Crass slowly drew the Obscurer cutting from his waistcoat pocket, but after a moment’s thought he replaced it, deciding to defer its production till a more suitable occasion.
“But you ’aven’t told us yet ’ow you makes out that money causes poverty,” cried Harlow, winking at the others. “That’s what I’M anxious to ’ear about!”
“So am I,” remarked the man behind the moat. “I was just wondering whether I ’adn’t better tell ole Misery that I don’t want no wages this week.”
“I think I’ll tell ’im on Saterday to keep MY money and get ’imself a few drinks with it,” said Philpot. “It might cheer ’im up a bit and make ’im a little more sociable and friendly like.”
“Money IS the principal cause of poverty,” said Owen.
“’Ow do yer make it out?” cried Sawkins.
But their curiosity had to remain unsatisfied for the time being because Crass announced that it was “just on it”.
Chapter 16
True Freedom
About three o’clock that afternoon, Rushton suddenly appeared and began walking silently about the house, and listening outside the doors of rooms where the hands were working. He did not succeed in catching anyone idling or smoking or talking. The nearest approach to what the men called “a capture” that he made was, as he stood outside the door of one of the upper rooms in which Philpot and Harlow were working, he heard them singing one of Sankey’s hymns—“Work! for the night is coming”. He listened to two verses and several repetitions of the chorus. Being a “Christian”, he could scarcely object to this, especially as by peeping through the partly open door he could see that they were suiting the action to the word. When he went into the room they glanced around to see who it was, and stopped singing. Rushton did not speak, but stood in the middle of the floor, silently watching them as they worked, for about a quarter of an hour. Then, without having uttered a syllable, he turned and went out.
They heard him softly descend the stairs, and Harlow, turning to Philpot said in a hoarse whisper: