Oliver’s little speech was made with a great effort in a pause of the drowsy hum of the machinery and the equally lulling splash of the water—churned into the likeness of foaming milk by the rapid revolutions of the mill-wheel. In the middle of the self-consciousness and confusion which beset him, and disturbed the clear sequence of his best thoughts and ideas, Oliver made it be heard and understood that he was to keep on the mill and take the chief management in the room of his father. He succeeded in saying that he expected the men to do him faithful service, while he would try his best to make their close connection the mutual benefit it ought to be. He hoped that each man of them, as well as himself, saw only one interest between master and servant, and would be ready to back him in trying to do his duty. Therefore, as he would not stint them in their wages, without a good cause which he should put plainly before them, or ask them to make bricks without straw—that is, to grind corn without sufficient water power, mechanical power, reasonable time and competent guidance—so he trusted they would be prepared to play their part in furnishing the due amount of labour, and not demean themselves to any of the tricks of palming off bad, slovenly, half-completed work, for good and thorough work, which were bringing labour into general disrepute, and threatening to become the curse and ruin of the integrity and prosperity of England, where employers and employed were concerned. Oliver told them frankly that for their sake—no less than for his own, he would not consent to take scamped work, or any known lazy, knavish substitute for honest work, from the best and most skilled workmen, in other respects, among them. In return, his workpeople had a right to require from him not only punctual payment of their wages, but intelligent consideration of their position, helpful sympathy with their efforts, forbearance for their blunders, as he should claim tolerance from them for his mistakes. Although he had thought it advisable to begin by warning them of what he could not and ought not to permit in their relation, he also told them what they were not called upon to bear from him—heartless indifference to their welfare, and unprincipled gambling with flesh and blood, as the means of keeping up the game of speculation rather than fair trade. He was ready to trust them for the loyal discharge of their obligations, till they were put to the proof. He asked them in return to trust his father’s son till they learned to know him better as their master.