"I have seen a many things in my time Mrs Trotman," said Chaffing Jackas he took the pipe from his mouth in the silent bar room of the Cat andFiddle; "but I never see any like this. I think I ought to know Mowbrayif any one does, for man and boy I have breathed this air for a matterof half a century. I sucked it in when it tasted of primroses, and thistavern was a cottage covered with honeysuckle in the middle of greenfields, where the lads came and drank milk from the cow with theirlasses; and I have inhaled what they call the noxious atmosphere, whena hundred chimneys have been smoking like one; and always found myselfpretty well. Nothing like business to give one an appetite. But whenshall I feel peckish again, Mrs Trotman?"
"The longest lane has a turning they say, Mr Trotman."
"Never knew anything like this before," replied her husband, "and Ihave seen bad times: but I always used to say, 'Mark my words friends,Mowbray will rally.' My words carried weight, Mrs Trotman, inthis quarter, as they naturally should, coming from a man of myexperience,--especially when I gave tick. Every man I chalked up wasof the same opinion as the landlord of the Cat and Fiddle, and alwaysthought that Mowbray would rally. That's the killing feature of thesetimes, Mrs Trotman, there's no rallying in the place."
"I begin to think it's the machines," said Mrs Trotman.
"Nonsense," said Mr Trotman; "it's the corn laws. The town of Mowbrayought to clothe the world with our resources. Why Shuffle and Screw canturn out forty mile of calico per day; but where's the returns? That'sthe point. As the American gentleman said who left his bill unpaid,'Take my breadstuffs and I'll give you a cheque at sight on thePennsylvanian Bank.'"
"It's very true," said Mrs Trotman. "Who's there?"
"Nothing in my way?" said a woman with a basket of black cherries with apair of tin scales thrown upon their top.
"Ah! Mrs Carey," said Chaffing Jack, "is that you?"
"My mortal self, Mr Trotman, tho' I be sure I feel more like a ghostthan flesh and blood."
"You may well say that Mrs Carey; you and I have known Mowbray as long Ishould think as any in this quarter--"
"And never see such times as these Mr Trotman, nor the like of such. ButI always thought it would come to this; everything turned topsy-turvyas it were, the children getting all the wages, and decent folk turnedadrift to pick up a living as they could. It's something of a judgmentin my mind, Mr Trotman."
"It's the trade leaving the county, widow, and no mistake."
"And how shall we bring it back again?" said the widow; "the policeought to interfere."
"We must have cheap bread," said Mr Trotman.
"So they tell me," said the widow; "but whether bread be cheap or deardon't much signify, if we have nothing to buy it with. You don't wantanything in my way, neighbour? It's not very tempting I fear," said thegood widow, in a rather mournful tone: "but a little fresh fruit coolsthe mouth in this sultry time, and at any rate it takes me into theworld. It seems like business, tho' very hard to turn a penny by; butone's neighbours are very kind, and a little chat about the dreadfultimes always puts me in spirits."
"Well, we will take a pound for the sake of trade, widow," said MrsTrotman.
"And here's a glass of gin and water, widow," said Mr Trotman, "and whenMowbray rallies you shall come and pay for it."
"Thank you both very kindly," said the widow, "a good neighbour as ourminister says, is the pool of Bethesda; and as you say, Mowbray willrally."
"I never said so," exclaimed Chaffing Jack interrupting her. "Don't goabout for to say that I said Mowbray would rally. My words have someweight in this quarter widow; Mowbray rally! Why should it rally?Where's the elements?"
"Where indeed?" said Devilsdust as he entered the Cat and Fiddle withDandy Mick, "there is not the spirit of a louse in Mowbray."
"That's a true bill," said Mick.
"Is there another white-livered town in the whole realm where theoperatives are all working half-time, and thanking the Capitalistsfor keeping the mills going, and only starving them by inches?" saidDevilsdust in a tone of scorn.
"That's your time of day," said Mick.
"Very glad to see you, gentlemen," said Mr Trotman, "pray be seated.There's a little baccy left yet in Mowbray, and a glass of twist at yourservice."
"Nothing exciseable for me," said Devilsdust.
"Well it ayn't exactly the right ticket, Mrs Trotman, I believe," saidMick, bowing gallantly to the lady; "but 'pon my soul I am so thirsty,that I'll take Chaffing Jack at his word;" and so saying Mick andDevilsdust ensconced themselves in the bar, while good-hearted MrsCarey, sipped her glass of gin and water, which she frequently protestedwas a pool of Bethesda.
"Well Jack," said Devilsdust, "I suppose you have heard the news?"
"If it be anything that has happened at Mowbray, especially in thisquarter, I should think I had. Times must be very bad indeed that someone does not drop in to tell me anything that has happened and to ask myadvice."
"It's nothing to do with Mowbray."
"Thank you kindly, Mrs Trotman," said Mick, "and here's your very goodhealth."
"Then I am in the dark," said Chaffing Jack, replying to the previousobservation of Devilsdust, "for I never see a newspaper now except aweek old, and that lent by a friend, I who used to take my Sun regular,to say nothing of the Dispatch, and Bell's Life. Times is changed, MrRadley."
"You speak like a book, Mr Trotman," said Mick, "and here's your verygood health. But as for newspapers, I'm all in the dark myself, for theLiterary and Scientific is shut up, and no subscribers left, except thehonorary ones, and not a journal to be had except the Moral World andthat's gratis."
"As bad as the Temple," said Chaffing Jack, "it's all up with theinstitutions of the country. And what then is the news?"
"Labour is triumphant in Lancashire," said Devilsdust with bittersolemnity.
"The deuce it is," said Chaffing Jack. "What, have they raised wages?"
"No," said Devilsdust, "but they have stopped the mills."
"That won't mend matters much," said Jack with a puff.
"Won't it?"
"The working classes will have less to spend than ever."
"And what will the Capitalists have to spend?" said Devilsdust. "Worseand worse," said Mr Trotman, "you will never get institutions like theTemple re-opened on this system."
"Don't you be afraid Jack," said Mick, tossing off his tumbler; "if weonly get our rights, won't we have a blowout!"
"We must have a struggle," said Devilsdust, "and teach the Capitalistson whom they depend, so that in future they are not to have the lion'sshare, and then all will be right."
"A fair day's wage for a fair day's work," said Mick; "that's your timeof day."
"It began at Staleybridge," said Devilsdust, "and they have stopped themall; and now they have marched into Manchester ten thousand strong. Theypelted the police--"
"And cheered the red-coats like blazes," said Mick.
"The soldiers will fraternise," said Devilsdust.
"Do what?" said Mrs Trotman.
"Stick their bayonets into the Capitalists who have hired them to cutthe throats of the working classes," said Devilsdust.
"The Queen is with us," said Mick. "It's well known she sets her faceagainst gals working in mills like blazes."
"Well this is news," said Mrs Carey. "I always thought some good wouldcome of having a woman on the throne;" and repeating her thanksand pinning on her shawl, the widow retired, eager to circulate theintelligence.
"And now that we are alone," said Devilsdust, "the question is what arewe to do here; and we came to consult you, Jack, as you know Mowbraybetter 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 Lancashire, and I defy them, there will be ageneral rising."
"I have seen a many things in my time," said Mr Trotman; "some risingsand some strikes, and as stiff turn-outs as may be. But to my fancythere is nothing like a strike in prosperous times;
there's moremoney sent under those circumstances than you can well suppose, younggentlemen. 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 mytime. And Warner--the greatest man the Handlooms ever turned out."
"Ay, ay," said Devilsdust; "but they have each of them had a year and ahalf, and that cools blood."
"Besides," said Mick, "they are too old; and Stephen Morley has gotround them, preaching moral force and all that sort of gammon."
"I never heard that moral force won the battle of Waterloo," saidDevilsdust. "I wish the Capitalists would try moral force a little, andsee whether it would keep the thing going. If the Capitalists will giveup 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 bluecoat fetches you the Devil's own con on your head and you get moralforce for a plaister."
"Why, that's all very well," said Chaffing Jack: "but I am againstviolence--at least much. I don't object to a moderate riot provided itis 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 havea 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 forhalf 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 wouldhave let the Temple have been shut up."
"And think of our Institute without a single subscriber!" said Mick."The gals is the only thing what has any spirit left. Julia told me justnow she would go to the cannon's mouth for the Five Points any summerday."
"You think the spirit can't be raised, Chaffing Jack," said Devilsdustvery 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.
"Hush!" said Devilsdust. "But suppose it spreads?"
"It won't spread," said Chaffing Jack. "I've seen a deal of thesethings. I fancy from what you say it's a cotton squall. It will pass,Sir. Let me see the miners out and then I will talk to you."
"Stranger things than that have happened," said Devilsdust. "Then thingsget serious," said Chaffing Jack. "Them miners is very stubborn, andwhen they gets excited ayn't it a bear at play, that's all?"
"Well," said Devilsdust, "what you say is well worth attention but allthe same I feel we are on the eve of a regular crisis."
"No, by jingo!" said Mick, and tossing his cap into the air he snappedhis fingers with delight at the anticipated amusement.
Book 6 Chapter 4