put yourself in his place-第66部分

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Sydney；　and　doubled　my　fifty；　got　a　sheep…run；　and　turned　my　hundred　into　a　thousand。　　Then　they　found　gold；　and　that　brought　up　a　dozen　ways　of　making　money；　all　of　'em　better　than　digging。　　Why；　ma'am；　I　made　ten　thousand　pounds　by　selling　the　beastliest　lemonade　you　ever　tasted　for　gold…dust　at　the　mines。　　That　was　a　good　swop；　wasn't　it？　　So　now　I'm　come　home　to　see　if　I　can　stand　the　Old　Country　and　its　ways；　and　I'm　going　to　see　the　old　folk。　　I　haven't　heard　a　word　about　them　this　twenty　years。〃

〃Oh；　dear；　sir；〃　said　the　meek　woman；　〃twenty　years　is　a　long　time。　I　hope　you　won't　find　them　dead　an'　buried。〃

〃Don't　say　that；　don't　say　that！〃　　And　the　tough；　rough　man　showed　a　grain　of　feeling。　　He　soon　recovered　himself；　though；　and　said　more　obstreperously　than　ever；　〃If　they　are；　I　disown　'em。　　None　of　your　faint…hearted　people　for　me。　　I　despise　a　chap　that　gives　in　before　eighty。　　I'm　Ben　Bolt；　that　is　bad　to　beat。　　Death　himself　isn't　going　to　bowl　me　out　till　I've　had　my　innings。〃

〃La；　sir；　pray　don't　talk　so；　or　you'll　anger　them　above；　and；　ten　to　one；　upset　the　train。〃

〃That's　one　for　me；　and　two　for　yourself；　ma'am。〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　mild　soul。　　〃I　have　got　my　husband　with　me；　and　you　are　only　a　bachelor；　sir。〃

〃How　d'ye　know　that？〃

〃I　think　you'd　ha'　been　softened　down　a　bit；　if　you'd　ever　had　a　good　wife。〃

〃Oh；　it　is　because　I　speak　loud。　　That　is　with　bawling　to　my　shepherds　half　a　mile　off。　　Why；　if　I'm　loud；　I'm　civil。　　Now；　young　man；　what　is　YOUR　trouble？〃

Henry　started　from　his　reverie；　and　looked　astonished。

〃Out　with　it；〃　shouted　Mr。　Bolt；　〃don't　sit　grizzling　there。　　What　with　this　lady's　husband；　dead　and　buried　in　that　there　newspaper；　and　you；　that　sets　brooding　like　a　hen　over　one　egg；　it's　a　Quaker's　meeting；　or　nearly。　　If　you've　been　and　murdered　anybody；　tell　us　all　about　it。　　Once　off　your　mind；　you'll　be　more　sociable。〃

〃A　man's　thoughts　are　his　own；　Mr。　Bolt。　　I'm　not　so　fond　of　talking　about　myself　as　you　seem　to　be。〃

〃Oh；　I　can　talk；　or　I　can　listen。　　But　you　won't　do　neither。　　Pretty　company　YOU　are；　a…hatching　of　your　egg。〃

〃Well；　sir；〃　said　the　meek　woman　to　Henry；　〃the　rough　gentleman　he　is　right。　　If　you　are　in　trouble；　the　best　way　is　to　let　your　tongue　put　it　off　your　heart。〃

〃I'm　sure　you　are　very　kind；〃　said　Henry；　〃but　really　my　trouble　is　one　of　those　out…of…the…way　things　that　do　not　interest　people。　However；　the　long　and　the　short　is；　I'm　an　inventor。　　I　have　invented　several　things；　and　kept　them　dark；　and　they　have　paid　me。　I　live　at　Hillsborough。　　But　now　I　have　found　a　way　of　grinding　long　saws　and　circular　saws　by　machinery；　at　a　saving　of　five　hundred　per　cent　labor。　　That　saving　of　labor　represents　an　enormous　profita　large　fortune；　so　I　have　patented　the　invention　at　my　own　expense。　But　I　can't　work　it　without　a　capitalist。　　Well；　I　have　ransacked　London；　and　all　the　moneyed　men　shy　me。　　The　fools　will　go　into　railways；　and　bubbles；　and　a　lot　of　things　that　are　blind　chance；　but　they　won't　even　study　my　drawings　and　figures；　and　I　made　it　clear　enough　too。〃

〃I'm　not　of　their　mind　then；〃　said　Bolt。　　〃My　rule　is　never　to　let　another　man　work　my　money。　　No　railway　shares　nor　gold　mines　for　Ben　Bolt。　　My　money　goes　with　me；　and　I　goes　with　my　money。〃

〃Then　you　are　a　man　of　sense；　and　I　only　wish　you　had　money　enough　to　go　into　this　with　me。〃

〃How　do　you　know　how　much　money　I've　got？　　You　show　me　how　to　turn　twenty　thousand　into　forty　thousand；　or　forty　thousand　into　eighty　thousand；　and　I'll　soon　find　the　money。〃

〃Oh；　I　could　show　you　how　to　turn　fifteen　thousand　into　fifty　thousand。〃　　He　then　unlocked　his　black　bag；　and　showed　Bolt　some　drawings　that　represented　the　grinders　by　hand　at　work　on　long　saws　and　circular　saws。　　〃This；〃　said　he；　〃is　the　present　system。〃　　He　then　pointed　out　its　defects。　　〃And　this；〃　said　he；　〃is　what　I　propose　to　substitute。〃　　Then　he　showed　him　drawings　of　his　machines　at　work。　　〃And　these　figures　represent　the　saving　in　labor。　　Now；　in　this　branch　of　cutlery；　the　labor　is　the　manufacturer's　main　expense。　　Make　ten　men　grind　what　fifty　used；　you　put　forty　workmen's　wages　in　your　pocket。〃

〃That's　tall　talk。〃

〃Not　an　inch　taller　than　the　truth。〃

Mr。　Bolt　studied　the　drawings；　and；　from　obstreperous；　became　quite　quiet　and　absorbed。　　Presently　he　asked　Henry　to　change　places　with　him；　and；　on　this　being　complied　with；　he　asked　the　meek　woman　to　read　him　Henry's　figures；　slowly。　　She　stared；　but　complied。　　Mr。　Bolt　pondered　the　figures；　and　examined　the　drawings　again。　　He　then　put　a　number　of　questions　to　Henry；　some　of　them　very　shrewd；　and；　at　last；　got　so　interested　in　the　affair　that　he　would　talk　of　nothing　else。

As　the　train　slackened　for　Birmingham；　he　said　to　Henry；　〃I'm　no　great　scholar；　I　like　to　see　things　in　the　body。　　On　we　go　to　Hillsborough。〃

〃But　I　want　to　talk　to　a　capitalist　or　two　at　Birmingham。〃

〃That　is　not　fair；　I've　got　the　refusal。〃

〃The　deuce　you　have！〃

〃Yes；　I've　gone　into　it　with　you；　and　the　others　wouldn't　listen。　Said　so　yourself。〃

〃Well；　but；　Mr。　Bolt；　are　you　really　in　earnest？　　Surely　this　is　quite　out　of　your　line？〃

〃How　can　it　be　out　of　my　line　if　it　pays？　　I've　bought　and　sold　sheep；　and　wool；　and　land；　and　water；　and　houses；　and　tents；　and　old　clothes；　and　coffee；　and　tobacco；　and　cabs。　　And　swoppedmy　eye；　how　I　have　swopped！　　I've　swopped　a　housemaid　under　articles　for　a　pew　in　the　church；　and　a　milch　cow　for　a　whale　that　wasn't　even　killed　yet；　I　paid　for　the　chance。　　I'm　at　all　in　the　ring；　and　devilish　bad　to　beat。　　Here　goeshigh；　low；　Jack；　and　the　game。〃

〃Did　you　ever　deal　in　small　beer？〃　asked　Henry；　satirically。

〃No；〃　said　Bolt；　innocently。　　〃But　I　would　in　a　minute　if　I　saw　clear　to　the　nimble　shilling。　　Well；　will　you　come　on　to　Hillsborough　and　settle　this？　　I've　got　the　refusal　for　twenty…four　hours；　I　consider。〃

〃Oh；　if　you　think　so；　I　will　go　on　to　Hillsborough。　　But　you　said　you　were　going　to　see　your　parents；　after　twenty　years'　absence　and　silence。〃

〃So　I　am；　but　they　can　keep；　what　signifies　a　day　or　two　more　after　twenty　years？〃　　He　added；　rather　severely；　as　one　whose　superior　age　entitled　him　to　play　the　monitor；　〃Young　man；　I　never　make　a　toil　of　a　pleasure。〃

〃No　more　do　I。　　But　how　does　that　apply　to　visiting　your　parents？〃

〃If　I　was　to　neglect　business　to　gratify　my　feelings；　I　should　be　grizzling　all　the　time；　and　wouldn't　that　be　making　a　toil　of　a　pleasure？〃

Henry　could　only　grin　in　reply　to　this　beautiful　piece　of　reasoning；　and　that　same　afternoon　the　pair　were　in　Hillsborough；　and　Mr。　Bolt；　under　Henry's　guidance；　inspected　the　grinding　of　heavy　saws；　both　long　and　circular。　　He　noted；　at　Henry's　request；　the　heavy；　dirty　labor。　　He　then　mounted　to　the　studio；　and　there　Henry　lectured　on　his　models；　and　showed　them　working。　　Bolt　took　it　all　in；　his　eye　flashed；　and　then　he　put　on；　for　the　first　time；　the　coldness　of　the　practiced　dealer。　　〃It　would　take　a　good　deal　of　money　to　work　this　properly；〃　said　he；　shaking　his　head。

〃It　has　taken　a　good　deal　of　brains　to　invent　it。〃

〃No　doubt；　no　doubt。　　Well；　if　you　want　me　to　join　you；　it　must　be　on　suitable　terms。　　Money　is　tight。〃

〃Well；　propose　your　own　terms。〃

〃That's　not　my　way。　　I'll　think　it　over　before　I　put　my　hand　to　paper。　　Give　me　till　to…morrow。〃

〃Certainly。〃

On　this　Mr。　Bolt　went　off　as　if　he　had　been　shot。

He　returned　next　day；　and　laid　before　Henry　an　agreement　drawn　by　the　sharpest　attorney　in　Hillsborough；　and　written　in　a　clerk's　hand。　　〃There；〃　said　he；　briskly；　〃you　sign　that；　and　I'll　make　my　mark；　and　at　it　we　go。〃

〃Stop　a　bit；〃　said　Henry。　　〃You've　been　to　a　lawyer；　have　you？　　Then　I　must　go　to　one；　too；　fair　play's　a　jewel。〃

Bolt　looked　disappointed；　but　the　next　moment　he　affected　cheerfulness；　and　said；　〃That　is　fair。　　Take　it　to　your　lawyer　directly。〃

〃I　will；〃　said　Henry；　but；　instead　of　a　lawyer；　he　took　it　to　his　friend　Dr。　Amboyne；　told　him　all　about　Ben　Bolt；　and　begged　his　advice　on　the　agreement。　　〃Ought　he　to　have　the　lion's　share　like　this？〃

〃The　moneyed　man　generally　takes　that。　　No　commodity　is　sold　so　far　beyond　its　value　as　money。　　Let　me　read　it。〃

The　purport　of　the　agreement　was　as　follows：New　premises　to　be　built　by　Bolt；　a　portion　of　the　building　to　be　constructed　so　that　it　could　be　easily　watched　night　and　day；　and　in　that　part　the　patent　saw…grinding　machines　to　be　worked。　　The　expenses　of　this　building　to　be　paid　off　by　degrees　out　of　the　gross　receipts；　and　meanwhile　Mr。　Bolt　was　to　receive　five　per　cent。　interest　for　his　outlay　and　two…thirds　of　the　profits；　if　any。　　Mr。　Little　to　dispose　of　his　present　factory；　and　confine　his　patents　to　the　joint　operation。

Dr。　Amboyne；　on　mature　consideration；　advised　Little　to　submit　to　all　the　conditions；　except　the　clause　confining　his　operations　and　his　patents。　　They　just　drew　their　pen　through　that　clause；　and　sent　the　amended　agreement　to　Bolt's　hotel。　　He　demurred　to　the　amendment；　but　Henry　stood　firm；　and　proposed　a　conference　of　four。　This　took　place　at　Dr。　Amboyne's　house；　and　at　last　the　agreement　was　thus　modified：　the　use　of　the　patents　in　Hillsborough　to　be　confined　to　the　firm　of　Bolt　and　Little：　but　Little　to　be　free　to　sell　them；　or　work　them　in　any　other　town；　and　also　free；　in　Hillsborough；　to　grind　saws　by　hand；　or　do　any　other　established　operation　of　cutlery。

The　parties　signed；　and　Bolt　went　to　work　in　earnest。　　With　all　his　resolution；　he　did　not　lack　prudence。　　He　went　into　the　suburbs　for　his　site　and　bought　a　large　piece　of　ground。　　He　advertised　for　contracts　and　plans；　and　brought　them　all　to　Henry；　and　profited　by　his　practical　remarks。

He　warned　the　builders　it　must　be　a　fortress；　as　well　as　a　factory：　but；　at　Henry's　particular　request；　he　withheld　the　precise　reason。　〃I'm　not　to　be　rattened；〃　said　he。　　I　mean　to　stop　that　little　game。　I'm　Ben　Bolt；　that's　bad　to　beat。〃

At　last　the　tender　of　Mr。　White　was　accepted；　and　as　Mr。　Bolt；　experienced　in　the　delays　of　builders；　tied　him　tight　as　to　time；　he；　on　his　part；　made　a　prompt　and　stringent　contract　with　Messrs。　Whitbread；　the　brickmakers；　and　began　to　dig　the　foundations。

All　this　Henry　communicated　to　Grace；　and　was　in　hig