the ragged trousered philanthropists-第85章

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！



‘Get　it　done！'　shouted　Misery　from　morning　till　night。　　‘For　God's　sake　get　it　done！　　Haven't　you　finished　yet？　　We're　losing　money　over　this　〃job〃！　　If　you　chaps　don't　wake　up　and　move　a　bit　quicker；　I　shall　see　if　I　can't　get　somebody　else　who　will。'

These　costly　embossed　decorations　were　usually　finished　in　white；　but　instead　of　carefully　coating　them　with　specially　prepared　paint　of　patent　distemper；　which　would　need　two　or　three　coats；　they　slobbered　one　thick　coat　of　common　whitewash　on　to　it　with　ordinary　whitewash　brushes。

This　was　a　most　economical　way　to　get　over　it；　because　it　made　it　unnecessary　to　stop　up　the　joints　beforehand　…　the　whitewash　filled　up　all　the　cracks：　and　it　also　filled　up　the　hollow　parts；　the　crevices　and　interstices　of　the　ornament；　destroying　the　sharp　outlines　of　the　beautiful　designs　and　reducing　the　whole　to　a　lumpy；　formless　mass。　But　that　did　not　matter　either；　so　long　as　they　got　it　done。

The　architect　didn't　notice　it；　because　he　knew　that　the　more　Rushton　&　Co。　made　out　of　the　‘job'；　the　more　he　himself　would　make。

The　man　who　had　to　pay　for　the　work　didn't　notice　it；　he　had　the　fullest　confidence　in　the　architect。

At　the　risk　of　wearying　the　long…suffering　reader；　mention　must　be　made　of　an　affair　that　happened　at　this　particular　‘job'。

The　windows　were　all　fitted　with　venetian　blinds。　　The　gentleman　for　whom　all　the　work　was　being　done　had　only　just　purchased　the　house；　but　he　preferred　roller　blinds：　he　had　had　roller　blinds　in　his　former　residence　…　which　he　had　just　sold　…　and　as　these　roller　blinds　were　about　the　right　size；　he　decided　to　have　them　fitted　to　the　windows　of　his　new　house：　so　he　instructed　Mr　Rushton　to　have　all　the　venetian　blinds　taken　down　and　stored　away　up　in　the　loft　under　the　roof。　　Mr　Rushton　promised　to　have　this　done；　but　they　were　not　ALL　put　away　under　the　roof：　he　had　four　of　them　taken　to　his　own　place　and　fitted　up　in　the　conservatory。　　They　were　a　little　too　large；　so　they　had　to　be　narrowed　before　they　were　fixed。

The　sequel　was　rather　interesting；　for　it　happened　that　when　the　gentleman　attempted　to　take　the　roller　blinds　from　his　old　house；　the　person　to　whom　he　had　sold　it　refused　to　allow　them　to　be　removed；　claiming　that　when　he　bought　the　house；　he　bought　the　blinds　also。　There　was　a　little　dispute；　but　eventually　it　was　settled　that　way　and　the　gentleman　decided　that　he　would　have　the　venetian　blinds　in　his　new　house　after　all；　and　instructed　the　people　who　moved　his　furniture　to　take　the　venetians　down　again　from　under　the　roof；　and　refix　them；　and　then；　of　course；　it　was　discovered　that　four　of　the　blinds　were　missing。　　Mr　Rushton　was　sent　for；　and　he　said　that　he　couldn't　understand　it　at　all！　　The　only　possible　explanation　that　he　could　think　of　was　that　some　of　his　workmen　must　have　stolen　them！　　He　would　make　inquiries；　and　endeavour　to　discover　the　culprits；　but　in　any　case；　as　this　had　happened　while　things　were　in　his　charge；　if　he　did　not　succeed　in　recovering　them；　he　would　replace　them。

As　the　blinds　had　been　narrowed　to　fit　the　conservatory　he　had　to　have　four　new　ones　made。

The　customer　was　of　course　quite　satisfied；　although　very　sorry　for　Mr　Rushton。　　They　had　a　little　chat　about　it。　　Rushton　told　the　gentleman　that　he　would　be　astonished　if　he　knew　all　the　facts：　the　difficulties　one　has　to　contend　with　in　dealing　with　working　men：　one　has　to　watch　them　continually！　directly　one's　back　is　turned　they　leave　off　working！　　They　come　late　in　the　morning；　and　go　home　before　the　proper　time　at　night；　and　then　unless　one　actually　happens　to　catch　them　…　they　charge　the　full　number　of　hours　on　their　time　sheets！　　Every　now　and　then　something　would　be　missing；　and　of　course　Nobody　knew　anything　about　it。　　Sometimes　one　would　go　unexpectedly　to　a　‘job'　and　find　a　lot　of　them　drunk。　　Of　course　one　tried　to　cope　with　these　evils　by　means　of　rules　and　restrictions　and　organization；　but　it　was　very　difficult　…　one　could　not　be　everywhere　or　have　eyes　at　the　back　of　one's　head。　　The　gentleman　said　that　he　had　some　idea　of　what　it　was　like：　he　had　had　something　to　do　with　the　lower　orders　himself　at　one　time　and　another；　and　he　knew　they　needed　a　lot　of　watching。

Rushton　felt　rather　sick　over　this　affair；　but　he　consoled　himself　by　reflecting　that　he　had　got　clear　away　with　several　valuable　rose　trees　and　other　plants　which　he　had　stolen　out　of　the　garden；　and　that　a　ladder　which　had　been　discovered　in　the　hayloft　over　the　stable　and　taken　…　by　his　instructions　…　to　the　‘yard'　when　the　‘job'　was　finished　had　not　been　missed。

Another　circumstance　which　helped　to　compensate　for　the　blinds　was　that　the　brass　fittings　throughout　the　house；　finger…plates；　sash…lifts　and　locks；　bolts　and　door　handles；　which　were　supposed　to　be　all　new　and　which　the　customer　had　paid　a　good　price　for　…　were　really　all　the　old　ones　which　Misery　had　had　re…lacquered　and　refixed。

There　was　nothing　unusual　about　this　affair　of　the　blinds；　for　Rushton　and　Misery　robbed　everybody。　　They　made　a　practice　of　annexing　every　thing　they　could　lay　their　hands　upon；　provided　it　could　be　done　without　danger　to　themselves。　　They　never　did　anything　of　a　heroic　or　dare…devil　character：　they　had　not　the　courage　to　break　into　banks　or　jewellers'　shops　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　or　to　go　out　picking　pockets：　all　their　robberies　were　of　the　sneak…thief　order。

At　one　house　that　they　‘did　up'　Misery　made　a　big　haul。　　He　had　to　get　up　into　the　loft　under　the　roof　to　see　what　was　the　matter　with　the　water　tank。　　When　he　got　up　there　he　found　a　very　fine　hall　gas　lamp　made　of　wrought　brass　and　copper　with　stained　and　painted　glass　sides。　Although　covered　with　dust；　it　was　otherwise　in　perfect　condition；　so　Misery　had　it　taken　to　his　own　house　and　cleaned　up　and　fixed　in　the　hail。

In　the　same　loft　there　were　a　lot　of　old　brass　picture　rods　and　other　fittings；　and　three　very　good　planks；　each　about　ten　feet　in　length；　these　latter　had　been　placed　across　the　rafters　so　that　one　could　walk　easily　and　safely　over　to　the　tank。　But　Misery　thought　they　would　be　very　useful　to　the　firm　for　whitewashing　ceilings　and　other　work；　so　he　had　them　taken　to　the　yard　along　with　the　old　brass；　which　was　worth　about　fourpence　a　pound。

There　was　another　house　that　had　to　be　painted　inside：　the　people　who　used　to　live　there　had　only　just　left：　they　had　moved　to　some　other　town；　and　the　house　had　been　re…let　before　they　vacated　it。　　The　new　tenant　had　agreed　with　the　agent　that　the　house　was　to　be　renovated　throughout　before　he　took　possession。

The　day　after　the　old　tenants　moved　away；　the　agent　gave　Rushton　the　key　so　that　he　could　go　to　see　what　was　to　be　done　and　give　an　estimate　for　the　work。

While　Rushton　and　Misery　were　looking　over　the　house　they　discovered　a　large　barometer　hanging　on　the　wall　behind　the　front　door：　it　had　been　overlooked　by　those　who　removed　the　furniture。　　Before　returning　the　key　to　the　agent；　Rushton　sent　one　of　his　men　to　the　house　for　the　barometer；　which　he　kept　in　his　office　for　a　few　weeks　to　see　if　there　would　be　any　inquiries　about　it。　　If　there　had　been；　it　would　have　been　easy　to　say　that　he　had　brought　it　there　for　safety　…　to　take　care　of　till　he　could　find　the　owner。　　The　people　to　whom　it　belonged　thought　the　thing　had　been　lost　or　stolen　in　transit；　and　afterwards　one　of　the　workmen　who　had　assisted　to　pack　and　remove　the　furniture　was　dismissed　from　his　employment　on　suspicion　of　having　had　something　to　do　with　its　disappearance。　　No　one　ever　thought　of　Rushton　in　connection　with　the　matter；　so　after　about　a　month　he　had　it　taken　to　his　own　dwelling　and　hung　up　in　the　hall　near　the　carved　oak　marble…topped　console　table　that　he　had　sneaked　last　summer　from　596　Grand　Parade。

And　there　it　hangs　unto　this　day：　and　close　behind　it；　supported　by　cords　of　crimson　silk；　is　a　beautiful　bevelled…edged　card　about　a　foot　square；　and　upon　this　card　is　written；　in　letters　of　gold：　‘Christ　is　the　head　of　this　house；　the　unseen　Guest　at　every　meal；　the　silent　Listener　to　every　conversation。'

And　on　the　other　side　of　the　barometer　is　another　card　of　the　same　kind　and　size　which　says：　‘As　for　me　and　my　house　we　will　serve　the　Lord。'

From　another　place　they　stole　two　large　brass　chandeliers。　　This　house　had　been　empty　for　a　very　long　time；　and　its　owner　…　who　did　not　reside　in　the　town　…　wished　to　sell　it。　　The　agent；　to　improve　the　chances　of　a　sale；　decided　to　have　the　house　overhauled　and　redecorated。　　Rushton　&　Co。's　tender　being　the　lowest；　they　got　the　work。　　The　chandeliers　in　the　drawing…room　and　the　dining…room　were　of　massive　brass；　but　they　were　all　blackened　and　tarnished。　　Misery　suggested　to　the　agent　that　they　could　be　cleaned　and　relacquered；　which　would　make　them　equal　to　new：　in　fact；　they　would　be　better　than　new　ones；　for　such　things　as　these　were　not　made　now；　and　for　once　Misery　was　telling　the　truth。　　The　agent　agreed　and　the　work　was　done：　it　was　an　extra；　of　course；　and　as　the　firm　got　twice　as　much　for　the　job　as　they　paid　for　having　it　done；　they　were　almost　satisfied。

When　this　and　all　the　other　work　was　finished　they　sent　in　their　account　and　were　paid。

Some　months　afterwards　the　house　was　sold；　and　Nimrod　interviewed　the　new　proprietor　with　the　object　of　securing　the　order　for　any　work　that　he　might　want　done。　　He　was　successful。　　The　papers　on　the　walls　of　several　of　the　rooms　were　not　to　the　new　owner's　taste；　and；　of　course；　the　woodwork　would　have　to　be　re…painted　to　harmonize　with　the　new　paper。　　There　was　a　lot　of　other　work　besides　this：　a　new　conservatory　to　build；　a　more　modern　bath　and　heating　apparatus　to　be　put　in；　and　the　electric　light　to　be　installed；　the　new　people　having　an　objection　to　the　use　of　gas。

The　specifications　were　prepared　by　an　architect；　and　Rushton　secured　the　work。　　When　the　chandeliers　were　taken　down；　the　men；　instructed　by　Misery；　put　them　on　a　handcart；　and　covered　them　over　with　sacks　and　dust…sheets　and　took　them　to　the　front　shop；　where　they　were　placed　for　sale　with　the　other　stock。

When　all　the　work　at　the　house　was　finished；　it　occurred　to　Rushton　and　Nimrod　that　when　the　architect　came　to　examine　and　pass　the　work　before　giving　them　the　certificate　that　would　enable　them　to　present　their　account；　he　might　remember　the　chandeliers　and　inquire　what　had　become　of　them。　　So　they　were　again　placed　on　the　handcart；　covered　with　sacks　and　dust…sheets；　taken　back　to　the　house　and　put　up　in　the　loft　under　the　roof　so　that；　if　he　asked　for　them；　there　they　were。

The　architect　came；　looked　ever　the　house；　passed　the　work；　and　gave　his　certificate；　he　never　mentioned　or　thought　of　the　chandeliers。　The　owner　of　the　house　was　present　and　asked　for　Rushton's　bill；　for　which　he　at　once　gave　them　a　cheque　and　Rushton　and　Misery　almost　grovelled　and　wallowed　on　the　ground　before　him。　　Throughout　the　whole　interview　the　architect　and　the　‘gentleman'　had　kept　their　hats　on；　but　Rushton　and　Nimrod　had　been　respectfully　uncovered　all　the　time；　and　as　they　followed　the　other　two　about　the　house　their　bearing　had　been　expressive　of　the　most　abject　servility。

When　the　architect　and　the　owner　were　gone　the　two　chandeliers　were　taken　down　again　from　under　the　roof；　and　put　upon　a