Part 60 (2/2)

”Do what?” said Mrs Trotman.

”Stick their bayonets into the Capitalists who have hired them to cut the throats of the working cla.s.ses,” said Devilsdust.

”The Queen is with us,” said Mick. ”It's well known she sets her face against gals working in mills like blazes.”

”Well this is news,” said Mrs Carey. ”I always thought some good would come of having a woman on the throne;” and repeating her thanks and pinning on her shawl, the widow retired, eager to circulate the intelligence.

”And now that we are alone,” said Devilsdust, ”the question is what are we to do here; and we came to consult you, Jack, as you know Mowbray better than any living man. This thing will spread. It won't stop short.

I have had a bird too singing something in my ear these two days past.

If they do not stop it in Lancas.h.i.+re, and I defy them, there will be a general rising.”

”I have seen a many things in my time,” said Mr Trotman; ”some risings and some strikes, and as stiff turn-outs as may be. But to my fancy there is nothing like a strike in prosperous times; there's more money sent under those circ.u.mstances than you can well suppose, young gentlemen. It's as good as Mowbray Staty any day.”

”But now to the point,” said Devilsdust. ”The people are regularly sold; they want a leader.”

”Why there's Gerard,” said Chaffing Jack; ”never been a better man in my time. And Warner--the greatest man the Handlooms ever turned out.”

”Ay, ay,” said Devilsdust; ”but they have each of them had a year and a half, and that cools blood.”

”Besides,” said Mick, ”they are too old; and Stephen Morley has got round them, preaching moral force and all that sort of gammon.”

”I never heard that moral force won the battle of Waterloo,” said Devilsdust. ”I wish the Capitalists would try moral force a little, and see whether it would keep the thing going. If the Capitalists will give up their red-coats, I would be a moral force man to-morrow.”

”And the new police,” said Mick. ”A pretty go when a fellow in a blue coat fetches you the Devil's own con on your head and you get moral force for a plaister.”

”Why, that's all very well,” said Chaffing Jack: ”but I am against violence--at least much. I don't object to a moderate riot provided it is not in my quarter of the town.”

”Well that's not the ticket now,” said Mick. ”We don't want no violence; all we want is to stop all the mills and hands in the kingdom, and have a regular national holiday for six weeks at least.”

”I have seen a many things in my time,” said Chaffing Jack solemnly, ”but I have always observed that if the people had worked generally for half time for a week they would stand anything.”

”That's a true bill,” said Mick.

”Their spirit is broken,” said Chaffing Jack, ”or else they never would have let the Temple have been shut up.”

”And think of our Inst.i.tute without a single subscriber!” said Mick.

”The gals is the only thing what has any spirit left. Julia told me just now she would go to the cannon's mouth for the Five Points any summer day.”

”You think the spirit can't be raised, Chaffing Jack,” said Devilsdust very seriously. ”You ought to be a judge.”

”If I don't know Mowbray who does? Trust my word, the house won't draw.”

”Then it is U-P,” said Mick.

”Hus.h.!.+” said Devilsdust. ”But suppose it spreads?”

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