to him that hath-第19部分

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workers　but　also　of　speaking　her　mind　if　in　her　judgment　they　were
guilty　of　transgressing　the　Sabbath　law。　　〃The　meeting　will　be　just
as　religious　as　Mr。　Matheson's　anyway。〃

〃A'm　no　sae　sure；〃　said　his　mother　grimly。

Whether　religious　in　the　sense　understood　by　Mrs。　McNish；　the
meeting　was　not　wanting　in　ethical　interest　or　human　passion。　　It
was　a　gathering　of　the　workers　in　the　various　industries　in　the
town；　Trade　Unionists　most　of　them；　but　with　a　considerable　number
who　had　never　owed　allegiance　to　any　Union　and　a　number　of
disgruntled　ex…Unionists。　　These　latter　were　very　vociferous　and
for　the　most　part　glib　talkers；　with　passions　that　under　the
slightest　pressure　spurted　foaming　to　the　surface。　　Returned
soldiers　there　were　who　had　taken　on　their　old　jobs　but　who　had　not
yet　settled　down　into　the　colourless　routine　of　mill　and　factory
work　under　the　discipline　of　those　who　often　knew　little　of　the
essentials　of　discipline　as　these　men　knew　them。　　A　group　of
French…Canadian　factory　hands；　taken　on　none　too　willingly　in　the
stress　of　war　work；　constituted　an　element　of　friction；　for　the
soldiers　despised　and　hated　them。　　With　these　there　mingled　new
immigrants　from　the　shipyards　and　factories　of　the　Old　Land；　all
members　or　ex…members　of　Trade　Unions；　Socialists　in　training　and
doctrine；　familiar　with　the　terminology　and　jargon　of　those
Socialistic　debating　schools；　the　Local　Unions　of　England　and
Scotland；　alert；　keen；　ready　of　wit　and　ready　of　tongue；　rejoicing
in　wordy；　passionate　debate；　ready　for　anything；　fearing　nothing。

The　occasion　of　the　meeting　was　the　presence　of　a　great　International
Official　of　the　American　Federation　of　Labour；　and　its　purpose　to
strengthen　International　Unionism　against　the　undermining　of
guerilla　bands　of　non…Unionists　and　very　especially　against　the　new
organizations　emanating　from　the　far　West；　the　One　Big　Union。

At　the　door　of　the　hall　stood　Mr。　Wigglesworth；　important；　fussy
and　unctuously　impressive；　welcoming；　directing；　introducing　and；
incidentally　but　quite　ineffectively；　seeking　to　inspire　with
respect　for　his　august　person　a　nondescript　crowd　of　small　boys
vainly　seeking　entrance。　　With　an　effusiveness　amounting　to
reverence　he　welcomed　McNish　and　directed　him　in　a　mysterious
whisper　toward　a　seat　on　the　platform；　which；　however；　McNish
declined；　choosing　a　seat　at　the　side　about　half　way　up　the　aisle。

A　local　Union　official　was　addressing　the　meeting　but　saying
nothing　in　particular；　and　simply　filling　in　till　the　main　speaker
should　arrive。　　McNish；　quite　uninterested　in　the　platform；　was
quietly　taking　note　of　the　audience；　with　many　of　whom　he　had　made
a　slight　acquaintance。　　As　his　eye　travelled　slowly　from　face　to
face　it　was　suddenly　arrested。　　There　beside　her　father　was　Annette
Perrotte；　who　greeted　him　with　a　bright　nod　and　smile。　　They　had
long　ago　made　up　their　tiff。　　Then　McNish　had　another　surprise。　　At
the　door　of　the　hall　appeared　Captain　Jack　Maitland　who；　after
coolly　surveying　the　room；　sauntered　down　the　aisle　and　took　a　seat
at　his　side。　　He　nodded　to　McNish。

〃Quite　a　crowd；　McNish；〃　he　said。　　〃I　hear　the　American　Johnnie　is
quite　a　spouter　so　I　came　along　to　hear。〃

McNish　looked　at　him　and　silently　nodded。　　He　could　not　understand
his　presence　at　that　kind　of　a　meeting。

〃You　know　I　am　a　Union　man　now；〃　said　Captain　Jack；　accurately
reading　his　silence。　　〃Joined　a　couple　of　months　ago。〃

But　McNish　kept　his　face　gravely　non…committal；　wondering　how　it
was　that　this　important　bit　of　news　had　not　reached　him。　　Then　he
remembered　that　he　had　not　attended　the　last　two　monthly　meetings
of　his　Union；　and　also　he　knew　that　little　gossip　of　the　shops　came
his　way。　　None　the　less；　he　was　intensely　interested　in　Maitland's
appearance。　　He　did　Captain　Jack　the　justice　to　acquit　him　of
anything　but　the　most　honourable　intentions；　yet　he　could　not　make
clear　to　his　mind　what　end　the　son　of　his　boss　could　serve　by
joining　a　Labour　Union。　　He　finally　came　to　the　conclusion　that
this　was　but　another　instance　of　an　〃Intellectual〃　studying　the
social　and　economic　side　of　Industry　from　first…hand　observation。
It　was　a　common　enough　thing　in　the　Old　Land。　　He　was　conscious　of
a　little　contempt　for　this　dilettante　sort　of　Labour　Unionism；
and　he　was　further　conscious　of　a　feeling　of　impatience　and
embarrassment　at　Captain　Jack's　presence。　　He　belonged　to　the　enemy
camp；　and　what　right　had　he　there？　　From　looks　cast　in　their
direction　it　was　plain　that　others　were　asking　the　same　question。
His　thought　received　a　sudden　and　unexpected　exposition　from　the
platform　from　no　less　a　person　than　Mr。　Wigglesworth　himself　to
whom　as　one　of　the　oldest　officials　in　Unionised　Labour　in　the　town
had　been　given　the　honour　of　introducing　the　distinguished　visitor
and　delegate。

In　flowing　periods　and　with　a　reckless　but　wholly　unauthorised
employment　of　aspirates　he　〃welcomed　the　（h）audience；　（h）especially
the　ladies；　and　other　citizens　among　'oom　'e　was　delighted　to
（h）observe　a　representative　of　the　（h）employing　class　'oo　was　for
the　present　'e　believed　one　of　themselves。〃　　To　his　annoyed
embarrassment　Captain　Jack　found　himself　the　observed　of　many　eyes；
friendly　and　otherwise。　　〃But　'e　would　assure　Captain　Maitland　that
although　'e　might　feel　as　if　'e　'ad　no　right　to　be　'ere〃

〃'Ere！　'Ere！〃　came　a　piercing　voice　in　unmistakable　approval；
galvanising　the　audience　out　of　its　apathy　into　instant　emotional
intensity。

〃（H）I　want　most　（h）emphatically　to　（h）assure　Captain　Maitland；〃
continued　Mr。　Wigglesworth；　frowning　heavily　upon　the　interrupter；
〃that　'e　is　as　welcome〃

〃No！　　No！〃　cried　the　same　Cockney　voice；　followed　by　a　slight
rumbling　applause。

〃I　say　'e　is；〃　shouted　Mr。　Wigglesworth；　supported　by　hesitating
applause。

〃No！　　No！　　We　don't　want　no　toffs　'ere。〃　　This　was　followed　by　more
definite　applause　from　the　group　immediately　surrounding　the
speaker。

Mr。　Wigglesworth　was　much　affronted　and　proceeded　to　administer　a
rebuke　to　the　interrupter。

〃I　（h）am　surprised；〃　he　began；　with　grieved　and　solemn　emphasis。

〃Mr。　Chairman；〃　said　the　owner　of　the　Cockney　voice；　rising　to　his
feet　and　revealing　himself　a　small　man　with　large　head　and　thin
wizened　features；　〃Mr。　Chairman；　I　rise　to　protest　right　'ere　an'
naow　against　the　presence　of　（h）any　representative　of　the　（h）enemy
class　at〃

〃Aw；　shut　up！〃　yelled　a　soldier；　rising　from　his　place。　　〃Throw　out
the　little　rat！〃

Immediately　there　was　uproar。　　On　every　side　returned　soldiers；
many　of　whom　had　been　in　Captain　Jack's　battalion；　sprang　up　and
began　moving　toward　the　little　Cockney　who；　boldly　standing　his
ground；　was　wildly　appealing　to　the　chair　and　was　supported　by　the
furious　cheering　of　a　group　of　his　friends；　Old　Country　men　most　of
whom；　as　it　turned　out；　were　of　the　extreme　Socialist　type。　　By
this　time　it　had　fully　been　borne　in　upon　Captain　Jack's　mind；
somewhat　dazed　by　the　unexpected　attack；　that　he　was　the　occasion
of　the　uproar。　　Rising　from　his　place　he　tried　vainly　to　catch　the
Chairman's　attention。

〃Come　up　to　the　platform；〃　said　a　voice　in　his　ear。　　He　turned　and
saw　McNish　shouldering　his　way　through　the　excited　crowd　toward　the
front。　　After　a　moment's　hesitation　he　shrugged　his　shoulders　and
followed。　　The　move　caught　the　eye　and　apparently　the　approval　of
the　audience；　for　it　broke　into　cheers　which　gathered　in　volume
till　by　the　time　that　McNish　and　Captain　Jack　stood　on　the　platform
the　great　majority　were　wildly　yelling　their　enthusiastic　approval
of　their　action。　　McNish　stood　with　his　hand　raised　for　a　hearing。
Almost　instantly　there　fell　a　silence　intense　and　expectant。　　The
Scotchman　stood　looking　in　the　direction　of　the　excited　Cockney
with　cold　steady　eye。

〃A'm　for　freedom！　　The　right　of　public　assembly！　　A'm　feart　o'　nae
enemy；　not　the　deevil　himself。　　This　gentleman　is　a　member　of　my
Union　and　he　stays　r…r…right　he…e…r…re。〃　　With　a　rasping　roll　of
his　r's　he　seemed　to　be　ripping　the　skin　off　the　little　Cockney's
very　flesh。　　The　response　was　a　yell　of　savage　cheers　which　seemed
to　rock　the　building　and　which　continued　while　Mr。　Wigglesworth　in
overflowing　effusiveness　first　shook　Maitland's　limp　hand　in　a
violent　double…handed　pump　handle　exercise　and　then　proceeded　to
introduce　him　to　the　distinguished　visitor；　shouting　his　name　in
Maitland's　ear；　〃Mr　'Oward　（H）E。　Bigelow；〃　adding　with　a　sudden
inspiration；　〃（H）Introduce　'im　to　the　（h）audience。　　Yes！　　Yes！
Most　（h）assuredly；〃　and　continued　pushing　both　men　toward　the　front
of　the　platform；　the　demonstration　increasing　in　violence。

〃I　say；　old　chap；〃　shouted　Captain　Jack　in　the　stranger's　ear；　〃I
feel　like　a　fool。〃

〃I　feel　like　a　dozen　of　'em；〃　shouted　Mr。　Bigelow　in　return。
〃But；〃　he　added　with　a　slow　wink；　〃this　old　fool　is　the　daddy　of
'em　all。　　Go　on；　introduce　me；　or　they'll　bust　something　loose。〃

Captain　Jack　took　one　step　to　the　front　of　the　platform　and　held　up
his　hand。　　The　cheering　assumed　an　even　greater　violence；　then
ceased　in　sudden　breathless　silence。

〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　he　said　in　a　slightly　bored　voice；　〃this
gentleman　is　Mr。　Howard　E。　Bigelow；　a　represent