第14章
“Hoots！Nonsense，Mither！“saidhersonhastily，knowingwellhowthoroughlycapableshewasofnotonlygoingtoameetingofUnionworkersbutalsoofspeakinghermindifinherjudgmenttheywereguiltyoftransgressingtheSabbathlaw。“ThemeetingwillbejustasreligiousasMr。Matheson’sanyway。“
“A’mnosaesure，“saidhismothergrimly。
WhetherreligiousinthesenseunderstoodbyMrs。McNish，themeetingwasnotwantinginethicalinterestorhumanpassion。Itwasagatheringoftheworkersinthevariousindustriesinthetown，TradeUnionistsmostofthem，butwithaconsiderablenumberwhohadneverowedallegiancetoanyUnionandanumberofdisgruntledex-Unionists。Theselatterwereveryvociferousandforthemostpartglibtalkers，withpassionsthatundertheslightestpressurespurtedfoamingtothesurface。Returnedsoldierstherewerewhohadtakenontheiroldjobsbutwhohadnotyetsettleddownintothecolourlessroutineofmillandfactoryworkunderthedisciplineofthosewhooftenknewlittleoftheessentialsofdisciplineasthesemenknewthem。AgroupofFrench-Canadianfactoryhands，takenonnonetoowillinglyinthestressofwarwork，constitutedanelementoffriction，forthesoldiersdespisedandhatedthem。WiththesethereminglednewimmigrantsfromtheshipyardsandfactoriesoftheOldLand，allmembersorex-membersofTradeUnions，Socialistsintraininganddoctrine，familiarwiththeterminologyandjargonofthoseSocialisticdebatingschools，theLocalUnionsofEnglandandScotland，alert，keen，readyofwitandreadyoftongue，rejoicinginwordy，passionatedebate，readyforanything，fearingnothing。
TheoccasionofthemeetingwasthepresenceofagreatInternationalOfficialoftheAmericanFederationofLabour，anditspurposetostrengthenInternationalUnionismagainsttheunderminingofguerillabandsofnon-UnionistsandveryespeciallyagainsttheneworganizationsemanatingfromthefarWest，theOneBigUnion。
AtthedoorofthehallstoodMr。Wigglesworth，important，fussyandunctuouslyimpressive，welcoming，directing，introducingand，incidentallybutquiteineffectively，seekingtoinspirewithrespectforhisaugustpersonanondescriptcrowdofsmallboysvainlyseekingentrance。WithaneffusivenessamountingtoreverencehewelcomedMcNishanddirectedhiminamysteriouswhispertowardaseatontheplatform，which，however，McNishdeclined，choosingaseatatthesideabouthalfwayuptheaisle。
AlocalUnionofficialwasaddressingthemeetingbutsayingnothinginparticular，andsimplyfillingintillthemainspeakershouldarrive。McNish，quiteuninterestedintheplatform，wasquietlytakingnoteoftheaudience，withmanyofwhomhehadmadeaslightacquaintance。Ashiseyetravelledslowlyfromfacetofaceitwassuddenlyarrested。TherebesideherfatherwasAnnettePerrotte，whogreetedhimwithabrightnodandsmile。Theyhadlongagomadeuptheirtiff。ThenMcNishhadanothersurprise。AtthedoorofthehallappearedCaptainJackMaitlandwho，aftercoollysurveyingtheroom，sauntereddowntheaisleandtookaseatathisside。HenoddedtoMcNish。
“Quiteacrowd，McNish，“hesaid。“IheartheAmericanJohnnieisquiteaspoutersoIcamealongtohear。“
McNishlookedathimandsilentlynodded。Hecouldnotunderstandhispresenceatthatkindofameeting。
“YouknowIamaUnionmannow，“saidCaptainJack，accuratelyreadinghissilence。“Joinedacoupleofmonthsago。“
ButMcNishkepthisfacegravelynon-committal，wonderinghowitwasthatthisimportantbitofnewshadnotreachedhim。ThenherememberedthathehadnotattendedthelasttwomonthlymeetingsofhisUnion，andalsoheknewthatlittlegossipoftheshopscamehisway。Nonetheless，hewasintenselyinterestedinMaitland’sappearance。HedidCaptainJackthejusticetoacquithimofanythingbutthemosthonourableintentions，yethecouldnotmakecleartohismindwhatendthesonofhisbosscouldservebyjoiningaLabourUnion。Hefinallycametotheconclusionthatthiswasbutanotherinstanceofan“Intellectual“studyingthesocialandeconomicsideofIndustryfromfirst-handobservation。
ItwasacommonenoughthingintheOldLand。HewasconsciousofalittlecontemptforthisdilettantesortofLabourUnionism，andhewasfurtherconsciousofafeelingofimpatienceandembarrassmentatCaptainJack’spresence。Hebelongedtotheenemycamp，andwhatrighthadhethere？Fromlookscastintheirdirectionitwasplainthatotherswereaskingthesamequestion。
HisthoughtreceivedasuddenandunexpectedexpositionfromtheplatformfromnolessapersonthanMr。WigglesworthhimselftowhomasoneoftheoldestofficialsinUnionisedLabourinthetownhadbeengiventhehonourofintroducingthedistinguishedvisitoranddelegate。
Inflowingperiodsandwitharecklessbutwhollyunauthorisedemploymentofaspirateshe“welcomedthe(h)audience，(h)especiallytheladies，andothercitizensamong’oom’ewasdelightedto(h)observearepresentativeofthe(h)employingclass’oowasforthepresent’ebelievedoneofthemselves。“TohisannoyedembarrassmentCaptainJackfoundhimselftheobservedofmanyeyes，friendlyandotherwise。“But’ewouldassureCaptainMaitlandthatalthough’emightfeelasif’e’adnorighttobe’ere——“
“’Ere！’Ere！“cameapiercingvoiceinunmistakableapproval，galvanisingtheaudienceoutofitsapathyintoinstantemotionalintensity。
“(H)Iwantmost(h)emphaticallyto(h)assureCaptainMaitland，“
continuedMr。Wigglesworth，frowningheavilyupontheinterrupter，“that’eisaswelcome——“
“No！No！“criedthesameCockneyvoice，followedbyaslightrumblingapplause。
“Isay’eis，“shoutedMr。Wigglesworth，supportedbyhesitatingapplause。
“No！No！Wedon’twantnotoffs’ere。“Thiswasfollowedbymoredefiniteapplausefromthegroupimmediatelysurroundingthespeaker。
Mr。Wigglesworthwasmuchaffrontedandproceededtoadministerarebuketotheinterrupter。
“I(h)amsurprised，“hebegan，withgrievedandsolemnemphasis。
“Mr。Chairman，“saidtheowneroftheCockneyvoice，risingtohisfeetandrevealinghimselfasmallmanwithlargeheadandthinwizenedfeatures，“Mr。Chairman，Irisetoprotestright’erean’
naowagainstthepresenceof(h)anyrepresentativeofthe(h)enemyclassat——“
“Aw，shutup！“yelledasoldier，risingfromhisplace。“Throwoutthelittlerat！“
Immediatelytherewasuproar。Oneverysidereturnedsoldiers，manyofwhomhadbeeninCaptainJack’sbattalion，sprangupandbeganmovingtowardthelittleCockneywho，boldlystandinghisground，waswildlyappealingtothechairandwassupportedbythefuriouscheeringofagroupofhisfriends，OldCountrymenmostofwhom，asitturnedout，wereoftheextremeSocialisttype。BythistimeithadfullybeenborneinuponCaptainJack’smind，somewhatdazedbytheunexpectedattack，thathewastheoccasionoftheuproar。RisingfromhisplacehetriedvainlytocatchtheChairman’sattention。
“Comeuptotheplatform，“saidavoiceinhisear。HeturnedandsawMcNishshoulderinghiswaythroughtheexcitedcrowdtowardthefront。Afteramoment’shesitationheshruggedhisshouldersandfollowed。Themovecaughttheeyeandapparentlytheapprovaloftheaudience，foritbrokeintocheerswhichgatheredinvolumetillbythetimethatMcNishandCaptainJackstoodontheplatformthegreatmajoritywerewildlyyellingtheirenthusiasticapprovaloftheiraction。McNishstoodwithhishandraisedforahearing。
Almostinstantlytherefellasilenceintenseandexpectant。TheScotchmanstoodlookinginthedirectionoftheexcitedCockneywithcoldsteadyeye。
“A’mforfreedom！Therightofpublicassembly！A’mfearto’naeenemy，notthedeevilhimself。ThisgentlemanisamemberofmyUnionandhestaysr-r-righthe-e-r-re。“Witharaspingrollofhisr’sheseemedtoberippingtheskinoffthelittleCockney’sveryflesh。TheresponsewasayellofsavagecheerswhichseemedtorockthebuildingandwhichcontinuedwhileMr。WigglesworthinoverflowingeffusivenessfirstshookMaitland’slimphandinaviolentdouble-handedpumphandleexerciseandthenproceededtointroducehimtothedistinguishedvisitor，shoutinghisnameinMaitland’sear，“Mr’Oward(H)E。Bigelow，“addingwithasuddeninspiration，“(H)Introduce’imtothe(h)audience。Yes！Yes！
Most(h)assuredly，“andcontinuedpushingbothmentowardthefrontoftheplatform，thedemonstrationincreasinginviolence。
“Isay，oldchap，“shoutedCaptainJackinthestranger’sear，“I
feellikeafool。“
“Ifeellikeadozenof’em，“shoutedMr。Bigelowinreturn。
“But，“headdedwithaslowwink，“thisoldfoolisthedaddyof’emall。Goon，introduceme，orthey’llbustsomethingloose。“
CaptainJacktookonesteptothefrontoftheplatformandhelduphishand。Thecheeringassumedanevengreaterviolence，thenceasedinsuddenbreathlesssilence。
“Ladiesandgentlemen，“hesaidinaslightlyboredvoice，“thisgentlemanisMr。HowardE。Bigelow，arepresentativeoftheAmericanFederationofLabour，whomasamemberoftheWoodworkers’
Union，Local197，Iamanxioustohearifyoudon’tmind。“
Hebowedtothevisitor，bowedtotheaudienceoncemoreswayingunderatempestofcheers，and，followedbyMcNish，madehiswaytohisseat。
FromthefirstmomentofhisspeechMr。HowardE。Bigelowhadtofightforahearing。ThelittleCockneywasthecentreofawell-
organisedandthoroughlycompetentbodyofobstructerswhobyclever“heckling，“bypointsoforder，byinsistentquestioning，byplayingnowupontheanti-Americanstring，nowupontheanti-Federationstring，byribaldlaughter，bycheeringahappycriticism，completelycheckedeveryattemptofthespeakertotakeflightinhisoratory。TheInternationalofficialwasevidentlyanoldhandinthissortofgame，butinthehandsofthesepastmastersintheartofobstructionhemetmorethanhismatch。Maitlandwasamazedathispatience，hisself-control，hisadroitness，buttheywereallinvain。AtlasthewasforcedtoappealtotheChairmanforBritishfairplay。ButtheChairmanwashelplesslyfutileandhisfutilitywasonlyemphasisedbyMr。Wigglesworth’sattemptsnowatbrowbeatingwhichweremetwithderisionandagainatentreatywhichbroughtonlydemandsforrulingonpointsoforder，tillthemeetingwasonthepointofbreakingupinconfuseddisorder。
“McNish，IthinkI’lltakeahandinthis，“saidCaptainJackintheScotchman’sear。“Areyougame？“
“Waitawee，“saidMcNish，gettingtohisfeet。Slowlyheoncemoremadehiswaytotheplatform。Asthecrowdcaughtontohispurposetheybrokeintocheering。Whenhereachedthesideofthespeakerhespokeawordinhisear，thencametothefrontwithhishandheldup。Therewasinstantquiet。Helookedcoollyovertheexcited，disintegratingaudienceforamomentortwo。
“AbelongedtaetheFeefty-fir-rstDiveesion，“hesaidinhisrichestDoric。“Wehadararetimewi’bulliesoverthere。A’mforfreespeech！Noo，listentaeme，youCockneywheedledoodle。
Letanothercheepouto’yeretrapan’theCaptaintherewillflingyeooto’thisroomaswedidtheKayserooto’France。“
“Yousaidit，McNish，“saidMaitland，leapingtotheaisle。Witharoaradozenreturnedmenwereontheirfeet。
“Steady，squad！“rangoutCaptainJack’sorder。“Fallintothisaisle！Shun！“Asifonparadethesoldiersfellintolinebehindtheircaptain。
“Macnamara！“hesaid，pointingtoahugeIrishman。
“Sir！“saidMacnamara。
“Youseethatlittlerat-facedchap？“
“Yes，sir。“
“Takeyourplacebesidehim。“
WithtwostepsMacnamarawasbesidehisman。
“Mr。Chairman，Iprotest，“beganthelittleCockneyfiercely。
“Passhimup，“saidtheCaptainsharply。
WithonesinglemotionMacnamara’shandsweptthelittlemanoutofhisplaceintotheaisle。
“Chuckhimout！“saidCaptainJackquietly。
Fromhandtohand，withneverapause，amidthejeersandlaughterofthecrowdthelittlemanwaspassedalonglikeabundleofoldragstillhedisappearedthroughtheopendoor。
“Who’snext？“shoutedMacnamarajoyfully。
“Asyouwere！“camethesharpcommand。
AtonceMacnamarastoodatattention。
CaptainJacknoddedtotheplatform。
“Allright，“hesaidquietly。