took　them　out　again；　and　gloated　over　them　till　they　danced　before　his　manly　eyes。　　Then　his　love　took　another　turn：　he　started　up；　and　marched　and　strutted；　like　a　young　stag；　about　the　room；　with　one　hand　pressing　the　paper　to　his　bosom。　　Why　had　he　said　Wednesday？　　It　could　all　have　been　got　ready　on　Tuesday。　　No　matter；　he　would　make　up　for　that　lost　day。　　He　was　on　the　road；　once　more；　the　road　to　fortune；　and　to　her。

Cheetham　came　in；　and　found　him　walking　excitedly；　with　the　paper　in　his　hand；　and　of　course　took　the　vulgar　view　of　his　emotion。

〃Ay；　lad；