put yourself in his place-第9部分

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　be　now。　　Oh　dear！　oh　dear！〃

〃Why；　Jael；　my　poor　girl；　what　IS　the　matter？〃

〃I　don't　know；　miss。　　But　I　feel　very　unked。〃

〃Are　you　not　happy　with　me？〃

〃'Tis　no　fault　of　yourn；　miss；〃　said　Jael；　rustic；　but　womanly。

〃Then　you　are　NOT　happy　here。〃

No　reply；　but　two　clear　eyes　began　to　fill　to　the　very　brim。

Grace　coaxed　her；　and　said；　〃Speak　to　me　like　a　friend。　　You　know；　after　all；　you　are　not　my　servant。　　I　can't　possibly　part　with　you　altogether；　I　have　got　to　like　you　so：　but；　of　course；　you　shall　go　home　for　a　little　while；　if　you　wish　it　very；　very　much。〃

〃Indeed　I　do；　miss；〃　said　Jael。　　〃Please　forgive　me；　but　my　heart　feels　like　lead　in　my　bosom。〃　　And；　with　these　words；　the　big　tears　ran　over；　and　chased　one　another　down　her　cheeks。

Then　Grace；　who　was　very　kind…hearted；　begged　her；　in　a　very　tearful　voice；　not　to　cry：　she　should　go　home　for　a　week；　a　fortnight；　a　month　even。　　〃There；　there；　you　shall　go　to…morrow；　poor　thing。〃


Now　it　is　a　curious　fact；　and　looks　like　animal　magnetism　or　something；　but　the　farm…house；　to　which　Jael　had　felt　so　mysteriously　drawn　all　night；　contained；　at　that　moment；　besides　its　usual　inmates；　one　Henry　Little：　and　how　he　came　there　is　an　important　part　of　this　tale；　which　I　must　deal　with　at　once。


While　Henry　was　still　visiting　Woodbine　Villa；　as　related　above；　events　of　a　very　different　character　from　those　soft　scenes　were　taking　place　at　the　works。　　His　liberal　offer　to　the　Edge…Tool　Forgers　had　been　made　about　a　week；　when；　coming　back　one　day　from　dinner　to　his　forge；　he　found　the　smoky　wall　written　upon　with　chalk；　in　large　letters；　neatly　executed：


　　　　　〃Why　overlook　the　handlers？

　　　　　〃MARY。〃


He　was　not　alarmed　this　time；　but　vexed。　　He　went　and　complained　to　Bayne；　and　that　worthy　came　directly　and　contemplated　the　writing；　in　silence；　for　about　a　minute。　　Then　he　gave　a　weary　sigh；　and　said；　with　doleful　resignation；　〃Take　the　chalk；　and　write。　　There　it　is。〃

Henry　took　the　chalk；　and　prepared　to　write　Bayne's　mind　underneath　Mary's。　　Bayne　dictated：


　　　　　〃I　have　offered　the　Handlers　the　same　as　the　Forgers。〃


〃But　that　is　not　true；〃　objected　Henry；　turning　round；　with　the　chalk　in　his　hand。

〃It　will　be　true；　in　half　an　hour。　　We　are　going　to　Parkin；　the　Handlers'　Secretary。〃

〃What；　another　L15！　　This　is　an　infernal　swindle。〃

〃What　isn't？〃　said　Bayne；　cynically。

Henry　then　wrote　as　desired；　and　they　went　together　to　Mr。　Parkin。

Mr。　Parkin　was　not　at　home。　　But　they　hunted　him　from　pillar　to　post；　and　caught　him；　at　last；　in　the　bar…parlor　of　〃The　Packsaddle。〃　　He　knew　Bayne　well；　and　received　him　kindly；　and；　on　his　asking　for　a　private　interview；　gave　a　wink　to　two　persons　who　were　with　him：　they　got　up　directly；　and　went　out。

〃What；　is　there　any　thing　amiss　between　you　and　the　trade？〃　inquired　Mr。　Parkin；　with　an　air　of　friendly　interest。

Bayne　smiled；　not　graciously；　but　sourly。　　〃Come；　come；　sir；　that　is　a　farce　you　and　I　have　worn　out　this　ten　years。　　This　is　the　London　workman　himself；　come　to　excuse　himself　to　Mary　and　Co。；　for　not　applying　to　them　before：　and　the　long　and　the　short　is；　he　offers　the　Handlers　the　same　as　he　has　the　Smiths；　fifteen　down；　and　to　pay　his　natty　money；　but　draw　no　scale；　unless　disabled。　　What　d'y　say？　Yes；　or　no？〃

〃I'll　lay　Mr。　Little's　proposal　before　the　committee。〃

〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　said　Little。　　〃And；　meantime；　I　suppose　I　may　feel　safe　against　violence；　from　the　members　of　your　union？〃

〃Violence！〃　said　Mr。　Parkin；　turning　his　eye　inward；　as　if　he　was　interrogating　the　centuries。　　Then　to　Mr。　Bayne；　〃Pray；　sir；　do　you　remember　any　deed　of　darkness　that　our　Union　has　ever　committed；　since　we　have　been　together；　and　that　is　twelve　years？〃

〃WELL；　Mr。　Parkin；〃　said　Bayne；　〃if　you　mean　deeds　of　blood；　and　deeds　of　gunpowder；　et　ceterawhy；　no；　not　one：　and　it　is　greatly　to　your　honor。　　But；　mind　you；　if　a　master　wants　his　tanks　tapped　and　his　hardening…liquor　run　into　the　shore　or　his　bellows　to　be　ripped；　his　axle…nuts　to　vanish；　his　wheel…bands　to　go　and　hide　in　a　drain　or　a　church　belfry；　and　his　scythe…blades　to　dive　into　a　wheel…dam；　he　has　only　to　be　wrong　with　your　Union；　and　he'll　be　accommodated　as　above。　　I　speak　from　experience。〃

〃Oh；　rattening！〃　said　Mr　Parkin。　　〃That's　is　a　mighty　small　matter。〃

〃It　is　small　to　you；　that　are　not　in　the　oven；　where　the　bread　is　baked；　or　cooled；　or　burnt。　　But　whatever　parts　the　grindstones　from　the　power；　and　the　bellows　from　the　air；　and　the　air　from　the　fire；　makes　a　hole　in　the　master's　business　to…day；　and　a　hole　in　the　workman's　pocket　that　day　six　months。　　So；　for　heaven's　sake；　let　us　be　right　with　you。　　Little's　is　the　most　friendly　and　liberal　offer　that　any　workman　ever　made　to　any　Union。　　Do；　pray；　close　with　it；　and　let　us　be　at　peace；　sweetbalmypeace。〃

Parkin　declared　he　shared　that　desire：　but　was　not　the　committee。　Then；　to　Henry：　〃I　shall　put　your　case　as　favorably　as　my　conscience　will　let　me。　　Meantime；　of　course；　the　matter　rests　as　it　is。〃

They　then　parted；　and　Henry；　as　he　returned　home；　thanked　Bayne　heartily。　　He　said　this　second　L15　had　been　a　bitter　pill　at　first；　but　now　he　was　glad　he　had　offered　it。　　〃I　would　not　leave　Hillsborough　for　fifteen　hundred　pounds。〃

Two　days　after　this　promising　interview　with　Mr。　Parkin；　Henry　received　a　note；　the　envelope　of　which　showed　him　it　came　from　Mr。　Jobson。　　He　opened　it　eagerly；　and　with　a　good　hope　that　its　object　was　to　tell　him　he　was　now　a　member　of　the　Edge…Tool　Forgers'　Union。

The　letter；　however；　ran　thus：


〃DEAR　SIR；I　hear；　with　considerable　surprise；　that　you　continue　to　forge　blades　and　make　handles　for　Mr。　Cheetham。　　On　receipt　of　this　information　I　went　immediately　to　Mr。　Parkin；　and　he　assured　me　that　he　came　to　the　same　terms　with　you　as　I　did。　　He　says　he　intimated　politely；　but　plainly；　that　he　should　expect　you　not　to　make　any　more　carving…tool　handles　for　Mr。　Cheetham；　till　his　committee　had　received　your　proposal。　　He　now　joins　me　in　advising　you　to　strike　work　for　the　present。　　Hillsborough　is　surrounded　by　beautiful　scenes；　which　it　might　gratify　an　educated　workman　to　inspect；　during　the　unavoidable　delay　caused　by　the　new　and　very　important　questions　your　case　has　raised。

〃Yours　obediently；

〃SAML。　JOBSON。

〃P。S。A　respectable　workman　was　with　me　yesterday；　and　objected　that　you　receive　from　Mr。　Cheetham　a　higher　payment　than　the　list　price。　　Can　you　furnish　me　with　a　reply　to　this；　as　it　is　sure　to　be　urged　at　the　trade　meeting。〃


When　he　read　this；　Little's　blood　boiled；　especially　at　the　cool　advice　to　lay　down　his　livelihood；　and　take　up　scenery：　and　he　dashed　off　a　letter　of　defiance。　　He　showed　it　to　Bayne；　and　it　went　into　the　fire　directly。　　〃That　is　all　right；〃　said　this　worthy。　〃You　have　written　your　mind；　like　a　man。　　Now　sit　down；　and　give　them　treacle　for　their　honeyor　you'll　catch　pepper。〃

Henry　groaned；　and　writhed；　but　obeyed。

He　had　written　his　defiance　in　three　minutes。　　It　took　him　an　hour　to　produce　the　following：


〃DEAR　SIR；I　am　sorry　for　the　misunderstanding。　　I　did　not；　for　a　moment；　attach　that　meaning　to　any　thing　that　fell　either　from　you　or　Mr。　Parkin。

〃I　must　now　remind　you　that；　were　I　to　strike　work　entirely；　Mr。　Cheetham　could　discharge　me；　and　even　punish　me；　for　breach　of　contract。　　All　I　can　do　is　to　work　fewer　hours　than　I　have　done：　and　I　am　sure　you　will　be　satisfied　with　that；　if　you　consider　that　the　delay　in　the　settlement　of　this　matter　rests　with　you；　and　not　with　me；

〃I　am　yours　respectfully；　HENRY　LITTLE。

〃I　furnish　you；　as　requested；　with　two　replies　to　the　objection　of　a　respectable　workman　that　I　am　paid　above　the　list　price。

〃1。To　sell　skilled　labor　below　the　statement　price　is　a　just　offense；　and　injury　to　trade。　　But　to　obtain　above　the　statement　price　is　to　benefit　trade。　　The　high　price；　that　stands　alone　to…　day；　will　not　stand　alone　forever。　　It　gets　quoted　in　bargains；　and　draws　prices　up　to　it。　　That　has　been　proved　a　thousand　times。

〃2。It　is　not　under　any　master's　skin　to　pay　a　man　more　than　he　is　worth。　　It　I　get　a　high　price；　it　is　because　I　make　a　first…rate　article。　　If　a　man　has　got　superior　knowledge；　he　is　not　going　to　give　it　away　to　gratify　envious　ignorance。〃


To　this；　in　due　course；　he　received　from　Jobson　the　following：


〃DEAR　SIR；I　advised　you　according　to　my　judgment　and　experience：　but；　doubtless；　you　are　the　best　judge　of　your　own　affairs。〃


And　that　closed　the　correspondence　with　the　Secretaries。


The　gentle　Jobson　and　the　polite　Parkin　had　retired　from　the　correspondence　with　their　air　of　mild　regret　and　placid　resignation　just　three　days；　when　young　Little　found　a　dirty　crumpled　letter　on　his　anvil；　written　in　pencil。　　It　ran　thus：


〃Turn　up　or　youl　wish　you　had　droped　it。　　Youl　be　made　so　as　youl　never　do　hands　turn　agin；　an　never　know　what　hurt　you。

（Signed）　　〃MOONRAKER。〃


Henry　swore。

When　he　had　sworn　（and；　as　a　Briton；　I　think　he　had　denied　himself　that　satisfaction　long　enough）；　he　caught　up　a　strip　of　steel　with　his　pincers；　shoved　it　into　the　coals；　heated　it；　and；　in　half　a　minute；　forged　two　long　steel　nails。　　He　then　nailed　this　letter　to　his　wall；　and　wrote　under　it　in　chalk；　〃I　offer　L10　reward　to　any　one　who　will　show　me　the　coward　who　wrote　this；　but　was　afraid　to　sign　it。　　The　writing　is　peculiar；　and　can　easily　be　identified。〃

He　also　took　the　knife　that　had　been　so　ostentatiously　fixed　in　his　door；　and　carried　it　about　him　night　and　day；　with　a　firm　resolve　to　use　it　in　self…defense；　if　necessary。

And　now　the　plot　thickened：　the　decent　workmen　in　Cheetham's　works　were　passive；　they　said　nothing　offensive；　but　had　no　longer　the　inclination；　even　if　they　had　the　power；　to　interfere　and　restrain　the　lower　workmen　from　venting　their　envy　and　malice。　　Scarcely　a　day　passed　without　growls　and　scowls。　　But　Little　went　his　way　haughtily；　and　affected　not　to　see；　nor　hear　them。

However；　one　day；　at　dinner…time；　he　happened；　unluckily；　to　be　detained　by　Bayne　in　the　yard；　when　the　men　came　out：　and　two　or　three　of　the　roughs　took　this　opportunity　and　began　on　him　at　once；　in　the　Dash　Dialect；　of　course；　they　knew　no　other。

A　great　burly　forger；　whos