for the term of his natural life-第73章

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。　　Galled　by　this　indifference；　John　Rex　had　attempted　to　practise　those　ingenious　arts　of　torment　by　which　Gabbett；　Vetch；　or　other　leading　spirits　of　the　gang　asserted　their　superiority　over　their　quieter　comrades。　　But　he　soon　ceased。　　〃I　have　been　longer　in　this　hell　than　you；〃　said　Rufus　Dawes；　〃and　I　know　more　of　the　devil's　tricks　than　you　can　show　me。　　You　had　best　be　quiet。〃　Rex　neglected　the　warning；　and　Rufus　Dawes　took　him　by　the　throat　one　day；　and　would　have　strangled　him；　but　that　Troke　beat　off　the　angered　man　with　a　favourite　bludgeon。　　Rex　had　a　wholesome　respect　for　personal　prowess；　and　had　the　grace　to　admit　the　provocation　to　Troke。　　Even　this　instance　of　self…denial　did　not　move　the　stubborn　Dawes。　　He　only　laughed。　Then　Rex　came　to　a　conclusion。　　His　mate　was　plotting　an　escape。　He　himself　cherished　a　notion　of　the　kind；　as　did　Gabbett　and　Vetch；　but　by　common　distrust　no　one　ever　gave　utterance　to　thoughts　of　this　nature。　It　would　be　too　dangerous。　　〃He　would　be　a　good　comrade　for　a　rush；〃　thought　Rex；　and　resolved　more　firmly　than　ever　to　ally　himself　to　this　dangerous　and　silent　companion。

One　question　Dawes　had　asked　which　Rex　had　been　able　to　answer：　〃Who　is　that　North？〃

〃A　chaplain。　　He　is　only　here　for　a　week　or　so。　　There　is　a　new　one　coming。　North　goes　to　Sydney。　　He　is　not　in　favour　with　the　Bishop。〃

〃How　do　you　know？〃

〃By　deduction；〃　says　Rex；　with　a　smile　peculiar　to　him。　　〃He　wears　coloured　clothes；　and　smokes；　and　doesn't　patter　Scripture。　　The　Bishop　dresses　in　black；　detests　tobacco；　and　quotes　the　Bible　like　a　concordance。　North　is　sent　here　for　a　month；　as　a　warming…pan　for　that　ass　Meekin。　Ergo；　the　Bishop　don't　care　about　North。〃

Jemmy　Vetch；　who　was　next　to　Rex；　let　the　full　weight　of　his　portion　of　tree…trunk　rest　upon　Gabbett；　in　order　to　express　his　unrestrained　admiration　of　Mr。　Rex's　sarcasm。　　〃Ain't　the　Dandy　a　one'er？〃　said　he。

〃Are　you　thinking　of　coming　the　pious？〃　asked　Rex。　　〃It's　no　good　with　North。　Wait　until　the　highly…intelligent　Meekin　comes。　　You　can　twist　that　worthy　successor　of　the　Apostles　round　your　little　finger！〃

〃Silence　there！〃　cries　the　overseer。　　〃Do　you　want　me　to　report　yer？〃

Amid　such　diversions　the　days　rolled　on；　and　Rufus　Dawes　almost　longed　for　the　Coal　Mines。　　To　be　sent　from　the　settlement　to　the　Coal　Mines；　and　from　the　Coal　Mines　to　the　settlement；　was　to　these　unhappy　men　a　〃trip〃。　At　Port　Arthur　one　went　to　an　out…station；　as　more　fortunate　people　go　to　Queenscliff　or　the　Ocean　Beach　now…a…days　for　〃change　of　air〃。




CHAPTER　XIII。

THE　COMMANDANT'S　BUTLER。



Rufus　Dawes　had　been　a　fortnight　at　the　settlement　when　a　new…comer　appeared　on　the　chain…gang。　　This　was　a　young　man　of　about　twenty　years　of　age；　thin；　fair；　and　delicate。　　His　name　was　Kirkland；　and　he　belonged　to　what　were　known　as　the　〃educated〃　prisoners。　　He　had　been　a　clerk　in　a　banking　house；　and　was　transported　for　embezzlement；　though；　by　some；　grave　doubts　as　to　his　guilt　were　entertained。　　The　Commandant；　Captain　Burgess；　had　employed　him　as　butler　in　his　own　house；　and　his　fate　was　considered　a　〃lucky〃　one。　　So；　doubtless；　it　was；　and　might　have　been；　had　not　an　untoward　accident　occurred。　　Captain　Burgess；　who　was　a　bachelor　of　the　〃old　school〃；　confessed　to　an　amiable　weakness　for　blasphemy；　and　was　given　to　condemning　the　convicts'　eyes　and　limbs　with　indiscriminate　violence。　　Kirkland　belonged　to　a　Methodist　family　and　owned　a　piety　utterly　out　of　place　in　that　region。　　The　language　of　Burgess　made　him　shudder；　and　one　day　he　so　far　forgot　himself　and　his　place　as　to　raise　his　hands　to　his　ears。　　〃My　blank！〃　cried　Burgess。　〃You　blank　blank；　is　that　your　blank　game？　I'll　blank　soon　cure　you　of　that！〃　and　forthwith　ordered　him　to　the　chain…gang　for　〃insubordination〃。

He　was　received　with　suspicion　by　the　gang；　who　did　not　like　white…handed　prisoners。　　Troke；　by　way　of　experiment　in　human　nature；　perhaps；　placed　him　next　to　Gabbett。　　The　day　was　got　through　in　the　usual　way；　and　Kirkland　felt　his　heart　revive。

The　toil　was　severe；　and　the　companionship　uncouth；　but　despite　his　blistered　hands　and　aching　back；　he　had　not　experienced　anything　so　very　terrible　after　all。　　When　the　muster　bell　rang；　and　the　gang　broke　up；　Rufus　Dawes；　on　his　silent　way　to　his　separate　cell；　observed　a　notable　change　of　custom　in　the　disposition　of　the　new　convict。　　Instead　of　placing　him　in　a　cell　by　himself；　Troke　was　turning　him　into　the　yard　with　the　others。

〃I'm　not　to　go　in　there？〃　says　the　ex…bank　clerk；　drawing　back　in　dismay　from　the　cloud　of　foul　faces　which　lowered　upon　him。

〃By　the　Lord；　but　you　are；　then！〃　says　Troke。　　〃The　Governor　says　a　night　in　there'll　take　the　starch　out　of　ye。　　Come；　in　yer　go。〃

〃But；　Mr。　Troke〃

〃Stow　your　gaff；〃　says　Troke；　with　another　oath；　and　impatiently　striking　the　lad　with　his　thong〃I　can't　argue　here　all　night。　　Get　in。〃　So　Kirkland；　aged　twenty…two；　and　the　son　of　Methodist　parents；　went　in。

Rufus　Dawes；　among　whose　sinister　memories　this　yard　was　numbered；　sighed。　So　fierce　was　the　glamour　of　the　place；　however；　that　when　locked　into　his　cell；　he　felt　ashamed　for　that　sigh；　and　strove　to　erase　the　memory　of　it。　　〃What　is　he　more　than　anybody　else？〃　said　the　wretched　man　to　himself；　as　he　hugged　his　misery　close。

About　dawn　the　next　morning；　Mr。　Northwho；　amongst　other　vagaries　not　approved　of　by　his　bishop；　had　a　habit　of　prowling　about　the　prison　at　unofficial　hourswas　attracted　by　a　dispute　at　the　door　of　the　dormitory。

〃What's　the　matter　here？〃　he　asked。

〃A　prisoner　refractory；　your　reverence；〃　said　the　watchman。　〃Wants　to　come　out。〃

〃Mr。　North！　　Mr。　North！〃　cried　a　voice；　〃for　the　love　of　God；　let　me　out　of　this　place！〃

Kirkland；　ghastly　pale；　bleeding；　with　his　woollen　shirt　torn；　and　his　blue　eyes　wide　open　with　terror；　was　clinging　to　the　bars。

〃Oh；　Mr。　North！　　Mr。　North！　　Oh；　Mr。　North！　　Oh；　for　God's　sake；　Mr。　North！〃

〃What；　Kirkland！〃　cried　North；　who　was　ignorant　of　the　vengeance　of　the　Commandant。　　〃What　do　you　do　here？〃

But　Kirkland　could　do　nothing　but　cry；〃Oh；　Mr。　North！　　For　God's　sake；　Mr。　North！〃　and　beat　on　the　bars　with　white　and　sweating　hands。

〃Let　him　out；　watchman！〃　said　North。

〃Can't　sir；　without　an　order　from　the　Commandant。〃

〃I　order　you；　sir！〃　North　cried；　indignant。

〃Very　sorry；　your　reverence；　but　your　reverence　knows　that　I　daren't　do　such　a　thing。〃　〃Mr。　North！〃　screamed　Kirkland。　　〃Would　you　see　me　perish；　body　and　soul；　in　this　place？　Mr。　North！　　Oh；　you　ministers　of　Christ　wolves　in　sheep's　clothingyou　shall　be　judged　for　this！〃

〃Let　him　out！〃　cried　North　again；　stamping　his　foot。

〃It's　no　good；〃　returned　the　gaoler。　　〃I　can't。　　If　he　was　dying；　I　can't。〃

North　rushed　away　to　the　Commandant；　and　the　instant　his　back　was　turned；　Hailes；　the　watchman；　flung　open　the　door；　and　darted　into　the　dormitory。

〃Take　that！〃　he　cried；　dealing　Kirkland　a　blow　on　the　head　with　his　keys；　that　stretched　him　senseless。　　〃There's　more　trouble　with　you　bloody　aristocrats　than　enough。　　Lie　quiet！〃

The　Commandant；　roused　from　slumber；　told　Mr。　North　that　Kirkland　might　stop　where　he　was；　and　that　he'd　thank　the　chaplain　not　to　wake　him　up　in　the　middle　of　the　night　because　a　blank　prisoner　set　up　a　blank　howling。

〃But；　my　good　sir；〃　protested　North；　restraining　his　impulse　to　overstep　the　bounds　of　modesty　in　his　language　to　his　superior　officer；　〃you　know　the　character　of　the　men　in　that　ward。　　You　can　guess　what　that　unhappy　boy　has　suffered。〃

〃Impertinent　young　beggar！〃　said　Burgess。　　〃Do　him　good；　curse　him！　Mr。　North；　I'm　sorry　you　should　have　had　the　trouble　to　come　here；　but　will　you　let　me　go　to　sleep？〃

North　returned　to　the　prison　disconsolately；　found　the　dutiful　Hailes　at　his　post；　and　all　quiet。

〃What's　become　of　Kirkland？〃　he　asked。

〃Fretted　hisself　to　sleep；　yer　reverence；〃　said　Hailes；　in　accents　of　parental　concern。　　〃Poor　young　chap！　　It's　hard　for　such　young　'uns。〃

In　the　morning；　Rufus　Dawes；　coming　to　his　place　on　the　chain…gang；　was　struck　by　the　altered　appearance　of　Kirkland。　　His　face　was　of　a　greenish　tint；　and　wore　an　expression　of　bewildered　horror。

〃Cheer　up；　man！〃　said　Dawes；　touched　wi