for the term of his natural life- 第42部分

〃Poisoning　his　niece；　I　think；　but　I　forget　the　particulars。　He　was　a　gentlemanly　man；　but；　oh；　such　a　drunkard！〃

Mr。　Meekin；　more　astonished　than　ever　at　this　strange　country；　where　beautiful　young　ladies　talked　of　poisoning　and　flogging　as　matters　of　little　moment；　where　wives　imprisoned　their　husbands；　and　murderers　taught　French；　perfumed　the　air　with　his　cambric　handkerchief　in　silence。

〃You　have　not　been　here　long；　Mr。　Meekin；〃　said　Sylvia；　after　a　pause。

〃No；　only　a　week；　and　I　confess　I　am　surprised。　　A　lovely　climate；　but；　as　I　said　just　now　to　Mrs。　Jellicoe；　the　Trail　of　the　Serpent　the　Trail　of　the　Serpentmy　dear　young　lady。〃

〃If　you　send　all　the　wretches　in　England　here；　you　must　expect　the　Trail　of　the　Serpent；〃　said　Sylvia。　　〃It　isn't　the　fault　of　the　colony。〃

〃Oh；　no；　certainly　not；〃　returned　Meekin；　hastening　to　apologize。　〃But　it　is　very　shocking。〃

〃Well；　you　gentlemen　should　make　it　better。　　I　don't　know　what　the　penal　settlements　are　like；　but　the　prisoners　in　the　town　have　not　much　inducement　to　become　good　men。〃

〃They　have　the　beautiful　Liturgy　of　our　Holy　Church　read　to　them　twice　every　week；　my　dear　young　lady；〃　said　Mr。　Meekin；　as　though　he　should　solemnly　say；　〃if　that　doesn't　reform　them；　what　will？〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　returned　Sylvia；　〃they　have　that；　certainly；　but　that　is　only　on　Sundays。　　But　don't　let　us　talk　about　this；　Mr。　Meekin；〃　she　added；　pushing　back　a　stray　curl　of　golden　hair。　　〃Papa　says　that　I　am　not　to　talk　about　these　things；　because　they　are　all　done　according　to　the　Rules　of　the　Service；　as　he　calls　it。〃

〃An　admirable　notion　of　papa's；〃　said　Meekin；　much　relieved　as　the　door　opened；　and　Vickers　and　Frere　entered。

Vickers's　hair　had　grown　white；　but　Frere　carried　his　thirty　years　as　easily　as　some　men　carry　two…and…twenty。

〃My　dear　Sylvia；〃　began　Vickers；　〃here's　an　extraordinary　thing！〃　and　then；　becoming　conscious　of　the　presence　of　the　agitated　Meekin；　he　paused。

〃You　know　Mr。　Meekin；　papa？〃　said　Sylvia。　　〃Mr。　Meekin；　Captain　Frere。〃

〃I　have　that　pleasure；〃　said　Vickers。　　〃Glad　to　see　you；　sir。　Pray　sit　down。〃　Upon　which；　Mr。　Meekin　beheld　Sylvia　unaffectedly　kiss　both　gentlemen；　but　became　strangely　aware　that　the　kiss　bestowed　upon　her　father　was　warmer　than　that　which　greeted　her　affianced　husband。

〃Warm　weather；　Mr。　Meekin；〃　said　Frere。　　〃Sylvia；　my　darling；　I　hope　you　have　not　been　out　in　the　heat。　　You　have！　　My　dear；　I've　begged　you〃

〃It's　not　hot　at　all；〃　said　Sylvia　pettishly。　　〃Nonsense！　　I'm　not　made　of　butterI　sha'n't　melt。　　Thank　you；　dear；　you　needn't　pull　the　blind　down。〃　And　then；　as　though　angry　with　herself　for　her　anger；　she　added；　〃You　are　always　thinking　of　me；　Maurice；〃　and　gave　him　her　hand　affectionately。

〃It's　very　oppressive；　Captain　Frere；〃　said　Meekin；　〃and　to　a　stranger；　quite　enervating。〃

〃Have　a　glass　of　wine；〃　said　Frere；　as　if　the　house　was　his　own。　〃One　wants　bucking　up　a　bit　on　a　day　like　this。〃

〃Ay；　to　be　sure；〃　repeated　Vickers。　　〃A　glass　of　wine。　　Sylvia；　dear；　some　sherry。　　I　hope　she　has　not　been　attacking　you　with　her　strange　theories；　Mr。　Meekin。〃

〃Oh；　dear；　no；　not　at　all；〃　returned　Meekin；　feeling　that　this　charming　young　lady　was　regarded　as　a　creature　who　was　not　to　be　judged　by　ordinary　rules。　　〃We　got　on　famously；　my　dear　Major。〃

〃That's　right；〃　said　Vickers。　　〃She　is　very　plain…spoken；　is　my　little　girl；　and　strangers　can't　understand　her　sometimes。　　Can　they；　Poppet？〃

Poppet　tossed　her　head　saucily。　　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said。　〃Why　shouldn't　they？　　But　you　were　going　to　say　something　extraordinary　when　you　came　in。　　What　is　it；　dear？〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Vickers　with　grave　face。　　〃Yes；　a　most　extraordinary　thing。　They've　caught　those　villains。〃

〃What；　you　don't　mean？　　No；　papa！〃　said　Sylvia；　turning　round　with　alarmed　face。

In　that　little　family　there　were；　for　conversational　purposes；　but　one　set　of　villains　in　the　worldthe　mutineers　of　the　Osprey。

〃They've　got　four　of　them　in　the　bay　at　this　momentRex；　Barker；　Shiers；　and　Lesly。　　They　are　on　board　the　Lady　Jane。　　The　most　extraordinary　story　I　ever　heard　in　my　life。　　The　fellows　got　to　China　and　passed　themselves　off　as　shipwrecked　sailors。　　The　merchants　in　Canton　got　up　a　subscription；　and　sent　them　to　London。　　They　were　recognized　there　by　old　Pine；　who　had　been　surgeon　on　board　the　ship　they　came　out　in。〃

Sylvia　sat　down　on　the　nearest　chair；　with　heightened　colour。　〃And　where　are　the　others？〃

〃Two　were　executed　in　England；　the　other　six　have　not　been　taken。　These　fellows　have　been　sent　out　for　trial。〃

〃To　what　are　you　alluding；　dear　sir？〃　asked　Meekin；　eyeing　the　sherry　with　the　gaze　of　a　fasting　saint。

〃The　piracy　of　a　convict　brig　five　years　ago；〃　replied　Vickers。　〃The　scoundrels　put　my　poor　wife　and　child　ashore；　and　left　them　to　starve。　If　it　hadn't　been　for　FrereGod　bless　him！they　would　have　died。　They　shot　the　pilot　and　a　soldierandbut　it's　a　long　story。〃

〃I　have　heard　of　it　already；〃　said　Meekin；　sipping　the　sherry；　which　another　convict　servant　had　brought　for　him；　〃and　of　your　gallant　conduct；　Captain　Frere。〃

〃Oh；　that's　nothing；〃　said　Frere；　reddening。　　〃We　were　all　in　the　same　boat。　Poppet；　have　a　glass　of　wine？〃

〃No；〃　said　Sylvia；　〃I　don't　want　any。〃

She　was　staring　at　the　strip　of　sunshine　between　the　verandah　and　the　blind；　as　though　the　bright　light　might　enable　her　to　remember　something。　〃What's　the　matter？〃　asked　Frere；　bending　over　her。　　〃I　was　trying　to　recollect；　but　I　can't；　Maurice。　　It　is　all　confused。　　I　only　remember　a　great　shore　and　a　great　sea；　and　two　men；　one　of　whomthat's　you；　dear　carried　me　in　his　arms。〃

〃Dear；　dear；〃　said　Mr。　Meekin。

〃She　was　quite　a　baby；〃　said　Vickers；　hastily；　as　though　unwilling　to　admit　that　her　illness　had　been　the　cause　of　her　forgetfulness。

〃Oh；　no；　I　was　twelve　years　old；〃　said　Sylvia；　〃that's　not　a　baby；　you　know。　But　I　think　the　fever　made　me　stupid。〃

Frere；　looking　at　her　uneasily；　shifted　in　his　seat。　　〃There；　don't　think　about　it　now；〃　he　said。

〃Maurice；〃　asked　she　suddenly；　〃what　became　of　the　other　man？〃

〃Which　other　man？〃

〃The　man　who　was　with　us；　the　other　one；　you　know。〃

〃Poor　Bates？〃

〃No；　not　Bates。　　The　prisoner。　　What　was　his　name？〃

〃Oh；　ahthe　prisoner；〃　said　Frere；　as　if　he；　too；　had　forgotten。

〃Why；　you　know；　darling；　he　was　sent　to　Port　Arthur。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Sylvia；　with　a　shudder。　　〃And　is　he　there　still？〃

〃I　believe　so；〃　said　Frere；　with　a　frown。

〃By　the　by；〃　said　Vickers；　〃I　suppose　we　shall　have　to　get　that　fellow　up　for　the　trial。　　We　have　to　identify　the　villains。〃

〃Can't　you　and　I　do　that？〃　asked　Frere　uneasily。

〃I　am　afraid　not。　　I　wouldn't　like　to　swear　to　a　man　after　five　years。〃

〃By　George；〃　said　Frere；　〃I'd　swear　to　him！　　When　once　I　see　a　man's　face　that's　enough　for　me。〃

〃We　had　better　get　up　a　few　prisoners　who　were　at　the　Harbour　at　the　time；〃　said　Vickers；　as　if　wishing　to　terminate　the　discussion。　〃I　wouldn't　let　the　villains　slip　through　my　fingers　for　anything。〃

〃And　are　the　men　at　Port　Arthur　old　men？〃　asked　Meekin。

〃Old　convicts；〃　returned　Vickers。　　〃It's　our　place　for　'colonial　sentence'　men。　The　worst　we　have　are　there。　　It　has　taken　the　place　of　Macquarie　Harbour。　What　excitement　there　will　be　among　them　when　the　schooner　goes　down　on　Monday！〃

〃Excitement！　　Indeed？　　How　charming！　　Why？〃　asked　Meekin。

〃To　bring　up　the　witnesses；　my　dear　sir。　　Most　of　the　prisoners　are　Lifers；　you　see；　and　a　trip　to　Hobart　Town　is　like　a　holiday　for　them。〃

〃And　do　they　never　leave　the　place　when　sentenced　for　life？〃　said　Meekin；　nibbling　a　biscuit。　　〃How　distressing！〃

〃Never；　except　when　they　die；〃　answered　Frere；　with　a　laugh；　〃and　then　they　are　buried　on　an　island。　　Oh；　it's　a　fine　place！　You　should　come　down　with　me　and　have　a　look　at　it；　Mr。　Meekin。　Picturesque；　I　can　assure　you。〃

〃My　dear　Maurice；〃　says　Sylvia；　going　to　the　piano；　as　if　in　protest　to　the　turn　the　conversation　was　taking；　〃how　can　you　talk　like　that？〃

〃I　should　much　like　to　see　it；〃　said　Meekin；　still　nibbling；　〃for　Sir　John　was　saying　something　about　a　chaplaincy　there；　and　I　understand　that　the　climate　is　quite　endurable。〃

The　convict　servant；　who　had　entered　with　some　official　papers　for　the　Major；　stared　at　the　dainty　clergyman；　and　rough　Maurice　laughed　again。

〃Oh；　it's　a　stunning　climate；〃　he　said；　〃and　nothing　to　do。　Just　the　place　for　you。　　There's　a　regular　little　colony　there。　All　the　scandals　in　Van　Diemen's　Land　are　hatched　at　Port　Arthur。〃

This　agreeable　chatter　about　scandal　and　climate　seemed　a　strange　contrast　to　the　grave…yard　island　and　the　men　who　were　prisoners　for　life。　Perhaps　Sylvia　thought　so；　for　she　struck　a　few　chords；　which；　compelling　the　party；　out　of　sheer　politeness；　to　cease　talking　for　the　moment；　caused　the　conversation　to　flag；　and　hinted　to　Mr。　Meekin　that　it　was　time　for　him　to　depart。

〃Good　afternoon；　dear　Miss　Vickers；〃　he　said；　rising　with　his　sweetest　smile。　〃Thank　you　for　your　delightful　music。　　That　piece　is　an　old；　old　favourite　of　mine。　　It　was　quite　a　favourite　of　dear　Lady　Jane's；　and　the　Bishop's。　　Pray　excuse　me；　my　dear　Captain　Frere；　but　this　strange　occurrenceof　the　capture　of　the　wreckers；　you　know　must　be　my　apology　for　touching　on　a　delicate　subject。　　How　charming　to　contemplate！　　Yourself　and　your　dear　young　lady！　　The　preserved　and　preserver；　dear　Major。　　'None　but　the　brave；　you　know；　none　but　the　brave；　none　but　the　brave；　deserve　the　fair！'　You　remember　glorious　John；　of　course。　　Well；　good　afternoon。〃

〃It's　rather　a　long　invitation；〃　said　Vickers；　always　well　disposed　to　anyone　who　praised　his　daughter；　〃but　if　you've　nothing　better　to　do；　come　and　dine　with　us　on　Christmas　Day；　Mr。　Meekin。　　We　usually　have　a　little　gathering　then。〃

〃Charmed；〃　said　Meekin〃charmed；　I　am　sure。　　It　is　so　refreshing　to　meet　with　persons　of　one's　own　tastes　in　this　delightful　colony。　'Kindred　souls　together　knit；'　you　know；　dear　Miss　Vickers。　　Indeed　yes。　Once　moregood　afternoon。〃

Sylvia　burst　into　laughter　as　the　door　closed。　　〃What　a　ridiculous　creature！〃　said　she。　　〃Bless　the　man；　with　his　gloves　and　his　umbrella；　and　his　hair　and　his　scent！　　Fancy　that　mincing　noodle　showing　me　the　way　to　Heaven！　　I'd　rather　have　old　M