for the term of his natural life- 第48部分

The　eager　light　died　out　of　her　eyes；　and　in　its　place　came　a　look　of　disappointment　and　pain。　　〃I　thought　it　was　a　good　man；〃　she　said；　holding　by　the　edge　of　the　doorway。　　〃It　sounded　like　a　good　voice。〃

And　then　she　pressed　her　hands　over　her　eyes　and　shuddered。　　〃There；　there；〃　says　Vickers　soothingly；　〃don't　be　afraid；　Poppet；　he　can't　hurt　you　now。〃

〃No；　ha！　　ha！〃　says　Meekin；　with　great　display　of　off…hand　courage；　〃the　villain's　safe　enough　now。〃

The　colloquy　in　the　Court　went　on。　　〃Do　you　know　the　prisoners　in　the　dock？〃

〃Yes。〃　〃Who　are　they？〃

〃John　Rex；　Henry　Shiers；　James　Lesly；　and；　andI'm　not　sure　about　the　last　man。〃　〃You　are　not　sure　about　the　last　man。　　Will　you　swear　to　the　three　others？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃You　remember　them　well？〃

〃I　was　in　the　chain…gang　at　Macquarie　Harbour　with　them　for　three　years。〃　Sylvia；　hearing　this　hideous　reason　for　acquaintance；　gave　a　low　cry；　and　fell　into　her　father's　arms。

〃Oh；　papa；　take　me　away！　　I　feel　as　if　I　was　going　to　remember　something　terrible！〃

Amid　the　deep　silence　that　prevailed；　the　cry　of　the　poor　girl　was　distinctly　audible　in　the　Court；　and　all　heads　turned　to　the　door。　In　the　general　wonder　no　one　noticed　the　change　that　passed　over　Rufus　Dawes。　His　face　flushed　scarlet；　great　drops　of　sweat　stood　on　his　forehead；　and　his　black　eyes　glared　in　the　direction　from　whence　the　sound　came；　as　though　they　would　pierce　the　envious　wood　that　separated　him　from　the　woman　whose　voice　he　had　heard。　　Maurice　Frere　sprang　up　and　pushed　his　way　through　the　crowd　under　the　bench。

〃What's　this？〃　he　said　to　Vickers；　almost　brutally。　　〃What　did　you　bring　her　here　for？　　She　is　not　wanted。　　I　told　you　that。〃

〃I　considered　it　my　duty；　sir；〃　says　Vickers；　with　stately　rebuke。

〃What　has　frightened　her？　　What　has　she　heard？　　What　has　she　seen？〃　asked　Frere；　with　a　strangely　white　face。　　〃Sylvia；　Sylvia！〃

She　opened　her　eyes　at　the　sound　of　his　voice。　　〃Take　me　home；　papa；　I'm　ill。　Oh；　what　thoughts！〃

〃What　does　she　mean？〃　cried　Frere；　looking　in　alarm　from　one　to　the　other。

〃That　ruffian　Dawes　frightened　her；〃　said　Meekin。　　〃A　gush　of　recollection；　poor　child。　　There；　there；　calm　yourself；　Miss　Vickers。　　He　is　quite　safe。〃

〃Frightened　her；　eh？〃　〃Yes；〃　said　Sylvia　faintly；　〃he　frightened　me；　Maurice。　I　needn't　stop　any　longer；　dear；　need　I？〃

〃No；〃　says　Frere；　the　cloud　passing　from　his　face。　　〃Major；　I　beg　your　pardon；　but　I　was　hasty。　　Take　her　home　at　once。　　This　sort　of　thing　is　too　much　for　her。〃　And　so　he　went　back　to　his　place；　wiping　his　brow；　and　breathing　hard；　as　one　who　had　just　escaped　from　some　near　peril。

Rufus　Dawes　had　remained　in　the　same　attitude　until　the　figure　of　Frere；　passing　through　the　doorway；　roused　him。　　〃Who　is　she？〃　he　said；　in　a　low；　hoarse　voice；　to　the　constable　behind　him。　　〃Miss　Vickers；〃　said　the　man　shortly；　flinging　the　information　at　him　as　one　might　fling　a　bone　to　a　dangerous　dog。

〃Miss　Vickers；〃　repeated　the　convict；　still　staring　in　a　sort　of　bewildered　agony。　　〃They　told　me　she　was　dead！〃

The　constable　sniffed　contemptuously　at　this　preposterous　conclusion；　as　who　should　say；　〃If　you　know　all　about　it；　animal；　why　did　you　ask？〃　and　then；　feeling　that　the　fixed　gaze　of　his　interrogator　demanded　some　reply；　added；　〃You　thort　she　was；　I've　no　doubt。　　You　did　your　best　to　make　her　so；　I've　heard。〃

The　convict　raised　both　his　hands　with　sudden　action　of　wrathful　despair；　as　though　he　would　seize　the　other；　despite　the　loaded　muskets；　but；　checking　himself　with　sudden　impulse；　wheeled　round　to　the　Court。

〃Your　Honour！Gentlemen！　　I　want　to　speak。〃

The　change　in　the　tone　of　his　voice；　no　less　than　the　sudden　loudness　of　the　exclamation；　made　the　faces；　hitherto　bent　upon　the　door　through　which　Mr。　Frere　had　passed；　turn　round　again。　　To　many　there　it　seemed　that　the　〃notorious　Dawes〃　was　no　longer　in　the　box；　for；　in　place　of　the　upright　and　defiant　villain　who　stood　there　an　instant　back；　was　a　white…faced；　nervous；　agitated　creature；　bending　forward　in　an　attitude　almost　of　supplication；　one　hand　grasping　the　rail；　as　though　to　save　himself　from　falling；　the　other　outstretched　towards　the　bench。　　〃Your　Honour；　there　has　been　some　dreadful　mistake　made。　　I　want　to　explain　about　myself。　I　explained　before；　when　first　I　was　sent　to　Port　Arthur；　but　the　letters　were　never　forwarded　by　the　Commandant；　of　course；　that's　the　rule；　and　I　can't　complain。　　I've　been　sent　there　unjustly；　your　Honour。　I　made　that　boat；　your　Honour。　　I　saved　the　Major's　wife　and　daughter。　I　was　the　man；　I　did　it　all　myself；　and　my　liberty　was　sworn　away　by　a　villain　who　hated　me。　　I　thought；　until　now；　that　no　one　knew　the　truth；　for　they　told　me　that　she　was　dead。〃　His　rapid　utterance　took　the　Court　so　much　by　surprise　that　no　one　interrupted　him。　　〃I　was　sentenced　to　death　for　bolting；　sir；　and　they　reprieved　me　because　I　helped　them　in　the　boat。　Helped　them！　　Why；　I　made　it！　　She　will　tell　you　so。　　I　nursed　her！　I　carried　her　in　my　arms！　　I　starved　myself　for　her！　　She　was　fond　of　me；　sir。　She　was　indeed。　　She　called　me　'Good　Mr。　Dawes'。〃

At　this；　a　coarse　laugh　broke　out；　which　was　instantly　checked。　The　judge　bent　over　to　ask；　〃Does　he　mean　Miss　Vickers？〃　and　in　this　interval　Rufus　Dawes；　looking　down　into　the　Court；　saw　Maurice　Frere　staring　up　at　him　with　terror　in　his　eyes。　　〃I　see　you；　Captain　Frere；　coward　and　liar！　Put　him　in　the　box；　gentlemen；　and　make　him　tell　his　story。　She'll　contradict　him；　never　fear。　　Oh；　and　I　thought　she　was　dead　all　this　while！〃

The　judge　had　got　his　answer　from　the　clerk　by　this　time。　〃Miss　Vickers　had　been　seriously　ill；　had　fainted　just　now　in　the　Court。　Her　only　memories　of　the　convict　who　had　been　with　her　in　the　boat　were　those　of　terror　and　disgust。　　The　sight　of　him　just　now　had　most　seriously　affected　her。　　The　convict　himself　was　an　inveterate　liar　and　schemer；　and　his　story　had　been　already　disproved　by　Captain　Frere。〃

The　judge；　a　man　inclining　by　nature　to　humanity；　but　forced　by　experience　to　receive　all　statements　of　prisoners　with　caution；　said　all　he　could　say；　and　the　tragedy　of　five　years　was　disposed　of　in　the　following　dialogue：…

JUDGE：　This　is　not　the　place　for　an　accusation　against　Captain　Frere；　nor　the　place　to　argue　upon　your　alleged　wrongs。　　If　you　have　suffered　injustice；　the　authorities　will　hear　your　complaint；　and　redress　it。

RUFUS　DAWES　I　have　complained；　your　Honour。　　I　wrote　letter　after　letter　to　the　Government；　but　they　were　never　sent。　　Then　I　heard　she　was　dead；　and　they　sent　me　to　the　Coal　Mines　after　that；　and　we　never　hear　anything　there。

JUDGE　I　can't　listen　to　you。　　Mr。　Mangles；　have　you　any　more　questions　to　ask　the　witness？

But　Mr。　Mangles　not　having　any　more；　someone　called；　〃Matthew　Gabbett；〃　and　Rufus　Dawes；　still　endeavouring　to　speak；　was　clanked　away　with；　amid　a　buzz　of　remark　and　surmise。


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The　trial　progressed　without　further　incident。　　Sylvia　was　not　called；　and；　to　the　astonishment　of　many　of　his　enemies；　Captain　Frere　went　into　the　witness…box　and　generously　spoke　in　favour　of　John　Rex。　〃He　might　have　left　us　to　starve；〃　Frere　said；　〃he　might　have　murdered　us；　we　were　completely　in　his　power。　　The　stock　of　provisions　on　board　the　brig　was　not　a　large　one；　and　I　consider　that；　in　dividing　it　with　us；　he　showed　great　generosity　for　one　in　his　situation。〃　This　piece　of　evidence　told　strongly　in　favour　of　the　prisoners；　for　Captain　Frere　was　known　to　be　such　an　uncompromising　foe　to　all　rebellious　convicts　that　it　was　understood　that　only　the　sternest　sense　of　justice　and　truth　could　lead　him　to　speak　in　such　terms。　　The　defence　set　up　by　Rex；　moreover；　was　most　ingenious。　He　was　guilty　of　absconding；　but　his　moderation　might　plead　an　excuse　for　that。　His　only　object　was　his　freedom；　and；　having　gained　it；　he　had　lived　honestly　for　nearly　three　years；　as　he　could　prove。　　He　was　charged　with　piratically　seizing　the　brig　Osprey；　and　he　urged　that　the　brig　Osprey；　having　been　built　by　convicts　at　Macquarie　Harbour；　and　never　entered　in　any　shipping　list；　could　not　be　said　to　be　〃piratically　seized〃；　in　the　strict　meaning　of　the　term。　　The　Court　admitted　the　force　of　this　objection；　and；　influenced　doubtless　by　Captain　Frere's　evidence；　the　fact　that　five　years　had　passed　since　the　mutiny；　and　that　the　two　men　most　guilty　（Cheshire　and　Barker）　had　been　executed　in　England；　sentenced　Rex　and　his　three　companions　to　transportation　for　life　to　the　penal　settlements　of　the　colony。




CHAPTER　V。

MAURICE　FRERE'S　GOOD　ANGEL。



At　this　happy　conclusion　to　his　labours；　Frere　went　down　to　comfort　the　girl　for　whose　sake　he　had　suffered　Rex　to　escape　the　gallows。　On　his　way　he　was　met　by　a　man　who　touched　his　hat；　and　asked　to　speak　with　him　an　instant。　　This　man　was　past　middle　age；　owned　a　red　brandy…beaten　face；　and　had　in　his　gait　and　manner　that　nameless　something　that　denotes　the　seaman。

〃Well；　Blunt；〃　says　Frere；　pausing　with　the　impatient　air　of　a　man　who　expects　to　hear　bad　news；　〃what　is　it　now？〃

〃Only　to　tell　you　that　it　is　all　right；　sir；〃　says　Blunt。　〃She's　come　aboard　again　this　morning。〃

〃Come　aboard　again！〃　ejaculated　Frere。　　〃Why；　I　didn't　know　that　she　had　been　ashore。　　Where　did　she　go？〃　He　spoke　with　an　air　of　confident　authority；　and　Bluntno　longer　the　bluff　tyrant　of　old　seemed　to　quail　before　him。　　The　trial　of　the　mutineers　of　the　Malabar　had　ruined　Phineas　Blunt。　　Make　what　excuses　he　might；　there　was　no　concealing　the　fact　that　Pine　found　him　drunk　in　his　cabin　when　he　ought　to　have　been　attending　to　his　duties　on　deck；　and　the　〃authorities〃　could　not；　or　would　not；　pass　over　such　a　heinous　breach　of　discipline。　　Captain　Bluntwho；　of　course；　had　his　own　version　of　the　storythus　deprived　of　the　honour　of　bringing　His　Majesty's　prisoners　to　His　Majesty's　colonies　of　New　South　Wales　and　Van　Diemen's　Land；　went　on　a　whaling　cruise　to　the　South　Seas。　The　influence　which　Sarah　Purfoy　had　acquired　over　him　had；　however；　irretrievably　injured　him。　　It　was　as　though　she　had　poisoned　his　moral　nature　by　the　influence　of　a　clever　and　wicked　woman　over　a　sensual　and　dull…witted　man。　　Blunt　gradually　sank　lower　and　lower。　He　b