put yourself in his place-第68部分

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rt；　diminished　those　chances　greatly　by　setting　up　their　works　five　miles　from　the　town；　and　by　keeping　armed　watchmen　and　police。　　Only　these　ran　away　with　their　profits。

Now；　when　this　company　came　so　near　the　town；　and　proceeded　to　work　up　Whitbread's　clay；　in　execution　of　the　contract　with　which　their　purchase　saddled　them；　the　Brickmakers'　Union　held　a　great　meeting；　in　which　full　a　hundred　brickmakers　took　part；　and　passed　extraordinary　resolutions；　and　voted　extraordinary　sums　of　money；　and　recorded　both　in　their　books。　　These　books　were　subsequently　destroyed；　for　a　reason　the　reader　can　easily　divine　who　has　read　this　narrative　with　his　understanding。

Soon　after　that　meeting；　one　Kay；　a　brickmaker；　who　was　never　seen　to　make　a　brickfor　the　best　of　all　reasons；　he　lived　by　blood　alonewas　observed　reconnoitering　the　premises；　and　that　very　night　a　quantity　of　barrows；　utensils；　and　tools　were　heaped　together；　naphtha　poured　over　them；　and　the　whole　set　on　fire。

Another　dark　night；　twenty　thousand　bricks　were　trampled　so　noiselessly　that　the　perpetrators　were　neither　seen　nor　heard。

But　Bolt　hired　more　men；　put　up　a　notice　he　would　shoot　any　intruder　dead；　and　so　frightened　them　by　his　blustering　that　they　kept　away；　being　cowards　at　bottom；　and　the　bricks　were　rapidly　made；　and　burnt；　and　some　were　even　delivered；　these　bricks　were　carted　from　the　yard　to　the　building　site　by　one　Harris；　who　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　quarrel；　he　was　a　carter　by　profession；　and　wheeled　bricks　for　all　the　world。

One　night　this　poor　man's　haystack　and　stable　were　all　in　flames　in　a　moment；　and　unearthly　screams　issued　from　the　latter。

The　man　ran　out；　half…naked；　and　his　first　thought　was　to　save　his　good　gray　mare　from　the　fire。　　But　this　act　of　humanity　had　been　foreseen　and　provided　against。　　The　miscreants　had　crept　into　the　stable；　and　tied　the　poor　docile　beast　fast　by　the　head　to　the　rack；　then　fired　the　straw。　　Her　screams　were　such　as　no　man　knew　a　horse　could　utter。　　They　pierced　all　hearts；　however　hard；　till　her　burnt　body　burst　the　burnt　cords；　and　all　fell　together。　　Man　could　not　aid　her。　　But　God　can　avenge　her。

As　if　the　poor　thing　could　tell　whether　she　was　drawing　machine…made　bricks；　or　hand…made　bricks！

The　incident　is　painful　to　relate；　but　it　would　be　unjust　to　omit　it。　　It　was　characteristic　of　that　particular　Union；　and；　indeed；　without　it　my　reader　could　not　possibly　appreciate　the　brickmaking　mind。

Bolt　went　off　with　this　to　Little；　but　Amboyne　was　there；　and　cut　his　tales　short。　　〃I　hope；〃　said　he；　〃that　the　common　Creator　of　the　four…legged　animal　and　the　two…legged　beasts　will　see　justice　done　between　them；　but　you　must　not　come　here　tormenting　my　inventor　with　these　horrors。　　Your　business　is　to　relieve　him　of　all　such　worries；　and　let　him　invent　in　peace。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Little；　〃and　I　have　told　Mr。　Bolt　we　can't　avoid　a　difficulty　with　the　cutlers。　　But　the　brickmakerswhat　madness　to　go　and　quarrel　with　them！　　I　will　have　nothing　to　do　with　it；　Mr。　Bolt。〃

〃The　cutlers！　　Oh；　I　don't　mind　them；〃　said　Bolt。　　〃They　are　angels　compared　with　the　brickmakers。　　The　cutlers　don't　poison　cows；　and　hamstring　horses；　and　tie　them　to　fire；　the　cutlers　don't　fling　little　boys　into　water…pits；　and　knock　down　little　girls　with　their　fists；　just　because　their　fathers　are　non…Union　men；　the　cutlers　don't　strew　poisoned　apples　and　oranges　about；　to　destroy　whole　families　like　rats。　　Why；　sir；　I　have　talked　with　a　man　the　brickmakers　tried　to　throw　into　boiling　lime；　and　another　they　tried　to　poison　with　beer；　and；　when　he　wouldn't　drink　it；　threw　vitriol　in　his　eyes；　and　he's　blind　of　an　eye　to　this　day。　　There's　full　half　a　dozen　have　had　bottles　of　gunpowder　and　old　nails　flung　into　their　rooms；　with　lighted　fuses；　where　they　were　sleeping　with　their　families；　they　call　that　'bottling　a　man；'　it's　a　familiar　phrase。　I've　seen　three　cripples　crawling　about　that　have　been　set　on　by　numbers　and　spoiled　for　life；　and　as　many　fired　at　in　the　dark；　one　has　got　a　slug　in　his　head　to　this　day。　　And；　with　all　that；　the　greatest　cowards　in　the　worlddaren't　face　a　man　in　daylight；　any　two　of　them；　but　I've　seen　the　woman　they　knocked　down　with　their　fists；　and　her　daughter　too；　a　mere　child　at　the　time。　　No；　the　cutlers　are　men；　but　the　brickmakers　are　beasts。〃

All　the　more　reason　for　avoiding　silly　quarrels　with　the　brickmakers；〃　said　Little。

Thus　snubbed；　Mr。　Bolt　retired；　muttering　something　about　〃bad　to　beat。〃　　He　found　Harris　crying　over　the　ashes　of　his　mare；　and　the　man　refused　to　wheel　any　more　machine…made　bricks。　　Other　carters；　being　applied　to；　refused　also。　　They　had　received　written　warning；　and　dared　not　wheel　one　of　those　bricks　for　their　lives。

The　invincible　Bolt　bought　a　cart　and　a　horse；　hired　two　strangers；　armed　them　and　himself　with　revolvers；　and　carted　the　bricks　himself。　　Five　brickmakers　waylaid　him　in　a　narrow　lane；　he　took　out　his　revolver；　and　told　them　he'd　send　them　all　to　hell　if　one　laid　a　finger　on　him；　at　this　rude　observation　they　fled　like　sheep。

The　invincible　carted　his　bricks　by　day；　and　at　night　rode　the　horse　away　to　an　obscure　inn；　and　slept　beside　him；　armed　to　the　teeth。

The　result　of　all　which　was　that　one　day　he　burst　into　Little's　studio　shouting　〃Victory！〃　and　told　him　two　hundred　thousand　bricks　were　on　the　premises；　and　twenty　bricklayers　would　be　at　work　on　the　foundations　that　afternoon。

Henry　Little　was　much　pleased　at　that；　and　when　Bolt　told　him　how　he　had　carted　the　bricks　in　person；　said；　〃You　are　the　man　for　me；　you　really　are　bad　to　beat。〃

While　they　were　congratulating　each　other　on　this　hard…earned　victory；　Mr。　Bayne　entered　softly；　and　said；　〃Mr。　Whiteto　speak　to　Mr。　Bolt。〃

〃That　is　the　builder；〃　said　Bolt。　　〃Show　him　up。〃

Mr。　White　came　in　with　a　long　face。

〃Bad　news；　gentlemen；　the　Machine　Brickmaking　Company　retires　from　business；　driven　out　of　trade　by　their　repeated　losses　from　violence。〃

〃All　the　worse　for　the　nation；〃　said　Bolt；　〃houses　are　a　fancy　articlegot　to　be。　　But　it　doesn't　matter　to　us。　　We　have　got　bricks　enough　to　go　on　with。〃

〃Plenty；　sir；　but　that　is　not　where　the　shoe　pinches　now。　　The　Brickmakers'　Union　has　made　it　right　with　the　Bricklayers'　Union；　and　the　Bricklayers'　Union　orders　us　to　cart　back　every　one　of　those　machine…made　bricks　to　the　yard。〃

〃See　them　　first；〃　said　Bolt。

〃Well；　sir；　have　you　considered　the　alternative？〃

〃Not　I。　　What　is　it？〃

〃Not　a　bricklayer　in　Hillsboro'；　or　for　fifty　miles　round；　will　set　a　brick　for　us；　and　if　we　get　men　from　a　distance　they　will　be　talked　away；　or　driven　away；　directly。　　The　place　is　picketed　on　every　side　at　this　moment。〃

Even　Bolt　was　staggered　now。　　〃What　is　to　be　done；　I　wonder？〃

〃There's　nothing　to　be　done　but　submit。　　When　two　such　powerful　Unions　amalgamate；　resistance　is　useless；　and　the　law　of　the　land　a　dead　letter。　　Mr。　Bolt；　I'm　not　a　rich　man；　I've　got　a　large　family；　let　me　beg　of　you　to　release　me　from　the　contract。〃

〃White；　you　are　a　cur。　　Release　you？　never！〃

〃Then；　sir；　I'll　go　through　the　court　and　release　myself。〃


Henry　Little　was　much　dejected　by　this　monstrous　and　unforeseen　obstacle　arising　at　the　very　threshold　of　his　hopes。　　He　felt　so　sad；　that　he　determined　to　revive　himself　with　a　sight　of　Grace　Carden。　　He　pined　for　her　face　and　voice。　　So　he　went　up　to　Woodbine　Villa；　though　it　was　not　his　day。　　As　he　drew　near　that　Paradise；　the　door　opened；　and　Mr。　Frederick　Coventry　came　out。　　The　two　men　nearly　met　at　the　gate。　　The　rejected　lover　came　out　looking　bright　and　happy；　and　saw　the　accepted　lover　arrive；　looking　depressed　and　careworn；　he　saw　in　a　moment　something　was　going　wrong；　and　turned　on　his　heel　with　a　glance　of　triumph。

Henry　Little　caught　that　glance；　and　stood　at　the　gate　black　with　rage。　　he　stood　there　about　a　minute；　and　then　walked　slowly　home　again：　he　felt　he　should　quarrel　with　Grace　if　he　went　in；　and；　by　a　violent　effort　of　self…restraint；　he　retraced　his　steps；　but　he　went　home　sick　at　heart。

The　mother's　eye　read　his　worn　face　in　a　moment；　and　soon　she　had　it　all　out　of　him。　　It　cost　her　a　struggle　not　to　vent　her　maternal　spleen　on　Grace；　but　she　knew　that　would　only　make　her　son　more　unhappy。　　She　advised　him　minutely　what　to　say　to　the　young　lady　about　Mr。　Coventry：　and；　as　to　the　other　matters　she　said；　〃You　have　found　Mr。　Bolt　not　so　bad　to　beat　as　he　tells　you：　for　he　is　beaten；　and　there's　an　end　of　him。　　Now　let　ME　try。〃

〃Why；　what　on　earth　can　you　do　in　a　case　of　this　kind？〃

〃Have　I　ever　failed　when　you　have　accepted　my　assistance？〃

〃No：　that's　true。　　Well；　I　shall　be　glad　of　your　assistance　now；　heaven　knows；　only　I　can't　imagine〃

〃Never　mind：　will　you　take　Grace　Carden　if　I　throw　her　into　your　arms？〃

〃Oh；　mother；　can　you　ask　me？〃

Mrs。　Little　rang　the　bell；　and　ordered　a　fly。　　Henry　offered　to　accompany　her。　　She　declined。　　〃Go　to　bed　early；〃　said　she；　〃and　trust　to　your　mother。　　We　are　harder　to　beat　sometimes　than　a　good　many　Mr。　Bolts。〃

She　drove　to　Dr。　Amboyne's　house；　and　sent　in　her　name。　　She　was　ushered　into　the　doctor's　study；　and　found　him　shivering　over　an　enormous　fire。　　〃Influenza。〃

〃Oh　dear；〃　said　she；　〃I'm　afraid　you　are　very　ill。〃

〃Never　mind　that。　　Sit　down。　　You　will　not　make　me　any　worse；　you　may　be　sure　of　that。〃　　And　he　smiled　affectionately　on　her。

〃But　I　came　to　intrude　my　own　troubles　on　you。〃

〃All　the　better。　　That　will　help　me　forget　mine。〃

Mrs。　Little　seated　herself；　and；　after　a　slight　hesitation；　opened　her　battery　thus：〃Well；　my　good　friend；　I　am　come　to　ask　you　a　favor。　　It　is　to　try　and　reconcile　my　brother　and　me。　　If　any　one　can　do　it；　you　can。〃

〃Praise　the　method；　not　the　man。　　If　one　could　only　persuade　you　to　put　yourself　in　his　place；　and　him　to　put　himself　in　yours；　you　would　be　both　reconciled　in　five　minutes。〃

〃You　forget　we　have　been　estranged　this　five…and…twenty　years。〃

〃No　I　don't。　　The　only　question　is；　whether　you　can　and　will　deviate　from　the　practice　of　the　world　into　an　obese　lunatic's　system；　both　of　you。〃

〃Try　ME；　to　begin。〃

The　doctor's　eyes　sparkled　with　satisfaction。　　〃Well；　then；〃　said　he；　〃first　you　must　recollect　all　the　differences　you　have　seen　betw