put yourself in his place-第67部分

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ickmakers；　and　began　to　dig　the　foundations。

All　this　Henry　communicated　to　Grace；　and　was　in　high　spirits　over　it；　and　then　so　was　she。　　He　had　a　beautiful　frame　made　for　the　little　picture　she　had　given　him；　and　hung　it　up　in　his　studio。　　It　became　the　presiding　genius；　and　indeed　the　animating　spirit；　of　his　life。

Both　to　him　and　Grace　the　bright　and　hopeful　period　of　their　love　had　come　at　last。　　Even　Bolt　contributed　something　to　Little's　happiness。　　The　man；　hard　as　he　was　in　business；　was　not　without　a　certain　rough　geniality；　and　then　he　was　so　brisk　and　bustling。　　His　exuberant　energy　pleased　the　inventor；　and　formed　an　agreeable　relief　to　his　reveries　and　deep　fits　of　study。

The　prospect　was　bright；　and　the　air　sunny。　　In　the　midst　of　all　which　there　rose　in　the　horizon　a　cloud；　like　that　seen　by　Elijah's　servant；　a　cloud　no　bigger　than　a　man's　hand。

Bolt　burst　into　the　studio　one　day；　like　a　shell；　and；　like　a　shell；　exploded。

〃Here's　a　pretty　go！　　We're　all　at　a　standstill。　　The　brickmakers　have　struck。〃

〃Why；　what　is　the　matter？〃

〃Fourpence。　　Young　Whitbread；　our　brickmaker's　son；　is　like　youa　bit　of　an　inventor；　he　altered　the　shape　of　the　bricks；　to　fit　a　small　hand…machine；　and　Whitbreads　reckoned　to　save　tenpence　a　thousand。　　The　brickmakers　objected　directly。　　Whitbreads　didn't　want　a　row；　so　they　offered　to　share　the　profit。　　The　men　sent　two　of　their　orators　to　parley；　I　was　standing　by　Whithread　when　they　came　up；　you　should　have　heard　'em；　anybody　would　have　sworn　the　servants　were　masters；　and　the　masters　negro　slaves。　　When　the　servants　had　hectored　a　bit；　the　masters；　meek　and　mild；　said　they　would　give　them　sixpence　out　of　the　tenpence　sooner　than　they　should　feel　dissatisfied。　　No；　that　wouldn't　do。　　'Well；　then；'　says　young　Whitbread；　'are　you　agreed　what　will　do？'　　'Well；'　said　one　of　the　servants；　'we　WILL　ALLOW　YOU　TO　MAKE　THE　BRICKS；　if　you　give　us　the　tenpence。'〃

〃That　was　cool；〃　said　Henry。　　〃To　be　sure；　all　brainless　beggars　try　to　starve　invention。〃

〃Yes；　my　man：　and　you　grumbled　at　my　taking　two…thirds。　　Labor　is　harder　on　you　inventors　than　capital　is；　you　see。　　Well；　I　told　'em　I　wondered　at　their　cheek；　but　the　old　man　stopped　me；　and　spoke　quite　mild：　says　he；　'You　are　too　hard　on　us；　we　ought　to　gain　a　trifle　by　our　own　improvement；　if　it　had　come　from　you；　we　should　pay　you　for　it；'　and　he　should　stand　by　his　offer　of　sixpence。　　So　then　the　men　told　them　it　would　be　the　worse　for　them；　and　the　old　gentleman　gave　a　bit　of　sigh；　and　said　he　couldn't　help　that；　he　must　live　in　the　trade；　or　leave　it；　he　didn't　much　care　which。　Next　morning　they　all　struck　work；　and　there　we　arestopped。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Henry；　〃it　is　provoking；　but　you　mustn't　ask　me　to　meddle。　　It's　your　business。〃

〃It　is；　and　I'll　show　you　I'm　bad　to　beat。〃　　With　this　doughty　resolve　he　went　off　and　drove　the　contractors；　they　drove　the　brickmakers；　and　the　brickmakers　got　fresh　hands　from　a　distance；　and　the　promise　of　some　more。

Bolt　rubbed　his　hands；　and　kept　popping　into　the　yard　to　see　how　they　got　on。　　By　this　means　he　witnessed　an　incident　familiar　to　brickmakers　in　that　district；　but　new　to　him。　　Suddenly　loud　cries　of　pain　were　heard；　and　two　of　the　brickmakers　held　up　hands　covered　with　blood；　and　transfixed　by　needles。　　Some　ruffian　had　filled　the　clay　with　needles。　　The　sufferers　were　both　disabled；　and　one　went　to　the　hospital。　　Tempered　clay　enough　to　make　two　hundred　thousand　bricks　had　been　needled；　and　had　to　be　cleared　away　at　a　loss　of　time　and　material。

Bolt　went　and　told　Henry；　and　it　only　worried　him；　he　could　do　nothing。　　Bolt　went　and　hired　a　watchman　and　a　dog；　at　his　own　expense。　　The　dog　was　shot　dead　one　dark　night；　and　the　watchman's　box　turned　over　and　sat　upon；　watchman　included；　while　the　confederates　trampled　fifty　thousand　raw　bricks　into　a　shapeless　mass。

The　brickmasters；　however；　stood　firm；　and　at　last　four　of　the　old　hands　returned　to　him；　and　accepted　the　sixpence　profit　due　to　the　master's　invention。　　These　four　were　contribution…men；　that　is　to　say；　they　paid　the　Union　a　shilling　per　week　for　permission　to　make　bricks；　but　this　weekly　payment　was　merely　a　sort　of　blackmail；　it　entitled　them　to　no　relief　from　the　Union　when　out　of　work：　so　a　three…weeks'　strike　brought　them　to　starvation；　and　they　could　cooperate　no　longer　with　the　genuine　Union　men；　who　were　relieved　from　the　box　all　this　time。　　Nevertheless；　though　their　poverty；　and　not　their　will；　brought　them　back　to　work；　they　were　all　threatened；　and　found　themselves　in　a　position　that　merits　the　sympathy　of　all　men；　especially　of　the　very　poor。　　Starvation　on　one　side；　sanguinary　threats　on　the　other；　from　an　Union　which　abandoned　them　in　their　need；　yet　expected　them　to　stick　by　it　and　starve。　　In　short；　the　said　Union　was　no　pupil　of　Amboyne；　could　not　put　itself　in　the　place　of　these　hungry　men；　and　realize　their　dilemma；　it　could　only　see　the　situation　from　its　own　point　of　view。　　From　that　intellectual　defect　sprang　a　crime。　　On　a　certain　dark　night；　Thomas　Wilde；　one　of　these　contribution…men；　was　burning　bricks　all　by　himself；　when　a　body　of　seven　men　came　crawling　up　to　within　a　little　distance。　　These　men　were　what　they　call　〃victims；〃　i。e。；　men　on　strike；　and　receiving　pay　from　the　box。

Now；　when　a　man　stands　against　the　fire　of　a　kiln；　he　cannot　see　many　yards　from　him：　so　five　of　the　〃victims〃　stood　waiting；　and　sent　two　forward。　　These　two　came　up　to　Wilde；　and　asked　him　a　favor。　　〃Eh；　mister；　can　you　let　me　and　my　mate　lie　down　for　an　hour　by　your　fire？〃

〃You　are　welcome；〃　said　honest　Wilde。　　He　then　turned　to　break　a　piece　of　coal；　and　instantly　one　of　those　who　had　accepted　his　hospitality　struck　him　on　the　back　of　the　head；　and　the　other　five　rushed　in；　and　they　all　set　on　him；　and　hit　him　with　cartlegs；　and　kicked　him　with　their　heavy　shoes。　　Overpowered　as　he　was；　he　struggled　away　from　them；　groaning　and　bleeding；　and　got　to　a　shed　about　thirty　yards　off。　　But　these　relentless　men；　after　a　moment's　hesitation；　followed　him；　and　rained　blows　and　kicks　on　him　again；　till　he　gave　himself　up　for　dead。　　He　cried　out　in　his　despair；　〃Lord；　have　mercy　on　me；　they　have　finished　me！〃　and　fainted　away　in　a　pool　of　his　own　blood。　　But；　just　before　he　became　insensible；　he　heard　a　voice　say；　〃Thou'll　burn　no　more　bricks。〃　　Then　the　〃victims〃　retired；　leaving　this　great　criminal　for　dead。

After　a　long　while　he　came　to　himself；　and　found　his　arm　was　broken；　and　his　body　covered　with　cuts　and　bruises。　　His　house　was　scarcely　a　furlong　distant；　yet　he　was　an　hour　crawling　to　it。　　His　room　was　up　a　short　stair　of　ten　steps。　　The　steps　beat　him；　he　leaned　on　the　rail　at　the　bottom；　and　called　out　piteously；　〃My　wife！　my　wife！　my　wife！〃　three　times。

Mrs。　Wilde　ran　down　to　him；　and　caught　hold　of　his　hand；　and　said；　〃Whatever　is　to　do？〃

When　she　took　his　hand　the　pain　made　him　groan；　and　she　felt　something　drip　on　to　her　hand。　　It　was　blood　from　his　wounded　arm。　Then　she　was　terrified；　and；　strong　with　excitement；　she　managed　to　get　him　into　the　house　and　lay　him　on　the　floor。　　She　asked　him；　had　he　fallen　off　the　kiln？　　He　tried　to　reply；　but　could　not；　and　fainted　again。　　This　time　he　was　insensible　for　several　hours。　　In　the　morning　he　came　to；　and　told　his　cruel　story　to　Whitbread；　Bolt；　and　others。　　Bolt　and　Whitbread　took　it　most　to　heart。　　Bolt　went　to　Mr。　Ransome；　and　put　the　case　in　his　hands。

Ransome　made　this　remark：〃Ah；　you　are　a　stranger；　sir。　　The　folk　hereabouts　never　come　to　us　in　these　Union　cases。　　I'll　attend　to　it；　trust　me。〃

Bolt　went　with　this　tragedy　to　Henry；　and　it　worried　him；　but　he　could　do　nothing。　　〃Mr。　Bolt；〃　said　he；　〃I　think　you　are　making　your　own　difficulties。　　Why　quarrel　with　the　Brickmakers'　Union？　　Surely　that　is　superfluous。〃

〃Why；　it　is　them　that　quarreled　with　me；　and　I'm　Ben　Bolt；　that　is　bad　to　beat。〃　　He　armed　himself　with　gun　and　revolver；　and　watched　the　Whitbreads'　yard　himself　at　night。

Two　days　after　this；　young　Whitbread's　wife　received　an　anonymous　letter；　advising　her；　as　a　friend；　to　avert　the　impending　fate　of　her　husband；　by　persuading　him　to　dismiss　the　police　and　take　back　his　Hands。　　The　letter　concluded　with　this　sentence；　〃He　is　generally　respected；　but　we　have　come　to　a　determination　to　shoot　him。〃

Young　Whitbread　took　no　apparent　notice　of　this；　and　soon　afterward　the　secretary　of　the　Union　proposed　a　conference。　　Bolt　got　wind　of　this；　and　was　there　when　the　orators　came。　　The　deputation　arrived；　and；　after　a　very　short　preamble；　offered　to　take　the　six…pence。

〃Why；〃　said　Bolt；　〃you　must　be　joking。　　Those　are　the　terms　poor　Wilde　came　back　on；　and　you　have　hashed　him　for　it。〃

Old　Whitbread　looked　the　men　in　the　face；　and　said；　gravely；　〃You　are　too　late。　　You　have　shed　that　poor　man's　blood；　and　you　have　sent　an　anonymous　letter　to　my　son's　wife。　　That　lady　has　gone　on　her　knees　to　us　to　leave　the　trade；　and　we　have　consented。　　Fifteen　years　ago；　your　Union　wrote　letters　of　this　kind　to　my　wife　（she　was　pregnant　at　the　time）；　and　drove　her　into　her　grave；　with　fright　and　anxiety　for　her　husband。　　You　shall　not　kill　Tom's　wife　as　well。　The　trade　is　a　poor　one　at　best；　thanks　to　the　way　you　have　ground　your　employers　down；　and；　when　you　add　to　that　needling　our　clay；　and　burning　our　gear；　and　beating　our　servants　to　death's　door；　and　driving　our　wives　into　the　grave；　we　bid　you　good…by。　　Mr。　Bolt；　I'm　the　sixth　brickmaster　this　Union　has　driven　out　of　the　trade　by　outrages　during　the　last　ten　years。〃

〃Thou's　a　wrong…headed　old　chap；〃　said　the　brickmakers'　spokesman；　〃but　thou　canst　not　run　away　with　place。　　Them　as　takes　to　it　will　have　to　take　us　on。〃

〃Not　so。　　We　have　sold　our　plant　to　the　Barton　Machine　Brickmaking　Company；　and　you　maltreated　them　so　at　starting　that　now　they　won't　let　a　single　Union　man　set　his　foot　on　their　premises。〃

The　company　in　question　made　bricks　better　and　cheaper　than　any　other　brickmaster；　but；　making　them　by　machinery；　were　ALWAYS　at　war　with　the　Brickmakers'　Union；　and；　whenever　a　good　chance　occurred　for　destroying　their　property；　it　was　done。　　They；　on　their　part；　diminished　those　chances　greatly　by　setting　up　their　works　five　miles　from　the　town；　and　by　keep