for the term of his natural life-第61章

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oman　over　a　sensual　and　dull…witted　man。　　Blunt　gradually　sank　lower　and　lower。　He　became　a　drunkard；　and　was　known　as　a　man　with　a　〃grievance　against　the　Government〃。　　Captain　Frere；　having　had　occasion　for　him　in　some　capacity；　had　become　in　a　manner　his　patron；　and　had　got　him　the　command　of　a　schooner　trading　from　Sydney。　　On　getting　this　commandnot　without　some　wry　faces　on　the　part　of　the　owner　resident　in　Hobart　TownBlunt　had　taken　the　temperance　pledge　for　the　space　of　twelve　months；　and　was　a　miserable　dog　in　consequence。　　He　was；　however；　a　faithful　henchman；　for　he　hoped　by　Frere's　means　to　get　some　〃Government　billet〃the　grand　object　of　all　colonial　sea　captains　of　that　epoch。

〃Well；　sir；　she　went　ashore　to　see　a　friend；〃　says　Blunt；　looking　at　the　sky　and　then　at　the　earth。

〃What　friend？〃

〃Thethe　prisoner；　sir。〃

〃And　she　saw　him；　I　suppose？〃

〃Yes；　but　I　thought　I'd　better　tell　you；　sir；〃　says　Blunt。

〃Of　course；　quite　right；〃　returned　the　other；　〃you　had　better　start　at　once。　It's　no　use　waiting。〃

〃As　you　wish；　sir。　　I　can　sail　to…morrow　morningor　this　evening；　if　you　like。〃

〃This　evening；〃　says　Frere；　turning　away；　〃as　soon　as　possible。〃

〃There's　a　situation　in　Sydney　I've　been　looking　after；〃　said　the　other；　uneasily；　〃if　you　could　help　me　to　it。〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃The　command　of　one　of　the　Government　vessels；　sir。〃

〃Well；　keep　sober；　then；〃　says　Frere；　〃and　I'll　see　what　I　can　do。　And　keep　that　woman's　tongue　still　if　you　can。〃

The　pair　looked　at　each　other；　and　Blunt　grinned　slavishly。

〃I'll　do　my　best。〃　　〃Take　care　you　do；〃　returned　his　patron；　leaving　him　without　further　ceremony。

Frere　found　Vickers　in　the　garden；　and　at　once　begged　him　not　to　talk　about　the　〃business〃　to　his　daughter。

〃You　saw　how　bad　she　was　to…day；　Vickers。　　For　goodness　sake　don't　make　her　ill　again。〃

〃My　dear　sir；〃　says　poor　Vickers；　〃I　won't　refer　to　the　subject。　She's　been　very　unwell　ever　since。　　Nervous　and　unstrung。　　Go　in　and　see　her。〃

So　Frere　went　in　and　soothed　the　excited　girl；　with　real　sorrow　at　her　suffering。

〃It's　all　right　now；　Poppet；〃　he　said　to　her。　　〃Don't　think　of　it　any　more。　Put　it　out　of　your　mind；　dear。〃

〃It　was　foolish　of　me；　Maurice；　I　know；　but　I　could　not　help　it。　The　sound　ofofthat　man's　voice　seemed　to　bring　back　to　me　some　great　pity　for　something　or　someone。　　I　don't　explain　what　I　mean；　I　know；　but　I　felt　that　I　was　on　the　verge　of　remembering　a　story　of　some　great　wrong；　just　about　to　hear　some　dreadful　revelation　that　should　make　me　turn　from　all　the　people　whom　I　ought　most　to　love。　　Do　you　understand？〃

〃I　think　I　know　what　you　mean；〃　says　Frere；　with　averted　face。　〃But　that's　all　nonsense；　you　know。〃

〃Of　course；〃　returned　she；　with　a　touch　of　her　old　childish　manner　of　disposing　of　questions　out　of　hand。　　〃Everybody　knows　it's　all　nonsense。　But　then　we　do　think　such　things。　　It　seems　to　me　that　I　am　double；　that　I　have　lived　somewhere　before；　and　have　had　another　lifea　dream…life。〃

〃What　a　romantic　girl　you　are；〃　said　the　other；　dimly　comprehending　her　meaning。　　〃How　could　you　have　a　dream…life？〃

〃Of　course；　not　really；　stupid！　　But　in　thought；　you　know。　I　dream　such　strange　things　now　and　then。　　I　am　always　falling　down　precipices　and　into　cataracts；　and　being　pushed　into　great　caverns　in　enormous　rocks。　Horrible　dreams！〃

〃Indigestion；〃　returned　Frere。　　〃You　don't　take　exercise　enough。　You　shouldn't　read　so　much。　　Have　a　good　five…mile　walk。〃

〃And　in　these　dreams；〃　continued　Sylvia；　not　heeding　his　interruption；　〃there　is　one　strange　thing。　　You　are　always　there；　Maurice。〃

〃Come；　that's　all　right；〃　says　Maurice。

〃Ah；　but　not　kind　and　good　as　you　are；　Captain　Bruin；　but　scowling；　and　threatening；　and　angry；　so　that　I　am　afraid　of　you。〃

〃But　that　is　only　a　dream；　darling。〃

〃Yes；　but〃　playing　with　the　button　of　his　coat。

〃But　what？〃

〃But　you　looked　just　so　to…day　in　the　Court；　Maurice；　and　I　think　that's　what　made　me　so　silly。〃

〃My　darling！　　There；　hushdon't　cry！〃

But　she　had　burst　into　a　passion　of　sobs　and　tears；　that　shook　her　slight　figure　in　his　arms。

〃Oh；　Maurice；　I　am　a　wicked　girl！　　I　don't　know　my　own　mind。　I　think　sometimes　I　don't　love　you　as　I　oughtyou　who　have　saved　me　and　nursed　me。〃

〃There；　never　mind　about　that；〃　muttered　Maurice　Frere；　with　a　sort　of　choking　in　his　throat。

She　grew　more　composed　presently；　and　said；　after　a　while；　lifting　her　face；　〃Tell　me；　Maurice；　did　you　ever；　in　those　days　of　which　you　have　spoken　to　me　when　you　nursed　me　as　a　little　child　in　your　arms；　and　fed　me；　and　starved　for　medid　you　ever　think　we　should　be　married？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　says　Maurice。　　〃Why？〃

〃I　think　you　must　have　thought　so；　becauseit's　not　vanity；　dear　you　would　not　else　have　been　so　kind；　and　gentle；　and　devoted。〃

〃Nonsense；　Poppet；〃　he　said；　with　his　eyes　resolutely　averted。

〃No；　but　you　have　been；　and　I　am　very　pettish；　sometimes。　　Papa　has　spoiled　me。　You　are　always　affectionate；　and　those　worrying　ways　of　yours；　which　I　get　angry　at；　all　come　from　love　for　me；　don't　they？〃

〃I　hope　so；〃　said　Maurice；　with　an　unwonted　moisture　in　his　eyes。

〃Well；　you　see；　that　is　the　reason　why　I　am　angry　with　myself　for　not　loving　you　as　I　ought。　　I　want　you　to　like　the　things　I　like；　and　to　love　the　books　and　the　music　and　the　pictures　and　thethe　World　I　love；　and　I　forget　that　you　are　a　man；　you　know；　and　I　am　only　a　girl；　and　I　forget　how　nobly　you　behaved；　Maurice；　and　how　unselfishly　you　risked　your　life　for　mine。　　Why；　what　is　the　matter；　dear？〃

He　had　put　her　away　from　him　suddenly；　and　gone　to　the　window；　gazing　across　the　sloping　garden　at　the　bay　below；　sleeping　in　the　soft　evening　light。　　The　schooner　which　had　brought　the　witnesses　from　Port　Arthur　lay　off　the　shore；　and　the　yellow　flag　at　her　mast　fluttered　gently　in　the　cool　evening　breeze。　　The　sight　of　this　flag　appeared　to　anger　him；　for；　as　his　eyes　fell　on　it；　he　uttered　an　impatient　exclamation；　and　turned　round　again。

〃Maurice！〃　she　cried；　〃I　have　wounded　you！〃

〃No；　no。　　It　is　nothing；〃　said　he；　with　the　air　of　a　man　surprised　in　a　moment　of　weakness。　　〃II　did　not　like　to　hear　you　talk　in　this　wayabout　not　loving　me。〃

〃Oh；　forgive　me；　dear；　I　did　not　mean　to　hurt　you。　　It　is　my　silly　way　of　saying　more　than　I　mean。　　How　could　I　do　otherwise　than　love　youafter　all　you　have　done？〃

Some　sudden　desperate　whim　caused　him　to　exclaim；　〃But　suppose　I　had　not　done　all　you　think；　would　you　not　love　me　still？〃

Her　eyes；　raised　to　his　face　with　anxious　tenderness　for　the　pain　she　had　believed　herself　to　have　inflicted；　fell　at　this　speech。

〃What　a　question！　　I　don't　know。　　I　suppose　I　should；　yetbut　what　is　the　use；　Maurice；　of　supposing？　I　know　you　have　done　it；　and　that　is　enough。　How　can　I　say　what　I　might　have　done　if　something　else　had　happened？　Why；　you　might　not　have　loved　me。〃

If　there　had　been　for　a　moment　any　sentiment　of　remorse　in　his　selfish　heart；　the　hesitation　of　her　answer　went　far　to　dispel　it。

〃To　be　sure；　that's　true；〃　and　he　placed　his　arm　round　her。

She　lifted　her　face　again　with　a　bright　laugh。

〃We　are　a　pair　of　geesesupposing！　　How　can　we　help　what　has　past？　We　have　the　Future；　darlingthe　Future；　in　which　I　am　to　be　your　little　wife；　and　we　are　to　love　each　other　all　our　lives；　like　the　people　in　the　story…books。〃

Temptation　to　evil　had　often　come　to　Maurice　Frere；　and　his　selfish　nature　had　succumbed　to　it　when　in　far　less　witching　shape　than　this　fair　and　innocent　child　luring　him　with　wistful　eyes　to　win　her。　What　hopes　had　he　not　built　upon　her　love；　what　good　resolutions　had　he　not　made　by　reason　of　the　purity　and　goodness　she　was　to　bring　to　him？　As　she　said；　the　past　was　beyond　recall；　the　futurein　which　she　was　to　love　him　all　her　lifewas　before　them。　　With　the　hypocrisy　of　selfishness　which　deceives　even　itself；　he　laid　the　little　head　upon　his　heart　with　a　sensible　glow　of　virtue。

〃God　bless　you；　darling！　　You　are　my　Good　Angel。〃

The　girl　sighed。　　〃I　will　be　your　Good　Angel；　dear；　if　you　will　let　me。〃




CHAPTER　VI。

MR。　MEEKIN　ADMINISTERS　CONSOLATION。



Rex　told　Mr。　Meekin；　who；　the　next　day；　did　him　the　honour　to　visit　him；　that；　〃under　Prov