put yourself in his place-第7部分

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u　don't　obey；　they　turn　it　over　to　the　scum。〃

〃Do　you　think　my　life　is　really　in　danger？〃

〃No；　not　yet；　I　never　knew　a　man　molested　on　one　warning。　　This　is　just　to　frighten　you。　　If　you　were　to　take　no　notice；　you'd　likely　get　another　warning；　or　two；　at　most；　and　then　they'd　do　you；　as　sure　as　a　gun。〃

〃Do　me？〃

〃Oh；　that　is　the　Hillsborough　word。　　It　means　to　disable　a　man　from　work。　　Sometimes　they　lie　in　wait　in　these　dark　streets；　and　fracture　his　skull　with　life…preservers；　or　break　his　arm；　or　cut　the　sinew　of　his　wrist；　and　that　they　call　DOING　him。　　Or；　if　it　is　a　grinder；　they'll　put　powder　in　his　trough；　and　then　the　sparks　of　his　own　making　fire　it；　and　scorch　him；　and　perhaps　blind　him　for　life；　that's　DOING　him。　　They　have　gone　as　far　as　shooting　men　with　shot；　and　even　with　a　bullet；　but　never　so　as　to　kill　the　man　dead　on　the　spot。　　They　DO　him。　　They　are　skilled　workmen；　you　know；　well；　they　are　skilled　workmen　at　violence　and　all；　and　it　is　astonishing　how　they　contrive　to　stop　within　an　inch　of　murder。　They'll　chance　it　though　sometimes　with　their　favorite　gunpowder。　If　you're　very　wrong　with　the　trade；　and　they　can't　DO　you　any　other　way；　they'll　blow　your　house　up　from　the　cellar；　or　let　a　can　of　powder　down　the　chimney；　with　a　lighted　fuse；　or　fling　a　petard　in　at　the　window；　and　they　take　the　chance　of　killing　a　houseful　of　innocent　people；　to　get　at　the　one　that's　on　the　black　books　of　the　trade；　and　has　to　be　DONE。〃

〃The　beasts！　　I'll　buy　a　six…shooter。　　I'll　meet　craft　with　craft；　and　force　with　force。〃

〃What　can　you　do　against　ten　thousand？　　No；　go　you　at　once　to　the　Secretary　of　the　Edge…Tool　Grinders；　and　get　your　trade　into　his　Union。　　You　will　have　to　pay；　but　don't　mind　that。　　Cheetham　will　go　halves。〃

〃I'll　go　at　dinner…time。〃

〃And　why　not　now？〃

〃Because；〃　said　Henry；　with　a　candor　all　his　own；　〃I'm　getting　over　my　fright　a　bit；　and　my　blood　is　beginning　to　boil　at　being　threatened　by　a　sneak；　who　wouldn't　stand　before　me　one　moment　in　that　yard；　knife　or　no　knife。〃

Bayne　smiled　a　friendly　but　faint　smile；　and　shook　his　head　with　grave　disapprobation；　and　said；　with　wonder；　〃Fancy　postponing　Peace！〃

Henry　went　to　his　forge　and　worked　till　dinner…time。　　Nay；　more；　was　a　beautiful　whistler；　and　always　whistled　a　little　at　his　work：　so　to…day　he　whistled　a　great　deal：　in　fact；　he　over…whistled。

At　dinner…time　he　washed　his　face　and　hands　and　put　on　his　coat　to　go　out。

But　he　had　soon　some　reason　to　regret　that　he　had　not　acted　on　Bayne's　advice　to　the　letter。　　There　had　been　a　large　trade's　meeting　overnight；　and　the　hostility　to　the　London　craftsman　had　spread　more　widely；　in　consequence　of　remarks　that　had　been　there　made。　　This　emboldened　the　lower　class　of　workmen；　who　already　disliked　him　out　of　pure　envy；　and　had　often　scowled　at　him　in　silence；　and；　now；　as　he　passed　them；　they　spoke　at　him；　in　their　peculiar　language；　which　the　great　friend　and　supporter　of　mechanics　in　general；　The　Hillsborough　Liberal；　subsequently　christened　〃THE　DASH　DIALECT。〃

〃We　want　no　　cockneys　here；　to　steal　our　work。〃

〃Did　ever　a　　anvil…man　handle　his　own　blades　in　Hillsborough？〃

〃Not　till　this　　knobstick　came；〃　said　another。

Henry　turned　sharp　round　upon　them　haughtily；　and　such　was　the　power　of　his　prompt　defiant　attitude；　and　his　eye；　which　flashed　black　lightning；　that　there　was　a　slight　movement　of　recoil　among　the　actual　speakers。　　They　recovered　it　immediately；　strong　in　numbers；　but　in　that　same　moment　Little　also　recovered　his　discretion；　and　he　had　the　address　to　step　briskly　toward　the　gate　and　call　out　the　porter；　he　said　to　him　in　rather　a　loud　voice；　for　all　to　hear；　〃if　anybody　asks　for　Henry　Little；　say　he　has　gone　to　the　Secretary　of　the　Edge…Tool　Forgers'　Union。〃　　He　then　went　out　of　the　works；　but；　as　he　went；　he　heard　some　respectable　workman　say　to　the　scum；　〃Come；　shut　up　now。　　It　is　in　better　hands　than　yours。〃

Mr。　Jobson；　the　Secretary　of　the　Edge…Tool　Forgers；　was　not　at　home；　but　his　servant…girl　advised　Little　to　try　the　〃Rising　Sun；〃　and　in　the　parlor　of　that　orb　he　found　Mr。　Jobson；　in　company　with　other　magnates　of　the　same　class；　discussing　a　powerful　leader　of　The　Hillsborough　Liberal；　in　which　was　advocated　the　extension　of　the　franchise；　a　measure　calculated　to　throw　prodigious　power　into　the　hands　of　Hillsborough　operatives；　because　of　their　great　number；　and　their　habit　of　living　each　workman　in　a　tenement　of　his　own；　however　small。

Little　waited　till　The　Liberal　had　received　its　meed　of　approbation；　and　then　asked　respectfully　if　he　might　speak　to　Mr。　Jobson　on　a　trade　matter。　　〃Certainly；〃　said　Mr。　Jobson。　　〃Who　are　you？〃

〃My　name　is　Little。　　I　make　the　carving…tools　at　Cheetham's。〃

〃I'll　go　home　with　you；　my　house　is　hard　by。〃

When　they　got　to　the　house；　Jobson　told　him　to　sit　down；　and　asked　him；　in　a　smooth　and　well…modulated　voice；　what　was　the　nature　of　the　business。　　This　query；　coming　from　him；　who　had　set　the　stone　rolling　that　bade　fair　to　crush　him；　rather　surprised　Henry。　　He　put　his　hand　into　his　pocket；　and　produced　the　threatening　note；　but　said　nothing　as　to　the　time　or　manner　of　its　arrival。

Mr。　Jobson　perused　it　carefully；　and　then　returned　it　to　Henry。　〃What　have　we　to　do　with　this？〃　and　he　looked　quite　puzzled。

〃Why；　sir；　it　is　the　act　of　your　Union。〃

〃You　are　sadly　misinformed；　Mr。　Little。　　WE　NEVER　THREATEN。　　All　we　do　is　to　remind　the　master　that；　if　he　does　not　do　certain　things；　certain　other　things　will　probably　be　done　by　us；　and　this　we　wrap　up　in　the　kindest　way。〃

〃But；　sir；　you　wrote　to　Cheetham　against　me。〃

〃Did　we？　　Then　it　will　be　in　my　letter…book。〃　　He　took　down　a　book；　examined　it；　and　said；　〃You　are　quite　right。　　Here's　a　copy　of　the　letter。　　Now　surely；　sir；　comparing　the　language；　the　manners；　and　the　spelling；　with　that　of　the　ruffian　whose　scrawl　you　received　this　morning〃

〃Then　you　disown　the　ruffian's　threat？〃

〃Most　emphatically。　　And　if　you　can　trace　it　home；　he　shall　smart　for　interfering　in　our　business。〃

〃Oh；　if　the　trade　disowns　the　blackguard；　I　can　despise　him。　　But　you　can't　wonder　at　my　thinking　all　these　letters　were　steps　of　the　sameyes；　and　Mr。　Bayne　thought　so　too；　for　he　said　this　was　the　regular　routine；　and　ends　in　DOING　a　poor　fellow　for　gaining　his　bread。〃

Mr。　Jobson　begged　to　explain。

〃Many　complaints　are　brought　to　us；　who　advise　the　trades。　　When　they　are　frivolous；　we　are　unwilling　to　disturb　the　harmony　of　employers　and　workmen；　we　reason　with　the　complainant；　and　the　thing　dies　away。　　When　the　grievance　is　substantial；　we　take　it　out　of　the　individual's　hands　and　lay　it　before　the　working　committee。　　A　civil　note　is　sent　to　the　master；　or　a　respectable　member　of　the　committee　calls　on　him；　and　urges　him　to　redress　the　grievance；　but　always　in　kind　and　civil　terms。　　The　master　generally　assents：　experience　has　taught　him　it　is　his　wisest　course。　　But　if　he　refuses；　we　are　bound　to　report　the　refusal　to　a　larger　committee；　and　sometimes　a　letter　emanates　from　them；　reminding　the　master　that　he　has　been　a　loser　before　by　acts　of　injustice；　and　hinting　that　he　may　be　a　loser　again。　　I　do　not　quite　approve　this　form　of　communication。　　But　certainly　it　has　often　prevented　the　mischief　from　spreading　further。　　Well；　but　perhaps　he　continues　rebellious。　　What　follows？　We　can't　lock　up　facts　that　affect　the　trade；　we　are　bound　to　report　the　case　at　the　next　general　meeting。　　It　excites　comments；　some　of　them　perhaps　a　little　intemperate；　the　lower　kind　of　workmen　get　inflamed　with　passion；　and　often；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　write　ruffianly　letters；　and　now　and　then　do　ruffianly　acts；　which　disgrace　the　town；　and　are　strongly　reprobated　by　us。　　Why；　Mr。　Little；　it　has　been　my　lot　to　send　a　civil　remonstrance；　written　with　my　own　hand；　in　pretty　fair　Englishfor　a　man　who　plied　bellows　and　hammer　twenty　years　of　my　lifeand　be　treated　with　silent　contempt；　and　two　months　after　to　be　offering　a　reward　of　twenty　or　thirty　pounds；　for　the　discovery　of　some　misguided　man；　that　had　taken　on　himself　to　right　this　very　matter　with　a　can　of　gunpowder；　or　some　such　coarse　expedient。〃

〃Yes；　but；　sir；　what　hurts　me　is；　you　don't　consider　me　to　be　worth　a　civil　note。　　You　only　remonstrated　with　Cheetham。〃

〃You　can't　wonder　at　that。　　Our　trade　hasn't　been　together　many　years：　and　what　drove　us　together？　　The　tyranny　of　our　employers。　What　has　kept　us　together？　　The　bitter　experience　of　hard　work　and　little　pay；　whenever　we　were　out　of　union。　　Those　who　now　direct　the　trades　are　old　enough　to　remember　when　we　were　all　ground　down　to　the　dust　by　the　greedy　masters；　and　therefore　it　is　natural；　when　a　grievance　arises；　we　should　be　inclined　to　look　to　those　old　offenders　for　redress　in　the　first　instance。　　Sometimes　the　masters　convince　us　the　fault　lies　with　workmen；　and　then　we　trouble　the　master　no　more　than　we　are　forced　to　do　in　order　to　act　upon　the　offenders。　　But；　to　come　to　the　point：　what　is　your　proposal？〃

〃I　beg　to　be　admitted　into　the　union。〃

〃What　union？〃

〃Why；　of　course；　the　one　I　have　offended；　through　ignorance。　　The　edge…tool　forgers。〃

Jobson　shook　his　head；　and　said　he　feared　there　were　one　or　two　objections。

Henry　saw　it　was　no　use　bidding　low。　　〃I'll　pay　L15　down；〃　said　he；　〃and　I'll　engage　not　to　draw　relief　from　your　fund；　unless　disabled　by　accident　or　violence。〃

〃I　will　submit　your　offer　to　the　trade；〃　said　Jobson。　　He　added；　〃Then　there；　I　conclude；　the　matter　rests　for　the　present。〃

Henry　interpreted　this　to　mean　that　he　had　nothing　to　apprehend；　unless　his　proposal　should　be　rejected。　　He　put　the　L15　down　on　the　table；　though　Mr。　Jobson　told　him　that　was　premature；　and　went　off　as　light　as　a　feather。　　Being　nice　and　clean；　and　his　afternoon's　work　spoiled；　he　could　not　resist　the　temptation；　he　went　to　〃Woodbine　Villa。〃　　He　found　Miss　Carden　at　home；　and　she　looked　quietly　pleased　at　his　unexpected　arrival：　but　Jael's　color　came　and　went；　and　her　tranquil　bosom　rose　and　fell　slowly；　but　grandly；　for　a　minute；　as　she　lowered　her　head　over　her　work。

This　was　a　heavenly　change　to　Henry　Little。　　Away　from　the　deafening　workshop；　and　the　mean　jealousies　and　brutality　of　his　inferiors；　who　despised　him；　to　the　prese