“Relies on him, does he? Leastways, I know he does; just as if scores of others couldn’t do jist as well, only they ’aven’t ’ad his chance! Relies on him, as yer call it! But there, if I wur to speak, wot ’ud be the use?”
It is always a consolation to incapable people that their lack of success is due to the absence of chances. From the time of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram—who accused Moses and Aaron of taking too much upon themselves, because every man in the congregation was as holy as his God-selected leaders—it has been a theory, one may even say a religion, with those who have been passed over, that their sole reason for their super-session is an election as arbitrary as that by the Antinomian deity, who, out of pure wilfulness, gives opportunities to some and denies them to others.
“What do you mean, Jim? What is it that you see?”
“You’ll excuse me, missus, if I says no more. I ain’t a-goin’ to meddle with wot don’t concern me, and get myself into trouble for nothing: wot for, I should like to know? Wot good would it do me?”
“But, Jim, if you are aware of anything wrong it is your duty to report it.”
“Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t; but wot thanks should I get?”
“You would get my thanks and the thanks of Mr. Furze, I am sure. Look here, Jim.” Mrs. Furze rose and shut the kitchen door. Phœbe was upstairs, but she thought it necessary to take every precaution. “I know you may be trusted, and therefore I do not mind speaking to you. Tom’s conduct has not been very satisfactory of late. I need not go into particulars, but I shall really be glad if you will communicate to me anything you may observe which is amiss. You may depend upon it you shall not suffer.”
She put two half-crowns into Jim’s hand. He turned and looked at her with one eye partly shut, and a curious expression on his face—half smile, half suspicion. He then looked at the money for a few seconds and put it deliberately in his pocket, but without any sign of gratitude.
“I’ll bear wot you say in mind,” he replied.
At this instant the kitchen door opened, and Phœbe entered. Mrs. Furze went on with the conversation immediately, but it took a different turn.