The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists [87]
it and only succeeded in confirming the secret suspicion of the others that he had had something to do with Hunter's action.
The result of the discussion was that they decided to submit to Misery's terms for the time being, until they could see a chance of getting work elsewhere.
As Owen had to go to the office to see the wallpaper spoken of by Hunter, he accompanied Newman when the latter went to get his wages. Nimrod was waiting for them, and had the money ready in an envelope, which he handed to Newman, who took it without speaking and went away.
Misery had been rummaging amongst the old wallpapers, and had got out a great heap of odd rolls, which he now submitted to Owen, but after examining them the latter said that they were unsuitable for the purpose, so after some argument Misery was compelled to sign an order for some proper cartridge paper, which Owen obtained at a stationer's on his way home.
The next morning, when Misery went to the `Cave', he was in a fearful rage, and he kicked up a terrible row with Crass. He said that Mr Rushton had been complaining of the lack of discipline on the job, and he told Crass to tell all the hands that for the future singing in working hours was strictly forbidden, and anyone caught breaking this rule would be instantly dismissed.
Several times during the following days Nimrod called at Owen's flat to see how the work was progressing and to impress upon him the necessity of not taking too much trouble over it.
Chapter 17
The Rev. John Starr
`What time is it now, Mum?' asked Frankie as soon as he had finished dinner on the following Sunday.
`Two o'clock.'
`Hooray! Only one more hour and Charley will be here! Oh, I wish it was three o'clock now, don't you, Mother?'
`No, dear, I don't. You're not dressed yet, you know.'
Frankie made a grimace.
`You're surely not going to make me wear my velvets, are you, Mum? Can't I go just as I am, in my old clothes?'
The `velvets' was a brown suit of that material that Nora had made out of the least worn parts of an old costume of her own.
`Of course not: if you went as you are now, you'd have everyone staring at you.'
`Well, I suppose I'll have to put up with it,' said Frankie, resignedly.
`And I think you'd better begin to dress me now, don't you?'
`Oh, there's plenty of time yet; you'd only make yourself untidy and then I should have the trouble all over again. Play with your toys a little while, and when I've done the washing up I'll get you ready.'
Frankie obeyed, and for about ten minutes his mother heard him in the next room rummaging in the box where he stored his collection of `things'. At the end of that time, however, he returned to the kitchen. `Is it time to dress me yet, Mum?'
`No, dear, not yet. You needn't be afraid; you'll be ready in plenty of time.'
`But I can't help being afraid; you might forget.'
`Oh, I shan't forget. There's lots of time.'
`Well, you know, I should be much easier in my mind if you would dress me now, because perhaps our clock's wrong, or p'r'aps when you begin dressing me you'll find some buttons off or something, and then there'll be a lot of time wasted sewing them on; or p'r'aps you won't be able to find my clean stockings or something and then while you're looking for it Charley might come, and if he sees I'm not ready he mightn't wait for me.'
`Oh, dear!' said Nora, pretending to be alarmed at this appalling list of possibilities. `I suppose it will be safer to dress you at once. It's very evident you won't let me have much peace until it is done, but mind when you're dressed you'll have to sit down quietly and wait till he comes, because I don't want the trouble of dressing you twice.'
`Oh, I don't mind sitting still,' returned Frankie, loftily. `That's very easy.
`I don't mind having to take care of my clothes,' said Frankie as his mother - having washed and dressed him, was putting the finishing touches to his hair, brushing and combing and curling the long yellow locks into ringlets round her fingers,
The result of the discussion was that they decided to submit to Misery's terms for the time being, until they could see a chance of getting work elsewhere.
As Owen had to go to the office to see the wallpaper spoken of by Hunter, he accompanied Newman when the latter went to get his wages. Nimrod was waiting for them, and had the money ready in an envelope, which he handed to Newman, who took it without speaking and went away.
Misery had been rummaging amongst the old wallpapers, and had got out a great heap of odd rolls, which he now submitted to Owen, but after examining them the latter said that they were unsuitable for the purpose, so after some argument Misery was compelled to sign an order for some proper cartridge paper, which Owen obtained at a stationer's on his way home.
The next morning, when Misery went to the `Cave', he was in a fearful rage, and he kicked up a terrible row with Crass. He said that Mr Rushton had been complaining of the lack of discipline on the job, and he told Crass to tell all the hands that for the future singing in working hours was strictly forbidden, and anyone caught breaking this rule would be instantly dismissed.
Several times during the following days Nimrod called at Owen's flat to see how the work was progressing and to impress upon him the necessity of not taking too much trouble over it.
Chapter 17
The Rev. John Starr
`What time is it now, Mum?' asked Frankie as soon as he had finished dinner on the following Sunday.
`Two o'clock.'
`Hooray! Only one more hour and Charley will be here! Oh, I wish it was three o'clock now, don't you, Mother?'
`No, dear, I don't. You're not dressed yet, you know.'
Frankie made a grimace.
`You're surely not going to make me wear my velvets, are you, Mum? Can't I go just as I am, in my old clothes?'
The `velvets' was a brown suit of that material that Nora had made out of the least worn parts of an old costume of her own.
`Of course not: if you went as you are now, you'd have everyone staring at you.'
`Well, I suppose I'll have to put up with it,' said Frankie, resignedly.
`And I think you'd better begin to dress me now, don't you?'
`Oh, there's plenty of time yet; you'd only make yourself untidy and then I should have the trouble all over again. Play with your toys a little while, and when I've done the washing up I'll get you ready.'
Frankie obeyed, and for about ten minutes his mother heard him in the next room rummaging in the box where he stored his collection of `things'. At the end of that time, however, he returned to the kitchen. `Is it time to dress me yet, Mum?'
`No, dear, not yet. You needn't be afraid; you'll be ready in plenty of time.'
`But I can't help being afraid; you might forget.'
`Oh, I shan't forget. There's lots of time.'
`Well, you know, I should be much easier in my mind if you would dress me now, because perhaps our clock's wrong, or p'r'aps when you begin dressing me you'll find some buttons off or something, and then there'll be a lot of time wasted sewing them on; or p'r'aps you won't be able to find my clean stockings or something and then while you're looking for it Charley might come, and if he sees I'm not ready he mightn't wait for me.'
`Oh, dear!' said Nora, pretending to be alarmed at this appalling list of possibilities. `I suppose it will be safer to dress you at once. It's very evident you won't let me have much peace until it is done, but mind when you're dressed you'll have to sit down quietly and wait till he comes, because I don't want the trouble of dressing you twice.'
`Oh, I don't mind sitting still,' returned Frankie, loftily. `That's very easy.
`I don't mind having to take care of my clothes,' said Frankie as his mother - having washed and dressed him, was putting the finishing touches to his hair, brushing and combing and curling the long yellow locks into ringlets round her fingers,