to him that hath-第29部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

Maitland　this　attitude　brought　a　disappointment　and　a　resentment
which　sensibly　added　to　his　burden；　already　heavy　enough　in　these
days　of　weakening　markets　and　falling　prices。　　In　his　time　he　had
come　through　periods　of　financial　depression。　　He　was　prepared　for
one　such　period　now；　but　he　had　never　passed　through　the　unhappy
experience　of　a　conflict　with　his　own　employees。　　Not　that　he　had
ever　feared　a　fight；　but　he　shrank　from　a　fight　with　his　own　men。
It　humiliated　him。　　He　felt　it　to　be　a　reflection　upon　his　system
of　management；　upon　his　ability　to　lead　and　control；　indeed；　upon
his　personality。　　But；　more　than　all；　it　grieved　him　to　feel　that
he　had　lost　that　sense　of　comradeship　which　for　forty　years　he　had
been　able　to　preserve　with　those　who　toiled　with　him　in　a　common
enterprise。

A　sense　of　loneliness　fell　upon　him。　　Like　many　a　man；　self…made
and　self…sufficing；　he　craved　companionship　which　his　characteristic
qualities　of　independence　and　strength　seemed　to　render　unnecessary
and　undesired。　　The　experience　of　all　leaders　of　men　was　his；　for
the　leader　is　ever　a　lonely　man。

This　morning　the　reports　he　had　just　received　convinced　him　that　a
strike　with　his　workers　would　not　long　be　delayed。　　〃If　I　only　knew
what　they　really　wanted；〃　he　bitterly　mused。　　〃It　cannot　be　wages。
Their　wages　are　two　or　three　times　what　they　were　before　the　war
shop　conditions　are　all　that　could　be　desiredthe　Lord　knows　I
have　spent　enough　in　this　welfare　stuff　and　all　that　sort　of　thing
during　these　hard　times。　　I　have　heard　of　no　real　grievances。　　I　am
sick　of　it　all。　　I　guess　I　am　growing　too　old　for　this　sort　of
thing。〃

There　was　a　tap　at　the　door　and　his　son　appeared；　with　a　cheery
greeting。

〃Come　in；　Jack；〃　said　his　father；　〃I　believe　you　are　the　very　man　I
want。〃

〃Hello；　Dad。　　You　look　as　if　you　were　in　trouble。〃

〃Well；〃　replied　his　father　with　a　keen　look　at　him；　〃I　think　I　may
return　the　compliment。〃

〃Well；　yes；　but　perhaps　I　should　not　bother　you。　　You　have　all　you
can　carry。〃

〃All　I　can　carry；〃　echoed　Maitland；　picking　up　the　reports　from　his
desk　and　handing　them　to　his　son；　who　glanced　over　them。　　〃Things
are　not　going　well　at　the　mills。　　No；　you　needn't　tell　me。　　You
know　I　never　ask　you　for　any　confidences　about　your　brother
unionists。〃

〃Right　you　are；　Dad。　　You　have　always　played　the　game。〃

〃Well；　I　must　confess　this　is　beyond　me。　　Everywhere　on　the　men's
faces　I　catch　that　beastly　look　of　distrust　and　suspicion。　　I　hate
to　work　with　men　like　that。　　And　very　obviously；　trouble　is
brewing；　but　what　it　is；　frankly；　it　is　beyond　me　to　know。〃

〃Well；　it　is　hardly　a　secret　any　longer；〃　said　Jack。　　〃Trouble　is
coming；　Dad；　though　what　form　it　shall　take　I　am　not　in　a　position
to　say。　　Union　discipline　is　a　fierce　thing。　　The　rank　and　file　are
not　taken　into　the　confidence　of　the　leaders。　　Policies　are　decided
upon　in　the　secret　councils　of　the　Great　Ones　and　handed　down　to　us
to　adopt。　　Of　course；　it　is　open　to　any　man　to　criticise；　and　I　am
bound　to　say　that　the　rankers　exercise　that　privilege　with
considerable　zest。　　All　the　same；　however；　it　is　difficult　to
overturn　an　administration；　hard　to　upset　established　order。　　The
thing　that　is；　is　the　thing　that　ought　to　be。　　Rejection　of　an
administration　policy　demands　revolution。〃

〃Well；〃　said　his　father；　taking　the　sheets　from　Jack's　hand；　〃we
needn't　go　to　meet　the　trouble。　　Now；　let　us　have　yours。　　What　is
your　particular　grief？〃

〃Tony；〃　said　Jack　shortly。

〃Tony？〃　echoed　his　father　in　dismay。　　〃Heaven　help　us！　　And　what
now　has　come　to　Tony？　　Though　I　must　confess　I　have　been　expecting
this　for　some　time。　　It　had　to　come。〃

〃It　is　a　long　story；　Dad；　and　I　shan't　worry　you　with　the　details。
As　you　know；　after　leaving　us；　Tony　went　from　one　job　to　another
with　the　curve　steadily　downwards。　　For　the　last　few　months；　I
gather；　he　has　been　living　on　his　wits；　helped　out　by　generous
contributions　from　his　sister's　wages。　　Finally　he　was　given　a
subordinate　position　under　〃The　Great　War　Veterans〃　who　have　really
been　very　decent　to　him。　　This　position　involved　the　handling　of
fundsno　great　amount。　　Then　it　was　the　old　storygambling　and
drinkingthe　loss　of　all　controldesperate　straitshoping　to
recoup　his　lossesand　you　know　the　rest。〃

〃Embezzlement？〃　asked　Maitland。

〃Yes；　embezzlement；〃　said　Jack。　　〃Tony　is　not　a　thief。　　He　didn't
deliberately　steal；　you　understand。〃

〃Jack；〃　said　his　father；　sharply；　〃get　that　out　of　your　head。
There　is　no　such　distinction　in　law　or　in　fact。　　Stealing　is
stealing；　whatever　the　motive　behind　it；　whatever　the　plan
governing　it；　by　whatever　name　called。〃

〃I　didn't　really　mean　anything　else；　Dad。　　Tony　did　the　thing；　at
any　rate；　and　the　cops　were　on　his　trail。　　He　got　into　hiding；　sent
an　S。　O。　S。　to　his　sister。　　Annette；　driven　to　desperation；　came　to
me　with　her　story　the　night　of　the　Match。　　She　was　awfully　cut　up；
poor　girl。　　I　had　to　leave　the　dance　and　go　right　off　to　Toronto。
Too　late　for　the　train；　I　drove　straight　through；ghastly　roads；
found　Tony；　fetched　him　back；　and　up　till　yesterday　he　has　been
hiding　in　his　own　home。　　Meantime；　I　managed　to　get　things　fixed
uppaid　his　debts；　the　prosecution　is　withdrawn　and　now　he　wants；
or；　rather；　he　doesn't　want　but　needs；　a　job。〃

Maitland　listened　with　a　grave　face。　　〃Then　the　little　girl　was
right；　after　all；〃　he　said。

〃Meaning？〃

〃Patricia；〃　said　his　father。　　〃She　told　me　a　long　story　of　a
terrible　accident　to　Tony　that　had　called　you　away　to　Toronto。　　I
must　say　it　was　rather　incoherent。〃

〃But　who　told　her？　　I　swear　not　a　soul　knew　but　his　people　and
myself；〃　said　Jack。

〃Strange　how　things　get　out；〃　said　his　father。　　〃Well；　where　is
Tony　now？〃

〃Here；　in　the　outer　office。〃

〃But；〃　said　Maitland；　desperately；　〃where　can　we　place　him？　　He　is
impossible　in　any　positiondangerous　in　the　office；　useless　as　a
foreman；　doubtful　and　uncertain　as　a　workman。〃

〃One　thing　is　quite　certain；〃　said　Jack　decidedly；　〃he　must　be
under　discipline。　　He　is　useless　on　his　own。　　I　thought　that
perhaps　he　might　work　beside　me。　　I　could　keep　an　eye　on　him。
Tony　has　nothing　in　him　to　work　with。　　I　should　like　to　hear　old
Matheson　on　himthe　Reverend　Murdo；　I　mean。　　That　is　a　great　theme
of　his'To　the　man　who　has　nothing　you　can　give　nothing。'〃

〃Matheson？〃　said　Maitland。　　〃A　chum　of　yours；　I　understand。
Radical；　eh？〃

〃A　very　decent　sort；　father；〃　replied　Jack。　　〃I　have　been　doing　a
little　economics　with　him　during　the　winter。　　His　radicalism　is　of
a　sound　type；　I　think。　　He　is　a　regular　bear　at　economics　and　he　is
even　better　at　the　humanity　business；　the　brother…man　stuff。　　He　is
really　sound　there。〃

〃I　can　guess　what　you　mean；〃　said　his　father；　〃though　I　don't　quite
catch　on　to　all　your　jargon。　　But　I　confess　that　I　suspect　there　is
a　whole　lot　of　nonsense　associated　with　these　theories。〃

〃You　will　pardon　me；　Dad；〃　said　Jack；　〃if　I　suggest　that　your
education　is　really　not　yet　complete。〃

〃Whose　is？〃　inquired　his　father；　curtly。

〃But　about　Tony；〃　continued　Jack；　〃I　wish　I　had　him　in　a　gang　under
me。　　I　would　work　him；　or　break　his　neck。〃

His　father　sat　silently　pondering　for　some　minutes。　　Then；　as　if
making　a　sudden　resolve；　he　said：　　〃Jack；　I　have　been　wanting　to
speak　with　you　about　something　for　some　weeks。　　I　have　come　to　a
place　where　it　is　imperative　that　I　get　some　relief　from　my　load。
You　see；　I　am　carrying　the　whole　burden　of　management　practically
alone。　　I　look　after　the　financing；　the　markets；　I　keep　an　eye　on
production　and　even　upon　the　factory　management。　　In　normal
conditions　I　could　manage　to　get　along；　but　in　these　critical　days；
when　every　department　calls　for　close；　constant　and　sane　supervision；
I　feel　that　I　must　have　relief。　　If　I　could　be　relieved　of　the　job
of　shop　management；　I　could　give　myself　to　the　other　departments
where　the　situation　at　present　is　extremely　critical。　　I　want　a
manager；　Jack。　　Why　not　take　the　job？　　Now；〃　he　continued；　holding
up　his　hand；　as　his　son　was　about　to　speak；　〃listen　for　a　moment　or
two。　　I　have　said　the　situation　is　serious。　　Let　me　explain　that。
The　financing　of　this　business　in　the　present　crisis　requires　a
man's　full　time　and　energy。　　Markets；　credits；　collections；　all
demand　the　very　closest　attention。〃

Jack　glanced　at　his　father's　face。　　For　the　first　time　he　noticed
how　deep…cut　were　the　lines　that　indicated　care；　anxiety　and　worry。
A　sudden　remorse　seized　him。

〃I　am　awfully　sorry；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　not　been　of　much　help
to　you。〃

Maitland　waved　his　hand　as　if　dismissing　the　suggestion。　　〃Now　you
know　nothing　of　the　financial　side；　but　you　do　know　men　and　you　can
handle　them。　　You　proved　that　in　the　war；　and；　in　another　way；　you
proved　that　during　this　recent　athletic　contest。　　I　followed　that
very　closely　and　I　say　without　hesitation　that　it　was　a　remarkably
fine　bit　of　work　and　the　reactions　were　of　the　best。　　Jack；　I
believe　that　you　would　make　a　great　manager　if　you　gave　yourself　to
it；　and　thought　it　worth　while。　　Now；　listen　to　me。〃　　Thereupon　the
father　proceeded　to　lay　before　his　son　the　immediately　pressing
problems　in　the　businessthe　finan