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ods？ Does what you call 〃Free Trade〃 help us here？ Or do you think that abolishing the House of Lords； or disestablishing the Church； will enable the workers who are displaced to obtain employment？ Since it IS true … as you admit … that machinery is the principal cause of unemployment； what are you going to do about it？ What's your remedy？'
No one answered； because none of them knew of any remedy： and Crass began to feel sorry that he had re…introduced the subject at all。
‘In the near future；' continued Owen； ‘it is probable that horses will be almost entirely superseded by motor cars and electric trams。 As the services of horses will be no longer required； all but a few of those animals will be caused to die out： they will no longer be bred to the same extent as formerly。 We can't blame the horses for allowing themselves to be exterminated。 They have not sufficient intelligence to understand what's being done。 Therefore they will submit tamely to the extinction of the greater number of their kind。
‘As we have seen； a great deal of the work which was formerly done by human beings is now being done by machinery。 This machinery belongs to a few people： it is worked for the benefit of those few； just the same as were the human beings it displaced。 These Few have no longer any need of the services of so many human workers； so they propose to exterminate them！ The unnecessary human beings are to be allowed to starve to death！ And they are also to be taught that it is wrong to marry and breed children； because the Sacred Few do not require so many people to work for them as before！'
‘Yes； and you'll never be able to prevent it； mate！' shouted Crass。
‘Why can't we？'
‘Because it can't be done！' cried Crass fiercely。 ‘It's impossible！'
‘You're always sayin' that everything's all wrong；' complained Harlow； ‘but why the 'ell don't you tell us 'ow they're goin' to be put right？'
‘It doesn't seem to me as if any of you really wish to know。 I believe that even if it were proved that it could be done； most of you would be sorry and would do all you could to prevent it。'
‘'E don't know 'isself；' sneered Crass。 ‘Accordin' to 'im； Tariff Reform ain't no bloody good … Free Trade ain't no bloody good； and everybody else is wrong！ But when you arst 'im what ought to be done … 'e's flummoxed。'
Crass did not feel very satisfied with the result of this machinery argument； but he consoled himself with the reflection that he would be able to flatten out his opponent on another subject。 The cutting from the Obscurer which he had in his pocket would take a bit of answering！ When you have a thing in print … in black and white … why there it is； and you can't get away from it！ If it wasn't right； a paper like that would never have printed it。 However； as it was now nearly half past eight； he resolved to defer this triumph till another occasion。 It was too good a thing to be disposed of in a hurry。
Chapter 8
The Cap on the Stairs
After breakfast； when they were working together in the drawing…room； Easton； desiring to do Owen a good turn； thought he would put him on his guard； and repeated to him in a whisper the substance of the conversation he had held with Crass concerning him。
‘Of course； you needn't mention that I told you； Frank；' he said； ‘but I thought I ought to let you know： you can take it from me； Crass ain't no friend of yours。'
‘I've know that for a long time； mate；' replied Owen。 ‘Thanks for telling me； all the same。'
‘The bloody rotter's no friend of mine either； or anyone else's； for that matter；' Easton continued； ‘but of course it doesn't do to fall out with 'im because you never know what he'd go and say to ol' 'Unter。'
‘Yes； one has to remember that。'
‘Of course we all know what's the matter with 'im as far as YOU'RE concerned；' Easton went on。 ‘He don't like 'avin' anyone on the firm wot knows more about the work than 'e does 'imself … thinks 'e might git worked out of 'is job。'
Owen laughed bitterly。
‘He needn't be afraid of ME on THAT account。 I wouldn't have his job if it were offered to me。'
‘But 'e don't think so；' replied Easton； ‘and that's why 'e's got 'is knife into you；'
‘I believe that what he said about Hunter is true enough；' said Owen。 ‘Every time he comes here he tries to goad me into doing or saying something that would give him an excuse to tell me to clear out。 I might have done it before now if I had not guessed what he was after； and been on my guard。'
Meantime； Crass； in the kitchen； had resumed his seat by the fire with the purpose of finishing his pipe of tobacco。 Presently he took out his pocket…book and began to write in it with a piece of black…lead pencil。 When the pipe was smoked out he knocked the bowl against the grate to get rid of the ash； and placed the pipe in his waistcoat pocket。 Then； having torn out the leaf on which he had been writing； he got up and went into the pantry； where Bert was still struggling with the old whitewash。
‘Ain't yer nearly finished？ I don't want yer to stop in 'ere all day； yer know。'
‘I ain't got much more to do now；' said the boy。 ‘Just this bit under the bottom shelf and then I'm done。'
‘Yes； and a bloody fine mess you've made； what I can see of it！' growled Crass。 ‘Look at all this water on the floor！'
Bert looked guiltily at the floor and turned very red。
‘I'll clean it all up'； he stammered。 ‘As soon as I've got this bit of wall done； I'll wipe all the mess up with the swab。'
Crass now took a pot of paint and some brushes and； having put some more fuel on the fire； began in a leisurely way to paint some of the woodwork in the kitchen。 Presently Bert came in。
‘I've finished there；' he said。
‘About time； too。 You'll 'ave to look a bit livelier than you do； you know； or me and you will fall out。'
Bert did not answer。
‘Now I've got another job for yer。 You're fond of drorin； ain't yer？' continued Crass in a jeering tone。
‘Yes； a little；' replied the boy； shamefacedly。
‘Well；' said Crass； giving him the leaf he had torn out of the pocket…book； ‘you can go up to the yard and git them things and put 'em on a truck and dror it up 'ere； and git back as soon as you can。 Just look at the paper and see if you understand it before you go。 I don't want you to make no mistakes。'
Bert took the paper and with some difficulty read as follows：
I pare steppes 8 foot 1/2 gallon Plastor off perish 1 pale off witewosh 12 lbs wite led 1/2 gallon Linsede Hoil Do。 Do。 turps
‘I can make it out all right。'
‘You'd better bring the big truck；' said Crass； ‘because I want you to take the venetian blinds with you on it when you take it back tonight。 They've got to be painted at the shop。'
‘All right。'
When the boy had departed Crass took a stroll through the house to see how the others were getting on。 Then he returned to the kitchen and proceeded with his work。
Crass was about thirty…eight years of age； rather above middle height and rather stout。 He had a considerable quantity of curly black hair and wore a short beard of the same colour。 His head was rather large； but low； and flat on top。 When among his cronies he was in the habit of referring to his obesity as the result of good nature and a contented mind。 Behind his back other people attributed it to beer； some even going to far as to nickname him the ‘tank'。
There was no work of a noisy kind being done this morning。 Both the carpenters and the bricklayers having been taken away； temporarily； to another ‘job'。 At the same time there was not absolute silence： occasionally Crass could hear the voices of the other workmen as they spoke to each other； sometimes shouting from one room to another。 Now and then Harlow's voice rang through the house as he sang snatches of music…hall songs or a verse of a Moody and Sankey hymn； and occasionally some of the others joined in the chorus or interrupted the singer with squeals and catcalls。 Once or twice Crass was on the point of telling them to make less row： there would be a fine to do if Nimrod came and heard them。 Just as he had made up his mind to tell them to stop the noise； it ceased of itself and he heard loud whispers：
‘Look out！ Someone's comin'。'
The house became very quiet。
Crass put out his pipe and opened the window and the back door to get rid of the smell of the tobacco smoke。 Then he shifted the pair of steps noisily； and proceeded to work more quickly than before。 Most likely it was old Misery。
He worked on for some time in silence； but no one came to the kitchen： whoever it was must have gone upstairs。 Crass listened attentively。 Who could it be？ He would have liked to go to see whom it was； but at the same time； if it were Nimrod； Crass wished to be discovered at work。 He therefore waited a little longer and presently he heard the sound of voices upstairs but was unable to recognize them。 He was just about to go out into the passage to listen； when whoever it was began coming downstairs。 Crass at once resumed his work。 The footsteps came along the passage leading to the kitchen： slow； heavy； ponderous footsteps； but yet the sound was not such as would be made by a man heavily shod