Part 24 (1/2)
Once he was heard to distinctly articulate:
”This makes me tired.”
The court begged and pleaded, cajoled, argued in vain with the stubborn scrubwomen. Not an inch would they move in their demands. The floors were becoming unspeakably filthy. They had not been scrubbed since the arrival of the colony.
Norman turned to Barbara.
”Put the question solemnly to ourselves--we don't want the job at any price, do we?”
”I couldn't do it!” she admitted, frankly. ”Then what's the use? We must be fair. It's worth what they ask.”
The court granted the demands and the scrubwomen and dishwashers marched to the kitchen and once more the chef tore his hair and cursed the fate which brought him to such disgrace as to work with stupid subordinates at equal wages and gaze on dishwashers and scrubwomen whose wages exceeded his own.
The climax of all demands was reached when the drainman demanded a hundred and fifty dollars a month and four hours for each working day.
Norman looked at him in dumb confusion. He knew what he was going to say before he opened his mouth and he had no answer.
The drainman bowed low in mock humility, but the proud wave of his hand belied his words.
”My calling was a humble one in the old world, Comrade Judges,” he said. ”I came here to climb mountain heights and find my way among the stars. You have sent me back to the sewers. I always felt that I had missed my true calling. I've always wanted to be a poet----”
The Bard shook his mane and groaned.
”I don't want this job at any price. But the sewers are choked. They have not been cleaned for two years. It must be done. I've named my price. I'll gladly yield to any man who envies my luck. If such a man is here let him speak--or forever hereafter hold his peace.”
With a grandiloquent gesture the drainman swept the crowd with his eye, but no man responded.
The court granted his demand.
The Bard leaped once more to his feet and entered his protest. This time old Tom listened with interest. His concluding sentence rang with bitter irony:
”Against these absurd decisions I lift my voice once more in solemn protest. We came to this charmed island to abolish all cla.s.s distinctions. You have destroyed the old cla.s.ses based on culture, achievement, genius, wealth, and power. You have created a new aristocracy on whose s.h.i.+eld is emblazoned--a dish-rag and scrubbing-brush encircled by a sewer pipe! I make my most humble bow to our new king--the drainman! I hail the apotheosis of the scrubwoman!”
”Say, you give me a pain--shut up” thundered Tom.
The singer collapsed with a sigh and the crowd laughed.
The foreman of the farm brought two men before the court and asked for important instructions.
”Comrade Judges,” he began, ”I had two men a.s.signed to me a week ago whom I don't want and won't have at any price. I return them to the Brotherhood with thanks. You can do what you please with them.”
”What's the matter?” Norman asked, with some irritation.
The foreman shoved and kicked a man in front of the judges.
”This fool----”
”You must not use such language, Mr. Foreman,” Barbara interrupted.