for the term of his natural life-第119章

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CHAPTER　XIV。

GETTING　READY　FOR　SEA。



Maurice　Frere's　passion　had　spent　itself　in　that　last　act　of　violence。　He　did　not　return　to　the　prison；　as　he　promised　himself；　but　turned　into　the　road　that　led　to　the　Cascades。　　He　repented　him　of　his　suspicions。　There　was　nothing　strange　in　the　presence　of　the　chaplain。　　Sylvia　had　always　liked　the　man；　and　an　apology　for　his　conduct　had　doubtless　removed　her　anger。　To　make　a　mountain　out　of　a　molehill　was　the　act　of　an　idiot。　　It　was　natural　that　she　should　release　Daweswomen　were　so　tender…hearted。　　A　few　well…chosen；　calmly…uttered　platitudes　anent　the　necessity　for　the　treatment　that；　to　those　unaccustomed　to　the　desperate　wickedness　of　convicts；　must　appear　harsh；　would　have　served　his　turn　far　better　than　bluster　and　abuse。　　Moreover；　North　was　to　sail　in　the　Lady　Franklin；　and　might　put　in　execution　his　threats　of　official　complaint；　unless　he　was　carefully　dealt　with。　　To　put　Dawes　again　to　the　torture　would　be　to　show　to　Troke　and　his　friends　that　the　〃Commandant's　wife〃　had　acted　without　the　〃Commandant's　authority〃；　and　that　must　not　be　shown。　He　would　now　return　and　patch　up　a　peace。　　His　wife　would　sail　in　the　same　vessel　with　North；　and　he　would　in　a　few　days　be　left　alone　on　the　island　to　pursue　his　〃discipline〃　unchecked。　　With　this　intent　he　returned　to　the　prison；　and　gravely　informed　poor　Troke　that　he　was　astonished　at　his　barbarity。　　〃Mrs。　Frere；　who　most　luckily　had　appointed　to　meet　me　this　evening　at　the　prison；　tells　me　that　the　poor　devil　Dawes　had　been　on　the　stretcher　since　seven　o'clock　this　morning。〃

〃You　ordered　it　fust　thing；　yer　honour；〃　said　Troke。

〃Yes；　you　fool；　but　I　didn't　order　you　to　keep　the　man　there　for　nine　hours；　did　I？　　Why；　you　scoundrel；　you　might　have　killed　him！〃　　Troke　scratched　his　head　in　bewilderment。　　〃Take　his　irons　off；　and　put　him　in　a　separate　cell　in　the　old　gaol。　　If　a　man　is　a　murderer；　that　is　no　reason　you　should　take　the　law　into　your　own　hands；　is　it？　　You'd　better　take　care；　Mr。　Troke。〃　On　the　way　back　he　met　the　chaplain；　who；　seeing　him；　made　for　a　by…path　in　curious　haste。　　〃Halloo！〃　roared　Frere。　　〃Hi！　　Mr。　North！〃　Mr。　North　paused；　and　the　Commandant　made　at　him　abruptly。　　〃Look　here；　sir；　I　was　rude　to　you　just　nowdevilish　rude。　　Most　ungentlemanly　of　me。　　I　must　apologize。〃　North　bowed；　without　speaking；　and　tried　to　pass。

〃You　must　excuse　my　violence；〃　Frere　went　on。　　〃I'm　bad…tempered；　and　I　didn't　like　my　wife　interfering。　　Women；　don't　you　know；　don't　see　these　things　don't　understand　these　scoundrels。〃　　North　again　bowed。　　〃Why；　dn　it；　how　savage　you　look！　　Quite　ghastly；　bigod！　　I　must　have　said　most　outrageous　things。　　Forget　and　forgive；　you　know。　　Come　home　and　have　some　dinner。〃

〃I　cannot　enter　your　house　again；　sir；〃　said　North；　in　tones　more　agitated　than　the　occasion　would　seem　to　warrant。

Frere　shrugged　his　great　shoulders　with　a　clumsy　affectation　of　good　humour；　and　held　out　his　hand。　　〃Well；　shake　hands；　parson。　　You'll　have　to　take　care　of　Mrs。　Frere　on　the　voyage；　and　we　may　as　well　make　up　our　differences　before　you　start。　　Shake　hands。〃

〃Let　me　pass；　sir！〃　cried　North；　with　heightened　colour；　and　ignoring　the　proffered　hand；　strode　savagely　on。

〃You've　a　dd　fine　temper　for　a　parson；〃　said　Frere　to　himself。　〃However；　if　you　won't；　you　won't。　　Hang　me　if　I'll　ask　you　again。〃　Nor；　when　he　reached　home；　did　he　fare　better　in　his　efforts　at　reconciliation　with　his　wife。　　Sylvia　met　him　with　the　icy　front　of　a　woman　whose　pride　has　been　wounded　too　deeply　for　tears。

〃Say　no　more　about　it；〃　she　said。　　〃I　am　going　to　my　father。　　If　you　want　to　explain　your　conduct；　explain　it　to　him。〃

〃Come；　Sylvia；〃　he　urged；　〃I　was　a　brute；　I　know。　　Forgive　me。〃

〃It　is　useless　to　ask　me；〃　she　said；　〃I　cannot。　　I　have　forgiven　you　so　much　during　the　last　seven　years。〃

He　attempted　to　embrace　her；　but　she　withdrew　herself　loathingly　from　his　arms。　He　swore　a　great　oath　at　her；　and；　too　obstinate　to　argue　farther；　sulked。　　Blunt；　coming　in　about　some　ship　matters；　the　pair　drank　rum。　Sylvia　went　to　her　　room　and　occupied　herself　with　some　minor　details　of　clothes…packing　（it　is　wonderful　how　women　find　relief　from　thoughts　in　household　care）；　while　North；　poor　fool；　seeing　from　his　window　the　light　in　hers；　sat　staring　at　it；　alternately　cursing　and　praying。　　In　the　meantime；　the　unconscious　cause　of　all　of　thisRufus　Dawessat　in　his　new　cell；　wondering　at　the　chance　which　had　procured　him　comfort；　and　blessing　the　fair　hands　that　had　brought　it　to　him。　　He　doubted　not　but　that　Sylvia　had　interceded　with　his　tormentor；　and　by　gentle　pleading　brought　him　ease。　〃God　bless　her；〃　he　murmured。　　〃I　have　wronged　her　all　these　years。　She　did　not　know　that　I　suffered。〃　He　waited　anxiously　for　North　to　visit　him；　that　he　might　have　his　belief　confirmed。　　〃I　will　get　him　to　thank　her　for　me；〃　he　thought。　　But　North　did　not　come　for　two　whole　days。　　No　one　came　but　his　gaolers；　and；　gazing　from　his　prison　window　upon　the　sea　that　almost　washed　its　walls；　he　saw　the　schooner　at　anchor；　mocking　him　with　a　liberty　he　could　not　achieve。　　On　the　third　day；　however；　North　came。　His　manner　was　constrained　and　abrupt。　　His　eyes　wandered　uneasily；　and　he　seemed　burdened　with　thoughts　which　he　dared　not　utter。

〃I　want　you　to　thank　her　for　me；　Mr。　North；〃　said　Dawes。

〃Thank　whom？〃

〃Mrs。　Frere。〃

The　unhappy　priest　shuddered　at　hearing　the　name。

〃I　do　not　think　you　owe　any　thanks　to　her。　　Your　irons　were　removed　by　the　Commandant's　order。〃

〃But　by　her　persuasion。　　I　feel　sure　of　it。　　Ah；　I　was　wrong　to　think　she　had　forgotten　me。　　Ask　her　for　her　forgiveness。〃

〃Forgiveness！〃　said　North；　recalling　the　scene　in　the　prison。　　〃What　have　you　done　to　need　her　forgiveness？〃

〃I　doubted　her；〃　said　Rufus　Dawes。　　〃I　thought　her　ungrateful　and　treacherous。　I　thought　she　delivered　me　again　into　the　bondage　from　whence　I　had　escaped。　I　thought　she　had　betrayed　mebetrayed　me　to　the　villain　whose　base　life　I　saved　for　her　sweet　sake。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　North。　　〃You　never　spoke　to　me　of　this。〃

〃No；　I　had　vowed　to　bury　the　knowledge　of　it　in　my　own　breastit　was　too　bitter　to　speak。〃

　〃Saved　his　life！〃

〃Ay；　and　hers！　I　made　the　boat　that　carried　her　to　freedom。　　I　held　her　in　my　arms；　and　took　the　bread　from　my　own　lips　to　feed　her！〃

〃She　cannot　know　this；〃　said　North　in　an　undertone。

〃She　has　forgotten　it；　perhaps；　for　she　was　but　a　child。　　But　you　will　remind　her；　will　you　not？　　You　will　do　me　justice　in　her　eyes　before　I　die？　You　will　get　her　forgiveness　for　me？〃

North　could　not　explain　why　such　an　interview　as　the　convict　desired　was　impossible；　and　so　he　promised。

〃She　is　going　away　in　the　schooner；〃　said　he；　concealing　the　fact　of　his　own　departure。　　〃I　will　see　her　before　she　goes；　and　tell　her。〃

〃God　bless　you；　sir；〃　said　poor　Dawes。　　〃Now　pray　with　me〃；　and　the　wretched　priest　mechanically　repeated　one　of　the　formulae　his　Church　prescribes。

The　next　day　he　told　his　penitent　that　Mrs。　Frere　had　forgiven　him。　This　was　a　lie。　　He　had　not　seen　her；　but　what　should　a　lie　be　to　him　now？　Lies　were　needful　in　the　tortuous　path　he　had　undertaken　to　tread。　Yet　the　deceit　he　was　forced　to　practise　cost　him　many　a　pang。　　He　had　succumbed　to　his　passion；　and　to　win　the　love　for　which　he　yearned　had　voluntarily　abandoned　truth　and　honour；　but　standing　thus　alone　with　his　sin；　he　despised　and　hated　himself。　　To　deaden　remorse　and　drown　reflection；　he　had　recourse　to　brandy；　and　though　the　fierce　excitement　of　his　hopes　and　fears　steeled　him　against　the　stupefying　action　of　the　liquor；　he　was　rendered　by　it　incapable　of　calm　reflection。　　In　certain　nervous　conditions　our　mere　physical　powers　are　proof　against　the　action　of　alcohol；　and　though　ten　times　more　drunk　than　the　toper；　who；　incoherently　stammering；　reels　into　the　gutter；　we　can　walk　erect　and　talk　with　fluency。　　Indeed；　in　this　artificial　exaltation　of　the　sensibilities；　men　often　display　a　brilliant　wit；　and　an　acuteness　of　comprehension；　calculated　to　delight　their　friends；　and　terrify　their　physicians。　　North　had　reached　this　condition　of　brain…drunkenness。　　In　plain　terms；　he　was　trembling　on　the　verge　of