That he could think while he worked had been Hugo’s thesis when he walked up Sixth Avenue. Now, working steadily, working at a thing that was hard for other men and easy for him, he nevertheless fell into the stolid vacuum of the manual labourer. The mills became familiar, less fantastic. He remembered that oftentimes the war had given a more dramatic passage of man’s imagination forged into fire and steel.

His task was changed numerous times. For a while he puddled pig iron with the long-handled, hoe-like tool.

“Don’t slip in,” they said. It was succinct, graphic.

Then they put him on the hand cars that fed the furnaces. It was picturesque, daring, and for most men too hard. Few could manage the weight or keep up with the pace. Those who did were honoured by their fellows. The trucks were moved forward by human strength and dumped by hand-windlasses. Occasionally, they said, you became tired and fell into the furnace. Or jumped. If you got feeling woozy, they said, quit. The high rails and red mouths were hypnotic, like burning Baal and the Juggernaut.

Hugo’s problems had been abandoned. He worked as hard as he dared. The presence of grandeur and din made him content. How long it would have lasted is uncertain; not forever. On the day when he had pushed up two hundred and three loads during his shift, the boss stopped him in the yard.

A tall, lean, acid man. He caught Hugo’s sleeve and turned him round. “You’re one of the bastards on the furnace line.”

“Yes.”

“How many cars did you push up to-day?”

“Two hundred and three.”

“What the hell do you think this is, anyway?”

“I don’t get you.”

“Oh, you don’t, huh? Well, listen here, you God-damned athlete, what are you trying to do? You got the men all sore—wearing themselves out. I had to lay off three—why? Because they couldn’t keep up with you, that’s why. Because they got their guts in a snarl trying to bust your record. What do you think you’re in? A race? Somebody’s got to show you your place around here and I think I’ll just kick a lung out right now.”

The boss had worked himself into a fury. He became conscious of an audience of workers. Hugo smiled. “I wouldn’t advise you to try that—even if you are a big guy.”

“What was that?” The words were roared. He gathered himself, but when Hugo did not flinch, did not prepare himself, he was suddenly startled. He remembered, perhaps, the two hundred and three cars. He opened his fist. “All right. I ain’t even goin’ to bother myself tryin’ to break you in to this game. Get out.”

“What?”

“Get out. Beat it. I’m firing you.”