put yourself in his place-第42部分

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〃I'm　perplexed；〃　said　he：　〃I　don't　often　hesitate　on　a　Trade　question　neither。　　But　the　men　we　have　done　were　always　low…lived　blackguards；　who　would　have　destroyed　us；　if　we　had　not　disabled　them。　　Now　this　Little　is　a　decent　young　chap。　　He　struck　at　the　root　of　our　Trades；　so　long　as　he　wrought　openly。　　But　on　the　sly；　and　nobody　knowing　but　ourselves；　mightn't　it　be　as　well　to　shut　our　eyes　a　bit？　　My　informant　is　not　in　trade。〃

The　other　three　took　a　more　personal　view　of　the　matter。　　Little　was　outwitting；　and　resisting　them。　　They　saw　nothing　for　it　but　to　stop　him；　by　hook　or　by　crook。

While　they　sat　debating　his　case　in　whispers；　and　with　their　heads　so　close　you　might　have　covered　them　all　with　a　tea…tray；　a　clear　musical　voice　was　heard　to　speak　to　the　barmaid；　and；　by　her　direction；　in　walked　into　the　council…chamberMr。　Henry　Little。

This　visit　greatly　surprised　Messrs。　Parkin；　Jobson；　and　Potter；　and　made　them　stare；　and　look　at　one　another　uneasily。　　But　it　did　not　surprise　Grotait　so　much；　and　it　came　about　in　the　simplest　way。　That　morning；　at　about　eleven　o'clock；　Dr。　Amboyne　had　called　on　Mrs。　Little；　and　had　asked　Henry；　rather　stiffly；　whether　he　was　quite　forgetting　Life；　Labor　and　Capital。　　Now　the　young　man　could　not　but　feel　that；　for　some　time　past；　he　had　used　the　good　doctor　ill；　had　neglected　and　almost　forgotten　his　benevolent　hobby；　so　the　doctor's　gentle　reproach　went　to　his　heart；　and　he　said；　〃Give　me　a　day　or　two；　sir；　and　I'll　show　you　how　ashamed　I　am　of　my　selfish　behavior。〃　　True　to　his　pledge；　he　collected　all　his　notes　together；　and　prepared　a　report；　to　be　illustrated　with　drawings。　　He　then　went　to　Cheetham's；　more　as　a　matter　of　form　than　any　thing；　to　see　if　the　condemned　grindstone　had　been　changed。　　To　his　infinite　surprise　he　found　it　had　not；　and　Bayne　told　him　the　reason。　　Henry　was　angry；　and　went　direct　to　Grotait　about　it。

But　as　soon　as　he　saw　Jobson；　and　Parkin；　and　Potter；　he　started；　and　they　started。　　〃Oh！〃　said　he；　〃I　didn't　expect　to　find　so　much　good　company。　　Why；　here's　the　whole　quorum。〃

〃We　will　retire；　sir；　if　you　wish　it。〃

〃Not　at　all。　　My　orders　are　to　convert　you　all　to　Life；　Labor；　and　Capital　（Grotait　pricked　up　his　ears　directly）；　and；　if　I　succeed；　the　Devil　will　be　the　next　to　come　round；　no　doubt。　　Well；　Mr。　Grotait；　Simmons　is　on　that　same　grindstone　you　and　I　condemned。　And　all　for　a　matter　of　four　shillings。　　I　find　that；　in　your　trade；　the　master　provides　the　stone；　but　the　grinder　hangs　and　races　it；　which；　in　one　sense；　is　time　lost。　　Well；　Simmons　declines　the　new　stone；　unless　Cheetham　will　pay　him　by　time　for　hanging　and　racing　it；　Cheetham　refuses；　and　so；　between　them；　that　idiot　works　on　a　faulty　stone。　　Will　you　use　your　influence　with　the　grinder？〃

〃Well；　Mr。　Little；　now；　between　ourselves　don't　you　think　it　rather　hard　that　the　poor　workman　should　have　to　hang　and　race　the　master's　grindstone　for　nothing？〃

〃Why；　they　share　the　loss　between　them。　　The　stone　costs　the　master　three　pounds；　and　hanging　it　costs　the　workman　only　four　or　five　shillings。　　Where's　the　grievance？〃

〃Hanging　and　racing　a　stone　shortens　the　grinder's　life；　fills　his　lungs　with　grit。　　Is　the　workman　to　give　Life　and　Labor　for　a　forenoon；　and　is　Capital　to　contribute　nothing？　　Is　that　your　view　of　Life；　Labor；　and　Capital；　young　man？〃

Henry　was　staggered　a　moment。　　〃That　is　smart；〃　said　he。　〃But　a　rule　of　trade　is　a　rule；　till　it　is　altered　by　consent　of　the　parties　that　made　it。　　Now；　right　or　wrong；　it　is　the　rule　of　trade　here　that　the　small　grinders　find　their　own　stones；　and　pay　for　power；　but　the　saw…grinders　are　better　off；　for　they　have　not　to　find　stones；　nor　power；　and　their　only　drawback　is　that　they　must　hang　and　race　a　new　stone；　which　costs　the　master　sixty　shillings。　Cheetham　is　smarting　under　your　rules；　and　you　can't　expect　him　to　go　against　any　rule；　that　saves　him　a　shilling。〃

〃What　does　the　grinder　think？〃

〃You　might　as　well　ask　what　the　grindstone　thinks。〃

〃Well；　what　does　the　grinder　say；　then？〃

〃Says　he'd　rather　run　the　stone　out；　than　lose　a　forenoon。〃

〃Well；　sir；　it　is　his　business。〃

〃It　may　be　a　man's　business　to　hang　himself；　but　it　is　the　bystanders'　to　hinder　him。〃

〃You　mistake　me。　　I　mean　that　the　grinder　is　the　only　man　who　knows　whether　a　stone　is　safe。〃

〃Well；　but　this　grinder　does　not　pretend　his　stone　is　safe。　　All　he　says　is；　safe　or　not；　he'll　run　it　out。　　So　now　the　question　is；　will　you　pay　four　shillings　from　your　box　for　this　blockhead's　loss　of　time　in　hanging　and　racing　a　new　stone？〃

All　the　four　secretaries　opened　their　eyes　with　surprise　at　this。　But　Grotait　merely　said　he　had　no　authority　to　do　that；　the　funds　of　the　Union　were　set　apart　for　specified　purposes。

〃Very　likely；〃　said　Henry；　getting　warm：　〃but；　when　there's　life　to　be　TAKEN；　your　Union　can　find　money　irregularly；　so　why　grudge　it；　when　there's　life　to　be　saved　perhaps；　and　ten　times　cheaper　than　you　pay　for　blood？〃

〃Young　man；〃　said　Grotait；　severely；　〃did　you　come　here　to　insult　us　with　these　worn…out　slanders？〃

〃No；　but　I　came　to　see　whether　you　secretaries；　who　can　find　pounds　to　assassinate　men；　and　blow　up　women　and　children　with　gunpowder；　can　find　shillings　to　secure　the　life　of　one　of　your　own　members；　he　risks　it　every　time　he　mounts　his　horsing。〃

〃Well；　sir；　the　application　is　without　precedent；　and　I　must　decline　it；　but　this　I　beg　to　do　as　courteously；　as　the　application　has　been　made　uncourteously。〃

〃Oh；　it　is　easy　to　be　polite；　when　you've　got　no　heart。〃

〃You　are　the　first　ever　brought　that　charge　against　me。〃

〃You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself；〃　said　Potter；　warmly。　　〃No　heart！　　Mr。　Grotait　is　known　for　a　good　husband；　a　tender　father；　and　the　truest　friend　in　Hillsborough。〃

The　others　echoed　these　sentiments　warmly　and　sincerely；　for；　as　strange　as　it　may　appear　to　those　who　have　not　studied　human　nature　at　first　hand；　every　word　of　this　eulogy　was　strictly　true。

〃Thank　you；　gentlemen；〃　said　Grotait。　　〃But　we　must　make　allowances。　Mr。　Little　is　smarting　under　a　gross　and　dastardly　outrage；　and　also　under　a　fair　defeat；　and　thinks　his　opponents　must　be　monsters。　　Now　I　should　like　to　show　him　the　contrary。　　Let　Simmons　take　care　of　himself。　　You　have　given　him　good　advice；　and　much　to　your　credit：　now　have　you　nothing　to　say　to　us；　on　your　own　account？〃

〃Not　a　word；〃　said　Henry；　steadily

〃But　suppose　I　could　suggest　a　way　by　which　you　could　carry　on　your　trade　in　Hillsborough；　and　offend　nobody？〃

〃I　should　decline　to　hear　it　even。　　You　and　I　are　at　war　on　that。　You　have　done　your　worst；　and　I　shall　do　my　best　to　make　you　all　smart　for　it；　the　moment　I　get　a　chance。〃

Grotait's　cheek　reddened　with　anger　at　this　rebuff；　and　it　cost　him　an　effort　to　retain　his　friendly　intentions。　　〃Come；　come；〃　said　he；　rather　surlily；　〃don't　be　in　a　hurry　till　you　have　heard　the　nature　of　my　proposal。　　Here；　Jess；　a　quart　of　the　best　ale。　　Now；　to　begin；　let　us　drink　and　be　comfortable　together。〃

He　passed　the　glass　to　Little　first。　　But　the　young　man's　blood　was　boiling　with　his　wrongs；　and　this　patronizing　air　irritated　him　to　boot。　　He　took　the　glass　in　his　hand；　〃Here's　quick　exposuresudden　deathand　sure　damnationto　all　hypocrites　and　assassins！〃　　He　drained　the　glass　to　this　toast；　flung　sixpence　on　the　table；　and　strode　out；　white　with　passion　himself；　and　leaving　startled　faces　behind　him。

〃So　be　it；〃　said　Grotait；　and　his　wicked　little　eye　glittered　dangerously。


That　same　evening；　a　signal；　well　known　to　certain　workmen　in　Hillsborough；　peeped　in　the　window　of　〃The　Cutlers'　Arms。〃　　And；　in　consequence；　six　or　seven　ill…conditioned　fellows　gathered　about　the　doors　and　waited　patiently　for　further　information。

Amongst　these　was　a　sturdy　fellow　of　about　nine…and…twenty；　whose　existence　was　a　puzzle　to　his　neighbors。　　During　the　last　seven　years　he　had　worked　only　eighteen　months　all　together。　　The　rest　of　the　time　he　had　been　on　the　Saw…Grinders'　box；　receiving　relief；　viz。：　seven　shillings　and　sixpence　for　his　wife；　and　two　shillings　for　each　child；　and　every　now　and　then　he　would　be　seen　with　three　or　four　sovereigns　in　his　possession。

The　name　of　this　masterful　beggar；　of　this　invalid　in　theory；　who；　in　fact；　could　eat　three　pounds　of　steak　at　a　sitting；　was　Biggs；　but　it　is　a　peculiarity　of　Hillsborough　to　defy　baptismal　names；　and　substitute　others　deemed　spicier。　　Out　of　the　parish　register　and　the　records　of　the　police　courts；　the　scamp　was　only　known　as　Dan　Tucker。

This　Dan　stood；　with　others；　loitering　about　〃The　Cutlers'　Arms。〃

Presently　out　came　Grotait；　and　surveyed　the　rascally　lot。　　He　beckoned　to　Dan；　and　retired。

Dan　went　in　after　him。

〃Drat　his　luck！〃　said　one　of　the　rejected　candidates；　〃he　always　gets　the　job。〃　　The　rest　then　dispersed。

Tucker　was　shown　into　a　pitch…dark　room；　and　there　a　bargain　was　struck　between　him　and　men　unseen。　　He　and　two　more　were　to　go　to　Cairnhope；　and　DO　Little。　　He　was　to　avoid　all　those　men　who　had　lately　stood　at　the　door　with　him；　and　was　to　choose　for　his　companions　Simmons　the　grinder；　and　one　Sam　Cole；　a　smooth；　plausible　fellow；　that　had　been　in　many　a　dark　job；　unsuspected　even　by　his　wife　and　family；　who　were　respectable。

Thus　instructed；　Tucker　went　to　the　other　men；　and　soon　reported　to　Grotait　that　he　had　got　Cole　all　right；　but　that　Simmons　looked　coldly　on　the　job。　　He　was　in　full　work；　for　one　thing；　and　said　Little　had　had　his　squeak　already；　and　he　didn't　see　following　him　eleven　miles　off；　he　had；　however；　asked　him　whether　Little　had　a　wife　and　children；　which　question　he；　Tucker；　could　not　answer。

〃But　I　can；〃　said　Grotait。　　〃He　is　a　bachelor。　　You　can　tell　Simmons　so。　　There　are　reasons　why　Ned　Simmons　must　be　in　this。　　Try　him　to…　morrow　at　dinner…time。　　Bid　two　pounds　more；　andhis　wife　is　near　her　timetell　him　this　job　will　help　him　buy　her　wine　and　things；〃　said　the　kind；　parental；　diabolical　Grotait。


Next　morning　Henry　worked　with　the　pen　for　Dr。　Amboyne　till　twelve　o'clock。　　He　then；　still　carrying　out　his　friend's　views；　went　down　to　Mr　Cheetham's　words　to　talk　to　Simmons。

But　he　found　an　ill…looking　fellow　standing　by　the　man's　side；　and　close　at　his　ear。　　T