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〃The moneyed man generally takes that。 No commodity is sold so far beyond its value as money。 Let me read it。〃
The purport of the agreement was as follows：New premises to be built by Bolt； a portion of the building to be constructed so that it could be easily watched night and day； and in that part the patent saw…grinding machines to be worked。 The expenses of this building to be paid off by degrees out of the gross receipts； and meanwhile Mr。 Bolt was to receive five per cent。 interest for his outlay and two…thirds of the profits； if any。 Mr。 Little to dispose of his present factory； and confine his patents to the joint operation。
Dr。 Amboyne； on mature consideration； advised Little to submit to all the conditions； except the clause confining his operations and his patents。 They just drew their pen through that clause； and sent the amended agreement to Bolt's hotel。 He demurred to the amendment； but Henry stood firm； and proposed a conference of four。 This took place at Dr。 Amboyne's house； and at last the agreement was thus modified： the use of the patents in Hillsborough to be confined to the firm of Bolt and Little： but Little to be free to sell them； or work them in any other town； and also free； in Hillsborough； to grind saws by hand； or do any other established operation of cutlery。
The parties signed； and Bolt went to work in earnest。 With all his resolution； he did not lack prudence。 He went into the suburbs for his site and bought a large piece of ground。 He advertised for contracts and plans； and brought them all to Henry； and profited by his practical remarks。
He warned the builders it must be a fortress； as well as a factory： but； at Henry's particular request； he withheld the precise reason。 〃I'm not to be rattened；〃 said he。 I mean to stop that little game。 I'm Ben Bolt； that's bad to beat。〃
At last the tender of Mr。 White was accepted； and as Mr。 Bolt； experienced in the delays of builders； tied him tight as to time； he； on his part； made a prompt and stringent contract with Messrs。 Whitbread； the brickmakers； and began to dig the foundations。
All this Henry communicated to Grace； and was in high spirits over it； and then so was she。 He had a beautiful frame made for the little picture she had given him； and hung it up in his studio。 It became the presiding genius； and indeed the animating spirit； of his life。
Both to him and Grace the bright and hopeful period of their love had come at last。 Even Bolt contributed something to Little's happiness。 The man； hard as he was in business； was not without a certain rough geniality； and then he was so brisk and bustling。 His exuberant energy pleased the inventor； and formed an agreeable relief to his reveries and deep fits of study。
The prospect was bright； and the air sunny。 In the midst of all which there rose in the horizon a cloud； like that seen by Elijah's servant； a cloud no bigger than a man's hand。
Bolt burst into the studio one day； like a shell； and； like a shell； exploded。
〃Here's a pretty go！ We're all at a standstill。 The brickmakers have struck。〃
〃Why； what is the matter？〃
〃Fourpence。 Young Whitbread； our brickmaker's son； is like youa bit of an inventor； he altered the shape of the bricks； to fit a small hand…machine； and Whitbreads reckoned to save tenpence a thousand。 The brickmakers objected directly。 Whitbreads didn't want a row； so they offered to share the profit。 The men sent two of their orators to parley； I was standing by Whithread when they came up； you should have heard 'em； anybody would have sworn the servants were masters； and the masters negro slaves。 When the servants had hectored a bit； the masters； meek and mild； said they would give them sixpence out of the tenpence sooner than they should feel dissatisfied。 No； that wouldn't do。 'Well； then；' says young Whitbread； 'are you agreed what will do？' 'Well；' said one of the servants； 'we WILL ALLOW YOU TO MAKE THE BRICKS； if you give us the tenpence。'〃
〃That was cool；〃 said Henry。 〃To be sure； all brainless beggars try to starve invention。〃
〃Yes； my man： and you grumbled at my taking two…thirds。 Labor is harder on you inventors than capital is； you see。 Well； I told 'em I wondered at their cheek； but the old man stopped me； and spoke quite mild： says he； 'You are too hard on us； we ought to gain a trifle by our own improvement； if it had come from you； we should pay you for it；' and he should stand by his offer of sixpence。 So then the men told them it would be the worse for them； and the old gentleman gave a bit of sigh； and said he couldn't help that； he must live in the trade； or leave it； he didn't much care which。 Next morning they all struck work； and there we arestopped。〃
〃Well；〃 said Henry； 〃it is provoking； but you mustn't ask me to meddle。 It's your business。〃
〃It is； and I'll show you I'm bad to beat。〃 With this doughty resolve he went off and drove the contractors； they drove the brickmakers； and the brickmakers got fresh hands from a distance； and the promise of some more。
Bolt rubbed his hands； and kept popping into the yard to see how they got on。 By this means he witnessed an incident familiar to brickmakers in that district； but new to him。 Suddenly loud cries of pain were heard； and two of the brickmakers held up hands covered with blood； and transfixed by needles。 Some ruffian had filled the clay with needles。 The sufferers were both disabled； and one went to the hospital。 Tempered clay enough to make two hundred thousand bricks had been needled； and had to be cleared away at a loss of time and material。
Bolt went and told Henry； and it only worried him； he could do nothing。 Bolt went and hired a watchman and a dog； at his own expense。 The dog was shot dead one dark night； and the watchman's box turned over and sat upon； watchman included； while the confederates trampled fifty thousand raw bricks into a shapeless mass。
The brickmasters； however； stood firm； and at last four of the old hands returned to him； and accepted the sixpence profit due to the master's invention。 These four were contribution…men； that is to say； they paid the Union a shilling per week for permission to make bricks； but this weekly payment was merely a sort of blackmail； it entitled them to no relief from the Union when out of work： so a three…weeks' strike brought them to starvation； and they could cooperate no longer with the genuine Union men； who were relieved from the box all this time。 Nevertheless； though their poverty； and not their will； brought them back to work； they were all threatened； and found themselves in a position that merits the sympathy of all men； especially of the very poor。 Starvation on one side； sanguinary threats on the other； from an Union which abandoned them in their need； yet expected them to stick by it and starve。 In short； the said Union was no pupil of Amboyne； could not put itself in the place of these hungry men； and realize their dilemma； it could only see the situation from its own point of view。 From that intellectual defect sprang a crime。 On a certain dark night； Thomas Wilde； one of these contribution…men； was burning bricks all by himself； when a body of s