按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
usual at that time of the year （Mr Rushton's voice trembled with emotion） the town was full of unemployed。 （The Mayor； Alderman Sweater； and all the other Councillors shook their heads sadly； they were visibly affected。） There was no doubt that the starting of that work at that time would be an inestimable boon to the working…classes。 As the representative of a working…class ward he was in favour of accepting the offer of the Company。 （Hear。 Hear。）
Councillor Didlum seconded。 In his opinion； it would be nothing short of a crime to oppose anything that would provide work for the unemployed。
Councillor Weakling moved that the offer be refused。 （Shame。） He admitted that the electric light would be an improvement to the town； and in view of the existing distress he would be glad to see the work started； but the price mentioned was altogether too low。 It was not more than half the value of the land。 （Derisive laughter。）
Councillor Grinder said he was astonished at the attitude taken up by Councillor Weakling。 In his （Grinder's） opinion it was disgraceful that a member of the council should deliberately try to wreck a project which would do so much towards relieving the unemployed。
The Mayor； Alderman Sweater； said that he could not allow the amendment to be discussed until it was seconded： if there were no seconder he would put the original motion。
There was no seconder； because everyone except Weakling was in favour of the resolution； which was carried amid loud cheers； and the representatives of the ratepayers proceeded to the consideration of the next business。
Councillor Didlum proposed that the duty on all coal brought into the borough be raised from two shillings to three shillings per ton。
Councillor Rushton seconded。 The largest consumer of coal was the Gas Coy。； and； considering the great profits made by that company； they were quite justified in increasing the duty to the highest figure the Act permitted。
After a feeble protest from Weakling； who said it would only increase the price of gas and coal without interfering with the profits of the Gas Coy。； this was also carried； and after some other business had been transacted； the Band dispersed。
That meeting was held two years ago； and since that time the Electric Light Works had been built and the war against the gasworks carried on vigorously。 After several encounters； in which they lost a few customers and a portion of the public lighting； the Gasworks Bandits retreated out of the town and entrenched themselves in a strong position beyond the borough boundary； where they erected a number of gasometers。 They were thus enabled to pour gas into the town at long range without having to pay the coal dues。
This masterly stratagem created something like a panic in the ranks of the Forty Thieves。 At the end of two years they found themselves exhausted with the protracted campaign； their movements hampered by a lot of worn…out plant and antiquated machinery； and harassed on every side by the lower charges of the Gas Coy。 They were reluctantly constrained to admit that the attempt to undermine the Gasworks was a melancholy failure； and that the Mugsborough Electric Light and Installation Coy。 was a veritable white elephant。 They began to ask themselves what they should do with it； and some of them even urged unconditional surrender； or an appeal to the arbitration of the Bankruptcy Court。
In the midst of all the confusion and demoralization there was； however； one man who did not lose his presence of mind； who in this dark hour of disaster remained calm and immovable； and like a vast mountain of flesh reared his head above the storm； whose mighty intellect perceived a way to turn this apparently hopeless defeat into a glorious victory。 That man was Adam Sweater； the Chief of the Band。
Chapter 21
The Reign of Terror。 The Great Money Trick
During the next four weeks the usual reign of terror continued at ‘The Cave'。 The men slaved like so many convicts under the vigilant surveillance of Crass； Misery and Rushton。 No one felt free from observation for a single moment。 It happened frequently that a man who was working alone … as he thought … on turning round would find Hunter or Rushton standing behind him： or one would look up from his work to catch sight of a face watching him through a door or a window or over the banisters。 If they happened to be working in a room on the ground floor； or at a window on any floor； they knew that both Rushton and Hunter were in the habit of hiding among the trees that surrounded the house； and spying upon them thus。
There was a plumber working outside repairing the guttering that ran round the bottom edge of the roof。 This poor wretch's life was a perfect misery： he fancied he saw Hunter or Rushton in every bush。 He had two ladders to work from； and since these ladders had been in use Misery had thought of a new way of spying on the men。 Finding that he never succeeded in catching anyone doing anything wrong when he entered the house by one of the doors； Misery adopted the plan of crawling up one of the ladders； getting in through one of the upper windows and creeping softly downstairs and in and out of the rooms。 Even then he never caught anyone； but that did not matter； for he accomplished his principal purpose … every man seemed afraid to cease working for even an instant。
The result of all this was； of course； that the work progressed rapidly towards completion。 The hands grumbled and cursed； but all the same every man tore into it for all he was worth。 Although he did next to nothing himself； Crass watched and urged on the others。 He was ‘in charge of the job'： he knew that unless he succeeded in making this work pay he would not be put in charge of another job。 On the other hand； if he did make it pay he would be given the preference over others and be kept on as long as the firm had any work。 The firm would give him the preference only as long as it paid them to do so。
As for the hands； each man knew that there was no chance of obtaining work anywhere else at present； there were dozens of men out of employment already。 Besides； even if there had been a chance of getting another job somewhere else； they knew that the conditions were more or less the same on every firm。 Some were even worse than this one。 Each man knew that unless he did as much as ever he could； Crass would report him for being slow。 They knew also that when the job began to draw to a close the number of men employed upon it would be reduced； and when that time came the hands who did the most work would be kept on and the slower ones discharged。 It was therefore in the hope of being one of the favoured few that while inwardly cursing the rest for ‘tearing into it'； everyone as a matter of self…preservation went and ‘tore into it' themselves。
They all cursed Crass； but most of them would have been very to change places with him： and if any one of them had been in his place they would have been compelled to act in the same way … or lose the job。
They all reviled Hunter； but most of them would have been glad to change places with him also： and if any one of them had been in his place they