for the term of his natural life-第98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！


han　the　leader　of　the　Ring；　the　other；　that　Mooney　was　blind；　and；　to　a　moody；　sullen　man；　subject　to　violent　fits　of　passion　and　a　constant　suspicion　of　all　his　fellow…creatures；　a　blind　companion　was　more　congenial　than　a　sharp…eyed　one。

Mooney　was　one　of　the　〃First　Fleeters〃。　　He　had　arrived　in　Sydney　fifty…seven　years　before；　in　the　year　1789；　and　when　he　was　transported　he　was　fourteen　years　old。　　He　had　been　through　the　whole　round　of　servitude；　had　worked　as　a　bondsman；　had　married；　and　been　〃up　country〃；　had　been　again　sentenced；　and　was　a　sort　of　dismal　patriarch　of　Norfolk　Island；　having　been　there　at　its　former　settlement。　　He　had　no　friends。　His　wife　was　long　since　dead；　and　he　stated；　without　contradiction；　that　his　master；　having　taken　a　fancy　to　her；　had　despatched　the　uncomplaisant　husband　to　imprisonment。　　Such　cases　were　not　uncommon。

One　of　the　many　ways　in　which　Rufus　Dawes　had　obtained　the　affection　of　the　old　blind　man　was　a　gift　of　such　fragments　of　tobacco　as　he　had　himself　from　time　to　time　secured。　　Troke　knew　this；　and　on　the　evening　in　question　hit　upon　an　excellent　plan。　　Admitting　himself　noiselessly　into　the　boat…shed；　where　the　gang　slept；　he　crept　close　to　the　sleeping　Dawes；　and　counterfeiting　Mooney's　mumbling　utterance　asked　for　〃some　tobacco〃。　　Rufus　Dawes　was　but　half　awake；　and　on　repeating　his　request；　Troke　felt　something　put　into　his　hand。　　He　grasped　Dawes's　arm；　and　struck　a　light。　He　had　got　his　man　this　time。　　　Dawes　had　conveyed　to　his　fancied　friend　a　piece　of　tobacco　almost　as　big　as　the　top　joint　of　his　little　finger。　One　can　understand　the　feelings　of　a　man　entrapped　by　such　base　means。　Rufus　Dawes　no　sooner　saw　the　hated　face　of　Warder　Troke　peering　over　his　hammock；　then　he　sprang　out；　and　exerting　to　the　utmost　his　powerful　muscles；　knocked　Mr。　Troke　fairly　off　his　legs　into　the　arms　of　the　in…coming　constables。　　A　desperate　struggle　took　place；　at　the　end　of　which　the　convict；　overpowered　by　numbers；　was　borne　senseless　to　the　cells；　gagged；　and　chained　to　the　ring…bolt　on　the　bare　flags。　While　in　this　condition　he　was　savagely　beaten　by　five　or　six　constables。

To　this　maimed　and　manacled　rebel　was　the　Commandant　ushered　by　Troke　the　next　morning。

〃Ha！　ha！　my　man；〃　said　the　Commandant。　　〃Here　you　are　again；　you　see。　How　do　you　like　this　sort　of　thing？〃

Dawes；　glaring；　makes　no　answer。

〃You　shall　have　fifty　lashes；　my　man；〃　said　Frere。　　〃We'll　see　how　you　feel　then！〃　　The　fifty　were　duly　administered；　and　the　Commandant　called　the　next　day。　　The　rebel　was　still　mute。

〃Give　him　fifty　more；　Mr。　Troke。　　We'll　see　what　he's　made　of。〃

One　hundred　and　twenty　lashes　were　inflicted　in　the　course　of　the　morning；　but　still　the　sullen　convict　refused　to　speak。　　He　was　then　treated　to　fourteen　days'　solitary　confinement　in　one　of　the　new　cells。　On　being　brought　out　and　confronted　with　his　tormentor；　he　merely　laughed。　For　this　he　was　sent　back　for　another　fourteen　days；　and　still　remaining　obdurate；　was　flogged　again；　and　got　fourteen　days　more。　Had　the　chaplain　then　visited　him；　he　might　have　found　him　open　to　consolation；　but　the　chaplainso　it　was　statedwas　sick。　When　brought　out　at　the　conclusion　of　his　third　confinement；　he　was　found　to　be　in　so　exhausted　a　condition　that　the　doctor　ordered　him　to　hospital。　　As　soon　as　he　was　sufficiently　recovered；　Frere　visited　him；　and　finding　his　〃spirit〃　not　yet　〃broken〃；　ordered　that　he　should　be　put　to　grind　maize。　　Dawes　declined　to　work。　　So　they　chained　his　hand　to　one　arm　of　the　grindstone　and　placed　another　prisoner　at　the　other　arm。　As　the　second　prisoner　turned；　the　hand　of　Dawes　of　course　revolved。

〃You're　not　such　a　pebble　as　folks　seemed　to　think；〃　grinned　Frere；　pointing　to　the　turning　wheel。

　Upon　which　the　indomitable　poor　devil　straightened　his　sorely…tried　muscles；　　and　prevented　the　wheel　from　turning　at　all。　　Frere　gave　him　fifty　　more　lashes；　and　sent　him　the　next　day　to　grind　cayenne　pepper。　　This　was　a　punishment　more　dreaded　by　the　convicts　than　any　other。　　The　pungent　dust　filled　their　eyes　and　lungs；　causing　them　the　　most　excruciating　torments。　　For　a　man　with　a　raw　back　the　work　was　　one　continued　agony。　　In　four　days　Rufus　Dawes；　emaciated；　blistered；　　blinded；　broke　down。

〃For　God's　sake；　Captain　Frere；　kill　me　at　once！〃　he　said。

〃No　fear；〃　said　the　other；　rejoiced　at　this　proof　of　his　power。　〃You've　given　in；　that's　all　I　wanted。　　Troke；　take　him　off　to　the　hospital。〃

When　he　was　in　hospital；　North　visited　him。

〃I　would　have　come　to　see　you　before；〃　said　the　clergyman；　〃but　I　have　been　very　ill。〃

In　truth　he　looked　so。　　He　had　had　a　fever；　it　seemed；　and　they　had　shaved　his　beard；　and　cropped　his　hair。　　Dawes　could　see　that　the　haggard；　wasted　man　had　passed　through　some　agony　almost　as　great　as　his　own。　The　next　day　Frere　visited　him；　complimented　him　on　his　courage；　and　offered　to　make　him　a　constable。　　Dawes　turned　his　scarred　back　to　his　torturer；　and　resolutely　declined　to　answer。

〃I　am　afraid　you　have　made　an　enemy　of　the　Commandant；〃　said　North；　the　next　day。　　〃Why　not　accept　his　offer？〃

Dawes　cast　on　him　a　glance　of　quiet　scorn。　　〃And　betray　my　mates？　I'm　not　one　of　that　sort。〃

The　clergyman　spoke　to　him　of　hope；　of　release；　of　repentance；　and　redemption。　　The　prisoner　laughed。　　〃Who's　to　redeem　me？〃　he　said；　expressing　his　thoughts　in　phraseology　that　to　ordinary　folks　might　seem　blasphemous。　　〃It　would　take　a　Christ　to　die　again　to　save　such　as　I。〃

North　spoke　to　him　of　immortality。　　〃There　is　another　life；〃　said　he。　　〃Do　not　risk　your　chance　of　happiness　in　it。　　You　have　a　future　to　live　for；　man。〃

〃I　hope　not；〃　said　the　victim　of　the　〃system〃。　　〃I　want　to　restto　rest；　and　never　to　be　disturbed　again。〃

His　〃spirit〃　was　broken　enough　by　this　time。　　Yet　he　had　resolution　enough　to　refuse　Frere's　repeated　offers。　　〃I'll　never　'jump'　it；〃　he　said　to　North；　〃if　they　cut　me　in　half　first。〃

North　pityingly　implored　the　stubborn　mind　to　have　mercy　on　the　lacerated　body；　but　without　effect。　　His　own　wayward　heart　gave　him　the　key　to　read　the　cipher　of　this　man's　life。　　〃A　noble　nature　ruined；〃　said　he　to　himself。　〃What　is　the　secret　of　his　history？〃

Dawes；　on　his　part；　seeing　how　different　from　other　black　coats　was　this　priestat　once　so　ardent　and　so　gloomy；　so　stern　and　so　tenderbegan　to　speculate　on　the　cause　of　his　monitor's　sunken　cheeks；　fiery　eyes；　and　pre…occupied　manner；　to　wonder　what　grief　inspired　those　agonized　prayers；　those　eloquent　and　daring　supplications；　which　were　daily　poured　out　over　his　rude　bed。　　So　between　these　twothe　priest　and　the　sinnerwas　a　sort　of　sympathetic　bond。

One　day　this　bond　was　drawn　so　close　as　to　tug　at　both　their　heart…strings。　The　chaplain　had　a　flower　in　his　coat。　　Dawes　eyed　it　with　hungry　looks；　and；　as　the　clergyman　was　about　to　quit　the　room；　said；　〃Mr。　North；　will　you　give　me　that　rosebud？〃　North　paused　irresolutely；　and　finally；　as　if　after　a　struggle　with　himself；　took　it　carefully　from　his　button…hole；　and　placed　it　in　the　prisoner's　brown；　scarred　hand。　　In　another　instant　Dawes；　believing　himself　alone；　pressed　the　gift　to　his　lips。　　North　returned　abruptly；　and　the　eyes　of　the　pair　met。　　Dawes　flushed　crimson；　but　North　turned　white　as　death。　　Neither　spoke；　but　each　was　drawn　close　to　the　other；　since　both　had　kissed　the　rosebud　plucked　by　Sylvia's　fingers。




CHAPTER　VIII。

EXTRACTED　FROM　THE　DIARY　OF　THE　REV。　JAMES　NORTH。



October　21st。I　am　safe　for　another　six　months　if　I　am　careful；　for　my　last　bout　lasted　longer　than　I　expected。　　I　suppose　one　of　these　days　I　shall　have　a　paroxysm　that　will　kill　me。　　I　shall　not　regret　it。

I　wonder　if　this　familiar　of　mineI　begin　to　detest　the　expressionwill　accuse　me　of　endeavouring　to　make　a　case　for　myself　if　I　say　that　I　believe　my　madness　to　be　a　disease？　I　do　believe　it。　　I　honestly　can　no　more　help　getting　drunk　than　a　lunatic　can　help　screaming　and　gibbering。　It　would　be　different　with　me；　perhaps；　were　I　a　contented　man；　happily　married；　with　children　about　me；　and　family　cares　to　distract　me。　But　as　I　　ama　lonely；　gloomy　being；　debarred　from　love；　devoured　by　spleen；　and　tortured　with　repressed　desiresI　become　a　living　torment　to　myself。　I　think　of　happier　men；　with　fair　wives　and　clinging　children；　of　men　who　are　loved　and　who　love；　of　Frere　for　instanceand　a　hideous　wild　beast　seems　to　stir　within　me；　a　monster；　whose　cravings　cannot　be　satisfied；　can　only　be　drowned　in　stupefying　brandy。

Penitent　and　shattered；　I　vow　to　lead　a　new　life；　to　forswear　spirits；　to　drink　nothing　but　water。　　Indeed；　the　sight　and　smell　of　brandy　make　me　ill。　All　goes　well　for　some　weeks；　when　I　grow　nervous；　discontented；　moody。　I　smoke；　and　am　soothed。　　But　moderation　is　not　to　be　thought　of；　little　by　little　I　increase　the　dose　of　tobacco。　　Five　pipes　a　day　become　six　or　seven。　　Then　I　count　up　to　ten　and　twelve；　then　drop　to　three　or　four；　then　mount　to　eleven　at　a　leap；　then　lose　count　altogether。　　Much　smoking　excites　the　brain。　　I　feel　clear；　bright；　gay。　　My　tongue　is　parched　in　the　morning；　however；　and　I　use　liquor　to　literally　〃moisten　my　clay〃。　I　drink　wine　or　beer　in　moderation；　and　all　goes　well。　　My　limbs　regain　their　suppleness；　my　ha