for the term of his natural life-第63章

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tongue　of　land　which　ran　into　the　deep　waters　of　the　harbour。　　A　garden　carefully　cultivated；　stood　between　the　roadway　and　the　house；　and　in　this　garden　he　saw　a　man　digging。

〃Does　Mrs。　Purfoy　live　here？〃　he　asked；　pushing　open　one　of　the　iron　gates。

The　man　replied　in　the　affirmative；　staring　at　the　visitor　with　some　suspicion。

〃Is　she　at　home？〃

〃No。〃

〃You　are　sure？〃

〃If　you　don't　believe　me；　ask　at　the　house；〃　was　the　reply；　given　in　the　uncourteous　tone　of　a　free　man。

Frere　pushed　his　horse　through　the　gate；　and　walked　up　the　broad　and　well…kept　carriage　drive。　　A　man…servant　in　livery；　answering　his　ring；　told　him　that　Mrs。　Purfoy　had　gone　to　town；　and　then　shut　the　door　in　his　face。　Frere；　more　astonished　than　ever　at　these　outward　and　visible　signs　of　independence；　paused；　indignant；　feeling　half　inclined　to　enter　despite　opposition。　　As　he　looked　through　the　break　of　the　trees；　he　saw　the　masts　of　a　brig　lying　at　anchor　off　the　extremity　of　the　point　on　which　the　house　was　built；　and　understood　that　the　cottage　commanded　communication　by　water　as　well　as　by　land。　　Could　there　be　a　special　motive　in　choosing　such　a　situation；　or　was　it　mere　chance？　　He　was　uneasy；　but　strove　to　dismiss　his　alarm。

Sarah　had　kept　faith　with　him　so　far。　　She　had　entered　upon　a　new　and　more　reputable　life；　and　why　should　he　seek　to　imagine　evil　where　perhaps　no　evil　was？　　Blunt　was　evidently　honest。　　Women　like　Sarah　Purfoy　often　emerged　into　a　condition　of　comparative　riches　and　domestic　virtue。　It　was　likely　that；　after　all；　some　wealthy　merchant　was　the　real　owner　of　the　house　and　garden；　pleasure　yacht；　and　tallow　warehouse；　and　that　he　had　no　cause　for　fear。

The　experienced　convict　disciplinarian　did　not　rate　the　ability　of　John　Rex　high　enough。

From　the　instant　the　convict　had　heard　his　sentence　of　life　banishment；　he　had　determined　upon　escaping；　and　had　brought　all　the　powers　of　his　acute　and　unscrupulous　intellect　to　the　consideration　of　the　best　method　of　achieving　his　purpose。　　His　first　care　was　to　procure　money。　This　he　thought　to　do　by　writing　to　Blick；　but　when　informed　by　Meekin　of　the　fate　of　his　letter；　he　adopted　theto　himless　pleasant　alternative　of　procuring　it　through　Sarah　Purfoy。

It　was　peculiar　to　the　man's　hard　and　ungrateful　nature　that；　despite　the　attachment　of　the　woman　who　had　followed　him　to　his　place　of　durance；　and　had　made　it　the　object　of　her　life　to　set　him　free；　he　had　cherished　for　her　no　affection。　　It　was　her　beauty　that　had　attracted　him；　when；　as　Mr。　Lionel　Crofton；　he　swaggered　in　the　night…society　of　London。　　Her　talents　and　her　devotion　were　secondary　considerationsuseful　to　him　as　attributes　of　a　creature　he　owned；　but　not　to　be　thought　of　when　his　fancy　wearied　of　its　choice。　　During　the　twelve　years　which　had　passed　since　his　rashness　had　delivered　him　into　the　hands　of　the　law　at　the　house　of　Green；　the　coiner；　he　had　been　oppressed　with　no　regrets　for　her　fate。　　He　had；　indeed；　seen　and　suffered　so　much　that　the　old　life　had　been　put　away　from　him。　　When；　on　his　return；　he　heard　that　Sarah　Purfoy　was　still　in　Hobart　Town；　he　was　glad；　for　he　knew　that　he　had　an　ally　who　would　do　her　utmost　to　help　himshe　had　shown　that　on　board　the　Malabar。　But　he　was　also　sorry；　for　he　remembered　that　the　price　she　would　demand　for　her　services　was　his　affection；　and　that　had　cooled　long　ago。　However；　he　would　make　use　of　her。　　There　might　be　a　way　to　discard　her　if　she　proved　troublesome。

His　pretended　piety　had　accomplished　the　end　he　had　assumed　it　for。　Despite　Frere's　exposure　of　his　cryptograph；　he　had　won　the　confidence　of　Meekin；　and　into　that　worthy　creature's　ear　he　poured　a　strange　and　sad　story。　　He　was　the　son；　he　said；　of　a　clergyman　of　the　Church　of　England；　whose　real　name；　such　was　his　reverence　for　the　cloth；　should　never　pass　his　lips。　　He　was　transported　for　a　forgery　which　he　did　not　commit。　　Sarah　Purfoy　was　his　wifehis　erring；　lost　and　yet　loved　wife。　　She；　an　innocent　and　trusting　girl；　had　determined　strong　in　the　remembrance　of　that　promise　she　had　made　at　the　altar　to　follow　her　husband　to　his　place　of　doom；　and　had　hired　herself　as　lady's…maid　to　Mrs。　Vickers。　　Alas！　　fever　prostrated　that　husband　on　a　bed　of　sickness；　and　Maurice　Frere；　the　profligate　and　the　villain；　had　taken　advantage　of　the　wife's　unprotected　state　to　ruin　her！　Rex　darkly　hinted　how　the　seducer　made　his　power　over　the　sick　and　helpless　husband　a　weapon　against　the　virtue　of　the　wife　and　so　terrified　poor　Meekin　that；　had　it　not　〃happened　so　long　ago〃；　he　would　have　thought　it　necessary　to　look　with　some　disfavour　upon　the　boisterous　son…in…law　of　Major　Vickers。

〃I　bear　him　no　ill…will；　sir；〃　said　Rex。　　〃I　did　at　first。　　There　was　a　time　when　I　could　have　killed　him；　but　when　I　had　him　in　my　power；　Ias　you　know　forbore　to　strike。　　No；　sir；　I　could　not　commit　murder！〃

〃Very　proper；〃　says　Meekin；　〃very　proper　indeed。〃　〃God　will　punish　him　in　His　own　way；　and　His　own　time；〃　continued　Rex。

〃My　great　sorrow　is　for　the　poor　woman。　　She　is　in　Sydney；　I　have　heard；　living　respectably；　sir；　and　my　heart　bleeds　for　her。〃　Here　Rex　heaved　a　sigh　that　would　have　made　his　fortune　on　the　boards。

〃My　poor　fellow；〃　said　Meekin。　　〃Do　you　know　where　she　is？〃

〃I　do；　sir。〃

〃You　might　write　to　her。〃

John　Rex　appeared　to　hesitate；　to　struggle　with　himself；　and　finally　to　take　a　deep　resolve。　　〃No；　Mr。　Meekin；　I　will　not　write。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃You　know　the　orders；　sirthe　Commandant　reads　all　the　letters　sent。　Could　I　write　to　my　poor　Sarah　what　other　eyes　were　to　read？〃　and　he　watched　the　parson　slyly。

〃Nno；　you　could　not；〃　said　Meekin；　at　last。

〃It　is　true；　sir；〃　said　Rex；　letting　his　head　sink　on　his　breast。　The　next　day；　Meekin；　blushing　with　the　consciousness　that　what　he　was　about　to　do　was　wrong；　said　to　his　penitent；　〃If　you　will　promise　to　write　nothing　that　the　Commandant　might　not　see；　Rex；　I　will　send　your　letter　to　your　wife。〃

〃Heaven　bless　you；　sir；〃。　　said　Rex；　and　took　two　days　to　compose　an　epistle　which　should　tell　Sarah　Purfoy　how　to　act。　　The　letter　was　a　model　of　composition　in　one　way。　　It　stated　everything　clearly　and　succinctly。　Not　a　detail　that　could　assist　was　omittednot　a　line　that　could　embarrass　was　suffered　to　remain。　　John　Rex's　scheme　of　six　months'　deliberation　was　set　down　in　the　clearest　possible　manner。　　He　brought　his　letter　unsealed　to　Meekin。　　Meekin　looked　at　it　with　an　interest　that　was　half　suspicion。　〃Have　I　your　word　that　there　is　nothing　in　this　that　might　not　be　read　by　the　Commandant？〃

John　Rex　was　a　bold　man；　but　at　the　sight　of　the　deadly　thing　fluttering　open　in　the　clergyman's　hand；　his　knees　knocked　together。　Strong　in　his　knowledge　of　human　nature；　however；　he　pursued　his　desperate　plan。　　〃Read　it；　sir；〃　he　said　turning　away　his　face　reproachfully。　　〃You　are　a　gentleman。　　I　can　trust　you。〃

〃No；　Rex；〃　said　Meekin；　walking　loftily　into　the　pitfall；　〃I　do　not　read　private　letters。〃　It　was　sealed；　and　John　Rex　felt　as　if　somebody　had　withdrawn　a　match　from　a　powder　barrel。

In　a　month　Mr。　Meekin　received　a　letter；　beautifully　written；　from　〃Sarah　Rex〃；　stating　briefly　that　she　had　heard　of　his　goodness；　that　the　enclosed　letter　was　for　her　husband；　and　that　if　it　was　against　the　rules　to　give　it　him；　she　begged　it　might　be　returned　to　her　unread。　　Of　course　Meekin　gave　it　to　Rex；　who　next　morning　handed　to　Meekin　a　most　touching　pious　production；　begging　him　to　read　it。　　Meekin　did　so；　and　any　suspicions　he　may　have　had　were　at　once　disarmed。　　He　was　ignorant　of　the　fact　that　the　pious　letter　contained　a　private　one　intended　for　John　Rex　only；　which　letter　John　Rex　thought　so　highly　of；　that；　having　read　it　twice　through　most　attentively；　he　ate　it。

The　plan　of　escape　was　after　all　a　simple　one。　　Sarah　Purfoy　was　to　obtain　from　Blicks　the　moneys　he　held　in　trust；　and　to　embark　the　sum　thus　obtained　in　any　business　which　would　suffer　her　to　keep　a　vessel　hovering　round　the　southern　coast　of　Van　Diemen's　Land　without　exciting　suspicion。　The　escape　was　to　be　made　in　the　winter　months；　if　possible；　in　June　or　July。　The　watchful　vessel　was　to　be　commanded　by　some　trustworthy　person；　who　was　to　frequently　land　on　the　south…eastern　side；　and　keep　a　look…out　for　any　extraordinary　appearance　along　the　coast。　　Rex　himself　must　be　left　to　run　the　gauntlet　of　the　dogs　and　guards　unaided。　　〃This　seems　a　desperate　scheme；〃　wrote　Rex；　〃but　it　is　not　so　wild　as　it　looks。　I　have　thought　over　a　dozen　others；　and　rejected　them　all。　This　is　the　only　way。　　Consider　it　well。　　I　have　my　own　plan　for　escape；　which　is　easy　if　rescue　be　at　hand。　　All　depends　upon　placing　a　trustworthy　man　in　charge　of　the　vessel。　　You　ought　to　know　a　dozen　such。　I　will　wait　eighteen　months　to　give　you　time　to　make　all　arrangements。〃　The　eighteen　months　had　now　nearly　passed　over；　and　the　time　for　the　desperate　attempt　drew　near。　　Faithful　to　his　cruel　philosophy；　John　Rex　had　provided　scape…goats；　who；　by　their　vicarious　agonies；　should　assist　him　to　his　salvation。

He　had　discovered　that　of　the　twenty　men　in　his　gang　eight　had　already　determined　on　an　effort　for　freedom。　　The　names　of　these　eight　were　Gabbett；　Vetch；　Bodenham；　Cornelius；　Greenhill；　Sanders；　called　the　〃Moocher〃；　Cox；　and　Travers。　　The　leading　spirits　were　Vetch　and　Gabbett；　who；　with　profound　reverence；　requested　the　〃Dandy〃　to　join。　John　Rex；　ever　suspicious；　and　feeling　repelled　by　the　giant's　strange　eagerness；　at　first　refused；　but　by　degrees　allowed　himself　to　appear　to　be　drawn　into　the　scheme。　　He　would　urge　these　men　to　their　fate；　and　take　advantage　of　the　excitement　attendant　on　their　absence　to　effect　his　own　escape。　　〃While　all　the　island　is　looking　for　these　eight　boobies；　I　shall　have　a　good　chance　to　slip　away　unmissed。〃　He　wished；　however；　to　have　a　companion。　　Some　strong　man；　who；　if　pressed　hard；　would　turn　and　keep　the　pursuers　at　bay；　would　be　useful　without　doubt；　and　this　comrade…victim　he　sought　in　Rufus　Dawes。

Beginning；　as　we　have　seen；　from　a　purely　selfish　motive；　to　urge　his　fellow…prisoner　to　abscond　with　him；　John　Rex　gradually　found　himself　attracted　into　something　like　friendliness　by　the　sternness　with　which　his　overtures　were　repelled。　　Always　a　keen　student　of　human　nature；　the　scoundrel　saw　beneath　the　roughness　with　which　it　had　pleased　the　unfortunate　man　to　shroud　his　agony；　how　faithful　a　friend　and　how　ardent　and　undaunted　a　spirit　was　concealed。　　There　was；　moreover；　a　mystery　about　Rufus　Dawes　which　Rex；　the　reader　of　hearts；　longed　to　fathom。

〃Have　you　no　friends　whom　you　would　wish　to　see？〃　he　asked；　one　evening；　when　Rufus　Dawes　had　proved　more　than　usually　deaf　to　his　arguments。

〃No；〃　said　Dawes　gloomily。　　〃My　friends　are　all　dead　to　me。〃

〃What；　all？〃　asked　the　other。　　〃Most　men　have　some　one　whom　they　wish　to　see。〃

Rufus　Dawes　laughed　a　slow；　heavy　laugh。　　〃I　am　better　here。〃

〃Then　are　you　content　to　live　this　dog's　life？〃

〃Enough；　enough；〃　said　Dawes。　　〃I　am　resolved。〃

〃Pooh！　　Pluck　up　a　spirit；〃　cried　Rex。　　〃It　can't　fail。　　I've　been　thinking　of　it　for　eighteen　months；　and　it　can't　fail。〃

〃Who　are　going？〃　asked　the　other；　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　ground。　John　Rex　enumerated　the　eight；　and　Dawes　raised　his　head。　　〃I　won't　go。