to him that hath-第23部分

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job。　　I　shall　tell　Brother　Maitland　all　that　is　necessary。〃

〃I　was　only　going　to　（h）explain〃　began　Mr。　Wigglesworth。

〃Naw　then！　　IS　this　your　job　or　mine？　　Was　you　（h）appointed　or　was
I？　　When　I　find　myself　（h）unable　to　discharge　my　dooty　to　the　Union
I　might　per'aps　call　on　you；　Brother　Wigglesworth；　but　until　I　find
myself　in　that　situation　I　'ope　you　will　refrain　from　shovin'　in
your　'orn。〃　　Brother　Simmons'　sarcasm　appeared　to　wither　Brother
Wigglesworth　into　silence。

〃Naw　then；　Brother　Maitland；　we　shall　get　（h）on。〃

Maitland　glanced　round　on　the　group　of　half　a　dozen　men。　　Some　of
them　he　knew；　others　were　strangers　to　him。

〃I　don't　know　what　the　business　is；　gentlemen；〃　he　said；　curbing
his　wrath；　〃but　I　want　to　know　if　it　can't　wait　till　to…morrow？
You　know　our　boys　are　going　on　the　ice　in　a　couple　of　hours　or　so〃

〃Goin'　on　the　（h）ice！　　Goin'　on　the　（h）ice！　　W'at's　that　to　do　with
Union　business？〃　snarled　Simmons。　　〃This　'ere's　no　silly　kids'
gaime！　　It's　a　man's　work　we　ave　in　'and；　if　you　don't　want　to　do
the　business　to　w'ich　you　are　（h）appointed　w'y　just　say　so　and　we
shall　know　'ow　to　（h）act。　　There　'as　been　too　much　o'　this　gaime
business　to　suit　me。　　If　we　are　men　let　us　（h）act　like　men。〃

〃Better　get　on　wi'　it；〃　said　McNish　curtly。

〃I　shall　get　on　w'en　I　am　good　and　ready；　Brother　McNish；〃　answered
Simmons。

〃All　r…r…right；　brother；　but　A　doot　ye're　oot　o'　order。　　Who　is　the
chairman　o'　this　Committee？〃　asked　McNish　calmly。

〃Brother　Phillips；〃　answered　two　or　three　voices。

〃All　right。　　I　suggest　you　proceed　regularly　and　call　the　meeting
to　order；〃　said　McNish　quietly。　　Simmons；　recognising　that　it　was
Greek　meeting　Greek；　agreed　to　this。

Clumsily　and　hesitatingly　Brother　Phillips　began　stating　the
business　of　the　Committee。　　He　had　not　gone　far　before　Simmons
interrupted。

〃Mr。　Chairman；　with　your　permission　I　would　just　like　to　say　that
the　resolution　passed　at　the　representative　joint　meetin'　of　the
Maitland　Mills　and　Box　Factory　（h）employees　last　night　will
sufficiently　（h）explain　the　（h）object　of　this　meetin'　'ere。〃
Brother　Simmons'　tone　suggested　infinite　pity　for　the　lumbering
efforts　of　the　chairman。

〃Yes；　I　guess　it　will；〃　said　the　chairman；　blushing　in　his
confusion。　　Brother　Phillips　was　new　to　his　position　and　its
duties。

〃I　would　suggest　that　that　resolution　be　read；〃　said　Brother
Simmons；　the　pity　in　his　tone　hardly　veiling　his　contempt。

〃Yes！　　Yes！　　Of　course！〃　said　Brother　Phillips　hurriedly。　　〃Eh
would　you　please　read　it；　Mr。that　isBrother　Simmons？〃

With　great　show　of　deliberation　and　of　entire　mastery　of　the
situation　Mr。　Simmons　produced　a　Minute　Book　and　began：

〃Mr。　Chairman　and　brothers；　I　may　say　that　this　'ere　resolution　was
passed　at　a　joint　representative　meetin'　of　all　the　（h）employees　of
the　Maitland　Company〃

〃There　is　no　sich　company；　Mr。　Chairman；〃　said　McNish。　　〃A　say　let
us　hear　the　resolution。　　We'll　hear　the　speech　afterwards　if　we
must。〃　　It　was　again　Greek　meeting　Greek；　and　the　little　man　turned
with　a　sarcastic　smile　to　McNish。

〃I　suppose　Brother　McNish　is　（h）anxious　to　get　ready　for　this　gaime
we've　bin　'earing　abaht。　　I　should　just　like　to　remind　'im　that　we
'ave　a　bigger　gaime　on　'and；　if　'e　wants　to　get　into　it。　　Personally
I　don't　'ave　no　use　for　these　'ere　gaimes。　　I　'ave　seen　the　same
kind　of　capitalistic　dodge　to　distract　the　workin'　man's　（h）attention
from　'is　real　gaime　in　life。　　These　circumventions〃

〃Maister　Chair…r…man！　　A　rise〃

〃Mr。　Chairman；　I　'ave　the　floor　and　if　Brother　McNish　knows
（h）anythink　abaht　constitootional　proceedin's〃

〃Maister　Chair…r…manMaister…r　Chair…r…r…man！〃　　Brother　McNish's
Doric　was　ominously　rasping。　　〃A　rise　tae　a　pint　of　or…r…de…r…r。
And　Brother　Simmons；　who　claims　to　be　an　expert　in　constitutional
law　and　procedure　knows　I　have　the　floor。　　Ma　pint　of　order　is
this；　that　there　is　no　business　before　the　meeting　and　as
apparently　only　aboot　half　the　members　are　absent〃

〃And　'oo's　fault　is　that？　　'E　was　to　get　them　'isself；〃　shouted　Mr。
Simmons。

〃A　searched　the　toon　for　them　but　cudna　find　them；　but　as　A　was
sayin'as　the　secretary　has　no　business　tae　bring　before　the
meeting　but　a　wheen　havers；　A　move　we　adjourn　tae　tomorrow　at　12：30
p。　m。　in　this　place；　and　I　believe　that　as　Brither　Maitland　is　also
a　member　o'　this　committee　he　will　second　the　motion。〃

Maitland；　not　knowing　in　the　least　what　the　whole　thing　was　about；
but　seeing　a　way　out　of　the　present　mix…up；　promptly　seconded　the
motion。

〃Mr。　Chairman！〃　shouted　Simmons。　　〃I　am　prepared　to〃

〃Maister　Chair…r…man；　A　need　not　remind　you　that　there　is　no
discussion　on　a　motion　to　adjourn。〃

〃That　is　quite　right；〃　said　the　chairman；　in　whose　memory　by　some
obscure　mental　process　this　fact　seemed　to　have　found　a　lodging。

〃It　is　moved　that　this　committee　do　now　adjourn。〃

〃Mr。　Chairman！　　I　protest；〃　shrieked　Brother　Simmons　frantically。

〃Ay；　he's　a　grand　protester！〃　said　Brother　McNish。

The　motion　was　carried　by　a　majority　of　one；　Brothers　Wigglesworth；
McNish　and　Maitland　voting　in　the　affirmative。

〃Traitors！〃　shrieked　Brother　Simmons。　　〃Capitalistic　traitors！〃

〃Hoot　mon！　　Ye're　no　in　Hyde　Park。　　Save　yere　breath　for　yere
porritch　the　morn〃　said　McNish；　relaxing　into　a　grim　smile　as　he
left　the　rooms。

〃We'll　get　'im；〃　said　Simmons　to　his　ally　and　friend。　　〃'E's　in
with　that　there　young　pup。　　'E　knows　'ow　to　work　'im　and　'e'd　sell
us　all　up；　'e　would。〃　　Brother　Simmons'　brand　of　profanity　strongly
savoured　of　the　London　pavements　in　its　picturesque　fluency。

〃Get　in　here；　McNish；〃　said　Maitland；　who　was　waiting　at　the　door。
With　some　hesitation　McNish　accepted　the　invitation。

〃Now；　what　does　this　mean？〃　said　Maitland　savagely；　then　checking
his　rage；　〃but　I　ought　to　thank　you　for　getting　me　out　of　the　grip
of　that　frantic　idiot。　　What　is　this　fool　thing？〃

〃It's　nae　that；〃　said　McNish　shortly。　　〃It　is　anything　but　that。
But　I　grant　ye　this　was　no　time　to　bring　it　on。　　That　was　beyond
me。　　A　doot　yon　puir　cratur　had　a　purpose　in　it；　however。　　He
disnadoes　not　think　much　of　these　games　of　yours。　　But　that's
anitheranother〃McNish　was　careful　of　his　speech〃matter。〃

〃But　what　in〃

〃I　am　just　telling　you。　　There　is　a　strong；　a　very　strong　movement
under　way　among　the　unions　at　present。〃

〃A　movement？　　Strike；　do　you　mean？〃

〃It　may　be；　or　worse。〃　　McNish's　tone　was　very　grave。　　〃And　as　a
good　union　man　they　expect　your　assistance。〃

〃Wages　again？〃

〃Ay；　and　condeetions　and　the　like。〃

〃But　it　is　not　six　months　since　the　last　agreement　was　signed　and
that　agreement　is　running　still。〃

〃Ay；　it　is；　but　condeetions；　conditions　have　changed　since　that
date；〃　said　McNish；　〃and　there　must　be　readjustmentat　least；
there　is　a　feeling　that　way。〃

〃Readjustment？　　But　I　have　had　no　hint　of　this　in　our　meetings。
This　has　not　come　up　for　discussion。〃

A　gentle　pity　smiled　from　the　rugged　face　of　the　man　beside　him。

〃Hardly；〃　he　said。　　〃It's　no　done　that　way。〃

They　came　to　McNish's　door。

〃Will　you　come　in？〃　he　said　courteously。　　A　refusal　was　at　Maitland's
lips　when　the　door　was　opened　by　an　old　lady　in　a　white　frilled　cap
and　without　being　able　to　explain　how　it　came　about　he　found　himself
in　the　quaintly　furnished　but　delightfully　cosy　living…room；　soaking
in　the　comfort　of　a　great　blazing　fire。

〃This　is　really　solid　comfort；〃　he　said；　spreading　his　hands　to　the
glowing　pine　slabs。

〃Ay；　ye　need　it　the　day。　　The　fire　cheers　the　heart；〃　said　the　old
lady。

〃But　you　don't　need　it　for　that；　Mrs。　McNish；〃　said　her　visitor；
smiling　at　the　strong；　serene　face　under　the　white　frilled　cap。

〃Do　I　not　then？　　An'　what　aboot　yersel'？〃　　The　keen　grey　eye
searched　his　face。　　Maitland　was　immediately　conscious　of　a　vast
dreariness　in　his　life。　　He　sat　silent　looking　into　the　blazing
fire。

〃Ay；〃　continued　the　old　lady；　〃but　there　are　the　bright　spots　tae；
an'　it's　ill　tae　glower　at　a　cauld　hearth　stone。〃　　Maitland　glanced
quickly　at　the　shrewd　and　kindly　face。　　What　did　she　know　about　him
and　his　life　and　his　〃cauld　hearth　stone〃？　　So　he　said　nothing　but
waited。　　Suddenly　she　swerved　to　another　theme。

〃Malcolm；〃　she　said；　〃have　ye　secured　the　tickets　for　the　match？〃

〃Aw；　mither；　now　it　is　the　terrible　auld　sport　ye　are。　　She　drags
me　out　to　all　these　things。〃　　His　eyes　twinkled　at　Maitland。　　〃I
can't　find　time　for　any　study。〃

〃Hoots　ye　and　ye're　study。　　A　doot　a　rale　heartening　scramble　on
the　ice　wad　dae　ye　mair　guid　than　an　oor　wi'　yon　godless　Jew
buddie。〃

〃She　means　Marx；　of　course；〃　said　McNish；　in　answer　to　Maitland's
look　of　perplexity。　　〃She　has　no　use　for　him。〃

〃But　the　tickets；　Malcolm；〃　insisted　his　mother。

〃Well；　mither；　A'll　confess　I　clean　forgot　them。　　Ye　see；〃　he
hurried　to　say；　〃A　was　that　fashed　over　yon　Committee　maitter〃

〃Committee　maitter！〃　exclaimed　the　old　lady　indignantly。　　〃Did　I
not　tell　ye　no　to　heed　yon　screamin'　English　cratur　wi'　his
revolutionary　nonsense？〃

〃She　means　Simmons；〃　interjected　Malcolm　with　a　little　smile。　　〃He
means　well；　mither；　but　A'm　vexed　aboot　the　tickets。〃

〃Mrs。　McNish；〃　said　Maitland；　〃I　happen　to　have　two　tickets　tha