for the term of his natural life-第4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！




The　web　of　circumstantial　evidence　had　enmeshed　him。　　An　hour　ago　escape　would　have　been　easy。　　He　would　have　had　but　to　cry；　〃I　am　the　son　of　Sir　Richard　Devine。　　Come　with　me　to　yonder　house；　and　I　will　prove　to　you　that　I　have　but　just　quitted　it；〃to　place　his　innocence　beyond　immediate　question。　　That　course　of　action　was　impossible　now。　　Knowing　Sir　Richard　as　he　did；　and　believing；　moreover；　that　in　his　raging　passion　the　old　man　had　himself　met　and　murdered　the　destroyer　of　his　honour；　the　son　of　Lord　Bellasis　and　Lady　Devine　saw　himself　in　a　position　which　would　compel　him　either　to　sacrifice　himself；　or　to　purchase　a　chance　of　safety　at　the　price　of　his　mother's　dishonour　and　the　death　of　the　man　whom　his　mother　had　deceived。　　If　the　outcast　son　were　brought　a　prisoner　to　North　End　House；　Sir　Richardnow　doubly　oppressed　of　fatewould　be　certain　to　deny　him；　and　he　would　be　compelled；　in　self…defence；　to　reveal　a　story　which　would　at　once　bring　his　mother　to　open　infamy；　and　send　to　the　gallows　the　man　who　had　been　for　twenty　years　deceivedthe　man　to　whose　kindness　he　owed　education　and　former　fortune。　He　knelt；　stupefied；　unable　to　speak　or　move。

〃Come；〃　cried　Mogford　again；　〃say；　my　lord；　is　this　the　villain？〃

Lord　Bellasis　rallied　his　failing　senses；　his　glazing　eyes　stared　into　his　son's　face　with　horrible　eagerness；　he　shook　his　head；　raised　a　feeble　arm　as　though　to　point　elsewhere；　and　fell　back　dead。

〃If　you　didn't　murder　him；　you　robbed　him；〃　growled　Mogford；　〃and　you　shall　sleep　at　Bow　Street　to…night。　　Tom；　run　on　to　meet　the　patrol；　and　leave　word　at　the　Gate…house　that　I've　a　passenger　for　the　coach！Bring　him　on；　Jack！What's　your　name；　eh？〃

He　repeated　the　rough　question　twice　before　his　prisoner　answered；　but　at　length　Richard　Devine　raised　a　pale　face　which　stern　resolution　had　already　hardened　into　defiant　manhood；　and　said　〃DawesRufus　Dawes。〃


　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*


His　new　life　had　begun　already：　for　that　night　one；　Rufus　Dawes；　charged　with　murder　and　robbery；　lay　awake　in　prison；　waiting　for　the　fortune　of　the　morrow。

Two　other　men　waited　as　eagerly。　　One；　Mr。　Lionel　Crofton；　the　other；　the　horseman　who　had　appointment　with　the　murdered　Lord　Bellasis　under　the　shadow　of　the　fir　trees　on　Hampstead　Heath。　As　for　Sir　Richard　Devine；　he　waited　for　no　one；　for　upon　reaching　his　room　he　had　fallen　senseless　in　a　fit　of　apoplexy。






BOOK　I。THE　SEA。　　1827。






CHAPTER　I。

THE　PRISON　SHIP。



In　the　breathless　stillness　of　a　tropical　afternoon；　when　the　air　was　hot　and　heavy；　and　the　sky　brazen　and　cloudless；　the　shadow　of　the　Malabar　lay　solitary　on　the　surface　of　the　glittering　sea。

The　sunwho　rose　on　the　left　hand　every　morning　a　blazing　ball；　to　move　slowly　through　the　unbearable　blue；　until　he　sank　fiery　red　in　mingling　glories　of　sky　and　ocean　on　the　right　handhad　just　got　low　enough　to　peep　beneath　the　awning　that　covered　the　poop…deck；　and　awaken　a　young　man；　in　an　undress　military　uniform；　who　was　dozing　on　a　coil　of　rope。

〃Hang　it！〃　said　he；　rising　and　stretching　himself；　with　the　weary　sigh　of　a　man　who　has　nothing　to　do；　〃I　must　have　been　asleep〃；　and　then；　holding　by　a　stay；　he　turned　about　and　looked　down　into　the　waist　of　the　ship。

Save　for　the　man　at　the　wheel　and　the　guard　at　the　quarter…railing；　he　was　alone　on　the　deck。　　A　few　birds　flew　round　about　the　vessel；　and　seemed　to　pass　under　her　stern　windows　only　to　appear　again　at　her　bows。　A　lazy　albatross；　with　the　white　water　flashing　from　his　wings；　rose　with　a　dabbling　sound　to　leeward；　and　in　the　place　where　he　had　been　glided　the　hideous　fin　of　a　silently…swimming　shark。　The　seams　of　the　well…scrubbed　deck　were　sticky　with　melted　pitch；　and　the　brass　plate　of　the　compass…case　sparkled　in　the　sun　like　a　jewel。　There　was　no　breeze；　and　as　the　clumsy　ship　rolled　and　lurched　on　the　heaving　sea；　her　idle　sails　flapped　against　her　masts　with　a　regularly　recurring　noise；　and　her　bowsprit　would　seem　to　rise　higher　with　the　water's　swell；　to　dip　again　with　a　jerk　that　made　each　rope　tremble　and　tauten。　　On　the　forecastle；　some　half…dozen　soldiers；　in　all　varieties　of　undress；　were　playing　at　cards；　smoking；　or　watching　the　fishing…lines　hanging　over　the　catheads。

So　far　the　appearance　of　the　vessel　differed　in　no　wise　from　that　of　an　ordinary　transport。　　But　in　the　waist　a　curious　sight　presented　itself。　It　was　as　though　one　had　built　a　cattle…pen　there。　　At　the　foot　of　the　foremast；　and　at　the　quarter…deck；　a　strong　barricade；　loop…holed　and　furnished　with　doors　for　ingress　and　egress；　ran　across　the　deck　from　bulwark　to　bulwark。　　Outside　this　cattle…pen　an　armed　sentry　stood　on　guard；　inside；　standing；　sitting；　or　walking　monotonously；　within　range　of　the　shining　barrels　in　the　arm　chest　on　the　poop；　were　some　sixty　men　and　boys；　dressed　in　uniform　grey。　　The　men　and　boys　were　prisoners　of　the　Crown；　and　the　cattle…pen　was　their　exercise　ground。　　Their　prison　was　down　the　main　hatchway；　on　the　'tween　decks；　and　the　barricade；　continued　down；　made　its　side　walls。

It　was　the　fag　end　of　the　two　hours'　exercise　graciously　permitted　each　afternoon　by　His　Majesty　King　George　the　Fourth　to　prisoners　of　the　Crown；　and　the　prisoners　of　the　Crown　were　enjoying　themselves。　It　was　not；　perhaps；　so　pleasant　as　under　the　awning　on　the　poop…deck；　but　that　sacred　shade　was　only　for　such　great　men　as　the　captain　and　his　officers；　Surgeon　Pine；　Lieutenant　Maurice　Frere；　and；　most　important　personages　of　all；　Captain　Vickers　and　his　wife。

That　the　convict　leaning　against　the　bulwarks　would　like　to　have　been　able　to　get　rid　of　his　enemy　the　sun　for　a　moment；　was　probable　enough。　His　companions；　sitting　on　the　combings　of　the　main…hatch；　or　crouched　in　careless　fashion　on　the　shady　side　of　the　barricade；　were　laughing　and　talking；　with　blasphemous　and　obscene　merriment　hideous　to　contemplate；　but　he；　with　cap　pulled　over　his　brows；　and　hands　thrust　into　the　pockets　of　his　coarse　grey　garments；　held　aloof　from　their　dismal　joviality。

The　sun　poured　his　hottest　rays　on　his　head　unheeded；　and　though　every　cranny　and　seam　in　the　deck　sweltered　hot　pitch　under　the　fierce　heat；　the　man　stood　there；　motionless　and　morose；　staring　at　the　sleepy　sea。　He　had　stood　thus；　in　one　place　or　another；　ever　since　the　groaning　vessel　had　escaped　from　the　rollers　of　the　Bay　of　Biscay；　and　the　miserable　hundred　and　eighty　creatures　among　whom　he　was　classed　had　been　freed　from　their　irons；　and　allowed　to　sniff　fresh　air　twice　a　day。

The　low…browed；　coarse…featured　ruffians　grouped　about　the　deck　cast　many　a　leer　of　contempt　at　the　solitary　figure；　but　their　remarks　were　confined　to　gestures　only。　　There　are　degrees　in　crime；　and　Rufus　Dawes；　the　convicted　felon；　who　had　but　escaped　the　gallows　to　toil　for　all　his　life　in　irons；　was　a　man　of　mark。　　He　had　been　tried　for　the　robbery　and　murder　of　Lord　Bellasis。　　The　friendless　vagabond's　lame　story　of　finding　on　the　Heath　a　dying　man　would　not　have　availed　him；　but　for　the　curious　fact　sworn　to　by　the　landlord　of　the　Spaniards'　Inn；　that　the　murdered　nobleman　had　shaken　his　head　when　asked　if　the　prisoner　was　his　assassin。　　The　vagabond　was　acquitted　of　the　murder；　but　condemned　to　death　for　the　robbery；　and　London；　who　took　some　interest　in　the　trial；　considered　him　fortunate　when　his　sentence　was　commuted　to　transportation　for　life。

It　was　customary　on　board　these　floating　prisons　to　keep　each　man's　crime　a　secret　from　his　fellows；　so　that　if　he　chose；　and　the　caprice　of　his　gaolers　allowed　him；　he　could　lead　a　new　life　in　his　adopted　home；　without　being　taunted　with　his　former　misdeeds。　　But；　like　other　excellent　devices；　the　expedient　was　only　a　nominal　one；　and　few　out　of　the　doomed　hundred　and　eighty　were　ignorant　of　the　offence　which　their　companions　had　committed。　　The　more　guilty　boasted　of　their　superiority　in　vice；　the　petty　criminals　swore　that　their　guilt　was　blacker　than　it　appeared。　　Moreover；　a　deed　so　bloodthirsty　and　a　respite　so　unexpected；　had　invested　the　name　of　Rufus　Dawes　with　a　grim　distinction；　which　his　superior　mental　abilities；　no　less　than　his　haughty　temper　and　powerful　frame；　combined　to　supp