第9章
“Iknow，Daddy——’beseen，’“saidtheyoungerdaughter，andgrinningaffectionatelyathimsheblewhimakiss。“But，allthesame，I
wishCaptainJackwerenotsoawfullybusyorwerealittlemorekeenaboutthings。Hewantssomethingtostirhimup。“
“Hemaygetthatsoonerthanhethinks，“saidStillwell，“orwishes。Ihearthere’slikelytobetroubleinthemills。“
“Trouble？Financial？Ishouldbeverysorry，“saidDr。Templeton。
“No。Labour。Thewholelabourworldisinaferment。TheMaitlandscanhardlyexpecttoescape。Asamatteroffact，therowhasmadealittlestart，Ihappentoknow。“
“Theselabourtroublesarereallyverydistressing。Thereisnoendtothem，“saidMrs。Templeton，withtheresignationoneshowsindiscussingtheinscrutablewaysofProvidence。“Itdoesseemasiftheworkingclassesto-dayhavegotquitebeyondallbounds。
Onewonderswhattheywilldemandnext。Whatisthetroublenow，Rupert？Ofcourse——wages。“
“Oh，theeternaloldtroubleisthere，withsomenewonesaddedthatmakeevenwagesseemsmall。“
“Andwhatarethese？“enquiredDr。Templeton。
“Oh，divisionofprofits，shareinadministrationandcontrol。“
“Divisionofprofitsinadditiontowages？“enquiredMrs。Templeton，aghast。“But，howdreadful。Onewouldthinktheyactuallyownedthefactory。“
“Thatisthemoderndoctrine，Ibelieve，“saidRupert。
“Surelythatisanextremestatement，“saidDr。Templeton，inashockedvoice，“oryouaretalkingoftheveryradicalelementonly。“
“TheRadslead，ofcourse，butyouwouldbesurprisedatthedemandsmadeto-day。Why，Iheardayoungchaplastweek，asoap-
boxartist，denouncingallcapitalistsasparasites。’Whyshouldweworkforanyonebutourselves？’hewassaying。’Whydon’twetakechargeofthefactoriesandrunthemforthegeneralgood？’
Iassureyou，sir，thosewerehisverywords。“
“Really，Rupert，youamazeme。InBlackwaterhere？“exclaimedDr。
Templeton。
“But，mydearpapa，thatsortofthingisthecommonplaceofHydePark，youknow，“saidAdrien，“and——“
“Ah，HydePark，yes。IshouldexpectthatsortofthingfromtheHydeParkorators。YougeteverysortofmaddoctrineinHydePark，asIrememberit，but——“
“AndIwasgoingtosaythatthatsortofthinghasgotawaybeyondHydePark。Why，papadear，youhavebeensoengrossedinyourHigherMathematicsthatyouhavefailedtokeepupwiththetimes。“
Hiseldestdaughtersmiledathimand，reachingacrossthecornerofthetable，pattedhishandaffectionately。“Weareawaybeyondbeingshockedatprofitsharing，andevensharingincontrolofadministrationandthatsortofthing。“
“Butthereremainsjustice，Ihope，“saidherfather，“andtherightofownership。“
“Ah，that’sjustit——whatisownership？“
“Oh，come，Adrien，“saidRupert，“youarenotsayingthatMr。
Maitlanddoesn’townhisfactoryandmill。“
“Itdependsonwhatyoumeanbyown，“saidthegirlcoolly。“Youmustnottaketoomuchforgranted。“
“Well，whatmymoneypaysforIown，Isuppose，“saidRupert。
“Well，“saidAdrien，“thatdepends。“
“MydearAdrien，“saidhermother，“youhavesuchstrangenotions。
IsupposeyougottheminthoseClubsinLondonandfromthosequeerpeopleyouusedtomeet。“
“Verydearpeople，“saidAdrien，withafarawaylookinhereyes，“andpeoplethatlovedjusticeandright。“
“Allright，Ade，“saidheryoungersister，withasaucygrin，“I
agreeentirelywithyoursentiments。Ijustadorethatpalebluetieofyours。Isuppose，nowthatwhat’syoursismine，IcanpreemptthatwhenIlike。“
“Letmecatchyouatit！“
“Welldone，Patricia。Youseethetheoriesareallrighttillwecometohavethemappliedallround，“saidRupert。
“Weweretalkingofjointownership，Pat，“saidhersister，“thejointownershipofthingstothemakingofwhichwehaveeachcontributedapart。“
“Exactly，“saidRupert。“IguessGrantMaitlandpaidhisowngoodmoneyforhisplant。“
“Yes，“saidAdrien。
“Yes，andallhepaidforheowns。“
“Yes。“
“Well，that’sallthereistoit。“
“Oh，pardonme——thereisagooddealmore——“
“Well，well，children，weshallnotdiscussthesubjectanyfurther。Shallweallgoupforcoffee？“
“Theseareveryradicalviewsyouareadvancing，Adrien，“saidherfather，risingfromhischair。“Youmustbecarefulnottosaythingslikethatincircleswhereyoumightbetakenseriously。“
“Seriously，Daddy？Iwasnevermoreseriousinmylife。“Sheputherarmthroughherfather’s。“Imustgiveyousomebooks，somereportstoread，Isee，“shesaid，laughingupintohisface。
“Evidently，“saidherfather，“ifIamtolivewithyou。“
“IwonderwhatCaptainJackwouldthinkoftheseviews，“saidRupert，droppingintostepwithPatriciaastheyleftthediningroomtogether。
“HewillthinkasAdriendoes，“saidPatriciastoutly。
“Ah，Iwouldn’tbetoosureaboutthat，“saidRupert。“Yousee，itmakesadifferencewhoseoxisbeinggored。“
“Whatdoyoumean？“criedPatriciahotly。
“Nevermind，Pat，“saidhersisteroverhershoulder。“Idon’tthinkheknowsCaptainJackaswedo。“
“Perhapsbetter，“saidRupertinasignificanttone。
Patriciadrewawayfromhim。
“Ithinkyouarejusthorrid，“shesaid。“CaptainJackis——“
“Nevermind，dear。Don’tlethimpullyourleglikethat，“saidhersister，withalittlecolourinhercheek。“WeknowCaptainJack，don’twe？“
“Wedo！“saidPatriciawithenthusiasm。
“Wedo！“echoedRupert，withasmilethatdrovePatintoafury。
TherewastroubleattheMaitlandMills。ForthefirsttimeinhishistoryGrantMaitlandfoundhismenlookaskanceathim。Forthefirsttimeinhislifehefoundhimselfviewingwithsuspiciontheworkerswhomhehadalwaystakenaprideindesignating“mymen。“
Thesituationwasatoncegallingtohisprideandshockingtohissenseoffairplay。Hismenwerehiscomradesinwork。Heknewthem——atleast，untilthesewardayshehadknownthem——personally，asfriends。Theytrustedhimandwereloyaltohim，andhehadtakenthegreatestcaretodealjustlyandmorethanjustlybythem。Nolabourtroubleshadeverdisturbedtherelationswhichexistedbetweenhimandhismen。ItwasthusnosmallshockwhenWickesannouncedonedaythataGrievanceCommitteewishedtointerviewhim。ThatheshouldhavetomeetaGrievanceCommittee，whoseboastithadbeenthatthefirstmanintheworkstoknowofagrievancewashimself，andthatthemenwithwhomhehadtoiledandsharedbothgoodfortuneandill，butmoreespeciallythegood，thathadbefallenthroughthelastquartercenturyshouldhaveagrievanceagainsthim——thiswasindeedanexperiencethatcuthimtotheheartandrousedinhimafuryofperplexedindignation。
“Awhat？AGrievanceCommittee！“heexclaimedtoWickes，whentheoldbookkeepercameannouncingsuchadeputation。
“That’swhattheycallthemselves，sir，“saidWickes，histoneofdisgustdisclaimingallassociationwithanysuchorganization。
“AGrievanceCommittee？“saidMr。Maitlandagain。“Well，I’llbe！
Whatdotheywant？Whoarethey？Bringthemin，“heroaredinavoicewhoseascendingtoneindicatedhisgrowingamazementandwrath。
“Comeinyou，“growledWickesinthevoicehegenerallyusedforhiscolliedog，whichboreathoroughlyunenviablereputation，“comeonin，can’tye？“
Therewassomeshufflingforplaceinthegroupatthedoor，butfinallyMr。Wigglesworthfoundhimselfpushedtothefrontofacommitteeoffive。Withaswiftglancewhichtouched“theboss“
initspassageandthenresteduponthewall，theceiling，thelandscapevisiblethroughthewindow，anywhereindeedratherthanuponthefaceofthemanagainstwhomtheyhadagrievance，theyfiledinandstoodillatease。
“Well，Wigglesworth，whatisit？“saidGrantMaitlandcurtly。
Mr。Wigglesworthclearedhisthroat。Hewasnewatthebusinessandwasobviouslytornbetweenconflictingemotionsofprideinhispresentimportantpositionandawholesomefearofhis“boss。“
However，havingclearedhisthroat，Mr。Wigglesworthpulledhimselftogetherandwithawaveofthehandbegan。
“These’ere——er——gentlemenan’myself’avebeen(h)appintedaCommitteetolaybeforeyoucertaingrievancesw’ichwefeeltobevery(h)oppressive，sir，sotospeak，w’ich，an’meanin’nooffence，sir，asmen，fellow-men，aswemightsay——“
“Whatdoyouwant，Wigglesworth？What’syourtrouble？Youhavesometrouble，whatisit？Spititout，man，“saidthebosssharply。
“Well，sir，asIwasa-sayin’，this’ere’saCommittee(h)appintedtowaitonyou，sir，tolaybeforeyoucertainfactsw’ichwewishyoutoconsideran’w’ich，asBritishsubjecks，wefeel——“
“Come，come，Wigglesworth，cutoutthespeech，andgetatthethings。Whatdoyouwant？Doyouknow？Ifso，tellmeplainlyandgetdonewithit。“
“Wewantourrightsasmen，“saidMr。Wigglesworthinaloudvoice，“ourrightsasfreemen，andwedemandtobetreatedasBritish——“
“IsthereanyoneofthisCommitteethatcantellmewhatyouwantofme？“saidMaitland。“You，Gilby，youhavesomesense——whatisthetrouble？Youwantmorewages，Isuppose？“
“Iguessso，“saidGilby，along，leanman，Canadianborn，ofaboutthirty，“butitain’tthewagesthat’seatin’mesomuch。“
“Whatthen？“
“It’sthatblankforeman。“
“Foreman？“
“That’sright，sir。““Tooblankedsmart！““Buttin’inlikeablankbillygoat！“ThegrowlscameinvariousundertonesfromtheCommittee。
“Whatforeman？Hoddle？“Thebosswasreadytofightforhissubalterns。
“No！OldHoddle’sallright，“saidGilby。“It’sthatyoungsmartaleck，TonyPerrotte。“
“TonyPerrotte！“Mr。Maitland’svoicewastroubledanduncertain。
“TonyPerrotte！Why，youdon’tmeantotellmethatPerrotteisnotagoodman。Heknowshisjobfromthegroundup。“
“Knowstoomuch，“saidGilby。“Wantstoruneverythingandeverybody。Youcan’ttellhimanything。Andyou’dthinkhewasaBrigadier-Generaltohearhimgivingusorders。“
“Youwereatthefront，Gilby？“
“Iwas，forthreeyears。“
“Youknowwhatdisciplineis？“
“Idothat，andIknowtoothedifferencebetweenaCorporalandaCompanyCommander。IknowanofficerwhenIseehim。Butabrasshatdon’tmakeaGeneral。“
“Iwon’tstandforinsubordinationinmymills，Gilby。Youmusttakeordersfrommyforeman。Youknowme，Gilby。You’vebeenlongenoughwithmeforthat。“
“Youtreatamanfair，Mr。Maitland，andIneverkickedatyourorders。Ain’tthatso？“
Maitlandnodded。
“Butthisyoungdude——“
“’Dude’？Whatdoyoumean，’dude’？He’snodude！“
“Oh，he’ssostuckonhimselfthathegivesmethewearisomewillies。Lookhere，otherfolkshasbeentothewar。Heneedn’tcarryhischestlikeablankedbaywindow。“
“Lookhere，Gilby，justquitswearinginthisroom。“ThecoldblueeyesboredintoGilby’shotface。
“Ibegpardon，sir。It’sabadhabitI’vegot，butthat——thatTonyPerrottehasgotmygoatandI’mthroughwithhim。“
“Allright，Gilby。Ifyoudon’tlikeyourjobyouknowwhatyoucando，“saidMaitlandcoldly。
“YoumeanIcanquit？“enquiredGilbyhotly。
“Imeanthere’sonlyonebossintheseworks，andthat’sme。Andmyforemantakesmyordersandpassesthemalong。Thosethatdon’tlikethemneedn’ttakethem。“
“Wedemandourrightsas——“beganMr。Wigglesworthheatedly。
“Excuseme，sir。’Ashouldliketoenquir-r-eifitisyour-ror-rder-rsthatyour-rfor-r-manshoulduseblasphemiouslanguagetoyour-rmen？“
Thecool，firm，raspingvoicecutthroughMr。Wigglesworth’ssputteringnoiselikeacircularsawthroughapinelog。