Philip nodded. “All right. What concessions?”
Jack took a deep breath. “They were highly offended by the proposal to ban promotions. They think you’re trying to usurp the ancient prerogative of the lodge.”
“I explained to you that that was not my intention,” Philip said in an exasperated tone.
“I know, I know,” Jack said hastily. “Of course you did. And I believed you, but they didn’t.” An injured look came over Philip’s face. How could anyone disbelieve him? Hastily, Jack said: “But that’s in the past. I’m going to propose a compromise that won’t cost you anything.”
Philip looked interested.
Jack went on: “Let them continue to approve applications for promotion, but postpone the associated pay raise for a year.” And he thought: Find something to object to in that, if you can.
“Will they accept that?” Philip said skeptically.
“It’s worth a try.”
“What if I still can’t afford the pay raises a year from now?”
“Cross that bridge when you get to it.”
“You mean, renegotiate in a year’s time.”
Jack shrugged. “If necessary.”
“I see,” Philip said noncommittally. “Anything else?”
“The biggest stumbling block is the instant dismissal of the summer-workers.” Jack was being completely candid now. This issue could not be honeyed. “Instant dismissal has never been allowed on any building site in Christendom. The end of the week is the earliest.” To help Philip feel less foolish, Jack added: “I ought to have warned you of that.”
“So all I have to do is employ them for two more days?”
“I don’t think that will be enough, now,” Jack said. “If we’d handled it differently from the start we might have got away with that, but now they’ll want more of a compromise.”
“No doubt you’ve got something specific in mind.”
Jack had, and it was the only real concession he had to ask for. “It’s now the beginning of October. We normally dismiss the summer workers at the beginning of December. Let’s meet the men halfway, and do it at the beginning of November.”
“That only gives me half of what I need.”
“It gives you more than half. You still benefit from the rundown of stocks, the postponement of pay raises for promotion, and the saint’s days.”
“Those things are trimmings.”
Jack sat back, feeling gloomy. He had done his best. He had no more arguments to put to Philip, no more resources of persuasion to deploy, nothing left to say. He had shot his arrow. And Philip was still resistant. Jack was ready to concede defeat. He looked at Philip’s stony face and waited.
Philip looked over at the altar in the corner for a long, silent moment. Finally he looked back to Jack and said: “I’ll have to put this to the chapter.”
Jack went limp with relief. It was not a victory, but it was close. Philip would not ask the monks to consider anything he did not himself approve, and more often than not they did what Philip wanted. “I hope they accept,” Jack said weakly.
Philip stood up and put a hand on Jack’s shoulder. He smiled for the first time. “If I put the case as persuasively as you, they will,” he said.
Jack was surprised by this sudden change of mood. He said: “The sooner this is over, the less long-term effect it will have.”
“I know. It’s made me very angry, but I don’t want to quarrel with you.” Unexpectedly, he put out his hand.
Jack shook it, and felt good.
Jack said: “Shall I tell the builders to come to the lodge in the morning to hear the chapter’s verdict?”
“Yes, please.”
