the eureka stockade-第16章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ters；　for　the　safety　of　our　persons。




Chapter　XLI。



The　Eureka　Stockade。　The　Consequence　Of　Some　Pirates　Wanting　On　Quarter…Deck　A　Rebellion。



At　last　the　deputation　was　before　King　Rede；　whose　shadow　by　moonshine；　as　he　held　his　arm　a　la　Napoleon；　actually　inspired　me　with　reverence；　but　behold！　only　a　marionette　was　before　us。　　Each　of　his　words；　each　of　his　movements；　was　the　vibration　of　the　telegraphic　wires　directed　from　Toorak。　　He　had　not　a　wicked　heart；　some　knew　him　for　his　benevolence；　and　he　helped　many　an　honest　digger　out　of　trouble。　　Once　I　had　seen　him　with　my　mate；　Paul　Brentani；　about　manufacturing　bricks　from　the　splendid　clay　of　Gravel…pits。　　Mr。　Rede　received　us　as　a　gentleman；　and；　by　way　of　encouragement；　said　to　Paul；　'Je　veux　bien　vous　aider；　car　tout　est　encore　a　batir　a　Ballaarat；　et　il　nous　faut　des　briquesrevenez　me　voir。'　And　yet；　on　the　gold…field；　this　man　was　feared　by　the　few　who　could　not　help　it；　respected　by　the　manydetested　by　all；　because　he　was　the　Resident　Commissionerthat　is；　all　the　iniquities　of　officialdom　at　the　time　were　indiscriminately　visited　on　his　gold…lace　cap；　which　fact　so　infatuated　his　otherwise　not　ordinary　brains；　that　they　protruded　through　his　eyes；　whenever　he　was　sure　he　had　to　perform　a　dooty。　　I　would　willingly　turn　burglar　to　get　hold　of　the　whole　of　the　correspondence　between　him　and　Toorak。　　I　feel　satisfied　I　would　therein　unravel　the　mystery　of　the　Eureka　massacre。

Rede；　after　all；　was　neither　the　right　man；　nor　in　the　right　place；　for　Sir　Charles　Hotham。

Sub…inspector　Taylor；　with　his　silver…lace　cap；　blue　frock；　and　jingling　sword；　so　precise　in　his　movement；　so　Frenchman…like　in　his　manners；　such　a　puss…in…boots；　after　introducing　the　deputation；　placed　himself　at　the　right　of　the　Commissioner；　and　never　spoke；　though；　on　accompanying　us　from　the　bridge；　having　recognised　me；　he　said；　〃We　have　been　always　on　good　terms　with　the　diggers；　and　I　hope　we　may　keep　friends　still；〃　and　gave　be　a　smile　of　sincerity。　　He；　perhaps；　was　ignorant；　as　well　as　the　deputation；　that；　on　quarter…deck；　some　pirates　wanted　a　rebellion。

At　the　left　of　Mr。　Rede；　there　was　a　gentleman　who　inspired　us　with　confidence。　His　amiable　countenance　is　of　the　cast　that　commands　respect；　not　fear。　The　ugliness　of　his　eyes　prejudices　you　against　him　at　first；　let　him；　however；　turn　them　upon　you　in　his　own　benevolent　way；　you　are　sure　they　mean　no　harm：　　within　a　pair　of　splendid　whiskers；　of　the　finest　blond；　there　is　such　a　genteel　nose　and　mouth；　such　a　fine　semi…serious　forehead；　that　the　whole　is　the　expression　of　his　good　sound　heart；　that　loves　truth；　even　from　devils。　　It　was　Charles　Henry　Hackett；　police　magistrate。

The　place　of　our　palaver　was　exactly　one　yard　down　hill；　near　the　old　gum　tree；　in　front　of　the　present　Local　Court。

Mr。　Rede　asked　our　names；　and　cautioned　us　that　our　message　would　be　reported　at　head…quarters。　　He　who　had　a　gang　of　the　vilest　spies　at　his　bidding；　perhaps；　indeed；　forced　upon　him；　now　suspected　us　as　such；　and　told　us　pretty　plainly；　that　he　thought　it　not　prudent　to　take　us　to　his　residence；　the　camp　being　prepared　against　a　supposed　attack　from　the　diggers。




Chapter　XLII。



Invanum　Laboravimus。


Mr。　Black　began；　in　plain　and　straightforward　language；　to　make　a　truthful　statement　of　the　exasperated　feelings　of　the　diggers；　courageously　censuring　the　conduct　of　the　Commissioner　in　his　licence…hunt　of　the　morning；　reminding　him　of　the　determination　with　which　the　diggers　had　passed　the　resolutions　at　the　monster　meeting　of　yesterday。　　〃To　say　the　least；　it　was　very　imprudent　of　you；　Mr。　Rede；　to　challenge　the　diggers　at　the　point　of　the　bayonet。　　Englishmen　will　not　put　up　with　your　shooting　down　any　of　our　mates；　because　he　has　not　got　a　licence。〃

Mr。　Rede：　　〃Now　Mr。　Black；　how　can　you　say　that　I　ever　gave　such　an　order　as　to　shoot　down　any　digger　for　his　not　having　a　licence？〃　and　he　proceeded　to　give　his　version　of　the　occurrence。　　Master　Johnson　wanted　a　little　play；　and　rode　licence…hunting；　was　met　with　impertinent　shouts　of　〃Joe；　Joe；〃　and　reported　a　riot。　　Daddy　Rede　must　share　in　the　favourite　game；　and　rode　to　crack　the　riot　act。　　The　red…coats　turned　out。　　The　diggers　mobbed　together　among　the　holes；　and　several　shots　were　fired　at　the　traps。　The　conclusion：　　Three　of　the　ring…leaders　of　the　mob　had　been　pounced　upon；　and　were　safe　in　chokey。

Mr。　Black　manfully　vindicated　the　diggers；　by　observing　how　they　had　been　insulted；　that　Britons　hated　to　be　bullied　by　the　soldiery；　and　concluded　by　stating　our　first　'demand。'

Mr。　Rede；　startled　at　our　presumption；　breathed　out　〃Demand！First　of　all；　I　object　to　the　word；　because；　myself；　I　am　only　responsible　to　government；　and　must　obey　them　only：　　and　secondly；　were　those　men　taken　prisoners　because　they　had　not　licences？　　Not　at　all。　　This　is　the　way　in　which　the　honest　among　the　diggers　are　misled。　　Any　bad　character　gets　up　a　false　report：　　t　soon　finds　it　way　in　certain　newspapers；　and　the　Camp　officials　are　held　up　as　the　cause　of　all　the　mischief。〃

Mr。　Black　would　not　swallow　such　a　perfidious　insinuation。

Mr。　Rede　continued：　　〃Now；　Mr。　Black；　look　at　the　case　how　it　really　stands。　Those　men　are　charged　with　rioting；　they　will　be　brought　before　the　magistrate；　and　it　is　out　of　my　power　to　interfere　with　the　course　of　justice。〃

Mr。　Hackett　spoke　his　approbation　to　the　Commissioner。

Mr。　Black：　　〃Will　you　accept　bail　for　them　to　any　amount　you　please　to　mention？〃

A　consultation　ensued　between　Rede　and　Hackett。　　Bail　would　be　accepted　for　two　of　the　prisoners。　　Father　Smyth　would　bring　the　required　sureties　tomorrow　morning。

Mr。　Black　proceeded　to　our　second　demand。

Mr。　Rede　took　that　for　a　full　stop；　and　launched　into　declamation：　〃What　do　you　think；　gentlemen；　Sir　Charles　Hotham　would　say　to　me；　if　I　were　to　give　such　a　pledge？　　Why　Sir　Charles　Hotham　would　have　at　once　to　appoint　another　Resident　Commissioner　in　my　place！〃　and　concluded　with　the　eternal　cant　of　all　silver　and　gold　lace；　〃I　have　a　dooty　to　perform；　I　know　my　duty；　I　must　'nolens　volens'　adhere　to　it。〃

In　vain　Mr。　Black　entered　the　pathetic；　and　expostulated　with　the　Commissioner；　who　had　it　in　his　power　to　prevent　bloodshed。

Mr。　Rede：　　〃It　is　all　nonsense　to　make　me　believe　that　the　present　agitation　is　intended　solely　to　abolish　the　licence。　　Do　you　really　wish　to　make　me　believe　that　the　diggers　of　Ballaarat　won't　pay　any　longer　two　pounds　for　three　months？　　The　licence　is　a　mere　cloak　to　cover　a　democratic　revolution。〃

Mr。　Black　acknowledged　that　the　licence　fee；　and　especially　the　disreputable　mode　of　collecting　it　at　the　point　of　the　bayonet；　were　not　the　only　grievances　the　diggers　complained　of。　　They　wanted　to；　be　represented　in　the　Legislative　Council；　they　wanted　to　'unlock　the　lands。'

Carboni　Raffaello；　who　had　yet　not　opened　his　mouth；　said：　　〃Mr。　Rede；　I　beg　you　would　allow　me　to　state；　that　the　immediate　object　of　the　diggers　taking　up　arms；　was　to　resist　any　further　licence…hunting。　　I　speak　for　the　foreign　diggers　whom　I　here　represent。　　We　object　to　the　Austrian　rule　under　the　British　flag。　　If　you　would　pledge　yourself　not　to　come　out　any　more　for　the　licence；　until　you　have　communicated　with　Son　Excellence；　I　would　give　you　my　pledge。。。（I　meant　to　say；　that　I　was　willing　to　pledge　myself；　and　try　if　possible　to　assuage　the　excitement；　and　wait　till　'our　Charley'　had　sent　up　a　decided　answer。。。〃）but　I　was　instantly　interrupted　by　Father　Smyth　who　addressed　me　imperatively：　〃Give　no　pledge：　　sir；　you　have　no　power　to　do　so。〃

This　interruption；　which　I　perfectly　recollect；　and　the　circumstance　that　on　our　going　and　returning；　the　said　Father　Smyth　continually　kept　on　a　'sotto　voce'　conversation　with　Mr。　Black　only；　were；　and　are　still；　mysteries　to　me。

Mr。　Rede；　who　had　not　failed　to　remark　the　abruptness　with　which　Father　Smyth　had　cut　me　short；　joined　both　his　hands；　and　with　the　stretched　forefinger　tapping　me　on　both　hands；　which　were　clenched　as　in　prayer；　addressed　to　me　these　identical　remarkable　words；　〃My　dear　fellow；　the　licence　is　a　mere　watchword　of　the　day；　and　they　make　a　cat's…paw　of　you。〃

Mr。　Black