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！
〃Nothing； you infernal ass and idiot；〃 burst out Mr。 Richard； white with rage； 〃except that I should have had this instantly。 Can't you see it's marked urgent？ Can you read？ Can you spell？ There； that will do。 No lies。 Get out！〃
Left to himself again； Mr。 Richard walked hurriedly up and down the chamber； wiped his forehead； drank a tumbler of brandy； and finally sat down and re…read the letter。 It was short； but terribly to the purpose。
〃THE GEORGE HOTEL； PLYMOUTH；〃 17th April； 1846。
〃MY DEAR JACK；
〃I have found you out； you see。 Never mind how just at present。 I know all about your proceedings； and unless Mr。 Richard Devine receives his 〃wife〃 with due propriety； he'll find himself in the custody of the police。 Telegraph； dear； to Mrs。 Richard Devine； at above address。
〃Yours as ever； Jack； 〃SARAH。
〃To Richard Devine； Esq。； 〃North End House； 〃Hampstead。〃
The blow was unexpected and severe。 It was hard； in the very high tide and flush of assured success； to be thus plucked back into the old bondage。 Despite the affectionate 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 o