Part 60 (2/2)
”Never mind what is man; what is your hobby?”
”Saving idiotic ruffians' lives.”
”Well, that is a hobby. But, if Mr. Little is to profit by it, never mind; you shall not be interrupted, if I can keep 'les facheux' away.”
Accordingly she got her work, and sat in the hall. Here, as she expected, she was soon joined by Mr. Coventry, and he found her in a gracious mood, and in excellent spirits.
After some very pleasant conversation, she told him she was keeping sentinel over Dr. Amboyne and his hobby.
”What is that?”
”Saving idiotic ruffians' lives. Ha! ha! ha!”
Her merry laugh rang through the hall like a peal of bells.
Coventry stared, and then gave up trying to understand her and her eternal changes. He just set himself to please her, and he never found it easier than that afternoon.
Meantime Dr. Amboyne got Raby alone, and begged leave, in the first place, to premise that his (Raby's) nephew was a remarkable man. To prove it, he related Little's whole battle with the Hillsborough Trades; and then produced a report the young man had handed him that very day.
It was actually in his pocket during the fight, mute protest against that barbarous act.
The Report was ent.i.tled--”LIFE, LABOR AND CAPITAL IN HILLSBOROUGH,” and was divided into two parts.
Part 1 was ent.i.tled--”PECULIARITIES OF CUTLERY HURTFUL TO LIFE AND HEALTH.”
And part 2 was ent.i.tled--”The REMEDIES TO THE ABOVE.”
Part 2 was divided thus:--
A. What the masters could do.
B. What the workmen could do.
C. What the Legislature could do.
Part 1 dealt first with the diseases of the grinders; but instead of quoting it, I ask leave to refer to Chapter VIII., where the main facts lie recorded.
Having thus curtailed the Report, I print the remainder in an Appendix, for the use of those few readers who can endure useful knowledge in works of this cla.s.s.
Raby read the report without moving a muscle.
”Well, what do you think of him?” asked Amboyne.
”I think he is a fool to trouble his head whether these animals live or die.”
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