put yourself in his place-第60部分

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

Little　dashed　at　the　paper；　and　soon　produced　a　drawing。　　It　represented　two　grindstones　set　apparently　to　grind　each　other；　a　large　one　below；　a　small　one　above。

〃Therethe　large　stone　shall　revolve　rapidly；　say　from　north　to　south；　the　small　one　from　south　to　north：　that　is　the　idea　which　has　just　struck　me；　and　completes　the　invention。　　It　is　to　be　worked；　not　by　one　grinder；　but　two。　　A　stands　south；　and　passes　the　saw　northward　between　the　two　grindstones　to　B。　　The　stones　must　be　hung　so　as　just　to　allow　the　passage　of　the　saw。　　B　draws　it　out；　and　reverses　it；　and　passes　it　back　to　A。　　Those　two　journeys　of　the　saw　will　grind　the　whole　length　of　it　for　a　breath　of　two　or　three　inches；　and　all　in　forty　seconds。　　Now　do　you　see　what　I　meant　by　the　grammar　of　mechanics？　　It　was　the　false　grammar　of　those　duffers；　grinding　a　long　thing　sideways　instead　of　lengthways；　that　struck　my　mind　first。　　And　now　see　what　one　gets　to　at　last　if　one　starts　from　grammar。　　By　this　machine　two　men　can　easily　grind　as　many　big　saws　as　twenty　men　could　grind　on　single　stones：　and　instead　of　all　that　heavy；　coarse　labor；　and　dirt；　and　splashing；　my　two　men　shall　do　the　work　as　quietly　and　as　easily　as　two　printers；　one　feeding　a　machine　with　paper；　and　his　mate　drawing　out　the　printed　sheet　at　the　other　end。〃

〃By　Jove；〃　said　Dr。　Amboyne；　〃I　believe　this　is　a　great　idea。　　What　do　you　say；　Mr。　Bayne？〃

〃Well；　sir；　a　servant　mustn't　always　say　his　mind。〃

〃Servant　be　hanged！〃　said　Little。　　〃THAT　for　a　friend　who　does　not　speak　his　mind。〃

〃Well；　then；　gentlemen；　it　is　the　most　simple　and　beautiful　contrivance　I　ever　saw。　　And　there's　only　one　thing　to　be　done　with　it。〃

〃Patent　it？〃

〃No；　hide　it；　lock　it　up　in　your　own　breast；　and　try　and　forget　it。　Your　life　won't　be　worth　a　week's　purchase；　if　you　set　up　that　machine　in　Hillsborough。〃

〃Hillsborough　is　not　all　the　world。　　I　can　take　it　to　some　free　countryAmerica　orRussia；　there's　a　fortune　in　it。　　Stop；　suppose　I　was　to　patent　it　at　home　and　abroad；　and　then　work　it　in　the　United　States　and　the　Canadas。　　That　would　force　the　invention　upon　this　country；　by　degrees。〃

〃Yes；　and　then；　if　you　sell　the　English　patent　and　insure　the　purchaser's　life；　you　may　turn　a　few　thousands；　and　keep　a　whole　skin　yourself。〃

Little　assured　Bayne　he　had　no　intention　of　running　his　head　against　the　Saw…grinders'　Union。　　〃We　are　very　comfortable　as　it　is；　and　I　value　my　life　more　than　I　used　to　do。〃

〃I　think　I　know　why；〃　said　Dr。　Amboyne。　　〃But；　whatever　you　do；　patent　your　invention。　　Patent　them　all。〃

Henry　promised　he　would；　but　soon　forgot　his　promise；　and；　having　tasted　blood；　so　to　speak；　was　soon　deep　in　a　far　more　intricate　puzzle；　viz。；　how　to　grind　large　circular　saws　by　machinery。　　This　problem；　and　his　steel　railway　clip；　which　was　to　displace　the　present　system　of　fastening　down　the　rails；　absorbed　him　so；　that　he　became　abstracted　in　the　very　streets；　and　did　not　see　his　friends　when　they　passed。

One　day；　when　he　was　deeply　engaged　in　his　studio；　Bayne　tapped　at　the　door；　and　asked　to　speak　to　him。

〃Well；　what　is　it？〃　said　the　inventor；　rather　peevishly。

〃Oh；　nothing；〃　said　Bayne；　with　a　bitter　air　of　mock　resignation。　〃Only　a　cloud　on　the　peaceful　horizon；　that　is　all。　　A　letter　from　Mary　Anne。〃


〃SIR；Four　of　your　saws　are　behindhand　with　their　contributions；　and；　being　deaf　to　remonstrance；　I　am　obliged　to　apply　to　you；　to　use　your　influence。

〃MARY　ANNE。〃


〃Well；〃　said　Henry；　〃Mary　Anne　is　in　the　right。　　Confound　their　dishonesty：　they　take　the　immense　advantages　the　Saw…grinders'　Union　gives　them；　yet　they　won't　pay　the　weekly　contribution；　without　which　the　Union　can't　exist。　　Go　and　find　out　who　they　are；　and　blow　them　up。〃

〃What！　me　disturb　the　balmy？〃

〃Bother　the　balmy！　　I　can't　be　worried　with　such　trifles。　　I'm　inventing。〃

〃But；　Mr。　Little；　would　not　the　best　way　be　for　YOU　just　to　stop　it　quietly　and　peaceably　out　of　their　pay；　and　send　it　to　Grotait？〃

Little；　after　a　moment's　reflection；　said　he　had　no　legal　right　to　do　that。　　Besides；　it　was　not　his　business　to　work　the　Saw…grinders'　Union　for　Grotait。　　〃Who　is　this　Mary　Anne？〃

〃The　saw…grinders；　to　be　sure。〃

〃What；　all　of　them？　　Poor　Mary　Anne！〃

He　then　inquired　how　he　was　to　write　back　to　her。

〃Oh；　write　under　cover　to　Grotait。　　He　is　Mary　Anne；　to　all　intents　and　purposes。〃

〃Well；　write　the　jade　a　curt　note；　in　both　our　names；　and　say　we　disapprove　the　conduct　of　the　defaulters；　and　will　signify　our　disapproval　to　them；　but　that　is　all　we　can　do。〃

This　letter　was　written；　and　Bayne　made　it　as　oleaginous　as　language　permits；　and　there　the　matter　rested　apparently。

But；　as　usual；　after　the　polite　came　the　phonetic。　　Next　week　Henry　got　a　letter　thus　worded：


〃MISTER　LITL；If　them　grinders　of　yores　dosent　send　their　money　i　shall　com　an'　fech　strings　if　the　devil　stans　i'　t'　road。

MOONRAKER。〃


Mr。　Little　tossed　this　epistle　contemptuously　into　the　fire；　and　invented　on。

Two　days　after　that　he　came　to　the　works；　and　found　the　saw　grinders　standing　in　a　group；　with　their　hands　in　their　pockets。

〃Well；　lads；　what's　up？〃

〃Mary　Anne　has　been　here。〃

〃And　two　pair　of　wheel…bands　gone。〃

〃Well；　men；　you　know　whose　fault　it　is。〃

〃Nay；　but　it　is　　hard　my　work　should　be　stopped　because　another　man　is　in　arrears　with　trade。　　What　d'ye　think　to　do；　Governor？　buy　some　more　bands？〃

〃Certainly　not。　　I　won't　pay　for　your　fault。　　It　is　a　just　claim；　you　know。　　Settle　it　among　yourselves。〃

With　this　he　retired　to　his　studio。

When　the　men　saw　he　did　not　care　a　button　whether　his　grindstones　revolved　or　not；　they　soon　brought　the　defaulters　to　book。　　Bayne　was　sent　upstairs；　to　beg　Mr。　Little　to　advance　the　trade　contributions；　and　step　the　amount　from　the　defaulters'　wages。

This　being　settled；　Little　and　Bayne　went　to　the　〃Cutlers'　Arms；〃　and　Bayne　addressed　the　barmaid　thus；　〃Can　we　see　Mary　Anne？〃

〃He　is　shaving。〃

〃Well；　when　she　is　shaved；　we　shall　be　in　the　parlor；　tell　her。〃

In　a　moment　or　two　Grotait　bustled　in；　wiping　his　face　with　a　towel　as　he　came；　and　welcomed　his　visitors　cordially。　　〃Fine　weather；　gentlemen。〃

Bayne　cut　that　short。　　〃Mr。　Grotait；　we　have　lost　our　bands。〃

〃You　surprise　me。〃

〃And　perhaps　you　can　tell　us　how　to　get　them　back。〃

〃Experience　teaches　that　they　always　come　back　when　the　men　pay　their　arrears。〃

〃Well；　it　is　agreed　to　stop　the　sum　due；　out　of　wages。〃

〃A　very　proper　course。〃

〃What　is　it　we　have　got　to　pay？〃

〃How　can　I　tell　you　without　book？　　Pray；　Mr。　Little；　don't　imagine　that　I　set　these　matters　agate。　　All　I　do　is　to　mediate　afterward。　I'll　go　and　look　at　the　contribution…book。〃

He　went　out；　and　soon　returned；　and　told　them　it　was　one　sovereign　contribution　from　each　man；　and　five　shillings　each　for　Mary　Anne。

〃What；　for　her　services　in　rattening　us？〃　said　Little；　dryly。

〃And　her　risk；〃　suggested　Grotait；　in　dulcet　tones。

Little　paid　the　five　pounds；　and　then　asked　Grotait　for　the　bands。

〃Good　heavens；　Mr。　Little；　do　you　think　I　have　got　your　bands？〃

〃You　must　excuse　Mr。　Little；　sir；〃　said　Bayne。　　〃He　is　a　stranger；　and　doesn't　know　the　comedy。　　Perhaps　you　will　oblige　us　with　a　note　where　we　can　find　them。〃

〃Hum！〃　said　Grotait；　with　the　air　of　one　suddenly　illuminated。　〃What　did　I　hear　somebody　say　about　these　bands？　　Hum！　　Give　me　an　hour　or　two　to　make　inquiries。〃

〃Don't　say　an　hour　or　two；　sir；　when　the　men　have　got　to　make　up　lost　time。　　We　will　give　you　a　little　grace；　we　will　take　a　walk　down　street；　and　perhaps　it　will　come　to　your　recollection。〃

〃Hum！〃　said　Grotait；　and　as　that　was　clearly　all　they　were　to　get　out　of　him　just　then　they　left　and　took　a　turn。

In　half　an　hour　they　came　back　again；　and　sat　down　in　the　parlor。

Grotait　soon　joined　them。　　〃I've　been　thinking；〃　said　he；　〃what　a　pity　it　is　we　can't　come　to　some　friendly　arrangement　with　intelligent　masters；　like　Mr。　Little；　to　deduct　the　natty　money　every　week　from　the　men's　wages。〃

〃Excuse　me；〃　said　Bayne；　〃we　are　not　here　for　discussion。　　We　want　our　bands。〃

〃Do　you　doubt　that　you　will　get　them；　sir？　　Did　ever　I　break　faith　with　master　or　man？〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　the　pacific　Bayne；　alarmed　at　the　sudden　sternness　of　his　tone。　　〃You　are　as　square　as　a　diewhen　you　get　it　all　your　own　way。　　Why；　Mr。　Little；　Cheetham's　bands　were　taken　one　day；　and；　when　he　had　made　the　men　pay　their　arrears；　he　was　directed　where　to　find　the　bands；　but；　meantime；　somebody　out　of　trade　had　found　them；　and　stolen　them。　　Down　came　bran…new　bands　to　the　wheel　directly；　and　better　than　we　had　lost。　　And　my　cousin　Godby；　that　has　a　water…　wheel；　was　rattened；　by　his　scythe…blades　being　flung　in　the　dam。　He　squared　with　Mary　Anne；　and　then　he　got　a　letter　to　say　where　the　blades　were。　　But　one　was　missing。　　He　complained　to　Mr。　Grotait　here；　and　Mr。　Grotait　put　his　hand　in　his　pocket　directly；　and　paid　the　trade…price　of　the　bladethree　shillings；　I　think　it　was。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Grotait；　〃'but；'　I　remember　I　said　at　the　time；　'you　must　not　construe　this　that　I　was　any　way　connected　with　the　rattening。'　　But　some　are　deaf　to　reason。　　Hallo！〃

〃What　is　the　matter；　sir？〃

〃Why；　what　is　that　in　the　fender？　　Your　eyes　are　younger　than　mine。〃

And　Mr。　Grotait　put　up　his　gold　double　eyeglass；　and　looked　with　marked　surprise　and　curiosity；　at　a　note　that　lay　in　the　fender。

Mr。　Bayne　had　been　present　at　similar　comedies；　and　was　not　polite　enough　to　indorse　Mr。　Grotait's　surprise。　　He　said；　coolly；　〃It　will　be　the　identical　note　we　are　waiting　for。〃　　He　stooped　down　and　took　it　out　of　the　fender；　and　read　it。


〃'To　Mr。　LITTLE；　or　MR。　BAYNE。

〃'GENTLEMEN；In　the　bottom　hull　turn　up　the　horsing；　and　in　the　trough　all　the　missing　bands　will　be　found。　　Apologizing　for　the　little　interruption；　it　is　satisfactory　things　are　all　arranged　without　damage；　and　hope　all　will　go　agreeably　when　the　rough　edge　is　worn　off。　　Trusting　these　nocturnal　visits　will　be　no　longer　necessary；　I　remain；

〃'THE　SHY　MAIDEN。'〃


As　soon　as　he　had　obtained　this　information；　Bayne　bustled　off；　but　Mary　Anne　detained　Henry　Little；　to　moralize。

Said　she；　〃Th