smoke without fire, death without birth, harvest without seed, anything or
everything produced from nothing.
    The orator having refreshed himself, wiped his corrugated forehead from left
to right several times with his handkerchief folded into a pad, and concentrated
all his revived forces, in a sneer of great disdain and bitterness.
    »But oh, my friends and brothers! Oh, men and Englishmen, the down-trodden
operatives of Coketown! What shall we say of that man - that working-man, that I
should find it necessary so to libel the glorious name - who, being practically
and well acquainted with the grievances and wrongs of you, the injured pith and
marrow of this land, and having heard you, with a noble and majestic unanimity
that will make Tyrants tremble, resolve for to subscribe to the funds of the
United Aggregate Tribunal, and to abide by the injunctions issued by that body
for your benefit, whatever they may be - what, I ask you, will you say of that
working-man, since such I must acknowledge him to be, who, at such a time,
deserts his post, and sells his flag; who, at such a time, turns a traitor and a
craven and a recreant; who, at such a time, is not ashamed to make to you the
dastardly and humiliating avowal that he will hold himself aloof, and will not
be one of those associated in the gallant stand for Freedom and for Right?«
    The assembly was divided at this point. There were some groans and hisses,
but the general sense of honour was much too strong for the condemnation of a
man unheard. »Be sure you're right, Slackbridge!« »Put him up!« »Let's hear
him!« Such things were said on many sides. Finally, one strong voice called out,
»Is the man heer? If the man's heer, Slackbridge, let's hear the man himseln,
'stead o' yo.« Which was received with a round of applause.
    Slackbridge, the orator, looked about him with a withering smile; and,
holding out his right hand at arm's length (as the manner of all Slackbridges
is), to still the thundering sea, waited until there was a profound silence.
    »Oh, my friends and fellow-men!« said Slackbridge then, shaking his head
with violent scorn, »I do not wonder that you, the prostrate sons of labour, are
incredulous of the existence of such a man. But he who sold his birthright for a
mess