put yourself in his place-第58部分

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d　no　fire；　or　his　file…cutters　in　a　room　without　taps　and　basins；　or　who　should　be　convicted　of　willfully　buying　a　faulty　grindstone；　might　be　made　subject　to　a　severe　penalty；　and　the　municipal　authorities　invested　with　rights　of　inspection；　and　encouraged　to　report。

〃In　restraint　of　the　workmen；　the　Legislature　ought　to　extend　the　Factory　Acts　to　Hillsborough　trades；　and　so　check　the　heartless　avarice　of　the　parents。　　At　present；　no　class　of　her　Majesty's　subjects　cries　so　loud；　and　so　vainly；　to　her　motherly　bosom；　and　the　humanity　of　Parliament　as　these　poor　little　children；　their　parents；　the　lowest　and　most　degraded　set　of　brutes　in　England；　teach　them　swearing　and　indecency　at　home；　and　rob　them　of　all　decent　education；　and　drive　them　to　their　death；　in　order　to　squeeze　a　few　shillings　out　of　their　young　lives；　for　what？to　waste　in　drink　and　debauchery。　　Count　the　public　houses　in　this　town。

〃As　to　the　fork…grinding　trade；　the　Legislature　might　assist　the　masters　to　extinguish　it。　　It　numbers　only　about　one　hundred　and　fifty　persons；　all　much　poisoned；　and　little　paid。　　The　work　could　all　be　done　by　fifteen　machines　and　thirty　hands；　and；　in　my　opinion；　without　the　expense　of　grindstones。　　The　thirty　men　would　get　double　wages：　the　odd　hundred　and　twenty　would；　of　course；　be　driven　into　other　trades；　after　suffering　much　distress。　　And；　on　this　account；　I　would　call　in　Parliament；　because　then　there　would　be　a　temporary　compensation　offered　to　the　temporary　sufferers　by　a　far…sighted　and；　beneficent　measure。　　Besides；　without　Parliament；　I　am　afraid　the　masters　could　not　do　it。　　The　fork…grinders　would　blow　up　the　machines；　and　the　men　who　worked　them；　and　their　wives　and　their　children；　and　their　lodgers；　and　their　lodgers'　visitors。

〃For　all　that；　if　your　theory　of　Life；　Labor；　and　Capital　is　true；　all　incurably　destructive　handicrafts　ought　to　give　way　to　machinery；　and　will；　as　Man　advances。〃


CHAPTER　XXIII。


〃What！　eloped？〃

〃Heaven　forbid！　　Why；　mother；　I　didn't　say　she　was　alone　with　him；　her　father　was　of　the　party。〃

〃Then　surely　you　are　distressing　yourself　more　than　you　need。　　She　goes　to　London　with　her　papa；　and　Mr。　Coventry　happens　to　go　up　the　same　day；　that　is　really　all。〃

〃Oh；　but；　mother；　it　was　no　accident。　　I　watched　his　face；　and　there　was　no　surprise　when　he　came　up　with　his　luggage　and　saw　her。〃

Mrs。　Little　pondered　for　a　minute；　and　then　said；　〃I　dare　say　all　her　friends　knew　she　was　going　up　to　London　to…day；　and　Mr。　Coventry　determined　to　go　up　the　same　day。　　Why；　he　is　courting　her：　my　dear　Henry；　you　knew　before　to…day　that　you　had　a　rival；　and　a　determined　one。　　If　you　go　and　blame　her　for　his　acts；　it　will　be　apt　to　end　in　his　defeating　you。〃

〃Will　it？　　Then　I　won't　blame　her　at　all。〃

〃You　had　better　not　till　you　are　quite　sure：　it　is　one　way　of　losing　a　high…spirited　girl。〃

〃I　tell　you　I　won't。　　Mother！〃

〃Well；　dear？〃

〃When　I　asked　leave　to　come　to　the　station　and　see　her　off；　she　seemed　put　out。〃

〃Did　she　forbid　you？〃

〃No；　but　she　did　not　like　it　somehow。　　Ah；　she　knew　beforehand　that　Coventry　would　be　there。〃

〃Gently；　gently！　　She　might　think　it　possible；　and　yet　not　know　it。　More　likely　it　was　on　account　of　her　father。　　You　have　never　told　him　that　you　love　his　daughter？〃

〃No。〃

〃And　he　is　rather　mercenary：　perhaps　that　is　too　strong　a　word；　but；　in　short；　a　mere　man　of　the　world。　　Might　it　not　be　that　Grace　Carden　would　wish　him　to　learn　your　attachment　either　from　your　lips　or　from　her　own；　and　not　detect　it　in　an　impetuous　young　man's　conduct　on　the　platform　of　a　railway；　at　the　tender　hour　of　parting？〃

〃Oh；　how　wise　you　are；　and　what　an　insight　you　have　got！　　Your　words　are　balm。　　But；　therehe　is　with　her　for　ever　so　long；　and　I　am　here　all　alone。〃

〃Not　quite　alone；　love；　your　counselor　is　by　your　side；　and　may；　perhaps；　show　you　how　to　turn　this　to　your　advantage。　　You　write　to　her　every　day；　and　then　the　postman　will　be　a　powerful　rival　to　Mr。　Coventry；　perhaps　a　more　powerful　one　than　Mr。　Coventry　to　you。〃

Acting　on　this　advice；　Henry　wrote　every　day　to　Grace　Carden。　　She　was　not　so　constant　in　her　replies；　but　she　did　write　to　him　now　and　then；　and　her　letters　breathed　a　gentle　affection　that　allayed　his　jealousy；　and　made　this　period　of　separation　the　happiest　six　weeks　he　had　ever　known。　　As　for　Grace；　about　three　o'clock　she　used　to　look　out　for　the　postman；　and　be　uneasy　and　restless　if　he　was　late；　and；　when　his　knock　came；　her　heart　would　bound；　and　she　generally　flew　upstairs　with　the　prize；　to　devour　it　in　secret。　　She　fed　her　heart　full　with　these　letters；　and　loved　the　writer　better　and　better。　　For　once　the　present　suitor　lost　ground；　and　the　absent　suitor　gained　it。　　Mrs。　Little　divined　as　much　from　Grace's　letters　and　messages　to　herself；　and　she　said；　with　a　smile；　〃You　see　'Les　absents　n'ont　pas　toujours　tort。'〃


CHAPTER　XXIV。


I　must　now　deal　briefly　with　a　distinct　vein　of　incidents；　that　occurred　between　young　Little's　first　becoming　a　master　and　the　return　of　the　Cardens　from　London。

Little；　as　a　master；　acted　up　to　the　philanthropic　theories　he　had　put　forth　when　a　workman。

The　wet…grinders　in　his　employ　submitted　to　his　improved　plates；　his　paved　and　drained　floor；　and　cozy　fires；　without　a　murmur　or　a　word　of　thanks。　　By　degrees　they　even　found　out　they　were　more　comfortable　than　other　persons　in　their　condition；　and　congratulated　themselves　upon　it。

The　dry…grinders　consented；　some　of　them；　to　profit　by　his　improved　fans。　　Others　would　not　take　the　trouble　to　put　the　fans　in　gear；　and　would　rather　go　on　inhaling　metal…dust　and　stone…grit。

Henry　reasoned；　but　in　vain；　remonstrated；　but　with　little　success。　Then　he　discharged　a　couple：　they　retired　with　mien　of　martyrs；　and　their　successors　were　admitted　on　a　written　agreement　that　left　them　no　option。　　The　fan　triumphed。

The　file…cutters　were　more　troublesome；　they　clung　to　death　and　disease；　like　limpets　to　established　rocks；　they　would　not　try　any　other　bed　than　bare　lead；　and　they　would　not　wash　at　the　taps　Little　had　provided；　and　they　would　smuggle　in　dinners　and　eat　with　poisoned　hands。

Little　reasoned；　and　remonstrated；　but　with　such　very　trifling　success；　that；　at　last；　he　had　to　put　down　the　iron　heel；　he　gave　the　file…cutters　a　printed　card；　with　warning　to　leave　on　one　side；　and　his　reasons　on　the　other。

In　twenty…four　hours　he　received　a　polite　remonstrance　from　the　secretary　of　the　File…Cutters'　Union。

He　replied　that　the　men　could　remain；　if　they　would　sign　an　agreement　to　forego　certain　suicidal　practices；　and　to　pay　fines　in　case　of　disobedience；　said　fines　to　be　deducted　from　their　earnings。

Then　the　secretary　suggested　a　conference　at　the　〃Cutlers'　Arms。〃　Little　assented：　and　there　was　a　hot　argument。　　The　father　of　all　file…cutters　objected　to　tyranny　and　innovation：　Little　maintained　that　Innovation　was　nearly　always　Improvementthe　world　being　sillyand　was　manifestly　improvement　in　the　case　under　consideration。　　He　said　also　he　was　merely　doing　what　the　Union　itself　ought　to　do：　protecting　the　life　of　Union　men　who　were　too　childish　and　wrong…headed　to　protect　it　themselves。

〃We　prefer　a　short　life　and　a　merry　one；　Mr。　Little；〃　said　the　father　of　all　file…cutters。

〃A　life　of　disease　is　not　a　merry　one：　slow　poisoning　is　not　a　pleasant　way　of　living；　but　a　miserable　way　of　dying。　　None　but　the　healthy　are　happy。　　Many　a　Croesus　would　give　half　his　fortune　for　a　poor　man's　stomach；　yet　you　want　your　cutlers　to　be　sick　men　all　their　days；　and　not　gain　a　shilling　by　it。　　Man　alive；　I　am　not　trying　to　lower　their　wages。〃

〃Ay；　but　you　are　going　the　way　to　do　it。〃

〃How　do　you　make　that　out？〃

〃The　trade　is　full　already；　and；　if　you　force　the　men　to　live　to　threescore　and　ten；　you　will　overcrowd　it　so；　they　will　come　to　starvation　wages。〃

Little　was　staggered　at　this　thunderbolt　of　logic；　and　digested　the　matter　in　silence　for　a　moment。　　Then　he　remembered　something　that　had　fallen　from　Dr。　Amboyne；　and　he　turned　to　Grotait。　　〃What　do　you　say　to　that；　sir？　would　you　grind　Death's　scythe　for　him　（at　the　list　price）　to　thin　the　labor　market？〃

Grotait　hesitated　for　once。　　In　his　heart　he　went　with　the　file…　cutter：　but　his　understanding　encumbered　him。

〃Starvation；〃　said　he；　〃is　as　miserable　a　death　as　poisoning。　　But　why　make　a　large　question　out　of　a　small　one；　with　rushing　into　generalities？　　I　really　think　you　might　let　Mr。　Little　settle　this　matter　with　the　individual　workmen。　　He　has　got　a　little　factory；　and　a　little　crochet；　he　chooses　to　lengthen　the　lives　of　six　file…　cutters。　　He　says　to　them；　'My　money　is　my　own；　and　I'll　give　you　so　much　of　it；　in　return　for　so　much　work　plus　so　much　washing　and　other　novelties。'　　The　question　is；　does　his　pay　cover　the　new　labor　of　washing；　etc。；　as　well　as　the　old？〃

〃Mr。　Grotait；　I　pay　the　highest　price　that　is　going。〃

〃In　that　case；　I　think　the　Unions　are　not　bound　to　recognize　the　discussion。　　Mr。　Little；　I　have　some　other　reasons　to　lay　before　my　good　friend　here；　and　I　hope　to　convince　him。　　Now；　there's　a　little　party　of　us　going　to　dine　to…morrow　at　'Savage's　Hotel；'　up　by　the　new　reservoir；　give　us　the　pleasure　of　your　company；　will　you？　and；　by　that　time；　perhaps　I　may　have　smoothed　this　little　matter　for　you。〃　　Little　thanked　him；　accepted　the　invitation；　and　left　the　pair　of　secretaries　together。

When　he　was　gone；　Grotait　represented　that　public　opinion　would　go　with　Little　on　this　question；　and　the　outrages　he　had　sustained　would　be　all　ripped　up　by　the　Hillsborough　Liberal；　and　the　two　topics　combined　in　an　ugly　way；　and　all　for　what？to　thwart　a　good…　hearted　young　fellow　in　a　philanthropical　crotchet；　which；　after　all；　did　him　honor；　and　would　never　be　imitated　by　any　other　master　in　Hillsborough。　　And　so；　for　once；　this　Machiavel　sided　with　Henry；　not　from　the　purest　motives；　yet；　mind　you；　not　without　a　certain　mixture　of　right　feeling　and　humanity。

On　the　Sunday　Henry　dined　with　him　and　his　party；　at　〃Savage's　Hotel；〃　and　the　said　dinner　rather　surprised　Henry；　the　meats　were　simple；　but　of　good　quality；　and　the　wines；　which　were　all　brought　out　by　Grotait；　were　excellent。　　That　Old　Saw；　who　retailed　ale　and　spirits　t