for the term of his natural life-第16章

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　and　it　is　not　in　my　power　to　alter　it。　　I　shall　do　my　best　for　your　comfort；　and　I　look　to　you　to　help　me。〃

Holding　his　grey　head　very　erect　indeed；　the　brave　old　fellow　passed　straight　down　the　line；　without　looking　to　the　right　or　left。　He　had　said　just　enough；　and　he　reached　the　door　amid　a　chorus　of　〃'Ear；　'ear！〃　〃Bravo！〃　〃True　for　you；　docther！〃　and　so　on。　But　when　he　got　fairly　outside；　he　breathed　more　freely。　　He　had　performed　a　ticklish　task；　and　he　knew　it。

〃'Ark　at　'em；〃　growled　the　Moocher　from　his　corner；　〃a…cheerin'　at　the　bloody　noos！〃

〃Wait　a　bit；〃　said　the　acuter　intelligence　of　Jemmy　Vetch。　　〃Give　'em　time。　There'll　be　three　or　four　more　down　afore　night；　and　then　we'll　see！〃




CHAPTER　VIII。

A　DANGEROUS　CRISIS。



It　was　late　in　the　afternoon　when　Sarah　Purfoy　awoke　from　her　uneasy　slumber。　She　had　been　dreaming　of　the　deed　she　was　about　to　do；　and　was　flushed　and　feverish；　but；　mindful　of　the　consequences　which　hung　upon　the　success　or　failure　of　the　enterprise；　she　rallied　herself；　bathed　her　face　and　hands；　and　ascended　with　as　calm　an　air　as　she　could　assume　to　the　poop…deck。

Nothing　was　changed　since　yesterday。　　The　sentries'　arms　glittered　in　the　pitiless　sunshine；　the　ship　rolled　and　creaked　on　the　swell　of　the　dreamy　sea；　and　the　prison…cage　on　the　lower　deck　was　crowded　with　the　same　cheerless　figures；　disposed　in　the　attitudes　of　the　day　before。　Even　Mr。　Maurice　Frere；　recovered　from　his　midnight　fatigues；　was　lounging　on　the　same　coil　of　rope；　in　precisely　the　same　position。

Yet　the　eye　of　an　acute　observer　would　have　detected　some　difference　beneath　this　outward　varnish　of　similarity。　　The　man　at　the　wheel　looked　round　the　horizon　more　eagerly；　and　spit　into　the　swirling；　unwholesome…looking　water　with　a　more　dejected　air　than　before。　The　fishing…lines　still　hung　dangling　over　the　catheads；　but　nobody　touched　them。　　The　soldiers　and　sailors　on　the　forecastle；　collected　in　knots；　had　no　heart　even　to　smoke；　but　gloomily　stared　at　each　other。　　Vickers　was　in　the　cuddy　writing；　Blunt　was　in　his　cabin；　and　Pine；　with　two　carpenters　at　work　under　his　directions；　was　improvising　increased　hospital　accommodation。　　The　noise　of　mallet　and　hammer　echoed　in　the　soldiers'　berth　ominously；　the　workmen　might　have　been　making　coffins。　　The　prison　was　strangely　silent；　with　the　lowering　silence　which　precedes　a　thunderstorm；　and　the　convicts　on　deck　no　longer　told　stories；　nor　laughed　at　obscene　jests；　but　sat　together；　moodily　patient；　as　if　waiting　for　something。　　Three　mentwo　prisoners　and　a　soldierhad　succumbed　since　Rufus　Dawes　had　been　removed　to　the　hospital；　and　though　as　yet　there　had　been　no　complaint　or　symptom　of　panic；　the　face　of　each　man；　soldier；　sailor；　or　prisoner；　wore　an　expectant　look；　as　though　he　wondered　whose　turn　would　come　next。　On　the　shiprolling　ceaselessly　from　side　to　side；　like　some　wounded　creature；　on　the　opaque　profundity　of　that　stagnant　oceana　horrible　shadow　had　fallen。　The　Malabar　seemed　to　be　enveloped　in　an　electric　cloud；　whose　sullen　gloom　a　chance　spark　might　flash　into　a　blaze　that　should　consume　her。

The　woman　who　held　in　her　hands　the　two　ends　of　the　chain　that　would　produce　this　spark；　paused；　came　up　upon　deck；　and；　after　a　glance　round；　leant　against　the　poop　railing；　and　looked　down　into　the　barricade。　As　we　have　said；　the　prisoners　were　in　knots　of　four　and　five；　and　to　one　group　in　particular　her　glance　was　directed。　　Three　men；　leaning　carelessly　against　the　bulwarks；　watched　her　every　motion。

〃There　she　is；　right　enough；〃　growled　Mr。　Gabbett；　as　if　in　continuation　of　a　previous　remark。　　〃Flash　as　ever；　and　looking　this　way；　too。〃

〃I　don't　see　no　wipe；〃　said　the　practical　Moocher。

〃Patience　is　a　virtue；　most　noble　knuckler！〃　says　the　Crow；　with　affected　carelessness。　　〃Give　the　young　woman　time。〃

〃Blowed　if　I'm　going　to　wait　no　longer；〃　says　the　giant；　licking　his　coarse　blue　lips。　　〃'Ere　we've　been　bluffed　off　day　arter　day；　and　kep'　dancin'　round　the　Dandy's　wench　like　a　parcel　o'　dogs。　The　fever's　aboard；　and　we've　got　all　ready。　　What's　the　use　o'　waitin'？　Orfice；　or　no　orfice；　I'm　for　bizness　at　once！〃

〃There；　look　at　that；〃　he　added；　with　an　oath；　as　the　figure　of　Maurice　Frere　appeared　side　by　side　with　that　of　the　waiting…maid；　and　the　two　turned　away　up　the　deck　together。

〃It's　all　right；　you　confounded　muddlehead！〃　cried　the　Crow；　losing　patience　with　his　perverse　and　stupid　companion。　　〃How　can　she　give　us　the　office　with　that　cove　at　her　elbow？〃

Gabbett's　only　reply　to　this　question　was　a　ferocious　grunt；　and　a　sudden　elevation　of　his　clenched　fist；　which　caused　Mr。　Vetch　to　retreat　precipitately。　　The　giant　did　not　follow；　and　Mr。　Vetch；　folding　his　arms；　and　assuming　an　attitude　of　easy　contempt；　directed　his　attention　to　Sarah　Purfoy。　　She　seemed　an　object　of　general　attraction；　for　at　the　same　moment　a　young　soldier　ran　up　the　ladder　to　the　forecastle；　and　eagerly　bent　his　gaze　in　her　direction。

Maurice　Frere　had　come　behind　her　and　touched　her　on　the　shoulder。　Since　their　conversation　the　previous　evening；　he　had　made　up　his　mind　to　be　fooled　no　longer。　　The　girl　was　evidently　playing　with　him；　and　he　would　show　her　that　he　was　not　to　be　trifled　with。

〃Well；　Sarah！〃

〃Well；　Mr。　Frere；〃　dropping　her　hand；　and　turning　round　with　a　smile。

〃How　well　you　are　looking　to…day！　　Positively　lovely！〃

〃You　have　told　me　that　so　often；〃　says　she；　with　a　pout。　〃Have　you　nothing　else　to　say？〃

〃Except　that　I　love　you。〃　This　in　a　most　impassioned　manner。

〃That　is　no　news。　　I　know　you　do。〃

〃Curse　it；　Sarah；　what　is　a　fellow　to　do？〃　His　profligacy　was　failing　him　rapidly。　　〃What　is　the　use　of　playing　fast　and　loose　with　a　fellow　this　way？〃

〃A　'fellow'　should　be　able　to　take　care　of　himself；　Mr。　Frere。　I　didn't　ask　you　to　fall　in　love　with　me；　did　I？　　If　you　don't　please　me；　it　is　not　your　fault；　perhaps。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃You　soldiers　have　so　many　things　to　think　ofyour　guards　and　sentries；　and　visits　and　things。　　You　have　no　time　to　spare　for　a　poor　woman　like　me。〃

〃Spare！〃　cries　Frere；　in　amazement。　　〃Why；　damme；　you　won't　let　a　fellow　spare！　I'd　spare　fast　enough；　if　that　was　all。〃　She　cast　her　eyes　down　to　the　deck　and　a　modest　flush　rose　in　her　cheeks。　　〃I　have　so　much　to　do；〃　she　said；　in　a　half…whisper。　　〃There　are　so　many　eyes　upon　me；　I　cannot　stir　without　being　seen。〃

She　raised　her　head　as　she　spoke；　and　to　give　effect　to　her　words；　looked　round　the　deck。　　Her　glance　crossed　that　of　the　young　soldier　on　the　forecastle；　and　though　the　distance　was　too　great　for　her　to　distinguish　his　features；　she　guessed　who　he　wasMiles　was　jealous。　　Frere；　smiling　with　delight　at　her　change　of　manner；　came　close　to　her；　and　whispered　in　her　ear。　　She　affected　to　start；　and　took　the　opportunity　of　exchanging　a　signal　with　the　Crow。

〃I　will　come　at　eight　o'clock；〃　said　she；　with　modestly　averted　face。

〃They　relieve　the　guard　at　eight；〃　he　said　deprecatingly。

She　tossed　her　head。　　〃Very　well；　then；　attend　to　your　guard；　I　don't　care。〃

〃But；　Sarah；　consider〃

〃As　if　a　woman　in　love　ever　considers！〃　said　she；　turning　upon　him　a　burning　glance；　which　in　truth　might　have　melted　a　more　icy　man　than　he。

She　loved　him　then！　　What　a　fool　he　would　be　to　refuse。　　To　get　her　to　come　was　the　first　object；　how　to　make　duty　fit　with　pleasure　would　be　considered　afterwards。　　Besides；　the　guard　could　relieve　itself　for　once　without　his　supervision。

〃Very　well；　at　eight　then；　dearest。〃

〃Hush！〃　said　she。　　〃Here　comes　that　stupid　captain。〃

And　as　Frere　left　her；　she　turned；　and　with　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　convict　barricade；　dropped　the　handkerchief　she　held　in　her　hand　over　the　poop　railing。　　It　fell　at　the　feet　of　the　amorous　captain；　and　with　a　quick　upward　glance；　that　worthy　fellow　picked　it　up；　and　brought　it　to　her。

〃Oh；　thank　you；　Captain　Blunt；〃　said　she；　and　her　eyes　spoke　more　than　her　tongue。

〃Did　you　take　the　laudanum？〃　whispered　Blunt；　with　a　twinkle　in　his　eye。

〃Some　of　it；〃　said　she。　　〃I　will　bring　you　back　the　bottle　to…night。〃

Blunt　walked　aft；　humming　cheerily；　and　saluted　Frere　with　a　slap　on　the　back。　The　two　men　laughed；　each　at　his　own　thoughts