for the term of his natural life-第75章

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〃I　saw　them　tried　at　Hobart　Town；〃　said　Meekin。　　〃In　fact；　the　ringleader；　John　Rex；　gave　me　his　confession；　and　I　sent　it　to　the　Bishop。〃

〃A　great　rascal；〃　put　in　North。　　〃A　dangerous；　scheming；　coldblooded　villain。〃

〃Well　now！〃　said　Meekin；　with　asperity；　〃I　don't　agree　with　you。　Everybody　seems　to　be　against　that　poor　fellowCaptain　Frere　tried　to　make　me　think　that　his　letters　contained　a　hidden　meaning；　but　I　don't　believe　they　did。　　He　seems　to　me　to　be　truly　penitent　for　his　offencesa　misguided；　but　not　a　hypocritical　man；　if　my　knowledge　of　human　nature　goes　for　anything。〃

〃I　hope　he　is；〃　said　North。　　〃I　wouldn't　trust　him。〃

〃Oh！　　there's　no　fear　of　him；〃　said　Burgess　cheerily；　〃if　he　grows　uproarious；　we'll　soon　give　him　a　touch　of　the　cat。〃

〃I　suppose　severity　is　necessary；〃　returned　Meekin；　〃though　to　my　ears　a　flogging　sounds　a　little　distasteful。　　It　is　a　brutal　punishment。〃

〃It's　a　punishment　for　brutes；〃　said　Burgess；　and　laughed；　pleased　with　the　nearest　approach　to　an　epigram　he　ever　made　in　his　life。

Here　attention　was　called　by　the　strange　behaviour　of　Mr。　North。　He　had　risen；　and；　without　apology；　flung　wide　the　window；　as　though　he　gasped　for　air。　　〃Hullo；　North！　　what's　the　matter？〃

〃Nothing；〃　said　North；　recovering　himself　with　an　effort。　〃A　spasm。　　I　have　these　attacks　at　times。〃　〃Have　some　brandy；〃　said　Burgess。

〃No；　no；　it　will　pass。　　No；　I　say。　　Well；　if　you　insist。〃　And　seizing　the　tumbler　offered　to　him；　he　half…filled　it　with　raw　spirit；　and　swallowed　the　fiery　draught　at　a　gulp。

The　Reverend　Meekin　eyed　his　clerical　brother　with　horror。　The　Reverend　Meekin　was　not　accustomed　to　clergymen　who　wore　black　neckties；　smoked　clay　pipes；　chewed　tobacco；　and　drank　neat　brandy　out　of　tumblers。

〃Ha！〃　said　North；　looking　wildly　round　upon　them。　　〃That's　better。〃

〃Let　us　go　on　to　the　verandah；〃　said　Burgess。　　〃It's　cooler　than　in　the　house。〃

So　they　went　on　to　the　verandah；　and　looked　down　upon　the　lights　of　the　prison；　and　listened　to　the　sea　lapping　the　shore。　　The　Reverend　Mr。　North；　in　this　cool　atmosphere；　seemed　to　recover　himself；　and　conversation　progressed　with　some　sprightliness。

By　and　by；　a　short　figure；　smoking　a　cheroot；　came　up　out　of　the　dark；　and　proved　to　be　Dr。　Macklewain；　who　had　been　prevented　from　attending　the　dinner　by　reason　of　an　accident　to　a　constable　at　Norfolk　Bay；　which　had　claimed　his　professional　attention。

〃Well；　how's　Forrest？〃　cried　Burgess。　　〃Mr。　MeekinDr。　Macklewain。〃

〃Dead；〃　said　Dr。　Macklewain。　　〃Delighted　to　see　you；　Mr。　Meekin。〃

〃Confound　itanother　of　my　best　men；〃　grumbled　Burgess。　　〃Macklewain；　have　a　glass　of　wine。〃　But　Macklewain　was　tired；　and　wanted　to　get　home。

〃I　must　also　be　thinking　of　repose；〃　said　Meekin；　〃the　journey　though　most　enjoyablehas　fatigued　me。〃

〃Come　on；　then；〃　said　North。　　〃Our　roads　lie　together；　doctor。〃

〃You　won't　have　a　nip　of　brandy　before　you　start？〃　asked　Burgess。

〃No？　　Then　I　shall　send　round　for　you　in　the　morning；　Mr。　Meekin。　Good　night。　　Macklewain；　I　want　to　speak　with　you　a　moment。〃

Before　the　two　clergymen　had　got　half…way　down　the　steep　path　that　led　from　the　Commandant's　house　to　the　flat　on　which　the　cottages　of　the　doctor　and　chaplain　were　built；　Macklewain　rejoined　them。　〃Another　flogging　to…morrow；〃　said　he　grumblingly。　　〃Up　at　daylight；　I　suppose；　again。〃

〃Whom　is　he　going　to　flog　now？〃

〃That　young　butler…fellow　of　his。〃　　〃What；　Kirkland？〃　cried　North。　〃You　don't　mean　to　say　he's　going　to　flog　Kirkland？〃

〃Insubordination；〃　says　Macklewain。　　〃Fifty　lashes。〃

〃Oh；　this　must　be　stopped；〃　cried　North；　in　great　alarm。　　〃He　can't　stand　it。　I　tell　you；　he'll　die；　Macklewain。〃

〃Perhaps　you'll　have　the　goodness　to　allow　me　to　be　the　best　judge　of　that；〃　returned　Macklewain；　drawing　up　his　little　body　to　its　least　insignificant　stature。

〃My　dear　sir；〃　replied　North；　alive　to　the　importance　of　conciliating　the　surgeon；　〃you　haven't　seen　him　lately。　　He　tried　to　drown　himself　this　morning。〃

Mr。　Meekin　expressed　some　alarm；　but　Dr。　Macklewain　re…assured　him。　〃That　sort　of　nonsense　must　be　stopped；〃　said　he。　　〃A　nice　example　to　set。　I　wonder　Burgess　didn't　give　him　a　hundred。〃

〃He　was　put　into　the　long　dormitory；〃　said　North；　〃you　know　what　sort　of　a　place　that　is。　　I　declare　to　Heaven　his　agony　and　shame　terrified　me。〃

〃Well；　he'll　be　put　into　the　hospital　for　a　week　or　so　to…morrow；〃　said　Macklewain；　〃and　that'll　give　him　a　spell。〃

〃If　Burgess　flogs　him　I'll　report　it　to　the　Governor；〃　cries　North；　in　great　heat。　　〃The　condition　of　those　dormitories　is　infamous。〃

〃If　the　boy　has　anything　to　complain　of；　why　don't　he　complain？　We　can't　do　anything　without　evidence。〃

〃Complain！　　Would　his　life　be　safe　if　he　did？　　Besides；　he's　not　the　sort　of　creature　to　complain。　　He'd　rather　kill　himself。〃

〃That's　all　nonsense；〃　says　Macklewain。　　〃We　can't　flog　a　whole　dormitory　on　suspicion。　　I　can't　help　it。　　The　boy's　made　his　bed；　and　he　must　lie　on　it。〃

〃I'll　go　back　and　see　Burgess；〃　said　North。　　〃Mr。　Meekin；　here's　the　gate；　and　your　room　is　on　the　right　hand。　　I'll　be　back　shortly。〃

〃Pray；　don't　hurry；〃　said　Meekin　politely。　　〃You　are　on　an　errand　of　mercy；　you　know。　　Everything　must　give　way　to　that。　　I　shall　find　my　portmanteau　in　my　room；　you　said。〃

〃Yes；　yes。　　Call　the　servant　if　you　want　anything。　　He　sleeps　at　the　back；〃　and　North　hurried　off。

〃An　impulsive　gentleman；〃　said　Meekin　to　Macklewain；　as　the　sound　of　Mr。　North's　footsteps　died　away　in　the　distance。　　Macklewain　shook　his　head　seriously。

〃There　is　something　wrong　about　him；　but　I　can't　make　out　what　it　is。　He　has　the　strangest　fits　at　times。　　Unless　it's　a　cancer　in　the　stomach；　I　don't　know　what　it　can　be。〃

〃Cancer　in　the　stomach！　　dear　me；　how　dreadful！〃　says　Meekin。　〃Ah！　　Doctor；　we　all　have　our　crosses；　have　we　not？　　How　delightful　the　grass　smells！　　This　seems　a　very　pleasant　place；　and　I　think　I　shall　enjoy　myself　very　much。　　Good…night。〃

〃Good…night；　sir。　　I　hope　you　will　be　comfortable。〃

〃And　let　us　hope　poor　Mr。　North　will　succeed　in　his　labour　of　love；〃　said　Meekin；　shutting　the　little　gate；　〃and　save　the　unfortunate　Kirkland。　Good…night；　once　more。〃

Captain　Burgess　was　shutting　his　verandah…window　when　North　hurried　up。

〃Captain　Burgess；　Macklewain　tells　me　you　are　going　to　flog　Kirkland。〃

〃Well；　sir；　what　of　that？〃　said　Burgess。

〃I　have　come　to　beg　you　not　to　do　so；　sir。　　The　lad　has　been　cruelly　punished　already。　　He　attempted　suicide　to…dayunhappy　creature。〃

〃Well；　that's　just　what　I'm　flogging　him　for。　　I'll　teach　my　prisoners　to　attempt　suicide！〃

〃But　he　can't　stand　it；　sir。　　He's　too　weak。〃

〃That's　Macklewain's　business。〃

〃Captain　Burgess；〃　protested　North；　〃I　assure　you　that　he　does　not　deserve　punishment。　　I　have　seen　him；　and　his　condition　of　mind　is　pitiable。〃

〃Look　here；　Mr。　North；　I　don't　interfere　with　what　you　do　to　the　prisoner's　souls；　don't　you　interfere　with　what　I　do　to　their　bodies。〃

〃Captain　Burgess；　you　have　no　right　to　mock　at　my　office。〃

〃Then　don't　you　interfere　with　me；　sir。〃

〃Do　you　persist　in　having　this　boy　flogged？〃

〃I've　given　my　orders；　sir。〃

〃Then；　Captain　Burgess；〃　cried　North；　his　pale　face　flushing；　〃I　tell　you　the　boy's　blood　will　be　on　your　head。　　I　am　a　minister　of　God；　sir；　and　I　forbid　you　to　commit　this　crime。〃

〃Damn　your　impertinence；　sir！〃　burst　out　Burgess。　　〃You're　a　dismissed　officer　of　the　Government；　sir。　　You've　no　authority　here　in　any　way；　and；　by　God；　sir；　if　you　interfere　with　my　discipline；　sir；　I'll　have　you　put　in　irons　until　you're　shipped　out　of　the　island。〃

This；　of　course；　was　mere　bravado　on　the　part　of　the　Commandant。　North　knew　well　that　he　would　never　dare　to　attempt　any　such　act　of　violence；　but　the　insult　stung　him　like　the　cut　of　a　whip。　　He　made　a　stride　towards　the　Commandant；　as　though　to　seize　him　by　the　throat；　but；　checking　himself　in　time；　stood　still；　with　clenched　hands；　flashing　eyes；　and　beard　that　bristled。

The　two　men　looked　at　each　other；　and　presently　Burgess's　eyes　fell　before　those　of　the　chaplain。

〃Miserable　blasphemer；〃　says　North；　〃I　tell　you　that　you　shall　not　flog　the　boy。〃

Burgess；　white　with　rage；　rang