for the term of his natural life-第28章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


tinging　her　cheeks。　　〃It　is　really　most　considerate　of　you。　Won't　it　be　nice；　Sylvia；　to　go　with　Mr。　Frere　and　mamma　to　Hobart　Town？〃

〃Mr。　Frere；〃　says　Sylvia；　coming　from　out　a　corner　of　the　room；　〃I　am　very　sorry　for　what　I　said　just　now。　　Will　you　forgive　me？〃

She　asked　the　question　in　such　a　prim；　old…fashioned　way；　standing　in　front　of　him；　with　her　golden　locks　streaming　over　her　shoulders；　and　her　hands　clasped　on　her　black　silk　apron　（Julia　Vickers　had　her　own　notions　about　dressing　her　daughter）；　that　Frere　was　again　inclined　to　laugh。

〃Of　course　I'll　forgive　you；　my　dear；〃　he　said。　　〃You　didn't　mean　it；　I　know。〃

〃Oh；　but　I　did　mean　it；　and　that's　why　I'm　sorry。　　I　am　a　very　naughty　girl　sometimes；　though　you　wouldn't　think　so〃　（this　with　a　charming　consciousness　of　her　own　beauty）；　〃especially　with　Roman　history。　　I　don't　think　the　Romans　were　half　as　brave　as　the　Carthaginians；　do　you；　Mr。　Frere？〃

Maurice；　somewhat　staggered　by　this　question；　could　only　ask；　〃Why　not？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　like　them　half　so　well　myself；〃　says　Sylvia；　with　feminine　disdain　of　reasons。　　〃They　always　had　so　many　soldiers；　though　the　others　were　so　cruel　when　they　conquered。〃

〃Were　they？〃　says　Frere。

〃Were　they！　　Goodness　gracious；　yes！　　Didn't　they　cut　poor　Regulus's　eyelids　off；　and　roll　him　down　hill　in　a　barrel　full　of　nails？　　What　do　you　call　that；　I　should　like　to　know？〃　and　Mr。　Frere；　shaking　his　red　head　with　vast　assumption　of　classical　learning；　could　not　but　concede　that　that　was　not　kind　on　the　part　of　the　Carthaginians。

〃You　are　a　great　scholar；　Miss　Sylvia；〃　he　remarked；　with　a　consciousness　that　this　self…possessed　girl　was　rapidly　taking　him　out　of　his　depth。

〃Are　you　fond　of　reading？〃

〃Very。〃

〃And　what　books　do　you　read？〃

〃Oh；　lots！　　'Paul　and　Virginia〃；　and　'Paradise　Lost'；　and　'Shakespeare's　Plays'；　and　'Robinson　Crusoe'；　and　'Blair's　Sermons'；　and　'The　Tasmanian　Almanack'；　and　'The　Book　of　Beauty'；　and　'Tom　Jones'。〃

〃A　somewhat　miscellaneous　collection；　I　fear；〃　said　Mrs。　Vickers；　with　a　sickly　smileshe；　like　Gallio；　cared　for　none　of　these　things　〃but　our　little　library　is　necessarily　limited；　and　I　am　not　a　great　reader。　John；　my　dear；　Mr。　Frere　would　like　another　glass　of　brandy…and…water。　Oh；　don't　apologize；　I　am　a　soldier's　wife；　you　know。　　Sylvia；　my　love；　say　good…night　to　Mr。　Frere；　and　retire。〃

〃Good…night；　Miss　Sylvia。　　Will　you　give　me　a　kiss？〃

〃No！〃

〃Sylvia；　don't　be　rude！〃

〃I'm　not　rude；〃　cries　Sylvia；　indignant　at　the　way　in　which　her　literary　confidence　had　been　received。　　〃He's　rude！　　I　won't　kiss　you。　Kiss　you　indeed！　　My　goodness　gracious！〃

〃Won't　you；　you　little　beauty？〃　cried　Frere；　suddenly　leaning　forward；　and　putting　his　arm　round　the　child。　　〃Then　I　must　kiss　you！〃

To　his　astonishment；　Sylvia；　finding　herself　thus　seized　and　kissed　despite　herself；　flushed　scarlet；　and；　lifting　up　her　tiny　fist；　struck　him　on　the　cheek　with　all　her　force。

The　blow　was　so　sudden；　and　the　momentary　pain　so　sharp；　that　Maurice　nearly　slipped　into　his　native　coarseness；　and　rapped　out　an　oath。

〃My　dear　Sylvia！〃　cried　Vickers；　in　tones　of　grave　reproof。

But　Frere　laughed；　caught　both　the　child's　hands　in　one　of　his　own；　and　kissed　her　again　and　again；　despite　her　struggles。　　〃There！〃　he　said；　with　a　sort　of　triumph　in　his　tone。　　〃You　got　nothing　by　that；　you　see。〃

Vickers　rose；　with　annoyance　visible　on　his　face；　to　draw　the　child　away；　and　as　he　did　so；　she；　gasping　for　breath；　and　sobbing　with　rage；　wrenched　her　wrist　free；　and　in　a　storm　of　childish　passion　struck　her　tormentor　again　and　again。　　〃Man！〃　she　cried；　with　flaming　eyes；　〃Let　me　go！　　I　hate　you！　　I　hate　you！　　I　hate　you！〃

〃I　am　very　sorry　for　this；　Frere；〃　said　Vickers；　when　the　door　was　closed　again。　　〃I　hope　she　did　not　hurt　you。〃

〃Not　she！　　I　like　her　spirit。　　Ha；　ha！　　That's　the　way　with　women　all　the　world　over。　　Nothing　like　showing　them　that　they've　got　a　master。〃

Vickers　hastened　to　turn　the　conversation；　and；　amid　recollections　of　old　days；　and　speculations　as　to　future　prospects；　the　little　incident　was　forgotten。　But　when；　an　hour　later；　Mr。　Frere　traversed　the　passage　that　led　to　his　bedroom；　he　found　himself　confronted　by　a　little　figure　wrapped　in　a　shawl。　　It　was　his　childish　enemy

〃I've　waited　for　you；　Mr。　Frere；〃　said　she；　〃to　beg　pardon。　I　ought　not　to　have　struck　you；　I　am　a　wicked　girl。　　Don't　say　no；　because　I　am；　and　if　I　don't　grow　better　I　shall　never　go　to　Heaven。〃

Thus　addressing　him；　the　child　produced　a　piece　of　paper；　folded　like　a　letter；　from　beneath　the　shawl；　and　handed　it　to　him。

〃What's　this？〃　he　asked。　　〃Go　back　to　bed；　my　dear；　you'll　catch　cold。〃

〃It's　a　written　apology；　and　I　sha'n't　catch　cold；　because　I've　got　my　stockings　on。　　If　you　don't　accept　it；〃　she　added；　with　an　arching　of　the　brows；　〃it　is　not　my　fault。　　I　have　struck　you；　but　I　apologize。　Being　a　woman；　I　can't　offer　you　satisfaction　in　the　usual　way。〃

Mr。　Frere　stifled　the　impulse　to　laugh；　and　made　his　courteous　adversary　a　low　bow。

〃I　accept　your　apology；　Miss　Sylvia；〃　said　he。

〃Then；〃　returned　Miss　Sylvia；　in　a　lofty　manner；　〃there　is　nothing　more　to　be　said；　and　I　have　the　honour　to　bid　you　good…night；　sir。〃

The　little　maiden　drew　her　shawl　close　around　her　with　immense　dignity；　and　marched　down　the　passage　as　calmly　as　though　she　had　been　Amadis　of　Gaul　himself。

Frere；　gaining　his　room　choking　with　laughter；　opened　the　folded　paper　by　the　light　of　the　tallow　candle；　and　read；　in　a　quaint；　childish　hand：

SIR；I　have　struck　you。　　I　apologize　in　writing。　　Your　humble　servant　to　command；　SYLVIA　VICKERS。　　

〃I　wonder　what　book　she　took　that　out　of？〃　he　said。　　〃'Pon　my　word　she　must　be　a　little　cracked。　　'Gad；　it's　a　queer　life　for　a　child　in　this　place；　and　no　mistake。〃




CHAPTER　VI。

A　LEAP　IN　THE　DARK。



Two　or　three　mornings　after　the　arrival　of　the　Ladybird；　the　solitary　prisoner　of　the　Grummet　Rock　noticed　mysterious　movements　along　the　shore　of　the　island　settlement。　　The　prison　boats；　which　had　put　off　every　morning　at　sunrise　to　the　foot　of　the　timbered　ranges　on　the　other　side　of　the　harbour；　had　not　appeared　for　some　days。　　The　building　of　a　pier；　or　breakwater；　running　from　the　western　point　of　the　settlement；　was　discontinued；　and　all　hands　appeared　to　be　occupied　with　the　newly…built　Osprey；　which　was　lying　on　the　slips。　　Parties　of　soldiers　also　daily　left　the　Ladybird；　and　assisted　at　the　mysterious　work　in　progress。　　Rufus　Dawes；　walking　his　little　round　each　day；　in　vain　wondered　what　this　unusual　commotion　portended。　　Unfortunately；　no　one　came　to　enlighten　his　ignorance。

A　fortnight　after　this；　about　the　15th　of　December；　he　observed　another　curious　fact。　　All　the　boats　on　the　island　put　off　one　morning　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　harbour；　and　in　the　course　of　the　day　a　great　smoke　arose　along　the　side　of　the　hills。　　The　next　day　the　same　was　repeated；　and　on　the　fourth　day　the　boats　returned；　towing　behind　them　a　huge　raft。　　This　raft；　made　fast　to　the　side　of　the　Ladybird；　proved　to　be　composed　of　planks；　beams；　and　joists；　all　of　which　were　duly　hoisted　up；　and　stowed　in　the　hold　of　the　brig。

This　set　Rufus　Dawes　thinking。　　Could　it　possibly　be　that　the　timber…cutting　was　to　be　abandoned；　and　that　the　Government　had　hit　upon　some　other　method　of　utilizing　its　convict　labour？　　He　had　hewn　timber　and　built　boats；　and　tanned　hides　and　made　shoes。　　Was　it　possible　that　some　new　trade　was　to　be　initiated？　　Before　he　had　settled　this　point　to　his　satisfaction；　he　was　startled　by　another　boat　expedition。　　Three　boats'　crews　went　down　the　bay；　and　returned；　after　a　day's　absence；　with　an　addition　to　their　number　in　the　shape　of　four　strangers　and　a　quantity　of　stores　and　farming　implements。　Rufus　Dawes；　catching　sight　of　these　last；　came　to　the　conclusion　that　the　boats　had　been　to　Philip's　Island；　where　the　〃garden〃　was　established；　and　had　taken　off　the　gardeners　and　garden　produce。　　Rufus　Dawes　decided　that　the　Ladybird　had　brought　a　new　commandanthis　sight；　trained　by　his　half…savage　life；　had　already　distinguished　Mr。　Maurice　Frere　and　that　these　mysteries　were　〃improvements〃　under　the　new　rule。　When　he　arrived　at