to him that hath-第36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！

solemn；　and　in　many　cases　with　profane　oaths　that　they　would　not
yield　a　jot　to　the　insolent　demands　of　this　newly　organised　body。

〃I　have　already　sent　my　answer；〃　shouted　Mr。　McGinnis。

〃What　did　you　say；　Mac？〃

〃Told　'em　to　go　to　hell；　and　told　'em　that　if　any　of　these　highly
coloured　committee　men　came　on　my　premises；　I　would　kick　'em　into
the　middle　of　next　week。〃

Jack；　who　was　present　at　the　meeting；　sat　listening　with　silent　and
amused　pity。　　They　seemed　to　him　so　like　a　group　of　angry　children
whose　game　had　suddenly　been　interfered　with　and　whose　rage
rendered　them　incapable　of　coherent　thought。

Grant　Maitland；　who；　throughout　the　meeting　had　sat　silent；　finally
rose　and　said：　　〃Gentlemen；　the　mere　expression　of　feeling　may
afford　a　sort　of　satisfaction　but　the　question　is；　What　is　to　be
done？　　That　the　situation　is　grave　for　all　of　us　we　know　too　well。
Not　many　of　us　are　in　a　position　to　be　indifferent　to　a　strike。
Let　us　get　down　to　business。　　What　shall　we　do？〃

〃Fight　them　to　a　finish！　　Smash　the　unions！〃　were　the　suggestions
in　various　forms　and　with　various　descriptive　adjectives。

〃It　may　come　to　a　fight；　gentlemen；　but　however　gratifying　a　fight
may　be　to　our　feelings；　a　fight　may　be　disastrous　to　our　business。
A　strike　may　last　for　weeks；　perhaps　months。　　Are　we　in　a　position
to　stand　that？　　And　as　for　smashing　the　unions；　let　us　once　and　for
all　put　such　a　thought　out　of　our　minds。　　These　unions　have　all
international　affiliations。　　It　is　absurd　to　imagine　that　we　here
in　Blackwater　could　smash　a　single　union。〃

Fiercely　McGinnis　made　reply。　　〃I　want　to　tell　you　right　here　and
now　that　I　am　prepared　to　close　down　and　go　out　of　business　but　I
will　have　no　outside　committee　tell　me　how　to　run　my　job。〃

But　no　one　took　this　threat　seriously；　and　no　one　but　knew　that　a
shut…down　for　any　of　them　might　mean　disaster。　　They　all　recalled
those　unfilled　orders　which　they　were　straining　every　nerve　to
complete　before　the　market　should　break；　or　cancellation　should
come。　　It　added　not　a　little　to　their　rage　that　they　knew
themselves　to　be　held　in　the　grip　of　circumstances　over　which　they
had　little　control。

After　much　angry　deliberation　it　was　finally　agreed　that　they
should　appoint　a　committee　to　consider　the　whole　situation　and　to
prepare　a　plan　of　action。　　Meantime　the　committee　were　instructed
to　temporise　with　the　enemy。

The　evening　papers　announced　the　imminence　of　a　strike　the　extent
and　magnitude　of　which　had　never　been　experienced　in　the　history　of
Blackwater。　　Everywhere　the　citizens　of　the　industrial　town　were
discussing　the　disturbing　news　anxiously；　angrily；　indifferently；
according　as　they　were　variously　affected。　　But　there　was　a　general
agreement　among　all　classes　of　citizens　that　a　strike　in　the
present　industrial　and　financial　situation　which　was　already
serious　enough；　would　be　nothing　short　of　a　calamity；　because　no
matter　what　the　issue　would　be；　no　matter　which　of　the　parties　won
in　the　conflict；　a　fight　meant　serious　loss　not　only　to　the　two
parties　immediately　concerned；　but　to　the　whole　community　as　well。
With　the　rank　and　file　of　the　working　people　there　was　little　heart
for　a　fight。　　More　especially；　men　upon　whom　lay　the　responsibility
for　the　support　of　homes　shrank　from　the　pain　and　the　suffering；　as
well　as　from　the　loss　which　experience　taught　them　a　strike　must
entail。　　It　is　safe　to　say　that　in　every　working　man's　home　in
Blackwater　that　night　there　was　to　be　found　a　woman　who；　as　she　put
her　children　to　bed；　prayed　that　trouble　might　be　averted；　for　she
knew　that　in　every　war　it　is　upon　the　women　and　children　that　in
the　last　analysis　the　sorest　burden　must　fall。　　To　them　even
victory　would　mean　for　many　months　a　loss　of　luxuries　for　the
family；　it　might　be　of　comforts；　and　defeat；　which　would　come　not
until　after　long　conflict；　would　mean　not　only　straitened　means　but
actual　poverty；　with　all　the　attendant　humiliation　and　bitterness
which　would　kill　for　them　the　joy　of　life　and　sensibly　add　to　its
already　heavy　burden。

That　night　Jack　Maitland　felt　that　a　chat　with　the　Reverend　Murdo
Matheson　might　help　to　clear　his　own　mind　as　to　the　demands　of　the
Allied　Unions。　　He　found　the　minister　in　his　study　and　in　great
distress　of　soul。

〃I　am　glad　to　see　you；　Maitland；〃　he　said；　giving　him　a　hearty
greeting。　　〃My　hope　is　largely　placed　in　you　and　you　must　not　fail
me　in　this　crisis。　　What　exactly　are　the　demands　of　the　unions？〃

Maitland　spread　before　him　the　letter　which　his　father　had　received
that　morning。　　The　Reverend　Murdo　read　it　carefully　over；　then；
with　a　sigh　of　relief；　he　said：　　〃Well；　it　might　be　worse。　　There
should　not　be　much　difficulty　in　coming　to　an　agreement　between
people　anxious　for　peace。〃

After　an　hour　spent　in　canvassing　the　subject　from　various　points
of　view；　the　Reverend　Murdo　exclaimed：　　〃Let　us　go　and　see　McNish。〃

〃The　very　thing；〃　said　Maitland。　　〃I　have　been　trying　to　get　in
touch　with　him　for　the　last　month　or　so；　but　he　avoids　me。〃

〃Ay；〃　replied　the　Reverend　Murdo；　〃he　has　a　reason；　no　doubt。〃

To　Maitland's　joy　they　found　McNish　at　home。　　They　were　received
with　none…too…cordial　a　welcome　by　the　son；　with　kindly；　even　eager
greeting　by　the　mother。

〃Come　awa　in；　Minister；　come　awa；　Mr。　Maitland。　　You　have　come　to
talk　about　the　'trouble；'　a　doot。　　Malcolm　does…na　want　to　talk
about　it　to　me；　a　bad　sign。　　He　declines　to　converse　even；　wi'　me；
Mr。　Matheson。　　Perhaps　ye　may　succeed　better　wi'　him。〃

〃Mr。　Matheson　can　see　for　himself；〃　said　her　son；　using　his　most
correct　English；　〃the　impropriety　of　my　talking　with　an　employer　in
this　way。〃

〃Nonsense；　McNish；〃　said　the　minister　briskly。　　〃You　know　me　quite
well　and　we　both　know　Maitland。　　It　is　just　sheer　nonsense　to　say
that　you　cannot　talk　with　us。　　Everyone　in　town　is　talking。　　Every
man　in　your　union　is　talking；　trying　to　justify　their　present
position；　which；　I　am　bound　to　say；　takes　some　justifying。〃

〃Why？〃　asked　McNish　hotly。

〃Because　the　demands　are　some　of　them　quite　unsound。　　Some　other
than　you　had　a　hand　in　drawing　up　your　Petition　of　Right；　McNish；
and　some　of　the　demands　are　impossible。〃

〃How　do　you〃　began　McNish　indignantly；　but　the　minister　held　up
his　hand　and　continued：

〃And　some　of　them　are　both　sound　and　reasonable。〃

〃What's　wrang　with　the　demands？〃　said　McNish。

〃That's　what　I　am　about　to　show　you；〃　said　the　minister　with　grave
confidence。

〃Aye；　minister；〃　said　the　mother　with　a　chuckle　of　delight。
〃That's　you！　　That's　you！　　Haud　at　him！　　Haud　at　him！　　That's　you！〃

They　took　seats　about　the　blazing　fire　for　the　evening　was　still
shrewd　enough　to　make　the　fire　welcome。

〃Noo；　Mr。　Matheson；〃　said　the　old　lady；　leaning　toward　him　with
keen　relish　in　her　face；　〃read　me　the　union　demands。　　Malcolm　wadna
read　nor　talk　nor　anything　but　glower。〃

The　Reverend　Murdo　read　the　six　clauses。

〃Um！　　They're　no　bad　negotiating　pints。〃

〃Negotiatin'　pints！〃　exclaimed　her　son　indignantly。　　〃Noo；　mither；
ye　maun　play　the　game。　　A'm　no　gaun　tae　argue　with　ye　to…night。
Nor　wi'　any　of　ye；〃　he　added。

〃Nonsense；　Malcolm。　　You　can't　object　to　talk　over　these　points
with　us。　　You　must　talk　them　over　before　you're　done　with　them。
And　you'll　talk　them　over　before　the　whole　town；　too。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　'before　the　whole　town'？〃　said　Malcolm。

〃This　is　a　community　question。　　This　community　is　interested　and
greatly　interested。　　It　will　demand　a　full　exposition　of　the
attitude　of　the　unions。〃

〃The　community！〃　snorted　McNish　in　contempt。

〃Aye；　the　community；〃　replied　the　minister；　〃and　you　are　not　to
snort　at　it。　　That's　the　trouble　with　you　labour　folk。　　You　think
you　are　the　whole　thing。　　You　forget　the　third　and　most　important
party　in　any　industrial　strife；　the　community。　　The　community　is
interested　first；　in　justice　being　done　to　its　citizensto　all　its
citizens；　mind　you；　second；　in　the　preservation　of　the　services
necessary　to　its　comfort　and　well…being；　third；　in　the　continuance
of　the　means　of　livelihood　to　wage　earners。〃

〃Ye　missed　one；〃　said　McNish　grimly。　　〃The　conserving　of　the
profits　of　labour　for　the　benefit　of　the　capitalist。〃

〃I　might　have　put　that　in；　too；〃　said　the　minister；　〃but　it　is
included　in　my　first。　　But　I　should　have　added　another　which；　to　my
mind；　is　of　the　very　first　importance；　the　preservation　of　the
spirit　of　brotherly　feeling　and　Christian　decency　as　between　man
and　man　in　this　community。〃

〃Aye；　ye　might；〃　replied　Malcolm　in　bitter　irony；　〃and　ye　might
begin　with　the　ministers　and　the　churches。〃

〃Whisht；　laddie；〃　said　his　mother　sharply；　〃Mind　yer　manners。〃

〃He　doesn't　mean　me　specially；　Mrs。　McNish；　but　I　will　not　say　but
what　he　is　right。〃

〃No；〃　replied　McNish；　〃I　don't　mean　you　exactly；　Mr。　Matheson。〃

〃Don't　take　it　back；　McNish；〃　said　the　minister。　　〃I　need　it。　　We
all　need　it　in　the　churches；　and　we　will　take　it；　too。　　But　come
now；　let　us　look　at　these　clauses。　　You　are　surely　not　standing　for
them　all；　or　for　them　all　alike？〃

〃Why　not；　then？〃　said　McNish；　angrily。

〃I'll　tell　you；〃　replied　the　minister；　〃and　won't　take　long；
either。〃　　He　proceeded　to　read　over