for the term of his natural life-第25章

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while　the　infamies　current；　as　matters　of　course；　in　chain　gangs　and　penal　settlements；　were　of　too　horrible　a　nature　to　be　more　than　hinted　at　here。　All　that　the　vilest　and　most　bestial　of　human　creatures　could　invent　and　practise；　was　in　this　unhappy　country　invented　and　practised　without　restraint　and　without　shame。

Seven　classes　of　criminals　were　established　in　1826；　when　the　new　barracks　for　prisoners　at　Hobart　Town　were　finished。　　The　first　class　were　allowed　to　sleep　out　of　barracks；　and　to　work　for　themselves　on　Saturday；　the　second　had　only　the　last…named　indulgence；　the　third　were　only　allowed　Saturday　afternoon；　the　fourth　and　fifth　were　〃refractory　and　disorderly　charactersto　work　in　irons；〃　the　sixth　were　〃men　of　the　most　degraded　and　incorrigible　characterto　be　worked　in　irons；　and　kept　entirely　separate　from　the　other　prisoners；〃　while　the　seventh　were　the　refuse　of　this　refusethe　murderers；　bandits；　and　villains；　whom　neither　chain　nor　lash　could　tame。　　They　were　regarded　as　socially　dead；　and　shipped　to　Hell's　Gates；　or　Maria　Island。　　Hells　Gates　was　the　most　dreaded　of　all　these　houses　of　bondage。　　The　discipline　at　the　place　was　so　severe；　and　the　life　so　terrible；　that　prisoners　would　risk　all　to　escape　from　it。　　In　one　year；　of　eighty…five　deaths　there；　only　thirty　were　from　natural　causes；　of　the　remaining　dead；　twenty…seven　were　drowned；　eight　killed　accidentally；　three　shot　by　the　soldiers；　and　twelve　murdered　by　their　comrades。　　In　1822；　one　hundred　and　sixty…nine　men　out　of　one　hundred　and　eighty…two　were　punished　to　the　extent　of　two　thousand　lashes。　　During　the　ten　years　of　its　existence；　one　hundred　and　twelve　men　escaped；　out　of　whom　sixty…two　only　were　found…dead。　　The　prisoners　killed　themselves　to　avoid　living　any　longer；　and　if　so　fortunate　as　to　penetrate　the　desert　of　scrub；　heath；　and　swamp；　which　lay　between　their　prison　and　the　settled　districts；　preferred　death　to　recapture。　Successfully　to　transport　the　remnant　of　this　desperate　band　of　doubly…convicted　felons　to　Arthur's　new　prison；　was　the　mission　of　Maurice　Frere。

He　was　sitting　by　the　empty　fire…place；　with　one　leg　carelessly　thrown　over　the　other；　entertaining　the　company　with　his　usual　indifferent　air。　The　six　years　that　had　passed　since　his　departure　from　England　had　given　him　a　sturdier　frame　and　a　fuller　face。　　His　hair　was　coarser；　his　face　redder；　and　his　eye　more　hard；　but　in　demeanour　he　was　little　changed。　Sobered　he　might　be；　and　his　voice　had　acquired　that　decisive；　insured　tone　which　a　voice　exercised　only　in　accents　of　command　invariably　acquires；　but　his　bad　qualities　were　as　prominent　as　ever。　His　five　years'　residence　at　Maria　Island　had　increased　that　brutality　of　thought；　and　overbearing　confidence　in　his　own　importance；　for　which　he　had　been　always　remarkable；　but　it　had　also　given　him　an　assured　air　of　authority；　which　covered　the　more　unpleasant　features　of　his　character。　　He　was　detested　by　the　prisonersas　he　said；　〃it　was　a　word　and　a　blow　with　him〃but；　among　his　superiors；　he　passed　for　an　officer；　honest　and　painstaking；　though　somewhat　bluff　and　severe。

〃Well；　Mrs。　Vickers；〃　he　said；　as　he　took　a　cup　of　tea　from　the　hands　of　that　lady；　〃I　suppose　you　won't　be　sorry　to　get　away　from　this　place；　eh？　Trouble　you　for　the　toast；　Vickers！〃

〃No　indeed；〃　says　poor　Mrs。　Vickers；　with　the　old　girlishness　shadowed　by　six　years；　〃I　shall　be　only　too　glad。　　A　dreadful　place！　John's　duties；　however；　are　imperative。　　But　the　wind！　　My　dear　Mr。　Frere；　you've　no　idea　of　it；　I　wanted　to　send　Sylvia　to　Hobart　Town；　but　John　would　not　let　her　go。〃

〃By　the　way；　how　is　Miss　Sylvia？〃　asked　Frere；　with　the　patronising　air　which　men　of　his　stamp　adopt　when　they　speak　of　children。

〃Not　very　well；　I'm　sorry　to　say；〃　returned　Vickers。　　〃You　see；　it's　lonely　for　her　here。　　There　are　no　children　of　her　own　age；　with　the　exception　of　the　pilot's　little　girl；　and　she　cannot　associate　with　her。　　But　I　did　not　like　to　leave　her　behind；　and　endeavoured　to　teach　her　myself。〃

〃Hum！　　There　was　a…ha…governess；　or　something；　was　there　not？〃　said　Frere；　staring　into　his　tea…cup。　　〃That　maid；　you　knowwhat　was　her　name？〃

〃Miss　Purfoy；〃　said　Mrs。　Vickers；　a　little　gravely。　　〃Yes；　poor　thing！　A　sad　story；　Mr。　Frere。〃

Frere's　eye　twinkled。

〃Indeed！　　I　left；　you　know；　shortly　after　the　trial　of　the　mutineers；　and　never　heard　the　full　particulars。〃　He　spoke　carelessly；　but　he　awaited　the　reply　with　keen　curiosity。

〃A　sad　story！〃　repeated　Mrs。　Vickers。　　〃She　was　the　wife　of　that　wretched　man；　Rex；　and　came　out　as　my　maid　in　order　to　be　near　him。　　She　would　never　tell　me　her　history；　poor　thing；　though　all　through　the　dreadful　accusations　made　by　that　horrid　doctorI　always　disliked　that　manI　begged　her　almost　on　my　knees。　　You　know　how　she　nursed　Sylvia　and　poor　John。　Really　a　most　superior　creature。　　I　think　she　must　have　been　a　governess。〃

Mr。　Frere　raised　his　eyebrows　abruptly；　as　though　he　would　say；　Governess！　　　Of　course。　　Happy　suggestion。　　Wonder　it　never　occurred　to　me　before。　　〃However；　her　conduct　was　most　exemplaryreally　most　exemplaryand　during　the　six　months　we　were　in　Hobart　Town　she　taught　little　Sylvia　a　great　deal。　　Of　course　she　could　not　help　her　wretched　husband；　you　know。　　Could　she？〃

〃Certainly　not！〃　said　Frere　heartily。　　〃I　heard　something　about　him　too。　Got　into　some　scrape；　did　he　not？　　Half　a　cup；　please。〃

〃Miss　Purfoy；　or　Mrs。　Rex；　as　she　really　was；　though　I　don't　suppose　Rex　is　her　real　name　eithersugar　and　milk；　I　think　you　saidcame　into　a　little　legacy　from　an　old　aunt　in　England。〃　　Mr。　Frere　gave　a　little　bluff　nod；　meaning　thereby；　Old　aunt！　　　Exactly。　　Just　what　might　have　been　expected。　　〃And　left　my　service。　　She　took　a　little　cottage　on　the　New　Town　road；　and　Rex　was　assigned　to　her　as　her　servant。〃

〃I　see。　　The　old　dodge！〃　says　Frere；　flushing　a　little。　　〃Well？〃

〃Well；　the　wretched　man　tried　to　escape；　and　she　helped　him。　He　was　to　get　to　Launceston；　and　so　on　board　a　vessel　to　Sydney；　but　they　took　the　unhappy　creature；　and　he　was　sent　down　here。　She　was　only　fined；　but　it　ruined　her。〃

〃Ruined　her？〃

〃Well；　you　see；　only　a　few　people　knew　of　her　relationship　to　Rex；　and　she　was　rather　respected。　　Of　course；　when　it　became　known；　what　with　that　dreadful　trial　and　the　horrible　assertions　of　Dr。　Pine　you　will　not　believe　me；　I　know；　there　was　something　about　that　man　I　never　likedshe　was　quite　left　alone。　　She　wanted　me　to　bring　her　down　here　to　teach　Sylvia；　but　John　thought　that　it　was　only　to　be　near　her　husband；　and　wouldn't　allow　it。〃

〃Of　course　it　was；〃　said　Vickers；　rising。　　〃Frere；　if　you'd　like　to　smoke；　we'll　go　on　the　verandah。…She　will　never　be　satisfied　until　she　gets　that　scoundrel　free。〃　〃He's　a　bad　lot；　then？〃　says　Frere；　opening　the　glass　window；　and　leading　the　way　to　the　sandy　garden。　〃You　will　excuse　my　roughness；　Mrs。　Vickers；　but　I　have　become　quite　a　slave　to　my　pipe。　　Ha；　ha；　it's　wife　and　child　to　me！〃

〃Oh；　a　very　bad　lot；〃　returned　Vickers；　〃quiet　and　silent；　but　ready　for　any　villainy。　　I　count　him　one　of　the　worst　men　we　have。　With　the　exception　of　one　or　two　more；　I　think　he　is　the　worst。〃

〃Why　don't　you　flog　'em？〃　says　Frere；　lighting　his　pipe　in　the　gloom。　〃By　George；　sir；　I　cut　the　hides　off　my　fellows　if　they　show　any　nonsense！〃

〃Well；〃　says　Vickers；　〃I　don't　care　about　too　much　cat　myself。　Barton；　who　was　here　before　me；　flogged　tremendously；　but　I　don't　think　it　did　any　good。　　They　tried　to　kill　him　several　times。　You　remember　those　twelve　fellows　who　were　hung？　　No！　　Ah；　of　course；　you　were　away。〃

〃What　do　you　do　with　'em？〃　

〃Oh；　flog　the　worst；　you　know；　but　I　don't　flog　more　than　a　man　a　week；　as　a　rule；　and　never　more　than　fifty　lashes。　　They're　getting　quieter　now。　Then　we　iron；　and　dumb…cells；　and　maroon　them。〃

〃Do　what？〃

〃Give　them　solitary　confinement　on　Grummet　Island。　　When　a　man　gets　very　bad；　we　clap　him　into　a　boat　with　a　week's　provisions　and　pull　him　over　to　Grummet。　There　are　cells　cut　in　the　rock；　you　see；　and　the　fellow　pulls　up　his　commissariat　after　him；　and　lives　there　by　himself　for　a　month　or　so。　It　tames　them　wonderfully。〃

〃Does　it？〃　said　Frere。　　〃By　Jove！　　it's　a　capital　notion。　　I　wish　I