for the term of his natural life-第51章

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Mrs。　Jellicoe　shook　her　gay　bonnet　ribbons　at　Mr。　Meekin；　with　a　hearty　smile。　〃You　don't　know　our　convicts；〃　she　said　（from　the　tone　of　her　jolly　voice　it　might　have　been　〃our　cattle〃）。　　〃They　are　horrible　creatures。　And　as　for　servantsmy　goodness；　I　have　a　fresh　one　every　week。　When　you　have　been　here　a　little　longer；　you　will　know　them　better；　Mr。　Meekin。〃

〃They　are　quite　unbearable　at　times。〃　said　Mrs。　Protherick；　the　widow　of　a　Superintendent　of　Convicts'　Barracks；　with　a　stately　indignation　mantling　in　her　sallow　cheeks。　　〃I　am　ordinarily　the　most　patient　creature　breathing；　but　I　do　confess　that　the　stupid　vicious　wretches　that　one　gets　are　enough　to　put　a　saint　out　of　temper。〃　〃We　have　all　our　crosses；　dear　leddiesall　our　crosses；〃　said　the　Rev。　Mr。　Meekin　piously。　　〃Heaven　send　us　strength　to　bear　them！　Good…morning。〃

〃Why；　you　are　going　our　way；〃　said　Mrs。　Jellicoe。　　〃We　can　walk　together。〃

〃Delighted！　　I　am　going　to　call　on　Major　Vickers。〃

〃And　I　live　within　a　stone's　throw；〃　returned　Mrs。　Protherick。

〃What　a　charming　little　creature　she　is；　isn't　she？〃

〃Who？〃　asked　Mr。　Meekin；　as　they　walked。

〃Sylvia。　　You　don't　know　her！　　Oh；　a　dear　little　thing。〃

〃I　have　only　met　Major　Vickers　at　Government　House；〃　said　Meekin。

〃I　haven't　yet　had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　his　daughter。〃

〃A　sad　thing；〃　said　Mrs。　Jellicoe。　　〃Quite　a　romance；　if　it　was　not　so　sad；　you　know。　　His　wife；　poor　Mrs。　Vickers。〃

〃Indeed！　　What　of　her？〃　asked　Meekin；　bestowing　a　condescending　bow　on　a　passer…by。　　〃Is　she　an　invalid？〃

〃She　is　dead；　poor　soul；〃　returned　jolly　Mrs。　Jellicoe；　with　a　fat　sigh。　〃You　don't　mean　to　say　you　haven't　heard　the　story；　Mr。　Meekin？〃

〃My　dear　leddies；　I　have　only　been　in　Hobart　Town　a　week；　and　I　have　not　heard　the　story。〃

〃It's　about　the　mutiny；　you　know；　the　mutiny　at　Macquarie　Harbour。　The　prisoners　took　the　ship；　and　put　Mrs。　Vickers　and　Sylvia　ashore　somewhere。　Captain　Frere　was　with　them；　too。　　The　poor　things　had　a　dreadful　time；　and　nearly　died。　　Captain　Frere　made　a　boat　at　last；　and　they　were　picked　up　by　a　ship。　　Poor　Mrs。　Vickers　only　lived　a　few　hours；　and　little　Sylvia　she　was　only　twelve　years　old　thenwas　quite　light…headed。　They　thought　she　wouldn't　recover。〃

〃How　dreadful！　　And　has　she　recovered？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　she's　quite　strong　now；　but　her　memory's　gone。〃

〃Her　memory？〃

〃Yes；〃　struck　in　Mrs。　Protherick；　eager　to　have　a　share　in　the　storytelling。　〃She　doesn't　remember　anything　about　the　three　or　four　weeks　they　were　ashoreat　least；　not　distinctly。〃

〃It's　a　great　mercy！〃　interrupted　Mrs。　Jellicoe；　determined　to　keep　the　post　of　honour。　　〃Who　wants　her　to　remember　these　horrors？　From　Captain　Frere's　account；　it　was　positively　awful！〃

〃You　don't　say　so！〃　said　Mr。　Meekin；　dabbing　his　nose　with　a　dainty　handkerchief。

〃A　'bolter'that's　what　we　call　an　escaped　prisoner；　Mr。　Meekin　happened　to　be　left　behind；　and　he　found　them　out；　and　insisted　on　sharing　the　provisionsthe　wretch！　　Captain　Frere　was　obliged　to　watch　him　constantly　for　fear　he　should　murder　them。　　Even　in　the　boat　he　tried　to　run　them　out　to　sea　and　escape。　　He　was　one　of　the　worst　men　in　the　Harbour；　they　say；　but　you　should　hear　Captain　Frere　tell　the　story。〃

〃And　where　is　he　now？〃　asked　Mr。　Meekin；　with　interest。

〃Captain　Frere？〃

〃No；　the　prisoner。〃

〃Oh；　goodness；　I　don't　knowat　Port　Arthur；　I　think。　I　know　that　he　was　tried　for　bolting；　and　would　have　been　hanged　but　for　Captain　Frere's　exertions。〃

〃Dear；　dear！　a　strange　story；　indeed；〃　said　Mr。　Meekin。　　〃And　so　the　young　lady　doesn't　know　anything　about　it？〃　〃Only　what　she　has　been　told；　of　course；　poor　dear。　　She's　engaged　to　Captain　Frere。〃

〃Really！　　To　the　man　who　saved　her。　　How　charmingquite　a　romance！〃

〃Isn't　it？　　Everybody　says　so。　　And　Captain　Frere's　so　much　older　than　she　is。〃

〃But　her　girlish　love　clings　to　her　heroic　protector；〃　said　Meekin；　mildly　poetical。　　〃Remarkable　and　beautiful。　　Quite　thehem！　the　ivy　and　the　oak；　dear　leddies。　　Ah；　in　our　fallen　nature；　what　sweet　spotsI　think　this　is　the　gate。〃



A　smart　convict　servanthe　had　been　a　pickpocket　of　note　in　days　gone　by　left　the　clergyman　to　repose　in　a　handsomely　furnished　drawing…room；　whose　sun　blinds　revealed　a　wealth　of　bright　garden　flecked　with　shadows；　while　he　went　in　search　of　Miss　Vickers。　　The　Major　was　out；　it　seemed；　his　duties　as　Superintendent　of　Convicts　rendering　such　absences　necessary；　but　Miss　Vickers　was　in　the　garden；　and　could　be　called　in　at　once。　The　Reverend　Meekin；　wiping　his　heated　brow；　and　pulling　down　his　spotless　wristbands；　laid　himself　back　on　the　soft　sofa；　soothed　by　the　elegant　surroundings　no　less　than　by　the　coolness　of　the　atmosphere。　　Having　no　better　comparison　at　hand；　he　compared　this　luxurious　room；　with　its　soft　couches；　brilliant　flowers；　and　opened　piano；　to　the　chamber　in　the　house　of　a　West　India　planter；　where　all　was　glare　and　heat　and　barbarism　without；　and　all　soft　and　cool　and　luxurious　within。　　He　was　so　charmed　with　this　comparisonhe　had　a　knack　of　being　easily　pleased　with　his　own　thoughtsthat　he　commenced　to　turn　a　fresh　sentence　for　the　Bishop；　and　to　sketch　out　an　elegant　description　of　the　oasis　in　his　desert　of　a　vineyard。　　While　at　this　occupation；　he　was　disturbed　by　the　sound　of　voices　in　the　garden；　and　it　appeared　to　him　that　someone　near　at　hand　was　sobbing　and　crying。　　Softly　stepping　on　the　broad　verandah；　he　saw；　on　the　grass…plot；　two　persons；　an　old　man　and　a　young　girl。　　The　sobbing　proceeded　from　the　old　man。

〃'Deed；　miss；　it's　the　truth；　on　my　soul。　　I've　but　jest　come　back　to　yez　this　morning。　　O　my！　　but　it's　a　cruel　trick　to　play　an　ould　man。〃

He　was　a　white…haired　old　fellow；　in　a　grey　suit　of　convict　frieze；　and　stood　leaning　with　one　veiny　hand　upon　the　pedestal　of　a　vase　of　roses。

〃But　it　is　your　own　fault；　Danny；　we　all　warned　you　against　her；〃　said　the　young　girl　softly。　　〃Sure　ye　did。　　But　oh！　　how　did　I　think　it；　miss？　　'Tis　the　second　time　she　served　me　so。〃

〃How　long　was　it　this　time；　Danny？〃

〃Six　months；　miss。　　She　said　I　was　a　drunkard；　and　beat　her。　　Beat　her；　God　help　me！〃　stretching　forth　two　trembling　hands。　　〃And　they　believed　her；　o'　course。　　Now；　when　I　kem　back；　there's　me　little　place　all　thrampled　by　the　boys；　and　she's　away　wid　a　ship's　captain；　saving　your　presence；　miss；　dhrinking　in　the　'George　the　Fourth'。　　O　my；　but　it's　hard　on　an　old　man！〃　and　he　fell　to　sobbing　again。

The　girl　sighed。　　〃I　can　do　nothing　for　you；　Danny。　　I　dare　say　you　can　work　about　the　garden　as　you　did　before。　　I'll　speak　to　the　Major　when　he　comes　home。〃

Danny；　lifting　his　bleared　eyes　to　thank　her；　caught　sight　of　Mr。　Meekin；　and　saluted　abruptly。　　Miss　Vickers　turned；　and　Mr。　Meekin；　bowing　his　apologies；　became　conscious　that　the　young　lady　was　about　seventeen　years　of　age；　that　her　eyes　were　large　and　soft；　her　hair　plentiful　and　bright；　and　that　the　hand　which　held　the　little　book　she　had　been　reading　was　white　and　small。

〃Miss　Vickers；　I　think。　　My　name　is　Meekinthe　Reverend　Arthur　Meekin。〃

〃How　do　you　do；　Mr。　Meekin？〃　said　Sylvia；　putting　out　one　of　her　small　hands；　and　looking　straight　at　him。　　〃Papa　will　be　in　directly。〃

〃His　daughter　more　than　compensates　for　his　absence；　my　dear　Miss　Vickers。〃

〃I　don't　like　flattery；　Mr。　Meekin；　so　don't　use　it。　　At　least；〃　she　added；　with　a　delicious　frankness；　that　seemed　born　of　her　very　brightness　and　beauty；　〃not　that　sort　of　flattery。　　Young　girls　do　like　flattery；　of　course。　　Don't　you　think　so？〃

This　rapid　attack　quite　disconcerted　Mr。　Meekin；　and　he　could　only　bow　and　smile　at　the　self…possessed　young　lady。　　〃Go　into　the　kitchen；　Danny；　and　tell　them　to　give　you　some　tobacco。　　Say　I　sent　you。　Mr。　Meekin；　won't　you　come　in？〃

〃A　strange　old　gentleman；　that；　Miss　Vickers。　　A　faithful　retainer；　I　presume？〃

〃An　old　convict　servant　of　ours；〃　said　Sylvia。　　〃He　was　with　papa　many　years　ago。　　He　has　got　into　trouble　lately；　though；　poor　old　man。〃

〃Into　trouble？〃　asked　Mr。　Meekin；　as　Sylvia　took　off　her　hat。

〃On　the　roads；　you　know。　　That's　what　they　call　it　here。　He　married　a　free　woman　much　younger　than　himself；　and　she　makes　him　drink；　and　then　gives　him　in　charge　for　insubo