for the term of his natural life-第67章

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done。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Meekin。　　〃Mean！〃　cries　Frere；　with　a　smile　at　his　own　acuteness。　　〃This　precious　composition　contains　a　very　gratifying　piece　of　intelligence　for　Mr。　Blicks；　whoever　he　is。　　Some　receiver；　I've　no　doubt。　　Look　here；　Mr。　Meekin。　　Take　the　letter　and　this　pencil；　and　begin　at　the　first　text。　　The　102nd　Psalm；　from　the　4th　verse　to　the　12th　inclusive；　doesn't　he　say？　Very　good；　that's　nine　verses；　isn't　it？　　Well；　now；　underscore　nine　consecutive　words　from　the　second　word　immediately　following　the　next　text　quoted；　'I　have　hope；'　etc。　Have　you　got　it？〃

〃Yes；〃　says　Meekin；　astonished；　while　all　heads　bent　over　the　table。

〃Well；　now；　his　text　is　the　eighteenth　verse　of　the　thirty…fifth　Psalm；　isn't　it？　　Count　eighteen　words　on；　then　underscore　five　consecutive　ones。　You've　done　that？〃

〃A　momentsixteenseventeeneighteen；　'authorities'。〃

〃Count　and　score　in　the　same　way　until　you　come　to　the　word　'Texts'　somewhere。　Vickers；　I'll　trouble　you　for　the　claret。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Meekin；　after　a　pause。　　〃Here　it　is'the　texts　of　Scripture　quoted　by　our　chaplain'。　　But　surely　Mr。　Frere〃

〃Hold　on　a　bit　now；〃　cries　Frere。　　〃What's　the　next　quotation？John　iii。　That's　every　third　word。　　Score　every　third　word　beginning　with　'I'　immediately　following　the　text；　now；　until　you　come　to　a　quotation。　Got　it？　　How　many　words　in　it？〃

〃'Lay　up　for　yourselves　treasures　in　Heaven；　where　neither　moth　nor　rust　doth　corrupt'；〃　said　Meekin；　a　little　scandalized。　　〃Fourteen　words。〃

〃Count　fourteen　words　on；　then；　and　score　the　fourteenth。　I'm　up　to　this　text…quoting　business。〃

〃The　word　'？000'；〃　said　Meekin。　　〃Yes。〃

〃Then　there's　another　text。　　Thirty…eighthisn't　it？Psalm　and　the　fourteenth　verse。　　Do　that　the　same　way　as　the　other　count　fourteen　words；　and　then　score　eight　in　succession。　Where　does　that　bring　you？〃

〃The　fifth　Psalm。〃

〃Every　fifth　word　then。　　Go　on；　my　dear　sirgo　on。　　'Method'　of　'escape'；　yes。　　The　hundredth　Psalm　means　a　full　stop。　　What　verse？　　Seventy…four。　Count　seventy…four　words　and　score。〃

There　was　a　pause　for　a　few　minutes　while　Mr。　Meekin　counted。　The　letter　had　really　turned　out　interesting。

〃Read　out　your　marked　words　now；　Meekin。　　Let's　see　if　I'm　right。〃　Mr。　Meekin　read　with　gradually　crimsoning　face：

〃'I　have　hope　even　in　this　my　desolate　condition。。。in　prison　Van　Diemen's　Land。。。the　authorities　are　held　in。。。hatred　and　contempt　of　prisoners。。。read　in　any　colonial　newspaper。。。accounts　of　cruelty　and　tyranny。。。inflicted　by　gaolers　on　convicts。。。severe　flogging　and　heavy　chaining。。。for　slight　breaches　of　discipline。。。I。。e。。。the　pious。。。it。。。pays。。。？；000。。。in　the　old　house　in　Blue　Anchor　Yard。。。　stolen　goods　and　watches　studs　rings　and　jewellery。。。are。。。now。。。placed。。。　safely。。。I。。。　　will。。。find。。。some。。。method　of　escape。。。then。。。for　revenge。'〃

〃Well；〃　said　Maurice；　looking　round　with　a　grin；　〃what　do　you　think　of　that？〃

〃Most　remarkable！〃　said　Mr。　Pounce。

〃How　did　you　find　it　out；　Frere？〃

〃Oh；　it's　nothing；〃　says　Frere；　meaning　that　it　was　a　great　deal。　〃I've　studied　a　good　many　of　these　things；　and　this　one　is　clumsy　to　some　I've　seen。　　But　it's　pious；　isn't　it；　Meekin？〃

Mr。　Meekin　arose　in　wrath。

〃It's　very　ungracious　on　your　part；　Captain　Frere。　　A　capital　joke；　I　have　no　doubt；　but　permit　me　to　say　I　do　not　like　jesting　on　such　matters。　This　poor　fellow's　letter　to　his　aged　father　to　be　made　the　subject　of　heartless　merriment；　I　confess　I　do　not　understand。　It　was　confided　to　me　in　my　sacred　character　as　a　Christian　pastor。〃

〃That's　just　it。　　The　fellows　play　upon　the　parsons；　don't　you　know；　and　under　cover　of　your　'sacred　character'　play　all　kinds　of　pranks。　How　the　dog　must　have　chuckled　when　he　gave　you　that！〃

〃Captain　Frere；〃　said　Mr。　Meekin；　changing　colour　like　a　chameleon　with　indignation　and　rage；　〃your　interpretation　is；　I　am　convinced；　an　incorrect　one。　　How　could　the　poor　man　compose　such　an　ingenious　piece　of　cryptography？〃

〃If　you　mean；　fake　up　that　paper；〃　returned　Frere；　unconsciously　dropping　into　prison　slang；　〃I'll　tell　you。　　He　had　a　Bible；　I　suppose；　while　he　was　writing？〃

〃I　certainly　permitted　him　the　use　of　the　Sacred　Volume；　Captain　Frere。　　I　should　have　judged　it　inconsistent　with　the　character　of　my　Office　to　have　refused　it　to　him。〃

〃Of　course。　　And　that's　just　where　you　parsons　are　always　putting　your　foot　into　it。　　If　you'd　put　your　'Office'　into　your　pocket　and　open　your　eyes　a　bit〃

〃Maurice！　　My　dear　Maurice！〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Meekin；〃　says　Maurice；　with　clumsy　apology；　〃but　I　know　these　fellows。　　I've　lived　among　'em；　I　came　out　in　a　ship　with　'em；　I've　talked　with　'em；　and　drank　with　'em；　and　I'm　down　to　all　their　moves；　don't　you　see。　　The　Bible　is　the　only　book　they　get　hold　of；　and　texts　are　the　only　bits　of　learning　ever　taught　'm；　and　being　chockfull　of　villainy　and　plots　and　conspiracies；　what　other　book　should　they　make　use　of　to　aid　their　infernal　schemes　but　the　one　that　the　chaplain　has　made　a　text　book　for　'em？〃　　And　Maurice　rose　in　disgust；　not　unmixed　with　self…laudation。

〃Dear　me；　it　is　really　very　terrible；〃　says　Meekin；　who　was　not　ill…meaning；　but　only　self…complacent〃very　terrible　indeed。〃

〃But　unhappily　true；〃　said　Mr。　Pounce。　　〃An　olive？　Thanks。〃

〃Upon　me　soul！〃　burst　out　honest　McNab；　〃the　hail　seestem　seems　to　be　maist　ill…calculated　tae　advance　the　wark　o'　reeformation。〃

〃Mr。　McNab；　I'll　trouble　you　for　the　port；〃　said　equally　honest　Vickers；　bound　hand　and　foot　in　the　chains　of　the　rules　of　the　services。　And　so；　what　seemed　likely　to　become　a　dangerous　discussion　upon　convict　discipline；　was　stifled　judiciously　at　the　birth。　But　Sylvia；　prompted；　perhaps；　by　curiosity；　perhaps　by　a　desire　to　modify　the　parson's　chagrin；　in　passing　Mr。　Meekin；　took　up　the　〃confession；〃　that　lay　unopened　beside　his　wine　glass；　and　bore　it　off。

〃Come；　Mr。　Meekin；〃　said　Vickers；　when　the　door　closed　behind　the　ladies；　〃help　yourself。　　I　am　sorry　the　letter　turned　out　so　strangely；　but　you　may　rely　on　Frere；　I　assure　you。　　He　knows　more　about　convicts　than　any　man　on　the　island。〃

〃I　see；　Captain　Frere；　that　you　have　studied　the　criminal　classes。〃

〃So　I　have；　my　dear　sir；　and　know　every　turn　and　twist　among　'em。　I　tell　you　my　maxim。　　It's　some　French　fellow's；　too；　I　believe；　but　that　don't　matterdivide　to　conquer。　　Set　all　the　dogs　spying　on　each　other。〃　　　〃Oh！〃　said　Meekin。　　〃It's　the　only　way。　　Why；　my　dear　sir；　if　the　prisoners　were　as　faithful　to　each　other　as　we　are；　we　couldn't　hold　the　island　a　week。　　It's　just　because　no　man　can　trust　his　neighbour　that　every　mutiny　falls　to　the　ground。〃

〃I　suppose　it　must　be　so；〃　said　poor　Meekin。

〃It　is　so；　and；　by　George；　sir；　if　I　had　my　way；　I'd　have　it　so　that　no　prisoner　should　say　a　word　to　his　right　hand　man；　but　his　left　hand　man　should　tell　me　of　it。　　I'd　promote　the　men　that　peached；　and　make　the　beggars　their　own　warders。　　Ha；　ha！〃

〃But　such　a　course；　Captain　Frere；　though　perhaps　useful　in　a　certain　way；　would　surely　produce　harm。　　It　would　excite　the　worst　passions　of　our　fallen　nature；　and　lead　to　endless　lying　and　tyranny。　I'm　sure　it　would。〃

〃Wait　a　bit；〃　cries　Frere。　　〃Perhaps　one　of　these　days　I'll　get　a　chance；　and　then　I'll　try　it。　　Convicts！　　By　the　Lord　Harry；　sir；　there's　only　one　way　to　treat　'em；　give　'em　tobacco　when　they　behave　'emselves；　and　flog　'em　when　they　don't。〃

〃Terrible！〃　says　the　clergyman　with　a　shudder。　　〃You　speak　of　them　as　if　they　were　wild　beasts。〃

〃So　they　are；〃　said　Maurice　Frere；　calmly。




CHAPTER　X。

WHAT　BECAME　OF　THE　MUTINEERS　OF　THE　〃OSPREY〃



At　the　bottom　of　the　long　luxuriant　garden…ground　was　a　rustic　seat　abutting　upon　the　low　wall　that　topped　the　lane。　　The　branches　of　the　English　trees　（planted　long　ago）　hung　above　it；　and　between　their　rustling　boughs　one　could　see　the　reach　of　the　silver　river。　Sitting　with　her　face　to　the　bay　and　her　back　to　the　house；　Sylvia　opened　the　manuscript　she　had　carried　off　from　Meekin；　and　began　to　read。　　It　was　written　in　a　firm；　large　hand；　and　headed

〃A　NARRATIVE　〃OF　THE　SUFFERINGS　AND　ADVENTURES　OF　CERTAIN　OF　THE　TEN　CONVICTS　WHO　SEIZED　THE　BRIG　OSPREY；　AT　MACQUARIE　HARBOUR；　IN　VAN　DIEMEN'S　LAND；