for the term of his natural life-第108章

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　tone　of　the　letter；　he　knew　the　woman　with　whom　he　had　to　deal。　　For　some　furious　minutes　he　sat　motionless；　gazing　at　the　letter。　　He　did　not　speakmen　seldom　do　under　such　circumstances　but　his　thoughts　ran　in　this　fashion：　〃Here　is　this　cursed　woman　again！　Just　as　I　was　congratulating　myself　on　my　freedom。　　How　did　she　discover　me？　Small　use　asking　that。　　What　shall　I　do？　I　can　do　nothing。　　It　is　absurd　to　run　away；　for　I　shall　be　caught。　　Besides；　I've　no　money。　　My　account　at　Mastermann's　is　overdrawn　two　thousand　pounds。　　If　I　bolt　at　all；　I　must　bolt　at　oncewithin　twenty…four　hours。　　Rich　as　I　am；　I　don't　suppose　I　could　raise　more　than　five　thousand　pounds　in　that　time。　　These　things　take　a　day　or　two；　say　forty…eight　hours。　　In　forty…eight　hours　I　could　raise　twenty　thousand　pounds；　but　forty…eight　hours　is　too　long。　Curse　the　woman！　I　know　her！　How　in　the　fiend's　name　did　she　discover　me？　It's　a　bad　job。　　However；　she's　not　inclined　to　be　gratuitiously　disagreeable。　How　lucky　I　never　married　again！　I　had　better　make　terms　and　trust　to　fortune。　After　all；　she's　been　a　good　friend　to　me。Poor　Sally！I　might　have　rotted　on　that　infernal　Eaglehawk　Neck　if　it　hadn't　been　for　her。　　She　is　not　a　bad　sort。　　Handsome　woman；　too。　　I　may　make　it　up　with　her。　　I　shall　have　to　sell　off　and　go　away　after　all。It　might　be　worse。I　dare　say　the　property's　worth　three　hundred　thousand　pounds。　　Not　bad　for　a　start　in　America。　　And　I　may　get　rid　of　her　yet。　　Yes。　　I　must　give　in。Oh；　curse　her！＇ringing　the　bell＇Smithers！〃　＇Smithers　appears。＇　〃A　telegraph　form　and　a　cab！　Stay。　　Pack　me　a　dressing…bag。　　I　shall　be　away　for　a　day　or　so。　　＇Sotto　voce＇I'd　better　see　her　myself。　＇　Aloud＇Bring　me　a　Bradshaw！　＇Sotto　voce＇Damn　the　woman。〃




CHAPTER　VI。

IN　WHICH　THE　CHAPLAIN　IS　TAKEN　ILL。


Though　the　house　of　the　Commandant　of　Norfolk　Island　was　comfortable　and　well　furnished；　and　though；　of　necessity；　all　that　was　most　hideous　in　the　〃discipline〃　of　the　place　was　hidden；　the　loathing　with　which　Sylvia　had　approached　the　last　and　most　dreaded　abiding　place　of　the　elaborate　convict　system；　under　which　it　had　been　her　misfortune　to　live；　had　not　decreased。　　The　sights　and　sounds　of　pain　and　punishment　surrounded　her。　　She　could　not　look　out　of　her　windows　without　a　shudder。　She　dreaded　each　evening　when　her　husband　returned；　lest　he　should　blurt　out　some　new　atrocity。　　She　feared　to　ask　him　in　the　morning　whither　he　was　going；　lest　he　should　thrill　her　with　the　announcement　of　some　fresh　punishment。

〃I　wish；　Maurice；　we　had　never　come　here；〃　said　she；　piteously；　when　he　recounted　to　her　the　scene　of　the　gaol…gang。　　〃These　unhappy　men　will　do　you　some　frightful　injury　one　of　these　days。〃

〃Stuff！〃　said　her　husband。　　〃They've　not　the　courage。　　I'd　take　the　best　man　among　them；　and　dare　him　to　touch　me。〃

〃I　cannot　think　how　you　like　to　witness　so　much　misery　and　villainy。　It　is　horrible　to　think　of。〃

〃Our　tastes　differ；　my　dear。Jenkins！　Confound　you！　Jenkins；　I　say。〃　The　convict…servant　entered。　　〃Where　is　the　charge…book？　　I've　told　you　always　to　have　it　ready　for　me。　　Why　don't　you　do　as　you　are　told？　　You　idle；　lazy　scoundrel！　I　suppose　you　were　yarning　in　the　cookhouse；　or〃

〃If　you　please；　sir。〃

〃Don't　answer　me；　sir。　　Give　me　the　book。〃　Taking　it　and　running　his　finger　down　the　leaves；　he　commented　on　the　list　of　offences　to　which　he　would　be　called　upon　in　the　morning　to　mete　out　judgment。

〃Meer…a…seek；　having　a　pipethe　rascally　Hindoo　scoundrel！Benjamin　Pellett；　having　fat　in　his　possession。　　Miles　Byrne；　not　walking　fast　enough。　We　must　enliven　Mr。　Byrne。　　Thomas　Twist；　having　a　pipe　and　striking　a　light。　W。　　Barnes；　not　in　place　at　muster；　says　he　was　'washing　himself'　I'll　wash　him！　John　Richards；　missing　muster　and　insolence。　　John　Gateby；　insolence　and　insubordination。　　James　Hopkins；　insolence　and　foul　language。　Rufus　Dawes；　gross　insolence；　refusing　to　work。Ah！　we　must　look　after　you。　You　are　a　parson's　man　now；　are　you？　　I'll　break　your　spirit；　my　man；　or　I'llSylvia！〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Your　friend　Dawes　is　doing　credit　to　his　bringing　up。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃That　infernal　villain　and　reprobate；　Dawes。　　He　is　fitting　himself　faster　for〃　She　interrupted　him。　　〃Maurice；　I　wish　you　would　not　use　such　language。　You　know　I　dislike　it。〃　She　spoke　coldly　and　sadly；　as　one　who　knows　that　remonstrance　is　vain；　and　is　yet　constrained　to　remonstrate。

〃Oh；　dear！　My　Lady　Proper！　can't　bear　to　hear　her　husband　swear。　How　refined　we're　getting！〃

〃There；　I　did　not　mean　to　annoy　you；〃　said　she；　wearily。　　〃Don't　let　us　quarrel；　for　goodness'　sake。〃

He　went　away　noisily；　and　she　sat　looking　at　the　carpet　wearily。　A　noise　roused　her。　　She　looked　up　and　saw　North。　　Her　face　beamed　instantly。　〃Ah！　　Mr。　North；　I　did　not　expect　you。　　What　brings　you　here？　　You'll　stay　to　dinner；　of　course。〃　（She　rang　the　bell　without　waiting　for　a　reply。）　〃Mr。　North　dines　here；　place　a　chair　for　him。　　And　have　you　brought　me　the　book？　　I　have　been　looking　for　it。〃

〃Here　it　is；〃　said　North；　producing　a　volume　of　'Monte　Cristo'。　She　seized　the　book　with　avidity；　and；　after　running　her　eyes　over　the　pages；　turned　inquiringly　to　the　fly…leaf。

〃It　belongs　to　my　predecessor；〃　said　North；　as　though　in　answer　to　her　thought。　〃He　seems　to　have　been　a　great　reader　of　French。　　I　have　found　many　French　novels　of　his。〃

〃I　thought　clergymen　never　read　French　novels；〃　said　Sylvia；　with　a　smile。

〃There　are　French　novels　and　French　novels；〃　said　North。　　〃Stupid　people　confound　the　good　with　the　bad。　　I　remember　a　worthy　friend　of　mine　in　Sydney　who　soundly　abused　me　for　reading　'Rabelais'；　and　when　I　asked　him　if　he　had　read　it；　he　said　that　he　would　sooner　cut　his　hand　off　than　open　it。　Admirable　judge　of　its　merits！〃

〃But　is　this　really　good？　　Papa　told　me　it　was　rubbish。〃

　〃It　is　a　romance；　but；　in　my　opinion；　a　very　fine　one。　　The　notion　　of　the　sailor　being　taught　in　prison　by　the　priest；　and　sent　back　into　the　　world　an　accomplished　gentleman；　to　work　out　his　vengeance；　is　superb。〃

〃No；　nowyou　are　telling　me；〃　laughed　she；　and　then；　with　feminine　perversity；　〃Go　on；　what　is　the　story？〃

〃Only　that　of　an　unjustly　imprisoned　man；　who；　escaping　by　a　marvel；　and　becoming　richas　Dr。　Johnson　says；　'beyond　the　dreams　of　avarice'　devotes　his　life　and　fortune　to　revenge　himself。〃

〃And　does　he？〃

〃He　does；　upon　all　his　enemies　save　one。〃

〃And　he？〃　　〃Shewas　the　wife　of　his　greatest　enemy；　and　Dant鑣　spared　her　because　he　loved　her。〃

Sylvia　turned　away　her　head。　　〃It　seems　interesting　enough；〃　said　she；　coldly。

There　was　an　awkward　silence　for　a　moment；　which　each　seemed　afraid　to　break。　North　bit　his　lips；　as　though　regretting　what　he　had　said。　　Mrs。　Frere　beat　her　foot　on　the　floor；　and　at　length；　raising　her　eyes；　and　meeting　those　of　the　clergyman　fixed　upon　her　face；　rose　hurriedly；　and　went　to　meet　her　returning　husband。

〃Come　to　dinner；　of　course！〃　said　Frere；　who；　though　he　disliked　the　clergyman；　yet　was　glad　of　anybody　who　would　help　him　to　pass　a　cheerful　evening。

〃I　came　to　bring　Mrs。　Frere　a　book。〃

〃Ah！　She　reads　too　many　books；　she's　always　reading　books。　　It　is　not　a　good　thing　to　be　always　poring　over　print；　is　it；　North？　　You　have　some　influence　with　her；　tell　her　so。　　Come；　I　am　hungry。〃

He　spoke　with　that　affectation　of　jollity　with　which　husbands　of　his　calibre　veil　their　bad　temper。

Sylvia　had　her　defensive　armour　on　in　a　twinkling。　　〃Of　course；　you　two　men　will　be　against　me。　　When　did　two　men　ever　disagree　upon　the　subject　of　wifely　duties？　　However；　I　shall　read　in　spite　of　you。　Do　you　know；　Mr。　North；　that　when　I　married　I　made　a　special　agreement　with　Captain　Frere　that　I　was　not　to　be　asked　to　sew　on　buttons　for　him？〃

〃Indeed！〃　said　North；　not　understanding　this　change　of　humour。

　〃And　she　never　has　from　that　hour；〃　said　Frere；　recovering　his　suavity　　at　the　sight　of　food。　　〃I　never　have　a　shirt　fit　to　put　on。　　Upon　my　word；　　there　are　a　dozen　in　the　drawer　now。〃

North　perused　his　plate　uncomfortably。　　A　saying　of　omniscient　Balzac　occurred　to　him。　　〃Le　grand　閏ueil　est　le　ridicule；〃　and　his　mind　began　to　sound　all　sorts　of　philosophical　depths；　not　of　the　most　clerical　character