put yourself in his place-第59部分

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which　were　all　brought　out　by　Grotait；　were　excellent。　　That　Old　Saw；　who　retailed　ale　and　spirits　to　his　customers；　would　serve　nothing　less　to　his　guests　than　champagne　and　burgundy。　　And；　if　the　cheer　was　generous；　the　host　was　admirable；　he　showed；　at　the　head　of　his　genial　board；　those　qualities　which；　coupled　with　his　fanaticism；　had　made　him　the　Doge　of　the　Hillsborough　trades。　　He　was　primed　on　every　subject　that　could　interest　his　guests；　and　knew　something　about　nearly　everything　else。　　He　kept　the　ball　always　going；　but　did　not　monologuize；　except　when　he　was　appealed　to　as　a　judge；　and　then　did　it　with　a　mellow　grace　that　no　man　can　learn　without　Nature's　aid。　There　is　no　society；　however　distinguished；　in　which　Grotait　would　not　have　been　accepted　as　a　polished　and　admirable　converser。

Add　to　this　that　he　had　an　art；　which　was　never　quite　common；　but　is　now　becoming　rare；　of　making　his　guests　feel　his　friendsfor　the　time；　at　all　events。

Young　Little　sat　amazed；　and　drank　in　his　words　with　delight；　and　could　not　realize　that　this　genial　philosopher　was　the　person　who　had　launched　a　band　of　ruffians　at　him。　　Yet；　in　his　secret　heart；　he　could　not　doubt　it：　and　so　he　looked　and　listened　with　a　marvelous　mixture　of　feelings；　on　which　one　could　easily　write　pages　of　analysis；　very　curious；　and　equally　tedious。

They　dined　at　three；　and；　at　five；　they　got　up；　as　agreed　beforehand；　and　went　to　inspect　the　reservoir　in　course　of　construction。　　A　more　compendious　work　of　art　was　never　projected：　the　contractors　had　taken　for　their　basis　a　mountain　gorge；　with　a　stream　flowing　through　it　down　toward　Hillsborough；　all　they　had　to　do　was　to　throw　an　embankment　across　the　lower　end　of　the　gorge；　and　turn　it　to　a　mighty　basin　open　to　receive　the　stream；　and　the　drainage　from　four　thousand　acres　of　hill。　　From　this　lake　a　sixty…　foot　wear　was　to　deal　out　the　water…supply　to　the　mill…owners　below；　and　the　surplus　to　the　people　of　Hillsborough；　distant　about　eight　miles　on　an　easy　decline。

Now；　as　the　reservoir　must　be　full　at　starting；　and　would　then　be　eighty　feet　deep　in　the　center；　and　a　mile　long；　and　a　quarter　of　a　mile　broad；　on　the　average；　an　embankment　of　uncommon　strength　was　required　to　restrain　so　great　a　mass　of　water；　and　this　was　what　the　Hillsborough　worthies　were　curious　about。　　They　strolled　out　to　the　works；　and　then　tea　was　to　come　out　after　them；　the　weather　being　warm　and　soft。　　Close　to　the　works　they　found　a　foreman　of　engineers　smoking　his　pipe；　and　interrogated　him。　　He　showed　them　a　rising　wall；　five　hundred　feet　wide　at　the　base；　and　told　them　it　was　to　be　ninety　feet　high；　narrowing；　gradually；　to　a　summit　twelve　feet　broad。　　As　the　whole　embankment　was　to　be　twelve　hundred　feet　long　at　the　top；　this　gave　some　idea　of　the　bulk　of　the　materials　to　be　used：　those　materials　were　clay；　shale；　mill…stone；　and　sandstone　of　looser　texture。　　The　engineer　knew　Grotait；　and　brought　him　a　drawing　of　the　mighty　cone　to　be　erected。　　〃Why；　it　will　be　a　mountain！〃　said　Little。

〃Not　far　from　that；　sir：　and　yet　you'll　never　see　half　the　work。　Why；　we　had　an　army　of　navvies　on　it　last　autumn；　and　laid　a　foundation　sixty　feet　deep　and　these　first　courses　are　all　bonded　in　to　the　foundation；　and　bonded　together；　as　you　see。　　We　are　down　to　solid　rock；　and　no　water　can　get　to　undermine　us。　　The　puddle　wall　is　sixteen　feet　wide　at　starting；　and　diminishes　to　four　feet　at　the　top：　so　no　water　can　creep　in　through　our　jacket。〃

〃But　what　are　these　apertures？〃　inquired　Grotait。

〃Oh；　those　are　the　waste…pipes。　　They　pass　through　the　embankment　obliquely；　to　the　wear…dam：　they　can　be　opened；　or　shut；　by　valves；　and　run　off　ten　thousand　cubic　feet　of　water　a　minute。〃

〃But　won't　that　prove　a　hole　in　your　armor？　　Why；　these　pipes　must　be　in　twenty　joints；　at　least。〃

〃Say　fifty…five；　you'll　be　nearer　the　mark。〃

〃And　suppose　one　or　two　of　these　fifty…five　joints　should　leak？　You'll　have　an　everlasting　solvent　in　the　heart　of　your　pile；　and　you　can't　get　at　them；　you　know；　to　mend　them。〃

〃Of　course　not；　but　they　are　double　as　thick　as　ever　were　used　before；　and　have　been　severely　tested　before　laying　'em　down：　besides；　don't　you　see　each　of　them　has　got　his　great…coat　on？　eighteen　inches　of　puddle　all　the　way。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Grotait；　〃all　the　better。　　But　it　is　astonishing　what　big　embankments　will　sometimes　burst　if　a　leaky　pipe　runs　through　them。　I　don't　think　it　is　the　water；　altogether；　the　water　seems　to　make　air　inside　them；　and　that　proves　as　bad　for　them　as　wind　in　a　man's　stomach。〃

〃Governor；〃　said　the　engineer；　〃don't　you　let　bees　swarm　in　your　bonnet。　　Ousely　reservoir　will　last　as　long　as　them　hills　there。〃

〃No；　doubt；　lad；　since　thou's　had　a　hand　in　making　it。〃

The　laugh　this　dry　rejoinder　caused　was　interrupted　by　the　waitress　bringing　out　tea；　and　these　Hillsborough　worthies　felt　bound　to　chaff　her；　but　she；　being　Yorkshire　too；　gave　them　as　good　as　they　brought；　and　a　trifle　to　spare。

Tea　was　followed　by　brandy…and…water　and　pipes：　and　these　came　out　in　such　rapid　succession；　that　when　Grotait　drove　Little　and　two　others　home；　his　utterance　was　thick；　and　his　speech　sententious。

Little　found　Bayne　waiting　for　him；　with　the　news　that　he　had　left　Mr。　Cheetham。

〃How　was　that？〃

〃Oh；　fell　between　two　stools。　　Tried　to　smooth　matters　between　Cheetham　and　the　hands：　but　Cheetham；　he　wants　a　manager　to　side　with　him　through　thick　and　thin；　and　the　men　want　one　to　side　with　them。　　He　has　sacked　me；　and　the　men　are　glad　I'm　going：　and　this　comes　of　loving　peace；　when　the　world　hates　it。〃

〃And　I　am　glad　of　it；　for　now　you　are　my　foreman。　　I　know　what　you　are　worth；　if　those　fools　don't。〃

〃Are　you　in　earnest；　Little？〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃I　hear　you　have　been　dining　with　Grotait；　and　he　always　makes　the　liquor　fly。　　Wait　till　tomorrow。　　Talk　it　over　with　Mrs。　Little　here。　　I'm　afraid　I'm　not　the　right　sort　for　a　servant。　　Too　fond　of　'the　balmy；'　and　averse　to　the　whole　hog。〃　　（The　poor　fellow　was　quite　discouraged。）

〃The　very　man　I　want　to　soothe　me　at　odd　times：　they　rile　me　so　with　their　suicidal　folly。　　Now；　look　here；　old　fellow；　if　you　don't　come　to　me；　I'll　give　you　a　good　hiding。〃

〃Oh！　well；　sooner　than　you　should　break　the　peace。　　Mrs。　Little；　I'd　rather　be　with　him　at　two　guineas　a　week；　than　with　any　other　master　at　three。〃

When　he　had　got　this　honest　fellow　to　look　after　his　interests；　young　Little　gave　more　way　than　ever　to　his　natural　bent　for　invention；　and　he　was　often　locked　up　for　twelve　hours　at　a　stretch；　in　a　room　he　called　his　studio。　　Indeed；　such　was　his　ardor；　that　he　sometimes　left　home　after　dinner；　and　came　back　to　the　works；　and　then　the　fitful　fire　of　his　forge　might　be　seen；　and　the　blows　of　his　hammer　heard；　long　after　midnight。

Dr。　Amboyne　encouraged　him　in　this；　and　was；　indeed；　the　only　person　admitted　to　his　said　studio。　　There　the　Democritus　of　Hillsborough　often　sat　and　smoked　his　cigar；　and　watched　the　progress　toward　perfection　of　projected　inventions　great　and　small。

One　day　the　doctor　called　and　asked　Bayne　whether　Henry　was　in　his　studio。　　Bayne　said　no；　he　thought　he　had　seen　him　in　the　saw…　grinders'　hull。　　〃And　that　struck　me；　for　it　is　not　often　his　lordship　condescends　to　go　there　now。〃

〃Let　us　see　what　'his　lordship'　is　at。〃

They　approached　stealthily；　and；　looking　through　a　window；　saw　the　inventor　standing　with　his　arms　folded；　and　his　eyes　bent　on　a　grinder　at　his　work：　the　man　was　pressing　down　a　six…feet　saw　on　a　grindstone　with　all　his　might　and　Little　was　looking　on；　with　a　face　compounded　of　pity；　contempt；　and　lofty　contemplation。

〃That　is　the　game　now；　sir；〃　whispered　Bayne：　〃always　in　the　clouds；　or　else　above　'em。　　A　penny　for　your　thoughts；　sir！〃

Henry　started；　as　men　do　who　are　roused　from　deep　contemplation；　however；　he　soon　recovered　himself；　and；　with　a　sort　of　rude　wit　of　his　own；　he　held　out　his　hand　for　the　penny。

Amboyne　fumbled　in　his　pocket；　and　gave　him　a　stamp。

Little　seized　it；　and　delivered　himself　as　follows：　〃My　thoughts；　gentlemen；　were　general　and　particular。　　I　was　making　a　reflection　how　contented　people　are　to　go　bungling　on；　doing　a　thing　the　wrong　way；　when　the　right　way　is　obvious：　and　my　particular　observation　wasthat　these　long　saws　are　ground　in　a　way　which　offends　the　grammar　of　mechanics。　　Here's　a　piece　of　steel　six　feet　long；　but　not　so　wide　as　the　grindstone：what　can　be　plainer　than　that　such　a　strip　ought　to　be　ground　lengthwise？　then　the　whole　saw　would　receive　the　grindstone　in　a　few　seconds。　　Instead　of　that；　on　they　go；　year　after　year；　grinding　them　obliquely；　and　with　a　violent　exertion　that　horrifies　a　fellow　like　me；　who　goes　in　for　economy　of　labor；　and　have　done　all　my　life。　　Look　at　that　fellow　working。　What　a　waste　of　muscle！　　Now；　if　you　will　come　to　my　studio；　I　think　I　can　show　you　how　long　saws　WILL　be　ground　in　the　days　of　civilization。〃

His　eye；　which　had　been　turned　inward　during　his　reverie；　dullish　and　somewhat　fish…like；　now　sparkled　like　a　hot　coal；　and　he　led　the　way　eagerly。

〃Pray　humor　him；　sir；〃　said　Bayne；　compassionately。

They　followed　him　up　a　horrid　stair；　and　entered　his　studio　and　a　marvelous　place　it　was：　a　forge　on　one　side；　a　carpenter's　bench　and　turning…lathe　on　the　other　and　the　floor　so　crowded　with　models；　castings；　and　that　profusion　of　new　ideas　in　material　form　which　housewives　call　litter；　that　the　artist　had　been　obliged　to　cut　three　little　ramified　paths；　a　foot　wide；　and　so　meander　about　the　room；　as　struggles　a　wasp　over　spilt　glue。

He　gave　the　doctor　the　one　chair；　and　wriggled　down　a　path　after　pencil　and　paper：　he　jumped　with　them；　like　a　cat　with　a　mouse；　on　to　the　carpenter's　bench；　and　was　soon　absorbed　in　drawing。

When　he　had　drawn　a　bit；　he　tore　up　the　paper；　and　said；　〃Let　me　think。〃

〃The　request　is　unusual；〃　said　Dr。　Amboyne；　〃however；　if　you　will　let　us　smoke；　we　will　let　you　think。〃

No　reply　from　the　inventor；　whose　eye　was　already　turned　inward；　and　fish…like　again。

Dr。　Amboyne　and　Bayne　smoked　peaceably　awhile。　　But　presently　the　inventor　uttered　a　kind　of　shout。

〃Eureka；〃　said　the　doctor　calmly；　and　emitted　a　curly　cloud。

Little　dashed　at　the　paper；　and　soon　produced　a　draw