for the term of his natural life-第40章

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The　following　day　passed　gloomily。　　It　was　hot　and　sultry；　and　a　dull　haze　hung　over　the　mountains。　　Frere　spent　the　morning　in　scooping　a　grave　in　the　sand；　in　which　to　inter　poor　Bates。　　Practically　awake　to　his　own　necessities；　he　removed　such　portions　of　clothing　from　the　body　as　would　be　useful　to　him；　but　hid　them　under　a　stone；　not　liking　to　let　Mrs。　Vickers　see　what　he　had　done。　　Having　completed　the　grave　by　midday；　he　placed　the　corpse　therein；　and　rolled　as　many　stones　as　possible　to　the　sides　of　the　mound。　　In　the　afternoon　he　cast　the　fishing　line　from　the　point　of　a　rock　he　had　marked　the　day　before；　but　caught　nothing。　Passing　by　the　grave；　on　his　return；　he　noticed　that　Mrs。　Vickers　had　placed　at　the　head　of　it　a　rude　cross；　formed　by　tying　two　pieces　of　stick　together。

After　supperthe　usual　salt　meat　and　damperhe　lit　an　economical　pipe；　and　tried　to　talk　to　Sylvia。　　〃Why　won't　you　be　friends　with　me；　missy？〃　he　asked。

〃I　don't　like　you；〃　said　Sylvia。　　〃You　frighten　me。〃

〃Why？〃

〃You　are　not　kind。　　I　don't　mean　that　you　do　cruel　things；　but　you　areoh；　I　wish　papa　was　here！〃　〃Wishing　won't　bring　him！〃　says　Frere；　pressing　his　hoarded　tobacco　together　with　prudent　forefinger。

〃There！　　That's　what　I　mean！　　Is　that　kind？　　'Wishing　won't　bring　him！'　Oh；　if　it　only　would！〃

〃I　didn't　mean　it　unkindly；〃　says　Frere。　　〃What　a　strange　child　you　are。〃

〃There　are　persons；〃　says　Sylvia；　〃who　have　no　Affinity　for　each　other。　I　read　about　it　in　a　book　papa　had；　and　I　suppose　that's　what　it　is。　I　have　no　Affinity　for　you。　　I　can't　help　it；　can　I？〃

〃Rubbish！〃　Frere　returned。　　〃Come　here；　and　I'll　tell　you　a　story。〃

Mrs。　Vickers　had　gone　back　to　her　cave；　and　the　two　were　alone　by　the　fire；　near　which　stood　the　kettle　and　the　newly…made　damper。　　The　child；　with　some　show　of　hesitation；　came　to　him；　and　he　caught　and　placed　her　on　his　knee。　　The　moon　had　not　yet　risen；　and　the　shadows　cast　by　the　flickering　fire　seemed　weird　and　monstrous。　　The　wicked　wish　to　frighten　this　helpless　creature　came　to　Maurice　Frere。

〃There　was　once；〃　said　he；　〃a　Castle　in　an　old　wood；　and　in　this　Castle　there　lived　an　Ogre；　with　great　goggle　eyes。〃

〃You　silly　man！〃　said　Sylvia；　struggling　to　be　free。　　〃You　are　trying　to　frighten　me！〃

〃And　this　Ogre　lived　on　the　bones　of　little　girls。　　One　day　a　little　girl　was　travelling　the　wood；　and　she　heard　the　Ogre　coming。　　'Haw！　　haw！　　Haw！　　haw！'〃

〃Mr。　Frere；　let　me　down！〃

〃She　was　terribly　frightened；　and　she　ran；　and　ran；　and　ran；　until　all　of　a　sudden　she　saw〃

A　piercing　scream　burst　from　his　companion。　　〃Oh！　　oh！　　What's　that？〃　she　cried；　and　clung　to　her　persecutor。

Beyond　the　fire　stood　the　figure　of　a　man。　　He　staggered　forward；　and　then；　falling　on　his　knees；　stretched　out　his　hands；　and　hoarsely　articulated　one　word〃Food。〃　It　was　Rufus　Dawes。

The　sound　of　a　human　voice　broke　the　spell　of　terror　that　was　on　the　child；　and　as　the　glow　from　the　fire　fell　upon　the　tattered　yellow　garments；　she　guessed　at　once　the　whole　story。　　Not　so　Maurice　Frere。　He　saw　before　him　a　new　danger；　a　new　mouth　to　share　the　scanty　provision；　and　snatching　a　brand　from　the　fire　he　kept　the　convict　at　bay。　But　Rufus　Dawes；　glaring　round　with　wolfish　eyes；　caught　sight　of　the　damper　resting　against　the　iron　kettle；　and　made　a　clutch　at　it。　　Frere　dashed　the　brand　in　his　face。　　〃Stand　back！〃　he　cried。　　〃We　have　no　food　to　spare！〃

The　convict　uttered　a　savage　cry；　and　raising　the　iron　gad；　plunged　forward　desperately　to　attack　this　new　enemy；　but；　quick　as　thought；　the　child　glided　past　Frere；　and；　snatching　the　loaf；　placed　it　in　the　hands　of　the　starving　man；　with　〃Here；　poor　prisoner；　eat！〃　and　then；　turning　to　Frere；　she　cast　upon　him　a　glance　so　full　of　horror；　indignation；　and　surprise；　that　the　man　blushed　and　threw　down　the　brand。

As　for　Rufus　Dawes；　the　sudden　apparition　of　this　golden…haired　girl　seemed　to　have　transformed　him。　　Allowing　the　loaf　to　slip　through　his　fingers；　he　gazed　with　haggard　eyes　at　the　retreating　figure　of　the　child；　and　as　it　vanished　into　the　darkness　outside　the　circle　of　firelight；　the　unhappy　man　sank　his　face　upon　his　blackened；　horny　hands；　and　burst　into　tears。




CHAPTER　XII。

〃MR。〃　DAWES。



The　coarse　tones　of　Maurice　Frere　roused　him。　　〃What　do　you　want？〃　he　asked。　Rufus　Dawes；　raising　his　head；　contemplated　the　figure　before　him；　and　recognized　it。　　〃Is　it　you？〃　he　said　slowly。

〃What　do　you　mean？　　Do　you　know　me？〃　asked　Frere；　drawing　back。　But　the　convict　did　not　reply。　　His　momentary　emotion　passed　away；　the　pangs　of　hunger　returned；　and　greedily　seizing　upon　the　piece　of　damper；　he　began　to　eat　in　silence。

〃Do　you　hear；　man？〃　repeated　Frere；　at　length。　　〃What　are　you？〃

〃An　escaped　prisoner。　　You　can　give　me　up　in　the　morning。　　I've　done　my　best；　and　I'm　beat。〃

The　sentence　struck　Frere　with　dismay。　　The　man　did　not　know　that　the　settlement　had　been　abandoned！

〃I　cannot　give　you　up。　　There　is　no　one　but　myself　and　a　woman　and　child　on　the　settlement。〃　　Rufus　Dawes；　pausing　in　his　eating；　stared　at　him　in　amazement。　　〃The　prisoners　have　gone　away　in　the　schooner。　If　you　choose　to　remain　free；　you　can　do　so　as　far　as　I　am　concerned。　I　am　as　helpless　as　you　are。〃

〃But　how　do　you　come　here？〃

Frere　laughed　bitterly。　　To　give　explanations　to　convicts　was　foreign　to　his　experience；　and　he　did　not　relish　the　task。　　In　this　case；　however；　there　was　no　help　for　it。　　〃The　prisoners　mutinied　and　seized　the　brig。〃

〃What　brig？〃

〃The　Osprey。〃

A　terrible　light　broke　upon　Rufus　Dawes；　and　he　began　to　understand　how　he　had　again　missed　his　chance。　　〃Who　took　her？〃

〃That　double…dyed　villain；　John　Rex；〃　says　Frere；　giving　vent　to　his　passion。　〃May　she　sink；　and　burn；　and〃

〃Have　they　gone；　then？〃　cried　the　miserable　man；　clutching　at　his　hair　with　a　gesture　of　hopeless　rage。

〃Yes；　two　days　ago；　and　left　us　here　to　starve。〃　Rufus　Dawes　burst　into　a　laugh　so　discordant　that　it　made　the　other　shudder。　〃We'll　starve　together；　Maurice　Frere；〃　said　he；　〃for　while　you've　a　crust；　I'll　share　it。　　If　I　don't　get　liberty；　at　least　I'll　have　revenge！〃

The　sinister　aspect　of　this　famished　savage；　sitting　with　his　chin　on　his　ragged　knees；　rocking　himself　to　and　fro　in　the　light　of　the　fire；　gave　Mr。　Maurice　Frere　a　new　sensation。　　He　felt　as　might　have　felt　that　African　hunter　who；　returning　to　his　camp　fire；　found　a　lion　there。　〃Wretch！〃　said　he；　shrinking　from　him；　〃why　should　you　wish　to　be　revenged　on　me？〃

The　convict　turned　upon　him　with　a　snarl。　　〃Take　care　what　you　say！　I'll　have　no　hard　words。　　Wretch！　　If　I　am　a　wretch；　who　made　me　one？　If　I　hate　you　and　myself　and　the　world；　who　made　me　hate　it？　I　was　born　freeas　free　as　you　are。　　Why　should　I　be　sent　to　herd　with　beasts；　and　condemned　to　this　slavery；　worse　than　death？　　Tell　me　that；　Maurice　Freretell　me　that！〃　〃I　didn't　make　the　laws；〃　says　Frere；　〃why　do　you　attack　me？〃

〃Because　you　are　what　I　was。　　You　are　FREE！　　You　can　do　as　you　please。　You　can　love；　you　can　work；　you　can　think。　　I　can　only　hate！〃　He　paused　as　if　astonished　at　himself；　and　then　continued；　with　a　low　laugh。　〃Fine　words　for　a　convict；　eh！　　But；　never　mind；　it's　all　right；　Mr。　Frere；　we're　equal　now；　and　I　sha'n't　die　an　hour　sooner　than　you；　though　you　are　a　'free　man'！〃

Frere　began　to　think　that　he　was　dealing　with　another　madman。

〃Die！　　There's　no　need　to　talk　of　dying；〃　he　said；　as　soothingly　as　it　was　possible　for　him　to　say　it。　　〃Time　enough　for　that　by…and…by。〃

〃There　spoke　the　free　man。　　We　convicts　have　an　advantage　over　you　gentlemen。　You　are　afraid　of　death；　we　pray　for　it。　　It　is　the　best　thing　that　can　happen　to　us。　　Die！　　They　were　going　to　hang　me　once。　I　wish　they　had。　　My　God；　I　wish　they　had！〃

There　was　such　a　depth　of　agony　in　this　terrible　utterance　that　Maurice　Frere　was　appalled　at　it。　　〃There；　go　and　sleep；　my　man；〃　he　said。　〃You　are　knocked　up。　　We'll　talk　in　the　morning。〃

〃Hold　on　a　bit！〃　cried　Rufus　Dawes；　with　a　coarseness　of　manner　altogether　foreign　to　that　he　had　just　assumed。　　〃Who's　with　ye？〃

〃The　wife　and　daughter　of　the　Commandant；〃　replied　Frere；　half　afraid　to　refuse　an　answer　to　a　question　so　fiercely　put。

〃No　one　else？〃