for the term of his natural life-第57节

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and　tender　thoughts。　　Instead　of　the　phantoms　of　his　vanished　youth　which　were　wont　to　visit　him；　he　saw　now　but　one　visionthe　vision　of　the　child　who　had　loved　him。　　Instead　of　conjuring　up　for　himself　pictures　of　that　home　circle　in　which　he　had　once　moved；　and　those　creatures　who　in　the　past　years　had　thought　him　worthy　of　esteem　and　affection；　he　placed　before　himself　but　one　idea；　one　embodiment　of　happiness；　one　being　who　was　without　sin　and　without　stain；　among　all　the　monsters　of　that　pit　into　which　he　had　fallen。　　Around　the　figure　of　the　innocent　child　who　had　lain　in　his　breast；　and　laughed　at　him　with　her　red　young　mouth；　he　grouped　every　image　of　happiness　and　love。　　Having　banished　from　his　thoughts　all　hope　of　resuming　his　name　and　place；　he　pictured　to　himself　some　quiet　nook　at　the　world's　end　a　deep…gardened　house　in　a　German　country　town；　or　remote　cottage　by　the　English　seashore；　where　he　and　his　dream…child　might　have　lived　together；　happier　in　a　purer　affection　than　the　love　of　man　for　woman。　He　bethought　him　how　he　could　have　taught　her　out　of　the　strange　store　of　learning　which　his　roving　life　had　won　for　him；　how　he　could　have　confided　to　her　his　real　name；　and　perhaps　purchased　for　her　wealth　and　honour　by　reason　of　it。　　Yet；　he　thought；　she　would　not　care　for　wealth　and　honour；　she　would　prefer　a　quiet　lifea　life　of　unassuming　usefulness；　a　life　devoted　to　good　deeds；　to　charity　and　love。　　He　could　see　herin　his　visionsreading　by　a　cheery　fireside；　wandering　in　summer　woods；　or　lingering　by　the　marge　of　the　slumbering　mid…day　sea。　He　could　feelin　his　dreamsher　soft　arms　about　his　neck；　her　innocent　kisses　on　his　lips；　he　could　hear　her　light　laugh；　and　see　her　sunny　ringlets　float；　back…blown；　as　she　ran　to　meet　him。　　Conscious　that　she　was　dead；　and　that　he　did　to　her　gentle　memory　no　disrespect　by　linking　her　fortunes　to　those　of　a　wretch　who　had　seen　so　much　of　evil　as　himself；　he　loved　to　think　of　her　as　still　living；　and　to　plot　out　for　her　and　for　himself　impossible　plans　for　future　happiness。　　In　the　noisome　darkness　of　the　mine；　in　the　glaring　light　of　the　noondaydragging　at　his　loaded　wagon；　he　could　see　her　ever　with　him；　her　calm　eyes　gazing　lovingly　on　his；　as　they　had　gazed　in　the　boat　so　long　ago。　　She　never　seemed　to　grow　older；　she　never　seemed　to　wish　to　leave　him。　　It　was　only　when　his　misery　became　too　great　for　him　to　bear；　and　he　cursed　and　blasphemed；　mingling　for　a　time　in　the　hideous　mirth　of　his　companions；　that　the　little　figure　fled　away。　　Thus　dreaming；　he　had　shaped　out　for　himself　a　sorrowful　comfort；　and　in　his　dream…world　found　a　compensation　for　the　terrible　affliction　of　living。　　Indifference　to　his　present　sufferings　took　possession　of　him；　only　at　the　bottom　of　this　indifference　lurked　a　fixed　hatred　of　the　man　who　had　brought　these　sufferings　upon　him；　and　a　determination　to　demand　at　the　first　opportunity　a　reconsideration　of　that　man's　claims　to　be　esteemed　a　hero。　　It　was　in　this　mood　that　he　had　intended　to　make　the　revelation　which　he　had　made　in　Court；　but　the　intelligence　that　Sylvia　lived　unmanned　him；　and　his　prepared　speech　had　been　usurped　by　a　passionate　torrent　of　complaint　and　invective；　which　convinced　no　one；　and　gave　Frere　the　very　argument　he　needed。　It　was　decided　that　the　prisoner　Dawes　was　a　malicious　and　artful　scoundrel；　whose　only　object　was　to　gain　a　brief　respite　of　the　punishment　which　he　had　so　justly　earned。　　Against　this　injustice　he　had　resolved　to　rebel。　　It　was　monstrous；　he　thought；　that　they　should　refuse　to　hear　the　witness　who　was　so　ready　to　speak　in　his　favour；　infamous　that　they　should　send　him　back　to　his　doom　without　allowing　her　to　say　a　word　in　his　defence。　　But　he　would　defeat　that　scheme。　　He　had　planned　a　method　of　escape；　and　he　would　break　from　his　bonds；　fling　himself　at　her　feet；　and　pray　her　to　speak　the　truth　for　him；　and　so　save　him。　　Strong　in　his　faith　in　her；　and　with　his　love　for　her　brightened　by　the　love　he　had　borne　to　her　dream…image；　he　felt　sure　of　her　power　to　rescue　him　now；　as　he　had　rescued　her　before。　〃If　she　knew　I　was　alive；　she　would　come　to　me；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　sure　she　would。　　Perhaps　they　told　her　that　I　was　dead。〃

Meditating　that　night　in　the　solitude　of　his　cellhis　evil　character　had　gained　him　the　poor　luxury　of　lonelinesshe　almost　wept　to　think　of　the　cruel　deception　that　had　doubtless　been　practised　on　her。　〃They　have　told　her　that　I　was　dead；　in　order　that　she　might　learn　to　forget　me；　but　she　could　not　do　that。　　I　have　thought　of　her　so　often　during　these　weary　years　that　she　must　sometimes　have　thought　of　me。　Five　years！　　She　must　be　a　woman　now。　　My　little　child　a　woman！　Yet　she　is　sure　to　be　childlike；　sweet；　and　gentle。　　How　she　will　grieve　when　she　hears　of　my　sufferings。　　Oh！　　my　darling；　my　darling；　you　are　not　dead！〃　And　then；　looking　hastily　about　him　in　the　darkness；　as　though　fearful　even　there　of　being　seen；　he　pulled　from　out　his　breast　a　little　packet；　and　felt　it　lovingly　with　his　coarse；　toil…worn　fingers；　reverently　raising　it　to　his　lips；　and　dreaming　over　it；　with　a　smile　on　his　face；　as　though　it　were　a　sacred　talisman　that　should　open　to　him　the　doors　of　freedom。




CHAPTER　VIII。

AN　ESCAPE。



A　few　days　after　thison　the　23rd　of　DecemberMaurice　Frere　was　alarmed　by　a　piece　of　startling　intelligence。　　The　notorious　Dawes　had　escaped　from　gaol！

Captain　Frere　had　inspected　the　prison　that　very　afternoon；　and　it　had　seemed　to　him　that　the　hammers　had　never　fallen　so　briskly；　nor　the　chains　clanked　so　gaily；　as　on　the　occasion　of　his　visit。　〃Thinking　of　their　Christmas　holiday；　the　dogs！〃　he　had　said　to　the　patrolling　warder。　　〃Thinking　about　their　Christmas　pudding；　the　luxurious　scoundrels！〃　and　the　convict　nearest　him　had　laughed　appreciatively；　as　convicts　and　schoolboys　do　laugh　at　the　jests　of　the　man　in　authority。　　All　seemed　contentment。　　Moreover；　he　hadby　way　of　a　pleasant　stroke　of　wittormented　Rufus　Dawes　with　his　ill…fortune。　〃The　schooner　sails　to…morrow；　my　man；〃　he　had　said；　〃you'll　spend　your　Christmas　at　the　mines。〃　And　congratulated　himself　upon　the　fact　that　Rufus　Dawes　merely　touched　his　cap；　and　went　on　with　his　stone…cracking　in　silence。　　Certainly　double　irons　and　hard　labour　were　fine　things　to　break　a　man's　spirit。　　So　that；　when　in　the　afternoon　of　that　same　day　he　heard　the　astounding　news　that　Rufus　Dawes　had　freed　himself　from　his　fetters；　climbed　the　gaol　wall　in　broad　daylight；　run　the　gauntlet　of　Macquarie　Street；　and　was　now　supposed　to　be　safely　hidden　in　the　mountains；　he　was　dumbfounded。

〃How　the　deuce　did　he　do　it；　Jenkins？〃　he　asked；　as　soon　as　he　reached　the　yard。

〃Well；　I'm　blessed　if　I　rightly　know；　your　honour；〃　says　Jenkins。　〃He　was　over　the　wall　before　you　could　say　'knife'。　　Scott　fired　and　missed　him；　and　then　I　heard　the　sentry's　musket；　but　he　missed　him；　too。〃

〃Missed　him！〃　cries　Frere。　　〃Pretty　fellows　you　are；　all　of　you！　I　suppose　you　couldn't　hit　a　haystack　at　twenty　yards？　Why；　the　man　wasn't　three　feet　from　the　end　of　your　carbine！〃

The　unlucky　Scott；　standing　in　melancholy　attitude　by　the　empty　irons；　muttered　something　about　the　sun　having　been　in　his　eyes。　〃I　don't　know　how　it　was；　sir。　　I　ought　to　have　hit　him；　for　certain。　I　think　I　did　touch　him；　too；　as　he　went　up　the　wall。〃

A　stranger　to　the　customs　of　the　place　might　have　imagined　that　he　was　listening　to　a　conversation　about　a　pigeon　match。

〃Tell　me　all　about　it；〃　says　Frere；　with　an　angry　curse。　〃I　was　just　turning；　your　honour；　when　I　hears　Scott　sing　out　'Hullo！'　and　when　I　turned　round；　I　saw　Dawes's　irons　on　the　ground；　and　him　a…scrambling　up　the　heap　o'　stones　yonder。　　The　two　men　on　my　right　jumped　up；　and　I　thought　it　was　a　made…up　thing　among　'em；　so　I　covered　'em　with　my　carbine；　according　to　instructions；　and　called　out　that　I'd　shoot　the　first　that　stepped　out。　　Then　I　heard　Scott's　piece；　and　the　men　gave　a　shout　like。　　When　I　looked　round；　he　was　gone。〃

〃Nobody　else　moved？〃

〃No；　sir。　　I　was　confused　at　first；　and　thought　they　were　all　in　it；　but　Parton　and　Haines　they　runs　in　and　gets　between　me　and　the　wall；　and　then　Mr。　Short　he　come；　and　we　examined　their　irons。〃

〃All　right？〃

〃All　right；　your　honour；　and　they　all　swore　they　knowed　nothing　of　it。　I　know　Dawes's　irons　was　all　right　when　he　went　to　dinner。〃

Frere　stopped　and　examined　the　empty　fetters。　　〃All　right　be　hanged；〃　he　said。　〃If　you　don't　know　your　duty　better　than　this；　the　sooner　you　go　somewhere　else　the　better；　my　man。　　Look　here！〃

The　two　ankle　fetters　were　severed。　　One　had　been　evidently　filed　through；　and　the　other　broken　transversely。　　The　latter　was　bent；　as　from　a　violent　blow。

〃Don't　know　where　he　got　the　file　from；〃　said　Warder　Short。

〃Know！　　Of　course　you　don't　know。　　You　men　never　do　know　anything　until　the　mischief's　done。　　You　want　me　here　for　a　month　or　so。　I'd　teach　you　your　duty！　　Don't　knowwith　things　like　this　lying　about？　I　wonder　the　whole　yard　isn't　loose　and　dining　with　the　Governor。〃

〃This〃　was　a　fragment　of　delft　pottery　which　Frere's　quick　eye　had　detected　among　the　broken　metal。

〃I'd　cut　the　biggest　iron　you've　got　with　this；　and　so　would　he　and　plenty　more；　I'll　go　bail。　　You　ought　to　have　lived