第9章

“Iknow，Daddy——’beseen，’“saidtheyoungerdaughter，andgrinningaffectionatelyathimsheblewhimakiss。“But，allthesame，I wishCaptainJackwerenotsoawfullybusyorwerealittlemorekeenaboutthings。Hewantssomethingtostirhimup。“ “Hemaygetthatsoonerthanhethinks，“saidStillwell，“orwishes。Ihearthere’slikelytobetroubleinthemills。“ “Trouble？Financial？Ishouldbeverysorry，“saidDr。Templeton。 “No。Labour。Thewholelabourworldisinaferment。TheMaitlandscanhardlyexpecttoescape。Asamatteroffact，therowhasmadealittlestart，Ihappentoknow。“ “Theselabourtroublesarereallyverydistressing。Thereisnoendtothem，“saidMrs。Templeton，withtheresignationoneshowsindiscussingtheinscrutablewaysofProvidence。“Itdoesseemasiftheworkingclassesto-dayhavegotquitebeyondallbounds。 Onewonderswhattheywilldemandnext。Whatisthetroublenow，Rupert？Ofcourse——wages。“ “Oh，theeternaloldtroubleisthere，withsomenewonesaddedthatmakeevenwagesseemsmall。“ “Andwhatarethese？“enquiredDr。Templeton。 “Oh，divisionofprofits，shareinadministrationandcontrol。“ “Divisionofprofitsinadditiontowages？“enquiredMrs。Templeton，aghast。“But，howdreadful。Onewouldthinktheyactuallyownedthefactory。“ “Thatisthemoderndoctrine，Ibelieve，“saidRupert。 “Surelythatisanextremestatement，“saidDr。Templeton，inashockedvoice，“oryouaretalkingoftheveryradicalelementonly。“ “TheRadslead，ofcourse，butyouwouldbesurprisedatthedemandsmadeto-day。Why，Iheardayoungchaplastweek，asoap- boxartist，denouncingallcapitalistsasparasites。’Whyshouldweworkforanyonebutourselves？’hewassaying。’Whydon’twetakechargeofthefactoriesandrunthemforthegeneralgood？’ Iassureyou，sir，thosewerehisverywords。“ “Really，Rupert，youamazeme。InBlackwaterhere？“exclaimedDr。 Templeton。 “But，mydearpapa，thatsortofthingisthecommonplaceofHydePark，youknow，“saidAdrien，“and——“ “Ah，HydePark，yes。IshouldexpectthatsortofthingfromtheHydeParkorators。YougeteverysortofmaddoctrineinHydePark，asIrememberit，but——“ “AndIwasgoingtosaythatthatsortofthinghasgotawaybeyondHydePark。Why，papadear，youhavebeensoengrossedinyourHigherMathematicsthatyouhavefailedtokeepupwiththetimes。“ Hiseldestdaughtersmiledathimand，reachingacrossthecornerofthetable，pattedhishandaffectionately。“Weareawaybeyondbeingshockedatprofitsharing，andevensharingincontrolofadministrationandthatsortofthing。“ “Butthereremainsjustice，Ihope，“saidherfather，“andtherightofownership。“ “Ah，that’sjustit——whatisownership？“ “Oh，come，Adrien，“saidRupert，“youarenotsayingthatMr。 Maitlanddoesn’townhisfactoryandmill。“ “Itdependsonwhatyoumeanbyown，“saidthegirlcoolly。“Youmustnottaketoomuchforgranted。“ “Well，whatmymoneypaysforIown，Isuppose，“saidRupert。 “Well，“saidAdrien，“thatdepends。“ “MydearAdrien，“saidhermother，“youhavesuchstrangenotions。 IsupposeyougottheminthoseClubsinLondonandfromthosequeerpeopleyouusedtomeet。“ “Verydearpeople，“saidAdrien，withafarawaylookinhereyes，“andpeoplethatlovedjusticeandright。“ “Allright，Ade，“saidheryoungersister，withasaucygrin，“I agreeentirelywithyoursentiments。Ijustadorethatpalebluetieofyours。Isuppose，nowthatwhat’syoursismine，IcanpreemptthatwhenIlike。“ “Letmecatchyouatit！“ “Welldone，Patricia。Youseethetheoriesareallrighttillwecometohavethemappliedallround，“saidRupert。 “Weweretalkingofjointownership，Pat，“saidhersister，“thejointownershipofthingstothemakingofwhichwehaveeachcontributedapart。“ “Exactly，“saidRupert。“IguessGrantMaitlandpaidhisowngoodmoneyforhisplant。“ “Yes，“saidAdrien。 “Yes，andallhepaidforheowns。“ “Yes。“ “Well，that’sallthereistoit。“ “Oh，pardonme——thereisagooddealmore——“ “Well，well，children，weshallnotdiscussthesubjectanyfurther。Shallweallgoupforcoffee？“ “Theseareveryradicalviewsyouareadvancing，Adrien，“saidherfather，risingfromhischair。“Youmustbecarefulnottosaythingslikethatincircleswhereyoumightbetakenseriously。“ “Seriously，Daddy？Iwasnevermoreseriousinmylife。“Sheputherarmthroughherfather’s。“Imustgiveyousomebooks，somereportstoread，Isee，“shesaid，laughingupintohisface。 “Evidently，“saidherfather，“ifIamtolivewithyou。“ “IwonderwhatCaptainJackwouldthinkoftheseviews，“saidRupert，droppingintostepwithPatriciaastheyleftthediningroomtogether。 “HewillthinkasAdriendoes，“saidPatriciastoutly。 “Ah，Iwouldn’tbetoosureaboutthat，“saidRupert。“Yousee，itmakesadifferencewhoseoxisbeinggored。“ “Whatdoyoumean？“criedPatriciahotly。 “Nevermind，Pat，“saidhersisteroverhershoulder。“Idon’tthinkheknowsCaptainJackaswedo。“ “Perhapsbetter，“saidRupertinasignificanttone。 Patriciadrewawayfromhim。 “Ithinkyouarejusthorrid，“shesaid。“CaptainJackis——“ “Nevermind，dear。Don’tlethimpullyourleglikethat，“saidhersister，withalittlecolourinhercheek。“WeknowCaptainJack，don’twe？“ “Wedo！“saidPatriciawithenthusiasm。 “Wedo！“echoedRupert，withasmilethatdrovePatintoafury。 TherewastroubleattheMaitlandMills。ForthefirsttimeinhishistoryGrantMaitlandfoundhismenlookaskanceathim。Forthefirsttimeinhislifehefoundhimselfviewingwithsuspiciontheworkerswhomhehadalwaystakenaprideindesignating“mymen。“ Thesituationwasatoncegallingtohisprideandshockingtohissenseoffairplay。Hismenwerehiscomradesinwork。Heknewthem——atleast，untilthesewardayshehadknownthem——personally，asfriends。Theytrustedhimandwereloyaltohim，andhehadtakenthegreatestcaretodealjustlyandmorethanjustlybythem。Nolabourtroubleshadeverdisturbedtherelationswhichexistedbetweenhimandhismen。ItwasthusnosmallshockwhenWickesannouncedonedaythataGrievanceCommitteewishedtointerviewhim。ThatheshouldhavetomeetaGrievanceCommittee，whoseboastithadbeenthatthefirstmanintheworkstoknowofagrievancewashimself，andthatthemenwithwhomhehadtoiledandsharedbothgoodfortuneandill，butmoreespeciallythegood，thathadbefallenthroughthelastquartercenturyshouldhaveagrievanceagainsthim——thiswasindeedanexperiencethatcuthimtotheheartandrousedinhimafuryofperplexedindignation。 “Awhat？AGrievanceCommittee！“heexclaimedtoWickes，whentheoldbookkeepercameannouncingsuchadeputation。 “That’swhattheycallthemselves，sir，“saidWickes，histoneofdisgustdisclaimingallassociationwithanysuchorganization。 “AGrievanceCommittee？“saidMr。Maitlandagain。“Well，I’llbe！ Whatdotheywant？Whoarethey？Bringthemin，“heroaredinavoicewhoseascendingtoneindicatedhisgrowingamazementandwrath。 “Comeinyou，“growledWickesinthevoicehegenerallyusedforhiscolliedog，whichboreathoroughlyunenviablereputation，“comeonin，can’tye？“ Therewassomeshufflingforplaceinthegroupatthedoor，butfinallyMr。Wigglesworthfoundhimselfpushedtothefrontofacommitteeoffive。Withaswiftglancewhichtouched“theboss“ initspassageandthenresteduponthewall，theceiling，thelandscapevisiblethroughthewindow，anywhereindeedratherthanuponthefaceofthemanagainstwhomtheyhadagrievance，theyfiledinandstoodillatease。 “Well，Wigglesworth，whatisit？“saidGrantMaitlandcurtly。 Mr。Wigglesworthclearedhisthroat。Hewasnewatthebusinessandwasobviouslytornbetweenconflictingemotionsofprideinhispresentimportantpositionandawholesomefearofhis“boss。“ However，havingclearedhisthroat，Mr。Wigglesworthpulledhimselftogetherandwithawaveofthehandbegan。 “These’ere——er——gentlemenan’myself’avebeen(h)appintedaCommitteetolaybeforeyoucertaingrievancesw’ichwefeeltobevery(h)oppressive，sir，sotospeak，w’ich，an’meanin’nooffence，sir，asmen，fellow-men，aswemightsay——“ “Whatdoyouwant，Wigglesworth？What’syourtrouble？Youhavesometrouble，whatisit？Spititout，man，“saidthebosssharply。 “Well，sir，asIwasa-sayin’，this’ere’saCommittee(h)appintedtowaitonyou，sir，tolaybeforeyoucertainfactsw’ichwewishyoutoconsideran’w’ich，asBritishsubjecks，wefeel——“ “Come，come，Wigglesworth，cutoutthespeech，andgetatthethings。Whatdoyouwant？Doyouknow？Ifso，tellmeplainlyandgetdonewithit。“ “Wewantourrightsasmen，“saidMr。Wigglesworthinaloudvoice，“ourrightsasfreemen，andwedemandtobetreatedasBritish——“ “IsthereanyoneofthisCommitteethatcantellmewhatyouwantofme？“saidMaitland。“You，Gilby，youhavesomesense——whatisthetrouble？Youwantmorewages，Isuppose？“ “Iguessso，“saidGilby，along，leanman，Canadianborn，ofaboutthirty，“butitain’tthewagesthat’seatin’mesomuch。“ “Whatthen？“ “It’sthatblankforeman。“ “Foreman？“ “That’sright，sir。““Tooblankedsmart！““Buttin’inlikeablankbillygoat！“ThegrowlscameinvariousundertonesfromtheCommittee。 “Whatforeman？Hoddle？“Thebosswasreadytofightforhissubalterns。 “No！OldHoddle’sallright，“saidGilby。“It’sthatyoungsmartaleck，TonyPerrotte。“ “TonyPerrotte！“Mr。Maitland’svoicewastroubledanduncertain。 “TonyPerrotte！Why，youdon’tmeantotellmethatPerrotteisnotagoodman。Heknowshisjobfromthegroundup。“ “Knowstoomuch，“saidGilby。“Wantstoruneverythingandeverybody。Youcan’ttellhimanything。Andyou’dthinkhewasaBrigadier-Generaltohearhimgivingusorders。“ “Youwereatthefront，Gilby？“ “Iwas，forthreeyears。“ “Youknowwhatdisciplineis？“ “Idothat，andIknowtoothedifferencebetweenaCorporalandaCompanyCommander。IknowanofficerwhenIseehim。Butabrasshatdon’tmakeaGeneral。“ “Iwon’tstandforinsubordinationinmymills，Gilby。Youmusttakeordersfrommyforeman。Youknowme，Gilby。You’vebeenlongenoughwithmeforthat。“ “Youtreatamanfair，Mr。Maitland，andIneverkickedatyourorders。Ain’tthatso？“ Maitlandnodded。 “Butthisyoungdude——“ “’Dude’？Whatdoyoumean，’dude’？He’snodude！“ “Oh，he’ssostuckonhimselfthathegivesmethewearisomewillies。Lookhere，otherfolkshasbeentothewar。Heneedn’tcarryhischestlikeablankedbaywindow。“ “Lookhere，Gilby，justquitswearinginthisroom。“ThecoldblueeyesboredintoGilby’shotface。 “Ibegpardon，sir。It’sabadhabitI’vegot，butthat——thatTonyPerrottehasgotmygoatandI’mthroughwithhim。“ “Allright，Gilby。Ifyoudon’tlikeyourjobyouknowwhatyoucando，“saidMaitlandcoldly。 “YoumeanIcanquit？“enquiredGilbyhotly。 “Imeanthere’sonlyonebossintheseworks，andthat’sme。Andmyforemantakesmyordersandpassesthemalong。Thosethatdon’tlikethemneedn’ttakethem。“ “Wedemandourrightsas——“beganMr。Wigglesworthheatedly。 “Excuseme，sir。’Ashouldliketoenquir-r-eifitisyour-ror-rder-rsthatyour-rfor-r-manshoulduseblasphemiouslanguagetoyour-rmen？“ Thecool，firm，raspingvoicecutthroughMr。Wigglesworth’ssputteringnoiselikeacircularsawthroughapinelog。