for the term of his natural life-第43节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e　to　her　a　living　shame；　scarcely　less　degrading　than　that　which　she　had　dreaded。

But　success　was　almost　impossible。　　He　did　not　dare　to　retrace　his　steps　through　the　hideous　labyrinth　into　which　he　had　plunged。　　Was　he　to　show　his　scarred　shoulders　as　a　proof　that　he　was　a　gentleman　and　an　innocent　man？　Was　he　to　relate　the　nameless　infamies　of　Macquarie　Harbour　as　a　proof　that　he　was　entitled　to　receive　the　hospitalities　of　the　generous；　and　to　sit；　a　respected　guest；　at　the　tables　of　men　of　refinement？　Was　he　to　quote　the　horrible　slang　of　the　prison…ship；　and　retail　the　filthy　jests　of　the　chain…gang　and　the　hulks；　as　a　proof　that　he　was　a　fit　companion　for　pure…minded　women　and　innocent　children？　Suppose　even　that　he　could　conceal　the　name　of　the　real　criminal；　and　show　himself　guiltless　of　the　crime　for　which　he　had　been　condemned；　all　the　wealth　in　the　world　could　not　buy　back　that　blissful　ignorance　of　evil　which　had　once　been　his。　　All　the　wealth　in　the　world　could　not　purchase　the　self…respect　which　had　been　cut　out　of　him　by　the　lash；　or　banish　from　his　brain　the　memory　of　his　degradation。

For　hours　this　agony　of　thought　racked　him。　　He　cried　out　as　though　with　physical　pain；　and　then　lay　in　a　stupor；　exhausted　with　actual　physical　suffering。　　It　was　hopeless　to　think　of　freedom　and　of　honour。　Let　him　keep　silence；　and　pursue　the　life　fate　had　marked　out　for　him。　He　would　return　to　bondage。　　The　law　would　claim　him　as　an　absconder；　and　would　mete　out　to　him　such　punishment　as　was　fitting。　Perhaps　he　might　escape　severest　punishment；　as　a　reward　for　his　exertions　in　saving　the　child。　　He　might　consider　himself　fortunate　if　such　was　permitted　to　him。　　Fortunate！　　Suppose　he　did　not　go　back　at　all；　but　wandered　away　into　the　wilderness　and　died？　　Better　death　than　such　a　doom　as　his。　Yet　need　he　die？　　He　had　caught　goats；　he　could　catch　fish。　He　could　build　a　hut。　　In　here　was；　perchance；　at　the　deserted　settlement　some　remnant　of　seed　corn　that；　planted；　would　give　him　bread。　He　had　built　a　boat；　he　had　made　an　oven；　he　had　fenced　in　a　hut。　Surely　he　could　contrive　to　live　alone　savage　and　free。　　Alone！　He　had　contrived　all　these　marvels　alone！　　Was　not　the　boat　he　himself　had　built　below　upon　the　shore？　　Why　not　escape　in　her；　and　leave　to　their　fate　the　miserable　creatures　who　had　treated　him　with　such　ingratitude？

The　idea　flashed　into　his　brain；　as　though　someone　had　spoken　the　words　into　his　ear。　　Twenty　strides　would　place　him　in　possession　of　the　boat；　and　half　an　hour's　drifting　with　the　current　would　take　him　beyond　pursuit。　Once　outside　the　Bar；　he　would　make　for　the　westward；　in　the　hopes　of　falling　in　with　some　whaler。　　He　would　doubtless　meet　with　one　before　many　days；　and　he　was　well　supplied　with　provision　and　water　in　the　meantime。　　A　tale　of　shipwreck　would　satisfy　the　sailors；　andhe　pausedhe　had　forgotten　that　the　rags　which　he　wore　would　betray　him。　With　an　exclamation　of　despair；　he　started　from　the　posture　in　which　he　was　lying。　　He　thrust　out　his　hands　to　raise　himself；　and　his　fingers　came　in　contact　with　something　soft。　　He　had　been　lying　at　the　foot　of　some　loose　stones　that　were　piled　cairnwise　beside　a　low…growing　bush；　and　the　object　that　he　had　touched　was　protruding　from　beneath　these　stones。　　He　caught　it　and　dragged　it　forth。　It　was　the　shirt　of　poor　Bates。　　With　trembling　hands　he　tore　away　the　stones；　and　pulled　forth　the　rest　of　the　garments。　　They　seemed　as　though　they　had　been　left　purposely　for　him。　　Heaven　had　sent　him　the　very　disguise　he　needed。

The　night　had　passed　during　his　reverie；　and　the　first　faint　streaks　of　dawn　began　to　lighten　in　the　sky。　　Haggard　and　pale；　he　rose　to　his　feet；　and　scarcely　daring　to　think　about　what　he　proposed　to　do；　ran　towards　the　boat。　　As　he　ran；　however；　the　voice　that　he　had　heard　encouraged　him。　　〃Your　life　is　of　more　importance　than　theirs。　They　will　die；　but　they　have　been　ungrateful　and　deserve　death。　You　will　escape　out　of　this　Hell；　and　return　to　the　loving　heart　who　mourns　you。　　You　can　do　more　good　to　mankind　than　by　saving　the　lives　of　these　people　who　despise　you。　　Moreover；　they　may　not　die。　They　are　sure　to　be　sent　for。　　Think　of　what　awaits　you　when　you　return　an　absconded　convict！〃

He　was　within　three　feet　of　the　boat；　when　he　suddenly　checked　himself；　and　stood　motionless；　staring　at　the　sand　with　as　much　horror　as　though　he　saw　there　the　Writing　which　foretold　the　doom　of　Belshazzar。　He　had　come　upon　the　sentence　traced　by　Sylvia　the　evening　before；　and　glittering　in　the　low　light　of　the　red　sun　suddenly　risen　from　out　the　sea；　it　seemed　to　him　that　the　letters　had　shaped　themselves　at　his　very　feet；

GOOD　MR。　DAWES。

〃Good　Mr。　Dawes〃！　　What　a　frightful　reproach　there　was　to　him　in　that　simple　sentence！　　What　a　world　of　cowardice；　baseness；　and　cruelty；　had　not　those　eleven　letters　opened　to　him！　　He　heard　the　voice　of　the　child　who　had　nursed　him；　calling　on　him　to　save　her。　　He　saw　her　at　that　instant　standing　between　him　and　the　boat；　as　she　had　stood　when　she　held　out　to　him　the　loaf；　on　the　night　of　his　return　to　the　settlement。

He　staggered　to　the　cavern；　and；　seizing　the　sleeping　Frere　by　the　arm；　shook　him　violently。　　〃Awake！　　awake！〃　he　cried；　〃and　let　us　leave　this　place！〃　Frere；　starting　to　his　feet；　looked　at　the　white　face　and　bloodshot　eyes　of　the　wretched　man　before　him　with　blunt　astonishment。　　〃What's　the　matter　with　you；　man？〃　he　said。　　〃You　look　as　if　you'd　seen　a　ghost！〃

At　the　sound　of　his　voice　Rufus　Dawes　gave　a　long　sigh；　and　drew　his　hand　across　his　eyes。

〃Come；　Sylvia！〃　shouted　Frere。　　〃It's　time　to　get　up。　　I　am　ready　to　go！〃

The　sacrifice　was　complete。　　The　convict　turned　away；　and　two　great　glistening　tears　rolled　down　his　rugged　face；　and　fell　upon　the　sand。




CHAPTER　XVII。

AT　SEA。



An　hour　after　sunrise；　the　frail　boat；　which　was　the　last　hope　of　these　four　human　beings；　drifted　with　the　outgoing　current　towards　the　mouth　of　the　harbour。　　When　first　launched　she　had　come　nigh　swamping；　being　overloaded；　and　it　was　found　necessary　to　leave　behind　a　great　portion　of　the　dried　meat。　　With　what　pangs　this　was　done　can　be　easily　imagined；　for　each　atom　of　food　seemed　to　represent　an　hour　of　life。　　Yet　there　was　no　help　for　it。　　As　Frere　said；　it　was　〃neck　or　nothing　with　them〃。　　They　must　get　away　at　all　hazards。

That　evening　they　camped　at　the　mouth　of　the　Gates；　Dawes　being　afraid　to　risk　a　passage　until　the　slack　of　the　tide；　and　about　ten　o'clock　at　night　adventured　to　cross　the　Bar。　　The　night　was　lovely；　and　the　sea　calm。　It　seemed　as　though　Providence　had　taken　pity　on　them；　for；　notwithstanding　the　insecurity　of　the　craft　and　the　violence　of　the　breakers；　the　dreaded　passage　was　made　with　safety。　　Once；　indeed；　when　they　had　just　entered　the　surf；　a　mighty　wave；　curling　high　above　them；　seemed　about　to　overwhelm　the　frail　structure　of　skins　and　wickerwork；　but　Rufus　Dawes；　keeping　the　nose　of　the　boat　to　the　sea；　and　Frere　baling　with　his　hat；　they　succeeded　in　reaching　deep　water。　A　great　misfortune；　however；　occurred。　　Two　of　the　bark　buckets；　left　by　some　unpardonable　oversight　uncleated；　were　washed　overboard；　and　with　them　nearly　a　fifth　of　their　scanty　store　of　water。　In　the　face　of　the　greater　peril；　the　accident　seemed　trifling；　and　as；　drenched　and　chilled；　they　gained　the　open　sea；　they　could　not　but　admit　that　fortune　had　almost　miraculously　befriended　them。

They　made　tedious　way　with　their　rude　oars；　a　light　breeze　from　the　north…west　sprang　up　with　the　dawn；　and；　hoisting　the　goat…skin　sail；　they　crept　along　the　coast。　　It　was　resolved　that　the　two　men　should　keep　watch　and　watch；　and　Frere　for　the　second　time　enforced　his　authority　by　giving　the　first　watch　to　Rufus　Dawes。　　〃I　am　tired；〃　he　said；　〃and　shall　sleep　for　a　little　while。〃　　　Rufus　Dawes；　who　had　not　slept　for　two　nights；　and　who　had　done　all　the　harder　work；　said　nothing。　　He　had　suffered　so　much　during　the　last　two　days　that　his　senses　were　dulled　to　pain。

Frere　slept　until　late　in　the　afternoon；　and；　when　he　woke；　found　the　boat　still　tossing　on　the　sea；　and　Sylvia　and　her　mother　both　seasick。　　This　seemed　strange　to　him。　　Sea…sickness　appeared　to　be　a　malady　which　belonged　exclusively　to　civilization。　　Moodily　watching　the　great　green　waves　which　curled　incessantly　between　him　and　the　horizon；　he　marvelled　to　think　how　curiously　events　had　come　about。　　A　leaf　had；　as　it　were；　been　torn　out　of　his　autobiography。　　It　seemed　a　lifetime　since　he　had　done　anything　but　moodily　scan　the　sea　or　shore。　　Yet；　on　the　morning　of　leaving　the　settlement；　he　had　counted　the　notches　on　a　calendar…stick　he　carried；　and　had　been　astonished　to　find　them　but　twenty…two　in　number。　　Taking　out　his　knife；　he　cut　two　nicks　in　the　wicker　gunwale　of　the　coracle。　　That　brought　him　to　twenty…four　days。　The　mutiny　had　taken　place　on　the　13th　of　January；　it　was　now　the　6th　of　February。　　〃Surely；〃　thought　he；　〃the　Ladybird　might　have　returned　by　this　time。〃　There　was　no　one　to　tell　him　that　the　Ladybird　had　been　driven　into　Port　Davey　by　stress　of　weather；　and　detained　there　for　seventeen　days。

That　night　the　wind　fell；　and　they　had　to　take　to　their　oars。　Rowing　all　night；　they　made　but　little　progre