按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Meanwhile； Bundy stood up to help himself to some more tea。 The cup he was drinking from had a large piece broken out of one side and did not hold much； so he usually had to have three or four helpings。
‘Anyone else want any' he asked。
Several cups and jars were passed to him。 These vessels had been standing on the floor； and the floor was very dirty and covered with dust； so before dipping them into the pail； Bundy … who had been working at the drains all morning … wiped the bottoms of the jars upon his trousers； on the same place where he was in the habit of wiping his hands when he happened to get some dirt on them。 He filled the jars so full that as he held them by the rims and passed them to their owners part of the contents slopped over and trickled through his fingers。 By the time he had finished the floor was covered with little pools of tea。
‘They say that Gord made everything for some useful purpose；' remarked Harlow； reverting to the original subject； ‘but I should like to know what the hell's the use of sich things as bugs and fleas and the like。'
‘To teach people to keep theirselves clean； of course；' said Slyme。
‘That's a funny subject； ain't it？' continued Harlow； ignoring Slyme's answer。 ‘They say as all diseases is caused by little insects。 If Gord 'adn't made no cancer germs or consumption microbes there wouldn't be no cancer or consumption。'
‘That's one of the proofs that there ISN'T an individual God；' said Owen。 ‘If we were to believe that the universe and everything that lives was deliberately designed and created by God； then we must also believe that He made his disease germs you are speaking of for the purpose of torturing His other creatures。'
‘You can't tell me a bloody yarn like that；' interposed Crass； roughly。 ‘There's a Ruler over us； mate； and so you're likely to find out。'
‘If Gord didn't create the world； 'ow did it come 'ere？' demanded Slyme。
‘I know no more about that than you do；' replied Owen。 ‘That is … I know nothing。 The only difference between us is that you THINK you know。 You think you know that God made the universe； how long it took Him to do it； why He made it； how long it's been in existence and how it will finally pass away。 You also imagine you know that we shall live after we're dead； where we shall go； and the kind of existence we shall have。 In fact； in the excess of your 〃humility〃； you think you know all about it。 But really you know no more of these things than any other human being does； that is； you know NOTHING。'
‘That's only YOUR opinion；' said Slyme。
‘If we care to take the trouble to learn；' Owen went on； ‘we can know a little of how the universe has grown and changed； but of the beginning we know nothing；'
‘That's just my opinion； matey；' observed Philpot。 ‘It's just a bloody mystery； and that's all about it。'
‘I don't pretend to 'ave no 'ead knowledge；' said Slyme； ‘but 'ead knowledge won't save a man's soul： it's 'EART knowledge as does that。 I knows in my 'eart as my sins is all hunder the Blood； and it's knowin' that； wot's given 'appiness and the peace which passes all understanding to me ever since I've been a Christian。'
‘Glory； glory； hallelujah！' shouted Bundy； and nearly everyone laughed。
‘〃Christian〃 is right；' sneered Owen。 ‘You've got some title to call yourself a Christian； haven't you？ As for the happiness that passes all understanding； it certainly passes MY understanding how you can be happy when you believe that millions of people are being tortured in Hell； and it also passes my understanding why you are not ashamed of yourself for being happy under such circumstances。'
‘Ah； well； you'll find it all out when you come to die； mate；' replied Slyme in a threatening tone。 ‘You'll think and talk different then！'
‘That's just wot gets over ME；' observed Harlow。 ‘It don't seem right that after living in misery and poverty all our bloody lives； workin' and slavin' all the hours that Gord A'mighty sends； that we're to be bloody well set fire and burned in 'ell for all eternity！ It don't seem feasible to me； you know。'
‘It's my belief；' said Philpot； profoundly； ‘that when you're dead； you're done for。 That's the end of you。'
‘That's what *I* say；' remarked Easton。 ‘As for all this religious business； it's just a money…making dodge。 It's the parson's trade； just the same as painting is ours； only there's no work attached to it and the pay's a bloody sight better than ours is。'
‘It's their livin'； and a bloody good livin' too； if you ask me；' said Bundy。
‘Yes；' said Harlow； ‘they lives on the fat o' the land； and wears the best of everything； and they does nothing for it but talk a lot of twaddle two or three times a week。 The rest of the time they spend cadgin' money orf silly old women who thinks it's a sorter fire insurance。'
‘It's an old sayin' and a true one；' chimed in the man on the upturned pail。 ‘Parsons and publicans is the worst enemies the workin' man ever 'ad。 There may be SOME good 'uns； but they're few and far between。'
‘If I could only get a job like the Harchbishop of Canterbury；' said Philpot； solemnly； ‘I'd leave this firm。'
‘So would I；' said Harlow； ‘if I was the Harchbishop of Canterbury； I'd take my pot and brushes down the office and shy 'em through the bloody winder and tell ole Misery to go to 'ell。'
‘Religion is a thing that don't trouble ME much；' remarked Newman； ‘and as for what happens to you after death； it's a thing I believe in leavin' till you comes to it … there's no sense in meetin' trouble 'arfway。 All the things they tells us may be true or they may not； but it takes me all my time to look after THIS world。 I don't believe I've been to church more than arf a dozen times since I've been married … that's over fifteen years ago now … and then it's been when the kids 'ave been christened。 The old woman goes sometimes and of course the young 'uns goes； you've got to tell 'em something or other； and they might as well learn what they teaches at the Sunday School as anything else。'
A general murmur of approval greeted this。 It seemed to be the almost unanimous opinion； that； whether it were true or not； ‘religion' was a nice thing to teach children。
‘I've not been even once since I was married；' said Harlow； ‘and I sometimes wish to Christ I 'adn't gorn then。'
‘I don't see as it matters a dam wot a man believes；' said Philpot； ‘as long as you don't do no 'arm to nobody。 If you see a poor br wot's down on 'is luck； give 'im a 'elpin' 'and。 Even if you ain't got no money you can say a kind word。 If a man does 'is work and looks arter 'is 'ome and 'is young 'uns； and does a good turn to a fellow creature when 'e can； I reckon 'e stands as much chance of getting into 'eaven … if there IS sich a place … as some of there 'ere Bible…busters； whether 'e ever goes to church or chapel or not。'
These sentiments were echoed by everyone with the solitary exception of Slyme； who said that Philpot would find out his mistake after he was dead； when he would have to stand before the Great White Throne for judgement！
‘And at the Last Day； when yer sees the moon turned inter Blood； you'll be cryin' hout for the mountings and