for the term of his natural life-第109章

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；〃　and　his　mind　began　to　sound　all　sorts　of　philosophical　depths；　not　of　the　most　clerical　character。

After　dinner　Maurice　launched　out　into　his　usual　topicconvict　discipline。　It　was　pleasant　for　him　to　get　a　listener；　for　his　wife；　cold　and　unsympathetic；　tacitly　declined　to　enter　into　his　schemes　for　the　subduing　of　the　refractory　villains。　　〃You　insisted　on　coming　here；〃　she　would　say。　〃I　did　not　wish　to　come。　　I　don't　like　to　talk　of　these　things。　　Let　us　talk　of　something　else。〃　When　she　adopted　this　method　of　procedure；　he　had　no　alternative　but　to　submit；　for　he　was　afraid　of　her；　after　a　fashion。　In　this　ill…assorted　match　he　was　only　apparently　the　master。　　He　was　a　physical　tyrant。　　For　him；　a　creature　had　but　to　be　weak　to　be　an　object　of　contempt；　and　his　gross　nature　triumphed　over　the　finer　one　of　his　wife。　Love　had　long　since　died　out　of　their　life。　　The　young；　impulsive；　delicate　girl；　who　had　given　herself　to　him　seven　years　before；　had　been　changed　into　a　weary；　suffering　woman。　　The　wife　is　what　her　husband　makes　her；　and　his　rude　animalism　had　made　her　the　nervous　invalid　she　was。　Instead　of　love；　he　had　awakened　in　her　a　distaste　which　at　times　amounted　to　disgust。　　We　have　neither　the　skill　nor　the　boldness　of　that　profound　philosopher　whose　autopsy　of　the　human　heart　awoke　North's　contemplation；　and　we　will　not　presume　to　set　forth　in　bare　English　the　story　of　this　marriage　of　the　Minotaur。　　Let　it　suffice　to　say　that　Sylvia　liked　her　husband　least　when　he　loved　her　most。　　In　this　repulsion　lay　her　power　over　him。　　When　the　animal　and　spiritual　natures　cross　each　other；　the　nobler　triumphs　in　fact　if　not　in　appearance。　　Maurice　Frere；　though　his　wife　obeyed　him；　knew　that　he　was　inferior　to　her；　and　was　afraid　of　the　statue　he　had　created。　　She　was　ice；　but　it　was　the　artificial　ice　that　chemists　make　in　the　midst　of　a　furnace。　　Her　coldness　was　at　once　her　strength　and　her　weakness。　　When　she　chilled　him；　she　commanded　him。

Unwitting　of　the　thoughts　that　possessed　his　guest；　Frere　chatted　amicably。　North　said　little；　but　drank　a　good　deal。　　The　wine；　however；　rendered　him　silent；　instead　of　talkative。　　　He　drank　that　he　might　forget　unpleasant　memories；　and　drank　without　accomplishing　his　object。　　When　the　pair　proceeded　to　the　room　where　Mrs。　Frere　awaited　them；　Frere　was　boisterously　good…humoured；　North　silently　misanthropic。

〃Sing　something；　Sylvia！〃　said　Frere；　with　the　ease　of　possession；　as　one　who　should　say　to　a　living　musical…box；　〃Play　something。〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　North　doesn't　care　for　music；　and　I'm　not　inclined　to　sing。　Singing　seems　out　of　place　here。〃

〃Nonsense；〃　said　Frere。　　〃Why　should　it　be　more　out　of　place　here　than　anywhere　else？〃

〃Mrs。　Frere　means　that　mirth　is　in　a　manner　unsuited　to　these　melancholy　surroundings；〃　said　North；　out　of　his　keener　sense。

〃Melancholy　surroundings！〃　cried　Frere；　staring　in　turn　at　the　piano；　the　ottomans；　and　the　looking…glass。　　〃Well；　the　house　isn't　as　good　as　the　one　in　Sydney；　but　it's　comfortable　enough。〃

〃You　don't　understand　me；　Maurice；〃　said　Sylvia。　　〃This　place　is　very　gloomy　to　me。　　The　thought　of　the　unhappy　men　who　are　ironed　and　chained　all　about　us　makes　me　miserable。〃

〃What　stuff！〃　said　Frere；　now　thoroughly　roused。　　〃The　ruffians　deserve　all　they　get　and　more。　　Why　should　you　make　yourself　wretched　about　them？〃

〃Poor　men！　How　do　we　know　the　strength　of　their　temptation；　the　bitterness　of　their　repentance？〃

〃Evil…doers　earn　their　punishment；〃　says　North；　in　a　hard　voice；　and　taking　up　a　book　suddenly。　　〃They　must　learn　to　bear　it。　No　repentance　can　undo　their　sin。〃

〃But　surely　there　is　mercy　for　the　worst　of　evil…doers；〃　urged　Sylvia；　gently。

North　seemed　disinclined　or　unable　to　reply；　and　nodded　only。

〃Mercy！〃　cried　Frere。　　〃I　am　not　here　to　be　merciful；　I　am　here　to　keep　these　scoundrels　in　order；　and　by　the　Lord　that　made　me；　I'll　do　it！〃

〃Maurice；　do　not　talk　like　that。　　Think　how　slight　an　accident　might　have　made　any　one　of　us　like　one　of　these　men。　　What　is　the　matter；　Mr。　North？〃

Mr。　North　has　suddenly　turned　pale。

〃Nothing；〃　returned　the　clergyman；　gasping〃a　sudden　　faintness！〃　The　windows　were　thrown　open；　and　the　chaplain　gradually　recovered；　as　he　did　in　Burgess's　parlour；　at　Port　Arthur；　seven　years　ago。　〃I　am　liable　to　these　attacks。　　A　touch　of　heart　disease；　I　think。　I　shall　have　to　rest　for　a　day　or　so。〃　〃Ah；　take　a　spell；〃　said　Frere；　〃you　overwork　yourself。〃

North；　sitting；　gasping　and　pale；　smiles　in　a　ghastly　manner。　　〃II　will。　If　I　do　not　appear　for　a　week；　Mrs。　Frere；　you　will　know　the　reason。〃

〃A　week！　　Surely　it　will　not　last　so　long　as　that！〃　exclaims　Sylvia。

The　ambiguous　〃it〃　appears　to　annoy　him；　for　he　flushes　painfully；　replying；　〃Sometimes　longer。　　It　is；　aumuncertain；〃　in　a　confused　and　shame…faced　manner；　and　is　luckily　relieved　by　the　entry　of　Jenkins。

〃A　message　from　Mr。　Troke；　sir。〃

〃Troke！　What's　the　matter　now？〃

〃Dawes；　sir；　's　been　violent　and　assaulted　Mr。　Troke。　　Mr。　Troke　said　you'd　left　orders　to　be　told　at　onst　of　the　insubordination　of　prisoners。〃

〃Quite　right。　　Where　is　he？〃　〃In　the　cells；　I　think；　sir。　　They　had　a　hard　fight　to　get　him　there；　I　am　told；　your　honour。〃

〃Had　they？　Give　my　compliments　to　Mr。　Troke；　and　tell　him　that　I　shall　have　the　pleasure　of　breaking　Mr。　Dawes's　spirit　to…morrow　morning　at　nine　sharp。〃

〃Maurice；〃　said　Sylvia；　who　had　been　listening　to　the　conversation　in　undisguised　alarm；　〃do　me　a　favour？　　Do　not　torment　this　man。〃

〃What　makes　you　take　a　fancy　to　him？〃　asks　her　husband；　with　sudden　unnecessary　fierceness。

〃Because　his　is　one　of　the　names　which　have　been　from　my　childhood　synonymous　with　suffering　and　torture；　because　whatever　wrong　he　may　have　done；　his　life…long　punishment　must　have　in　some　degree　atoned　for　it。〃

She　spoke　with　an　eager　pity　in　her　face　that　transfigured　it。　　North；　devouring　her　with　his　glance；　saw　tears　in　her　eyes。　　〃Does　this　look　as　if　he　had　made　atonement？〃　said　Frere　coarsely；　slapping　the　letter。

〃He　is　a　bad　man；　I　know；　but〃　she　passed　her　hand　over　her　forehead　with　the　old　troubled　gesture〃he　cannot　　have　been　always　bad。　I　think　I　have　heard　some　good　of　him　somewhere。〃

〃Nonsense；〃　said　Frere；　rising　decisively。　　〃Your　fancies　mislead　you。　Let　me　hear　you　no　more。　　The　man　is　rebellious；　and　must　be　lashed　back　again　to　his　duty。　　Come；　North；　we'll　have　a　nip　before　you　start。〃

〃Mr。　North；　will　not　you　plead　for　me？〃　suddenly　cried　poor　Sylvia；　her　self…possession　overthrown。　　〃You　have　a　heart　to　pity　these　suffering　creatures。〃

But　North；　who　seemed　to　have　suddenly　recalled　his　soul　from　some　place　where　it　had　been　wandering；　draws　himself　aside；　and　with　dry　lips　makes　shift　to　say；　〃I　cannot　interfere　with　your　husband；　madam；〃　and　goes　out　almost　rudely。

〃You've　made　old　North　quite　ill；〃　said　Frere；　when　he　by…and…by　returns；　hoping　by　bluff　ignoring　of　roughness　on　his　own　part　to　avoid　reproach　from　his　wife。　　〃He　drank　half　a　bottle　of　brandy　to　steady　his　nerves　before　he　went　home；　and　swung　out　of　the　house　like　one　possessed。〃

But　Sylvia；　occupied　with　her　own　thoughts；　did　not　reply。　　




CHAPTER　VII。

BREAKING　A　MAN'S　SPIRIT。



The　insubordination　of　which　Rufus　Dawes　had　been　guilty　was；　in　this　instance；　insignificant。　　It　was　the　custom　of　the　newly…fledged　constables　of　Captain　Frere　to　enter　the　wards　at　night；　armed　with　cutlasses；　tramping　about；　and　making　a　great　noise。　　Mindful　of　the　report　of　Pounce；　they　pulled　the　men　roughly　from　their　hammocks；　examined　their　persons　for　concealed　tobacco；　and　compelled　them　to　open　their　mouths　to　see　if　any　was　inside。　　The　men　in　Dawes's　gangto　which　Mr。　Troke　had　an　especial　objectionwere　often　searched　more　than　once　in　a　night；　searched　going　to　work；　searched　at　meals；　searched　going　to　prayers；　searched　coming　out；　and　this　in　the　roughest　manner。　　Their　sleep　broken；　and　what　little　self…respect　they　might　yet　presume　to　retain　harried　out　of　them；　the　objects　of　this　incessant　persecution　were　ready　to　turn　upon　and　kill　their　tormentors。

The　great　aim　of　Troke　was　to　catch　Dawes　tripping；　but　the　leader　of　the　〃Ring〃　was　far　too　wary。　　In　va