登陆注册
5383800000064

第64章

Upon hearing of this addition expense, Misery's long visage appeared to become several inches longer; but after a moment's thought he brightened up.

`I'll tell you what!' he exclaimed with a cunning leer, `there's lots of odd rolls of wallpaper down at the shop.Couldn't you manage with some of that?'

`I'm afraid it wouldn't do,' replied Owen doubtfully, `but I'll have a look at it and if possible I'll use it.'

`Yes, do!' said Misery, pleased at the thought of saving something.

`Call at the shop on your way home tonight, and we'll see what we can find.'Ow long do you think it'll take you to make the drorins and the stencils?'

`Well, today's Thursday.If you let someone else help Easton to get the room ready, I think I can get them done in time to bring them with me on Monday morning.'

`Wot do yer mean, "bring them with you"?' demanded Nimrod.

`I shall have to do them at home, you know.'

`Do 'em at 'ome! Why can't you do 'em 'ere?'

`Well, there's no table, for one thing.'

`Oh, but we can soon fit you out with a table.You can 'ave a pair of paperhanger's tressels and boards for that matter.'

`I have a lot of sketches and things at home that I couldn't very well bring here,' said Owen.

Misery argued about it for a long time, insisting that the drawings should be made either on the `job' or at the paint-shop down at the yard.How, he asked, was be to know at what hour Owen commenced or left off working, if the latter did them at home?

`I shan't charge any more time than I really work,' replied Owen.`Ican't possibly do them here or at the paint-shop.I know I should only make a mess of them under such conditions.'

`Well, I s'pose you'll 'ave to 'ave your own way,' said Misery, dolefully.`I'll let Harlow help Easton paint the room out, so as you can get your stencils and things ready.But for Gord's sake get 'em done as quick as you can.If you could manage to get done by Friday and come down and help Easton on Saturday, it would be so much the better.And when you do get a start on the decoratin', I shouldn't take too much care over it, you know, if I was you, because we 'ad to take the job for next to nothing or Mr Sweater would never 'ave 'ad it done at all!'

Nimrod now began to crawl about the house, snarling and grumbling at everyone.

`Now then, you chaps.Rouse yourselves!' he bellowed, 'you seem to think this is a 'orspital.If some of you don't make a better show than this, I'll 'ave to 'ave a Alteration! There's plenty of chaps walkin' about doin' nothin' who'll be only too glad of a job!'

He went into the scullery, where Crass was mixing some colour.

`Look 'ere, Crass!' he said.`I'm not at all satisfied with the way you're gettin' on with the work.You must push the chaps a bit more than you're doin'.There's not enough being done, by a long way.We shall lose money over this job before we're finished!'

Crass - whose fat face had turned a ghastly green with fright -mumbled something about getting on with it as fast as he could.

`Well, you'll 'ave to make 'em move a bit quicker than this!' Misery howled, 'or there'll 'ave to be a ALTERATION!'

By an `alteration' Crass understood that he might get the sack, or that someone else might be put in charge of the job, and that would of course reduce him to the ranks and do away with his chance of being kept on longer than the others.He determined to try to ingratiate himself with Hunter and appease his wrath by sacrificing someone else.

He glanced cautiously into the kitchen and up the passage and then, lowering his voice, he said:

`They all shapes pretty well, except Newman.I would 'ave told you about 'im before, but I thought I'd give 'im a fair chance.I've spoke to 'im several times myself about not doin' enough, but it don't seem to make no difference.'

`I've 'ad me eye on 'im meself for some time,' replied Nimrod in the same tone.`Anybody would think the work was goin' to be sent to a Exhibition, the way 'e messes about with it, rubbing it with glasspaper and stopping up every little crack! I can't understand where 'e gets all the glasspaper FROM'

`'E brings it 'isself!' said Crass hoarsely.`I know for a fact that 'e bought two 'a'penny sheets of it, last week out of 'is own money!'

`Oh, 'e did, did 'e?' snarled Misery.`I'll give 'im glasspaper!

I'll 'ave a Alteration!'

He went into the hall, where he remained alone for a considerable time, brooding.At last, with the manner of one who has resolved on a certain course of action, he turned and entered the room where Philpot and Harlow were working.

`You both get sevenpence an hour, don't you?' he said.

They both replied to the affirmative.

`I've never worked under price yet,' added Harlow.

`Nor me neither,' observed Philpot.

`Well, of course you can please yourselves,' Hunter continued, `but after this week we've decided not to pay more than six and a half.

Things is cut so fine nowadays that we can't afford to go on payin'

sevenpence any longer.You can work up till tomorrow night on the old terms, but if you're not willin' to accept six and a half you needn't come on Saturday morning.Please yourselves.Take it or leave it.'

Harlow and Philpot were both too much astonished to say anything in reply to this cheerful announcement, and Hunter, with the final remark, `You can think it over,' left them and went to deliver the same ultimatum to all the other full-price men, who took it in the same way as Philpot and Harlow had done.Crass and Owen were the only two whose wages were not reduced.

同类推荐
  • 魏伯阳七返丹砂诀

    魏伯阳七返丹砂诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 拳变馀闻

    拳变馀闻

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 辩伪录

    辩伪录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛阿毗昙经

    佛阿毗昙经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 畜德錄

    畜德錄

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 孩子的第一本读物

    孩子的第一本读物

    孩子一般都爱听故事。简短易懂而富有哲理的故事既可丰富孩子的知识面,又能引发孩子思考,启迪智力,并学会一些做人处世的道理。《国际大师儿童精品绘本系列:孩子的第一本读物》具有丰富有趣而富有教育意义的故事,还可以拓宽孩子的视野,并有助于孩子语言表达能力的培养,还可拉近亲子间的距离。
  • 古卷传说

    古卷传说

    就像人有生老病死一样,宇宙也有成住坏灭。在整个宇宙行将灭亡的前夕,心有不甘的众神想要勉力自救,开创史无前例的辉煌造化,走进根本不属于他们的未来。他们能成功吗?又会付出怎样的代价?人能修炼成仙,仙人之上还有圣人,圣人主宰三界,掌控万物。圣人之上呢?三界之外呢?
  • 二把手凶猛:兄弟我的10年营销破局秘笈

    二把手凶猛:兄弟我的10年营销破局秘笈

    有十年操盘经验的呼噜猫被聘请到晨光牛奶做营销总监,先是采取各种手段坐稳位子,接着带领公司开发关联通路以及其他渠道,让公司市场渐渐做大,以致几年的时间,就已经到了可以上市的地步。也正因其能力突出,贡献巨大,所以当公司越来越壮大的时候,被提拔为公司副总经理兼营销总监,成为了名副其实的公司二把手。然而这也引起了一些人的嫉妒,遭遇了公司财务总监联合其他几个高层的明争暗斗。呼噜猫能顺利击破对手的一个个阴谋诡计吗?
  • 柒次后的你

    柒次后的你

    她,为了一次任务,冒充一个平凡的人,暗中完成组织安排的一切。
  • 地狱骑士

    地狱骑士

    "邪恶的地心之王、炽热奔腾着的火焰河、凶猛可怖的标枪龙、宽翅膀的纯白翼马、辽阔美丽的西塞牧场……如此多的奇妙诡异生物,构成了这块神奇而梦幻的中州大陆。徜徉在繁华的紫焰城里,我们邂逅了美貌而冷血的侯爵夫人,结识了英勇骁勇的少年里奥。宏大严整的奇幻世界,一幕幕惊心动魄的阴谋、战争接连不断,最终铸就通往自由顶峰的献血之路。"
  • 一世神皇

    一世神皇

    轮回战帝——秦峰,渡天劫时遭人偷袭,带神器重生少年时代,不用修炼,读秒提升,以战养战,八方惊动!弥补前世缺憾,踏平仙界九重,终成一世神皇,横亘万古永生!
  • 嫡女令

    嫡女令

    【前世】云知为他人而活:放弃理想振兴家业,继承家业的人却是哥哥。哥哥要做心脏移植,上手术台的人有她自己。【今生】云知为自己而活:关于家业,只喜欢种花种草,学宫里避世。关于爱情,只愿万花丛中过,片叶不沾身。【结果】有句话叫:你若盛开蝶自来原来种花种草,进学宫深造,也是振兴家业的一种方式。万花丛中过可以片叶不沾身,却不可避免沾染一身花香,引来狂蜂浪蝶无数。—————————————————————————————————————商业天才云知重生在人均寿命三百岁的古泽大陆,还是十大世族中云族的少主。其他家族就算不是八九代同堂,也算得上是子孙兴盛,独云族只有她一根苗苗?进入学宫深造历,通过重重考核,经过种种考验,终于成功接管家业,逐步解锁谜团,揭开家族人丁衰亡之谜。本文一对一,以闺蜜不反水,亲友给力,炮灰必亡,男一必高冷,男二必暖心,反派必妖孽为原则,走温馨暖文路线。喜之入坑,恶之慎入、绕道、远离。
  • 剑神重生

    剑神重生

    曾经纵横魂剑大陆的一代剑神无天,被人追杀之下无奈自爆,竟奇迹般的重生到了一个少年的体内从此以后,魂剑大陆上少了一个剑神无天,却又多了一个绝世高手——海天!
  • The Coming Conquest of England

    The Coming Conquest of England

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 飘(下)(纯爱·英文馆)

    飘(下)(纯爱·英文馆)

    《飘》是美国女作家玛格丽特·米切尔(1900—1949)十年磨一剑的作品,也是惟一的作品。小说以亚特兰大以及附近的一个种植园为故事场景,描绘了内战前后美国南方人的生活。作品刻画了那个时代的许多南方人的形象,占中心位置的斯佳丽、瑞德、艾希礼、梅勒妮等人是其中的典型代表。他们的习俗礼仪、言行举止、精神观念、政治态度,通过对斯佳丽与白瑞德的爱情纠缠为主线,成功地再现了林肯领导的南北战争,美国南方地区的社会生活。