for the term of his natural life-第62章

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CHAPTER　VI。

MR。　MEEKIN　ADMINISTERS　CONSOLATION。



Rex　told　Mr。　Meekin；　who；　the　next　day；　did　him　the　honour　to　visit　him；　that；　〃under　Providence；　he　owed　his　escape　from　death　to　the　kind　manner　in　which　Captain　Frere　had　spoken　of　him。〃

〃I　hope　your　escape　will　be　a　warning　to　you；　my　man；〃　said　Mr。　Meekin；　〃and　that　you　will　endeavour　to　make　the　rest　of　your　life；　thus　spared　by　the　mercy　of　Providence；　an　atonement　for　your　early　errors。〃

〃Indeed　I　will；　sir；〃　said　John　Rex；　who　had　taken　Mr。　Meekin's　measure　very　accurately；　〃and　it　is　very　kind　of　you　to　condescend　to　speak　so　to　a　wretch　like　me。〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　said　Meekin；　with　affability；　〃it　is　my　duty。　I　am　a　Minister　of　the　Gospel。〃

〃Ah！　　sir；　I　wish　I　had　attended　to　the　Gospel's　teachings　when　I　was　younger。　I　might　have　been　saved　from　all　this。〃

〃You　might；　indeed；　poor　man；　but　the　Divine　Mercy　is　infinitequite　infinite；　and　will　be　extended　to　all　of　usto　you　as　well　as　to　me。〃　（This　with　the　air　of　saying；　〃What　do　you　think　of　that！〃）　〃Remember　the　penitent　thief；　Rexthe　penitent　thief。〃

〃Indeed　I　do；　sir。〃

〃And　read　your　Bible；　Rex；　and　pray　for　strength　to　bear　your　punishment。〃

〃I　will；　Mr。　Meekin。　　I　need　it　sorely；　sirphysical　as　well　as　spiritual　strength；　sirfor　the　Government　allowance　is　sadly　insufficient。〃

〃I　will　speak　to　the　authorities　about　a　change　in　your　dietary　scale；〃　returned　Meekin；　patronizingly。　　〃In　the　meantime；　just　collect　together　in　your　mind　those　particulars　of　your　adventures　of　which　you　spoke；　and　have　them　ready　for　me　when　next　I　call。　　Such　a　remarkable　history　ought　not　to　be　lost。〃

〃Thank　you　kindly；　sir。　　I　will；　sir。　　Ah！　　I　little　thought　when　I　occupied　the　position　of　a　gentleman；　Mr。　Meekin〃the　cunning　scoundrel　had　been　piously　grandiloquent　concerning　his　past　career〃that　I　should　be　reduced　to　this。　　But　it　is　only　just；　sir。〃

〃The　mysterious　workings　of　Providence　are　always　just；　Rex；〃　returned　Meekin；　who　preferred　to　speak　of　the　Almighty　with　well…bred　vagueness。

〃I　am　glad　to　see　you　so　conscious　of　your　errors。　　Good　morning。〃

〃Good　morning；　and　Heaven　bless　you；　sir；〃　said　Rex；　with　his　tongue　in　his　cheek　for　the　benefit　of　his　yard　mates；　and　so　Mr。　Meekin　tripped　gracefully　away；　convinced　that　he　was　labouring　most　successfully　in　the　Vineyard；　and　that　the　convict　Rex　was　really　a　superior　person。

〃I　will　send　his　narrative　to　the　Bishop；〃　said　he　to　himself。　〃It　will　amuse　him。　　There　must　be　many　strange　histories　here；　if　one　could　but　find　them　out。〃

As　the　thought　passed　through　his　brain；　his　eye　fell　upon　the　〃notorious　Dawes〃；　who；　while　waiting　for　the　schooner　to　take　him　back　to　Port　Arthur；　had　been　permitted　to　amuse　himself　by　breaking　stones。　The　prison…shed　which　Mr。　Meekin　was　visiting　was　long　and　low；　roofed　with　iron；　and　terminating　at　each　end　in　the　stone　wall　of　the　gaol。　At　one　side　rose　the　cells；　at　the　other　the　outer　wall　of　the　prison。　From　the　outer　wall　projected　a　weatherboard　under…roof；　and　beneath　this　were　seated　forty　heavily…ironed　convicts。　Two　constables；　with　loaded　carbines；　walked　up　and　down　the　clear　space　in　the　middle；　and　another　watched　from　a　sort　of　sentry…box　built　against　the　main　wall。　　Every　half…hour　a　third　constable　went　down　the　line　and　examined　the　irons。　　The　admirable　system　of　solitary　confinementwhich　in　average　cases　produces　insanity　in　the　space　of　twelve　monthswas　as　yet　unknown　in　Hobart　Town；　and　the　forty　heavily…ironed　men　had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　each　other's　faces　every　day　for　six　hours。

The　other　inmates　of　the　prison　were　at　work　on　the　roads；　or　otherwise　bestowed　in　the　day　time；　but　the　forty　were　judged　too　desperate　to　be　let　loose。　　They　sat；　three　feet　apart；　in　two　long　lines；　each　man　with　a　heap　of　stones　between　his　outstretched　legs；　and　cracked　the　pebbles　in　leisurely　fashion。　　The　double　row　of　dismal　woodpeckers　tapping　at　this　terribly　hollow　beech…tree　of　penal　discipline　had　a　semi…ludicrous　appearance。　　It　seemed　so　painfully　absurd　that　forty　muscular　men　should　be　ironed　and　guarded　for　no　better　purpose　than　the　cracking　of　a　cartload　of　quartz…pebbles。　In　the　meantime　the　air　was　heavy　with　angry　glances　shot　from　one　to　the　other；　and　the　passage　of　the　parson　was　hailed　by　a　grumbling　undertone　of　blasphemy。　　It　was　considered　fashionable　to　grunt　when　the　hammer　came　in　contact　with　the　stone；　and　under　cover　of　this　mock　exclamation　of　fatigue；　it　was　convenient　to　launch　an　oath。　　A　fanciful　visitor；　seeing　the　irregularly　rising　hammers　along　the　line；　might　have　likened　the　shed　to　the　interior　of　some　vast　piano；　whose　notes　an　unseen　hand　was　erratically　fingering。　　Rufus　Dawes　was　seated　last　on　the　linehis　back　to　the　cells；　his　face　to　the　gaol　wall。　　This　was　the　place　nearest　the　watching　constable；　and　was　allotted　on　that　account　to　the　most　ill…favoured。　　Some　of　his　companions　envied　him　that　melancholy　distinction。

〃Well；　Dawes；〃　says　Mr。　Meekin；　measuring　with　his　eye　the　distance　between　the　prisoner　and　himself；　as　one　might　measure　the　chain　of　some　ferocious　dog。　　〃How　are　you　this　morning；　Dawes？〃

Dawes；　scowling　in　a　parenthesis　between　the　cracking　of　two　stones；　was　understood　to　say　that　he　was　very　well。

〃I　am　afraid；　Dawes；〃　said　Mr。　Meekin　reproachfully；　〃that　you　have　done　yourself　no　good　by　your　outburst　in　court　on　Monday。　I　understand　that　public　opinion　is　quite　incensed　against　you。〃

Dawes；　slowly　arranging　one　large　fragment　of　bluestone　in　a　comfortable　basin　of　smaller　fragments；　made　no　reply。

〃I　am　afraid　you　lack　patience；　Dawes。　　You　do　not　repent　of　your　offences　against　the　law；　I　fear。〃

The　only　answer　vouchsafed　by　the　ironed　manif　answer　it　could　be　called　was　a　savage　blow；　which　split　the　stone　into　sudden　fragments；　and　made　the　clergyman　skip　a　step　backward。

〃You　are　a　hardened　ruffian；　sir！　　Do　you　not　hear　me　speak　to　you？〃

〃I　hear　you；〃　said　Dawes；　picking　up　another　stone。

〃Then　listen　respectfully；　sir；〃　said　Meekin；　roseate　with　celestial　anger。　〃You　have　all　day　to　break　those　stones。〃

〃Yes；　I　have　all　day；〃　returned　Rufus　Dawes；　with　a　dogged　look　upward；　〃and　all　next　day；　for　that　matter。　　Ugh！〃　and　again　the　hammer　descended。

〃I　came　to　console　you；　manto　console　you；〃　says　Meekin；　indignant　at　the　contempt　with　which　his　well…meant　overtures　had　been　received。　　〃I　wanted　to　give　you　some　good　advice！〃

The　self…important　annoyance　of　the　tone　seemed　to　appeal　to　whatever　vestige　of　appreciation　for　the　humorous；　chains　and　degradation　had　suffered　to　linger　in　the　convict's　brain；　for　a　faint　smile　crossed　his　features。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；〃　he　said。　　〃Pray；　go　on。〃

〃I　was　going　to　say；　my　good　fellow；　that　you　have　done　yourself　a　great　deal　of　injury　by　your　ill…advised　accusation　of　Captain　Frere；　and　the　use　you　made　of　Miss　Vickers's　name。〃

A　frown；　as　of　pain；　contracted　the　prisoner's　brows；　and　he　seemed　with　difficulty　to　put　a　restraint　upon　his　speech。　　〃Is　there　to　be　no　inquiry；　Mr。　Meekin？〃　he　asked；　at　length。　　〃What　I　stated　was　the　truth　the　truth；　so　help　me　God！〃

〃No　blasphemy；　sir；〃　said　Meekin；　solemnly。　　〃No　blasphemy；　wretched　man。　Do　not　add　to　the　sin　of　lying　the　greater　sin　of　taking　the　name　of　the　Lord　thy　God　in　vain。　　He　will　not　hold　him　guiltless；　Dawes。　He　will　not　hold　him　guiltless；　remember。　　No；　there　is　to　be　no　inquiry。〃

〃Are　they　not　going　to　ask　her　for　her　story？〃　asked　Dawes；　with　a　pitiful　change　of　manner。　　〃They　told　me　that　she　was　to　be　asked。　Surely　they　will　ask　her。〃

〃I　am　not；　perhaps；　at　liberty；〃　said　Meekin；　placidly　unconscious　of　the　agony　of　despair　and　rage　that　made　the　voice　of　the　strong　man　before　him　quiver；　〃to　state　the　intentions　of　the　authorities；　but　I　can　tell　you　that　Miss　Vickers　will　not　be　asked　anything　about　you。　You　are　to　go　back　to　Port　Arthur　on　the　24th；　and　to　remain　there。〃

A　groan　burst　from　Rufus　Dawes；　a　groan　so　full　of　torture　that　even　the　comfortable　Meekin　was　thrilled　by　it。

〃It　is　the　Law；　you　know；　my　good　man。　　I　can't　help　it；〃　he　said。　〃You　shouldn't　break　the　Law；　you　know。〃

〃Curse　the　Law！〃　cries　Dawes。　　〃