And what have you got to say of these fine doings, Mr. Dabbs? Mrs. Mutimer asked him.
Why, its like this era, Mrs. Mutimer, Daniel began, having seated himself, with hands on widely-parted knees. As far as the theory goes, Im all for Dick; any man must be as knows his two times two. But about the Longwoods; well, I tell Dick theyve a perfect right to get rid of him, finding him a dangerous enemy, you see. It was all fair and above board. Young Stephen Longwood ups an saysleastways not in these words, but them as means the samesays he, Look ere, Mutimer, he says, weve no fault to find with you as a workman, but from what we hear of you, it seems you dont care much for us as employers. Hadnt you better find a shop as is run on Socialist principles? Thats all about it, you see; its a case of incompatible temperaments; theres no ill-feelin, not as between man and man, And thats what I say, too.
Now, Dick, said Mrs. Mutimer, before you begin your sermon, whos a-going to fetch my beer?
Right, Mrs. Mutimer! cried Daniel, slapping his leg. Thats what I call coming from theory to practice. Beer squares allleastways for the time beingonly for the time being, Dick. Wheres the jug? Better give me two jugs; weve had a thirsty night of it.
Well make capital of this! said Richard, walking about the room in Daniels absence. The great point gained is, theyve shown theyre afraid of me. Well write it up in the paper next week, see if we dont! Itll do us a sight of good.
And wheres your weekly wages to come from? inquired his mother.
Oh, Ill look after that. I only wish theyd refuse me all round; the more of that kind of thing the better for us. Im not afraid but I can earn my living.
Through all this Emma Vine had sat with her thoughtful eyes constantly turned on Richard. It was plain how pride struggled with anxiety in her mind. When Richard had kept silence for a moment, she ventured to speak, having tried in vain to meet his look.
Janes ill again, Richard, she said.
Mutimer had to summon his thoughts from a great distance; his endeavour to look sympathetic was not very successful.
Not the fever again?
Yes, it is, she replied sadly.
Going to work in the wet, I suppose?
He shrugged his shoulders; in his present mood the fact was not so much personally interesting to him as in the light of another case against capitalism. Emmas sister had to go a long way to her daily employment, and could not afford to ride; the fifth attack of rheumatic fever was the price she paid for being permitted to earn ten shillings a week.
Daniel returned with both jugs foaming, his face on a broad grin of anticipation. There was a general move to the table. Richard began to carve roast beef like a freeman, not by any means like the serf he had repeatedly declared himself in the course of the evenings oratory.
Her Royal Ighness out? asked Daniel, with constraint not solely due to the fact that his mouth was full.
Shes round at Mrs. Tooks, I should think, was Mrs. Mutimers reply. Staying supper, peraps.
Richard, after five minutes of surprising trencher-work, recommenced conversation. The proceedings of the evening at the hall, which was the centre for Socialist gatherings in this neighbourhood, were discussed by him and Daniel with much liveliness. Dan was disposed to take the meeting on its festive and humorous side; for him, economic agitation was a mode of passing a few hours amid congenial uproar. Whenever stamping and shouting were called for, Daniel was your man. Abuse of employers, it was true, gave a zest to the occasion, and to applaud the martyrdom of others was as cheery an occupation as could be asked; Daniel had no idea of sacrificing his own weekly wages, and therein resembled most of those who had been loud in uncompromising rhetoric. Richard, on the other hand, was unmistakably zealous. His sense of humour was not strong, and in any case he would have upheld the serious dignity of his own position. One saw from his way of speaking, that he believed himself about to become a popular hero; already in imagination he stood forth on platforms before vast assemblies, and heard his own voice denouncing capitalism with force which nothing could resist. The first taste of applause had given extraordinary impulse to his convictions, and the personal ambition with which they were interwoven. His grandfathers blood was hot in him to-night. Henry Mutimer, dying in hospital of his broken skull, would have found euthanasia, could he in vision have seen this worthy descendant entering upon a career in comparison with which his own was unimportant.
The high-pitched voices and the clatter of knives and forks allowed a new-comer to enter the kitchen without being immediately observed. It was a tall girl of interesting and vivacious appearance; she wore a dress of tartan, a very small hat trimmed also with tartan and with a red feather, a tippet of brown fur about her shoulders, and a muff of the same material on one of her hands. Her figure was admirable; from the crest of her gracefully poised head to the tip of her well-chosen boot she was, in line and structure, the type of mature woman. Her face, if it did not indicate a mind to match her frame, was at the least sweet-featured and provoking; characterless somewhat, but void of danger-signals; doubtless too good to be merely played with; in any case, very capable of sending a ray, in one moment or another, to the shadowy dreaming-place of graver thoughts. Alice Maud Mutimer was nineteen. For two years she had been thus tall, but the grace of her proportions had only of late fully determined itself. Her work in the City warehouse was unexacting; she had even a faint impress of rose-petal on each cheek, and her eye was excellently clear. Her lips, unfortunately never quite closed, betrayed faultless teeth. Her likeness to Richard was noteworthy; beyond question she understood the charm of her presence, and one felt that the consciousness might, in her case, constitute rather a safeguard than otherwise.
She stood with one hand on the door, surveying the table. When the direction of Mrs. Mutimers eyes at length caused Richard and Daniel to turn their heads, Alice nodded to each.
What noisy people! I heard you out in the square.
She was moving past the table, but Daniel, suddenly backing his chair, intercepted her. The girl gave him her hand, and, by way of being jocose, he squeezed it so vehemently that she uttered a shrill Oh!
Leave go, Mr. Dabbs! Leave go, I tell you! How dare you? Ill hit you as hard as I can!
Daniel laughed obstreperously.
Do! do! he cried. What a mighty blow that ud be! Only the left hand, though. I shall get over it.
She wrenched herself away, gave Daniel a smart slap on the back, and ran round to the other side of the table, where she kissed Emma affectionately.
How thirsty I am! she exclaimed. You havent drunk all the beer, I hope.
Im not so sure of that, Dan replied. Why, there aint more than arf a pint; thats not much use for a Royal Ighness.
She poured it into a glass. Alice reached across the table, raised the glass to her lips, andemptied it. Then she threw off hat, tippet, and gloves, and seated herself But in a moment she was up and at the cupboard.
Now, mother, you dontyou dont say as theres not a pickle!
Her tone was deeply reproachful.
Why, there now, replied her mother, laughing; I knew what it ud be! I meant to a got them last night. Youll have to make shift for once.