for the term of his natural life-第22章
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〃What do you mean？〃 asked Frere hastily； as he heard a step approach。 〃What has Blunt to say about her？〃
〃Oh； I don't know；〃 returned Pine。 〃He was smitten too； that's all。 Like a good many more； in fact。〃
〃A good many more！〃 repeated the other； with a pretence of carelessness。
〃Yes！〃 laughed Pine。 〃Why； man； she was making eyes at every man in the ship！ I caught her kissing a soldier once。〃
Maurice Frere's cheeks grew hot。 The experienced profligate had been taken in； deceived； perhaps laughed at。 All the time he had flattered himself that he was fascinating the black…eyed maid； the black…eyed maid had been twisting him round her finger； and perhaps imitating his love…making for the gratification of her soldier…lover。 It was not a pleasant thought； and yet； strange to say； the idea of Sarah's treachery did not make him dislike her。 There is a sort of loveif love it can be calledwhich thrives under ill…treatment。 Nevertheless； he cursed with some appearance of disgust。
Vickers met them at the door。 〃Pine； Blunt has the fever。 Mr。 Best found him in his cabin groaning。 Come and look at him。〃
The commander of the Malabar was lying on his bunk in the betwisted condition into which men who sleep in their clothes contrive to get themselves。 The doctor shook him； bent down over him； and then loosened his collar。 〃He's not sick；〃 he said； 〃he's drunk！ Blunt！ wake up！ Blunt！〃
But the mass refused to move。
〃Hallo！〃 says Pine； smelling at the broken tumbler； 〃what's this？ Smells queer。 Rum？ No。 Eh！ Laudanum！ By George； he's been hocussed！〃
〃Nonsense！〃
〃I see it；〃 slapping his thigh。 〃It's that infernal woman！ She's drugged him； and meant to do the same for〃（Frere gave him an imploring look）〃for anybody else who would be fool enough to let her do it。 Dawes was right； sir。 She's in it； I'll swear she's in it。〃
〃What！ my wife's maid？ Nonsense！〃 said Vickers。
〃Nonsense！〃 echoed Frere。
〃It's no nonsense。 That soldier who was shot； what's his name？Miles； hebut； however； it doesn't matter。 It's all over now。〃 〃The men will confess before morning；〃 says Vickers； 〃and we'll see。〃 And he went off to his wife's cabin。
His wife opened the door for him。 She had been sitting by the child's bedside； listening to the firing； and waiting for her husband's return without a murmur。 Flirt； fribble； and shrew as she was； Julia Vickers had displayed； in times of emergency； that glowing courage which women of her nature at times possess。 Though she would yawn over any book above the level of a genteel love story； attempt to fascinate； with ludicrous assumption of girlishness； boys young enough to be her sons； shudder at a frog； and scream at a spider； she could sit throughout a quarter of an hour of such suspense as she had just undergone with as much courage as if she had been the strongest…minded woman that ever denied her sex。 〃Is it all over？〃 she asked。
〃Yes； thank God！〃 said Vickers； pausing on the threshold。 〃All is safe now； though we had a narrow escape； I believe。 How's Sylvia？〃 The child was lying on the bed with her fair hair scattered over the pillow； and her tiny hands moving restlessly to and fro。
〃A little better； I think； though she has been talking a good deal。〃
The red lips parted； and the blue eyes； brighter than ever； stared vacantly around。 The sound of her father's voice seemed to have roused her； for she began to speak a little prayer： 〃God bless papa and mamma； and God bless all on board this ship。 God bless me； and make me a good girl； for Jesus Christ's sake； our Lord。 Amen。〃
The sound of the unconscious child's simple prayer had something awesome in it； and John Vickers； who； not ten minutes before； would have sealed his own death warrant unhesitatingly to preserve the safety of the vessel； felt his eyes fill with unwonted tears。 The contrast was curious。 From out the midst of that desolate oceanin a fever…smitten prison ship； leagues from land； surrounded by ruffians； thieves； and murderers； the baby voice of an innocent child called confidently on Heaven。
* * * * * *
Two hours afterwardsas the Malabar； escaped from the peril which had menaced her； plunged cheerily through the rippling waterthe mutineers； by the spokesman； Mr。 James Vetch； confessed。
〃They were very sorry； and hoped that their breach of discipline would be forgiven。 It was the fear of the typhus which had driven them to it。 They had no accomplices either in the prison or out of it； but they felt it but right to say that the man who had planned the mutiny was Rufus Dawes。〃
The malignant cripple had guessed from whom the information which had led to the failure of the plot had been derived； and this was his characteristic revenge。
CHAPTER XII。
A NEWSPAPER PARAGRAPH。
Extracted from the Hobart Town Courier of the 12th November； 1827：
〃The examination of the prisoners who were concerned in the attempt upon the Malabar was concluded on Tuesday last。 The four ringleaders； Dawes Gabbett； Vetch； and Sanders； were condemned to death； but we understand that； by the clemency of his Excellency the Governor； their sentence has been commuted to six years at the penal settlement of Macquarie Harbour。〃
END OF BOOK THE FIRST
BOOK II。MACQUARIE HARBOUR。 1833。
CHAPTER I。
THE TOPOGRAPHY OF VAN DIEMEN'S LAND。
The south…east coast of Van Diemen's Land； from the solitary Mewstone to the basaltic cliffs of Tasman's Head； from Tasman's Head to Cape Pillar； and from Cape Pillar to the rugged grandeur of Pirates' Bay； resembles a biscuit at which rats have been nibbling。 Eaten away by the continual action of the ocean which； pouring round by east and west； has divided the peninsula from the mainland of the Australasian continentand done for Van Diemen's Land what it has done for the Isle of Wightthe shore line is broken and ragged。 Viewed upon the map； the fantastic fragments of island and promontory which lie scattered between the South…West Cape and the greater Swan Port； are like the curious forms assumed by melted lead spilt into water。 If the supposition were not too extravagant； one might imagine that when the Australian continent was fused； a careless giant upset the crucible； and spilt Van Diemen's land in the ocean。 The coast navigation is as dangerous as that of the Mediterranean。 Passing from Cape Bougainville to the east of Maria Island； and between the numerous rocks and shoals which lie beneath the triple height of the Three Thumbs； the mariner is suddenly checked by Tasman's Peninsula； hanging； like a huge double…dropped ear…ring； from the mainland。 Getting round under the Pillar rock through Storm Bay to Storing Island； we sight the Italy of this miniature Adriatic。 Between Hobart Town and Sorrell； Pittwater and the Derwent； a strangely…shaped point of landthe Italian boot with its toe bent upwardsprojects into the bay； and； separated from this projection by a narrow channel； dotted with rocks； the long length of Bruny Island makes； between its western side and the cliffs of Mount Royal； the dangerous passage known as D'Entrecasteaux Channel。 At the southern entrance of D'Entrecasteaux Channel； a line of sunken rocks； known by the generic name of the Actaeon reef； attests that Bruny Head was once joined with the shores of Recherche Bay； while； from the South Cape to the jaws of Macquarie Harbour； the white water caused by sunken reefs； or the jagged peaks of single rocks abruptly rising in mid sea； warn the mariner off shore。
It would seem as though nature； jealous of the beauties of her silver Derwent； had made the approach to it as dangerous as possible； but once through the archipelago of D'Entrecasteaux Channel； or the less dangerous eastern passage of Storm Bay； the voyage up the river is delightful。 From the sentinel solitude of the Iron Pot to the smiling banks of New Norfolk； the river winds in a succession of reaches； narrowing to a deep channel cleft between rugged and towering cliffs。 A line drawn due north from the source of the Derwent would strike another river winding out from the northern part of the island； as the Derwent winds out fro
