for the term of his natural life-第6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！
instant he was on the sacred quarter…deck。
Heated with the game； her cheeks aglow； her eyes sparkling； her golden hair afloat； Sylvia had turned to leap after her plaything； but even as she turned； from under the shadow of the cuddy glided a rounded white arm； and a shapely hand caught the child by the sash and drew her back。 The next moment the young man in grey had placed the toy in her hand。
Maurice Frere； descending the poop ladder； had not witnessed this little incident； on reaching the deck； he saw only the unexplained presence of the convict uniform。
〃Thank you；〃 said a voice； as Rufus Dawes stooped before the pouting Sylvia。
The convict raised his eyes and saw a young girl of eighteen or nineteen years of age； tall； and well developed； who； dressed in a loose…sleeved robe of some white material； was standing in the doorway。 She had black hair； coiled around a narrow and flat head； a small foot； white skin； well…shaped hands； and large dark eyes； and as she smiled at him； her scarlet lips showed her white even teeth。
He knew her at once。 She was Sarah Purfoy； Mrs。 Vickers's maid； but he never had been so close to her before； and it seemed to him that he was in the presence of some strange tropical flower； which exhaled a heavy and intoxicating perfume。
For an instant the two looked at each other； and then Rufus Dawes was seized from behind by his collar； and flung with a shock upon the deck。
Leaping to his feet； his first impulse was to rush upon his assailant； but he saw the ready bayonet of the sentry gleam； and he checked himself with an effort； for his assailant was Mr。 Maurice Frere。
〃What the devil do you do here？〃 asked the gentleman with an oath。 〃You lazy； skulking hound； what brings you here？ If I catch you putting your foot on the quarter…deck again； I'll give you a week in irons！〃
Rufus Dawes； pale with rage and mortification； opened his mouth to justify himself； but he allowed the words to die on his lips。 What was the use？ 〃Go down below； and remember what I've told you；〃 cried Frere； and comprehending at once what had occurred； he made a mental minute of the name of the defaulting sentry。
The convict； wiping the blood from his face； turned on his heel without a word； and went back through the strong oak door into his den。 Frere leant forward and took the girl's shapely hand with an easy gesture； but she drew it away； with a flash of her black eyes。
〃You coward！〃 she said。
The stolid soldier close beside them heard it； and his eye twinkled。 Frere bit his thick lips with mortification； as he followed the girl into the cuddy。 Sarah Purfoy； however； taking the astonished Sylvia by the hand； glided into her mistress's cabin with a scornful laugh； and shut the door behind her。
CHAPTER II。
SARAH PURFOY。
Convictism having been safely got under hatches； and put to bed in its Government allowance of sixteen inches of space per man； cut a little short by exigencies of shipboard； the cuddy was wont to pass some not unpleasant evenings。 Mrs。 Vickers； who was poetical and owned a guitar； was also musical and sang to it。 Captain Blunt was a jovial； coarse fellow； Surgeon Pine had a mania for story…telling； while if Vickers was sometimes dull； Frere was always hearty。 Moreover； the table was well served； and what with dinner； tobacco； whist； music； and brandy and water； the sultry evenings passed away with a rapidity of which the wild beasts 'tween decks； cooped by sixes in berths of a mere five feet square； had no conception。
On this particular evening； however； the cuddy was dull。 Dinner fell flat； and conversation languished。
〃No signs of a breeze； Mr。 Best？〃 asked Blunt； as the first officer came in and took his seat。
〃None； sir。〃
〃Thesehe； he！awful calms；〃 says Mrs。 Vickers。 〃A week； is it not； Captain Blunt？〃
〃Thirteen days； mum；〃 growled Blunt。
〃I remember； off the Coromandel coast；〃 put in cheerful Pine； 〃when we had the plague in the Rattlesnake〃
〃Captain Vickers； another glass of wine？〃 cried Blunt； hastening to cut the anecdote short。
〃Thank you； no more。 I have the headache。〃
〃Headacheumdon't wonder at it； going down among those fellows。 It is infamous the way they crowd these ships。 Here we have over two hundred souls on board； and not boat room for half of 'em。〃
〃Two hundred souls！ Surely not；〃 says Vickers。 〃By the King's Regulations〃
〃One hundred and eighty convicts； fifty soldiers； thirty in ship's crew； all told； andhow many？one； two threeseven in the cuddy。 How many do you make that？〃
〃We are just a little crowded this time；〃 says Best。
〃It is very wrong；〃 says Vickers； pompously。 〃Very wrong。 By the King's Regulations〃
But the subject of the King's Regulations was even more distasteful to the cuddy than Pine's interminable anecdotes； and Mrs。 Vickers hastened to change the subject。
〃Are you not heartily tired of this dreadful life； Mr。 Frere？〃
〃Well； it is not exactly the life I had hoped to lead；〃 said Frere； rubbing a freckled hand over his stubborn red hair； 〃but I must make the best of it。〃
〃Yes； indeed；〃 said the lady； in that subdued manner with which one comments upon a well…known accident； 〃it must have been a great shock to you to be so suddenly deprived of so large a fortune。〃
〃Not only that； but to find that the black sheep who got it all sailed for India within a week of my uncle's death！ Lady Devine got a letter from him on the day of the funeral to say that he had taken his passage in the Hydaspes for Calcutta； and never meant to come back again！〃
〃Sir Richard Devine left no other children？〃
〃No； only this mysterious Dick； whom I never saw； but who must have hated me。〃
〃Dear； dear！ These family quarrels are dreadful things。 Poor Lady Devine； to lose in one day a husband and a son！〃
〃And the next morning to hear of the murder of her cousin！ You know that we are connected with the Bellasis family。 My aunt's father married a sister of the second Lord Bellasis。〃
〃Indeed。 That was a horrible murder。 So you think that the dreadful man you pointed out the other day did it？〃
〃The jury seemed to think not；〃 said Mr。 Frere； with a laugh； 〃but I don't know anybody else who could have a motive for it。 However； I'll go on deck and have a smoke。〃
〃I wonder what induced that old hunks of a shipbuilder to try to cut off his only son in favour of a cub of that sort；〃 said Surgeon Pine to Captain Vickers as the broad back of Mr。 Maurice Frere disappeared up the companion。
〃Some boyish follies abroad； I believe； self…made men are always impatient of extravagance。 But it is hard upon Frere。 He is not a bad sort of fellow for all his roughness； and when a young man finds that an accident deprives him of a quarter of a million of money and leaves him without a sixpence beyond his commission in a marching regiment under orders for a convict settlement； he has some reason to rail against fate。〃
〃How was it that the son came in for the money after all； then？〃
〃Why； it seems that when old Devine returned from sending for his lawyer to alter his will； he got a fit of apoplexy； the result of his rage； I suppose； and when they opened his room door in the morning they found him dead。〃
〃And the son's away on the sea somewhere；〃 said Mr。 Vickers 〃and knows nothing of his good fortune。 It is quite a romance。〃
〃I am glad that Frere did not get the money；〃 said Pine； grimly sticking to his prejudice； 〃I have seldom seen a face I liked less； even among my yellow jackets yonder。〃
〃Oh dear； Dr。 Pine！ How can you？〃 interjected Mrs。 Vickers。 〃'Pon my soul； ma'am； some of them have mixed in good society； I can tell you。 There's pickpockets and swindlers down below who have lived in the best company。〃
〃Dreadful wretches！〃 cried Mrs。 Vickers； shaking out her skirts。 〃John； I will go on deck。〃
At the signal； the party rose。
〃Ecod； Pine；〃 says Captain Blunt； as the two were left alone together； 〃you and I are always putting our foot into it！〃
〃Women are always in the way aboard ship；〃 returned Pine。
〃Ah！ Doctor； you don't mean that； I know；〃 said a rich soft voice at his elbow。
It was Sarah Purfoy emerging from her cabin。
〃Here is the wench！〃 cries
