for the term of his natural life-第41章

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

〃No　one　else？〃

〃No。〃　〃Poor　souls！〃　said　the　convict；　〃I　pity　them。〃　And　then　he　stretched　himself；　like　a　dog；　before　the　blaze；　and　went　to　sleep　instantly。　　Maurice　Frere；　looking　at　the　gaunt　figure　of　this　addition　to　the　party；　was　completely　puzzled　how　to　act。　　Such　a　character　had　never　before　come　within　the　range　of　his　experience。　　He　knew　not　what　to　make　of　this　fierce；　ragged；　desperate　man；　who　wept　and　threatened　by　turnswho　was　now　snarling　in　the　most　repulsive　bass　of　the　convict　gamut；　and　now　calling　upon　Heaven　in　tones　which　were　little　less　than　eloquent。　At　first　he　thought　of　precipitating　himself　upon　the　sleeping　wretch　and　pinioning　him；　but　a　second　glance　at　the　sinewy；　though　wasted；　limbs　forbade　him　to　follow　out　the　rash　suggestion　of　his　own　fears。　Then　a　horrible　promptingarising　out　of　his　former　cowardice　made　him　feel　for　the　jack…knife　with　which　one　murder　had　already　been　committed。　　Their　stock　of　provisions　was　so　scanty；　and　after　all；　the　lives　of　the　woman　and　child　were　worth　more　than　that　of　this　unknown　desperado！　　But；　to　do　him　justice；　the　thought　no　sooner　shaped　itself　than　he　crushed　it　out。　　〃We'll　wait　till　morning；　and　see　how　he　shapes；〃　said　Frere　to　himself；　and　pausing　at　the　brushwood　barricade；　behind　which　the　mother　and　daughter　were　clinging　to　each　other；　he　whispered　that　he　was　on　guard　outside；　and　that　the　absconder　slept。　But　when　morning　dawned；　he　found　that　there　was　no　need　for　alarm。　The　convict　was　lying　in　almost　the　same　position　as　that　in　which　he　had　left　him；　and　his　eyes　were　closed。　　His　threatening　outbreak　of　the　previous　night　had　been　produced　by　the　excitement　of　his　sudden　rescue；　and　he　was　now　incapable　of　violence。　　Frere　advanced；　and　shook　him　by　the　shoulder。

〃Not　alive！〃　cried　the　poor　wretch；　waking　with　a　start；　and　raising　his　arm　to　strike。　　〃Keep　off！〃

〃It's　all　right；〃　said　Frere。　　〃No　one　is　going　to　harm　you。　　Wake　up。〃

Rufus　Dawes　glanced　around　him　stupidly；　and　then　remembering　what　had　happened；　with　a　great　effort；　he　staggered　to　his　feet。　〃I　thought　they'd　got　me！〃　he　said；　〃but　it's　the　other　way；　I　see。　Come；　let's　have　breakfast；　Mr。　Frere。　　I'm　hungry。〃

〃You　must　wait；〃　said　Frere。　　〃Do　you　think　there　is　no　one　here　but　yourself？〃

Rufus　Dawes；　swaying　to　and　fro　from　weakness；　passed　his　shred　of　a　cuff　over　his　eyes。　　〃I　don't　know　anything　about　it。　　I　only　know　I'm　hungry。〃

Frere　stopped　short。　　Now　or　never　was　the　time　to　settle　future　relations。　Lying　awake　in　the　night；　with　the　jack…knife　ready　to　his　hand；　he　had　decided　on　the　course　of　action　that　must　be　adopted。　The　convict　should　share　with　the　rest；　but　no　more。　　If　he　rebelled　at　that；　there　must　be　a　trial　of　strength　between　them。　　〃Look　you　here；〃　he　said。　〃We　have　but　barely　enough　food　to　serve　us　until　help　comesif　it　does　come。　I　have　the　care　of　that　poor　woman　and　child；　and　I　will　see　fair　play　for　their　sakes。　　You　shall　share　with　us　to　our　last　bit　and　drop；　but；　by　Heaven；　you　shall　get　no　more。〃

The　convict；　stretching　out　his　wasted　arms；　looked　down　upon　them　with　the　uncertain　gaze　of　a　drunken　man。　　〃I　am　weak　now；〃　he　said。　〃You　have　the　best　of　me〃；　and　then　he　sank　suddenly　down　upon　the　ground；　exhausted。　　〃Give　me　a　drink；〃　he　moaned；　feebly　motioning　with　his　hand。　Frere　got　him　water　in　the　pannikin；　and　having　drunk　it；　he　smiled　and　lay　down　to　sleep　again。　　Mrs。　Vickers　and　Sylvia；　coming　out　while　he　still　slept；　recognized　him　as　the　desperado　of　the　settlement。

〃He　was　the　most　desperate　man　we　had；〃　said　Mrs。　Vickers；　identifying　herself　with　her　husband。　　〃Oh；　what　shall　we　do？〃

〃He　won't　do　much　harm；〃　returned　Frere；　looking　down　at　the　notorious　ruffian　with　curiosity。　　〃He's　as　near　dead　as　can　be。〃

Sylvia　looked　up　at　him　with　her　clear　child's　glance。　　〃We　mustn't　let　him　die；〃　said　she。　　〃That　would　be　murder。〃　　〃No；　no；〃　returned　Frere；　hastily；　〃no　one　wants　him　to　die。　　But　what　can　we　do？〃

〃I'll　nurse　him！〃　cried　Sylvia。

Frere　broke　into　one　of　his　coarse　laughs；　the　first　one　that　he　had　indulged　in　since　the　mutiny。　　〃You　nurse　him！　　By　George；　that's　a　good　one！〃　The　poor　little　child；　weak　and　excitable；　felt　the　contempt　in　the　tone；　and　burst　into　a　passion　of　sobs。　　〃Why　do　you　insult　me；　you　wicked　man？　The　poor　fellow's　ill；　and　he'llhe'll　die；　like　Mr。　Bates。　Oh；　mamma；　mamma；　Let's　go　away　by　ourselves。〃

Frere　swore　a　great　oath；　and　walked　away。　　He　went　into　the　little　wood　under　the　cliff；　and　sat　down。　　He　was　full　of　strange　thoughts；　which　he　could　not　express；　and　which　he　had　never　owned　before。　The　dislike　the　child　bore　to　him　made　him　miserable；　and　yet　he　took　delight　in　tormenting　her。　　He　was　conscious　that　he　had　acted　the　part　of　a　coward　the　night　before　in　endeavouring　to　frighten　her；　and　that　the　detestation　she　bore　him　was　well　earned；　but　he　had　fully　determined　to　stake　his　life　in　her　defence；　should　the　savage　who　had　thus　come　upon　them　out　of　the　desert　attempt　violence；　and　he　was　unreasonably　angry　at　the　pity　she　had　shown。　　It　was　not　fair　to　be　thus　misinterpreted。　　But　he　had　done　wrong　to　swear；　and　more　so　in　quitting　them　so　abruptly。　　The　consciousness　of　his　wrong…doing；　however；　only　made　him　more　confirmed　in　it。　His　native　obstinacy　would　not　allow　him　to　retract　what　he　had　said　even　to　himself。　　Walking　along；　he　came　to　Bates's　grave；　and　the　cross　upon　it。　　Here　was　another　evidence　of　ill…treatment。　She　had　always　preferred　Bates。　　Now　that　Bates　was　gone；　she　must　needs　transfer　her　childish　affections　to　a　convict。　　〃Oh；〃　said　Frere　to　himself；　with　pleasant　recollections　of　many　coarse　triumphs　in　love…making；　〃if　you　were　a　woman；　you　little　vixen；　I'd　make　you　love　me！〃　When　he　had　said　this；　he　laughed　at　himself　for　his　follyhe　was　turning　romantic！　　When　he　got　back；　he　found　Dawes　stretched　upon　the　brushwood；　with　Sylvia　sitting　near　him。

〃He　is　better；〃　said　Mrs。　Vickers；　disdaining　to　refer　to　the　scene　of　the　morning。　　〃Sit　down　and　have　something　to　eat；　Mr。　Frere。〃

〃Are　you　better？〃　asked　Frere；　abruptly。

To　his　surprise；　the　convict　answered　quite　civilly；　〃I　shall　be　strong　again　in　a　day　or　two；　and　then　I　can　help　you；　sir。〃

〃Help　me？　　How？〃　〃To　build　a　hut　here　for　the　ladies。　　And　we'll　live　here　all　our　lives；　and　never　go　back　to　the　sheds　any　more。〃

〃He　has　been　wandering　a　little；〃　said　Mrs。　Vickers。　　〃Poor　fellow；　he　seems　quite　well　behaved。〃

The　convict　began　to　sing　a　little　German　song；　and　to　beat　the　refrain　with　his　hand。　　Frere　looked　at　him　with　curiosity。　　〃I　wonder　what　the　story　of　that　man's　life　has　been；〃　he　said。　　〃A　queer　one；　I'll　be　bound。〃

Sylvia　looked　up　at　him　with　a　forgiving　smile。　　〃I'll　ask　him　when　he　gets　well；〃　she　said；　〃and　if　you　are　good；　I'll　tell　you；　Mr。　Frere。〃

Frere　accepted　the　proffered　friendship。　　〃I　am　a　great　brute；　Sylvia；　sometimes；　ain't　I？〃　he　said；　〃but　I　don't　mean　it。〃

〃You　are；〃　returned　Sylvia；　frankly；　〃but　let's　shake　hands；　and　be　friends。　It's　no　use　quarrelling　when　there　are　only　four　of　us；　is　it？〃　And　in　this　way　was　Rufus　Dawes　admitted　a　member　of　the　family　circle。

Within　a　week　from　the　night　on　which　he　had　seen　the　smoke　of　Frere's　fire；　the　convict　had　recovered　his　strength；　and　had　become　an　important　personage。　The　distrust　with　which　he　had　been　at　first　viewed　had　worn　off；　and　he　was　no　longer　an　outcast；　to　be　shunned　and　pointed　at；　or　to　be　referred　to　in　whispers。　　He　had　abandoned　his　rough　manner；　and　no　longer　threatened　or　complained；　and　though　at　times　a　profound　melancholy　would　oppress　him；　his　spirits　were　more　even　than　those　of　Frere；　who　was　often　moody；　sullen；　and　overbearing。　　Rufus　Dawes　was　no　longer　the　brutalized　wretch　who　had　plunged　into　the　dark　waters　of　the　bay　to　escape　a　life　he　loathed；　and　had　alternately　cursed　and　wept　in　the　solitudes　of　the　forests。　　He　was　an　active　member　of　society　a　society　of　fourand　he　began　to　regain　an　air　of　independence　and　authority。　This　change　had　been　wrought　by　the　influence　of　little　S