for the term of his natural life- 第8部分

The　aspect　of　the　man　was　sufficiently　ghastly；　and　Miles；　drawing　back　with　an　oath；　did　not　wonder　at　the　terror　which　had　seized　Mrs。　Vickers's　maid。　　With　open　mouth　and　agonized　face；　she　stood　in　the　centre　of　the　cabin；　lantern　in　hand；　like　one　turned　to　stone；　gazing　at　the　man　on　the　bed。

〃Ecod；　he　be　a　sight！〃　says　Miles；　at　length。　　〃Come　away；　miss；　and　shut　the　door。　　He's　raving；　I　tell　yer。〃

The　sound　of　his　voice　recalled　her。

She　dropped　the　lantern；　and　rushed　to　the　bed。

〃You　fool；　he's　choking；　can't　you　see？　　Water！　　give　me　water！〃

And　wreathing　her　arms　around　the　man's　head；　she　pulled　it　down　on　her　bosom；　rocking　it　there；　half　savagely；　to　and　fro。

Awed　into　obedience　by　her　voice；　Miles　dipped　a　pannikin　into　a　small　puncheon；　cleated　in　the　corner　of　the　cabin；　and　gave　it　her；　and；　without　thanking　him；　she　placed　it　to　the　sick　prisoner's　lips。　He　drank　greedily；　and　closed　his　eyes　with　a　grateful　sigh。

Just　then　the　quick　ears　of　Miles　heard　the　jingle　of　arms。　〃Here's　the　doctor　coming；　miss！〃　he　cried。　　〃I　hear　the　sentry　saluting。　Come　away！　　Quick！〃

She　seized　the　lantern；　and；　opening　the　horn　slide；　extinguished　it。

〃Say　it　went　out；〃　she　said　in　a　fierce　whisper；　〃and　hold　your　tongue。　Leave　me　to　manage。〃

She　bent　over　the　convict　as　if　to　arrange　his　pillow；　and　then　glided　out　of　the　cabin；　just　as　Pine　descended　the　hatchway。

〃Hallo！〃　cried　he；　stumbling；　as　he　missed　his　footing；　〃where's　the　light？〃

〃Here；　sir；〃　says　Miles；　fumbling　with　the　lantern。　　〃It's　all　right；　sir。　It　went　out；　sir。〃

〃Went　out！　　What　did　you　let　it　go　out　for；　you　blockhead！〃　growled　the　unsuspecting　Pine。　　〃Just　like　you　boobies！　　What　is　the　use　of　a　light　if　it　'goes　out'；　eh？〃　As　he　groped　his　way；　with　outstretched　arms；　in　the　darkness；　Sarah　Purfoy　slipped　past　him　unnoticed；　and　gained　the　upper　deck。




CHAPTER　V。

THE　BARRACOON。



In　the　prison　of　the　'tween　decks　reigned　a　darkness　pregnant　with　murmurs。　The　sentry　at　the　entrance　to　the　hatchway　was　supposed　to　〃prevent　the　prisoners　from　making　a　noise；〃　but　he　put　a　very　liberal　interpretation　upon　the　clause；　and　so　long　as　the　prisoners　refrained　from　shouting；　yelling；　and　fightingeccentricities　in　which　they　sometimes　indulgedhe　did　not　disturb　them。　　This　course　of　conduct　was　dictated　by　prudence；　no　less　than　by　convenience；　for　one　sentry　was　but　little　over　so　many；　and　the　convicts；　if　pressed　too　hard；　would　raise　a　sort　of　bestial　boo…hoo；　in　which　all　voices　were　confounded；　and　which；　while　it　made　noise　enough　and　to　spare；　utterly　precluded　individual　punishment。　　One　could　not　flog　a　hundred　and　eighty　men；　and　it　was　impossible　to　distinguish　any　particular　offender。　　So；　in　virtue　of　this　last　appeal；　convictism　had　established　a　tacit　right　to　converse　in　whispers；　and　to　move　about　inside　its　oaken　cage。

To　one　coming　in　from　the　upper　air；　the　place　would　have　seemed　in　pitchy　darkness；　but　the　convict　eye；　accustomed　to　the　sinister　twilight；　was　enabled　to　discern　surrounding　objects　with　tolerable　distinctness。　The　prison　was　about　fifty　feet　long　and　fifty　feet　wide；　and　ran　the　full　height　of　the　'tween　decks；　viz。；　about　five　feet　ten　inches　high。　　The　barricade　was　loop…holed　here　and　there；　and　the　planks　were　in　some　places　wide　enough　to　admit　a　musket　barrel。　　On　the　aft　side；　next　the　soldiers'　berths；　was　a　trap　door；　like　the　stoke…hole　of　a　furnace。　At　first　sight　this　appeared　to　be　contrived　for　the　humane　purpose　of　ventilation；　but　a　second　glance　dispelled　this　weak　conclusion。　The　opening　was　just　large　enough　to　admit　the　muzzle　of　a　small　howitzer；　secured　on　the　deck　below。　　In　case　of　a　mutiny；　the　soldiers　could　sweep　the　prison　from　end　to　end　with　grape　shot。　　Such　fresh　air　as　there　was；　filtered　through　the　loopholes；　and　came；　in　somewhat　larger　quantity；　through　a　wind…sail　passed　into　the　prison　from　the　hatchway。　But　the　wind…sail；　being　necessarily　at　one　end　only　of　the　place；　the　air　it　brought　was　pretty　well　absorbed　by　the　twenty　or　thirty　lucky　fellows　near　it；　and　the　other　hundred　and　fifty　did　not　come　so　well　off。　　The　scuttles　were　open；　certainly；　but　as　the　row　of　bunks　had　been　built　against　them；　the　air　they　brought　was　the　peculiar　property　of　such　men　as　occupied　the　berths　into　which　they　penetrated。　These　berths　were　twenty…eight　in　number；　each　containing　six　men。　They　ran　in　a　double　tier　round　three　sides　of　the　prison；　twenty　at　each　side；　and　eight　affixed　to　that　portion　of　the　forward　barricade　opposite　the　door。　Each　berth　was　presumed　to　be　five　feet　six　inches　square；　but　the　necessities　of　stowage　had　deprived　them　of　six　inches；　and　even　under　that　pressure　twelve　men　were　compelled　to　sleep　on　the　deck。　　Pine　did　not　exaggerate　when　he　spoke　of　the　custom　of　overcrowding　convict　ships；　and　as　he　was　entitled　to　half　a　guinea　for　every　man　he　delivered　alive　at　Hobart　Town；　he　had　some　reason　to　complain。

When　Frere　had　come　down；　an　hour　before；　the　prisoners　were　all　snugly　between　their　blankets。　　They　were　not　so　now；　though；　at　the　first　clink　of　the　bolts；　they　would　be　back　again　in　their　old　positions；　to　all　appearances　sound　asleep。　　As　the　eye　became　accustomed　to　the　foetid　duskiness　of　the　prison；　a　strange　picture　presented　itself。　Groups　of　men；　in　all　imaginable　attitudes；　were　lying；　standing；　sitting；　or　pacing　up　and　down。　　It　was　the　scene　on　the　poop…deck　over　again；　only；　here　being　no　fear　of　restraining　keepers；　the　wild　beasts　were　a　little　more　free　in　their　movements。　　It　is　impossible　to　convey；　in　words；　any　idea　of　the　hideous　phantasmagoria　of　shifting　limbs　and　faces　which　moved　through　the　evil…smelling　twilight　of　this　terrible　prison…house。　Callot　might　have　drawn　it；　Dante　might　have　suggested　it；　but　a　minute　attempt　to　describe　its　horrors　would　but　disgust。　There　are　depths　in　humanity　which　one　cannot　explore；　as　there　are　mephitic　caverns　into　which　one　dare　not　penetrate。

Old　men；　young　men；　and　boys；　stalwart　burglars　and　highway　robbers；　slept　side　by　side　with　wizened　pickpockets　or　cunning…featured　area…sneaks。　The　forger　occupied　the　same　berth　with　the　body…snatcher。　The　man　of　education　learned　strange　secrets　of　house…breakers'　craft；　and　the　vulgar　ruffian　of　St。　Giles　took　lessons　of　self…control　from　the　keener　intellect　of　the　professional　swindler。　　The　fraudulent　clerk　and　the　flash　〃cracksman〃　interchanged　experiences。　　The　smuggler's　stories　of　lucky　ventures　and　successful　runs　were　capped　by　the　footpad's　reminiscences　of　foggy　nights　and　stolen　watches。　　The　poacher；　grimly　thinking　of　his　sick　wife　and　orphaned　children；　would　start　as　the　night…house　ruffian　clapped　him　on　the　shoulder　and　bade　him；　with　a　curse；　to　take　good　heart　and　〃be　a　man。〃　The　fast　shopboy　whose　love　of　fine　company　and　high　living　had　brought　him　to　this　pass；　had　shaken　off　the　first　shame　that　was　on　him；　and　listened　eagerly　to　the　narratives　of　successful　vice　that　fell　so　glibly　from　the　lips　of　his　older　companions。　　To　be　transported　seemed　no　such　uncommon　fate。　　The　old　fellows　laughed；　and　wagged　their　grey　heads　with　all　the　glee　of　past　experience；　and　listening　youth　longed　for　the　time　when　it　might　do　likewise。　　Society　was　the　common　foe；　and　magistrates；　gaolers；　and　parsons　were　the　natural　prey　of　all　noteworthy　mankind。　　Only　fools　were　honest；　only　cowards　kissed　the　rod；　and　failed　to　meditate　revenge　on　that　world　of　respectability　which　had　wronged　them。　Each　new…comer　was　one　more　recruit　to　the　ranks　of　ruffianism；　and　not　a　man　penned　in　that　reeking　den　of　infamy　but　became　a　sworn　hater　of　law；　order；　and　〃free…men。〃　What　he　might　have　been　before　mattered　not。　He　was　now　a　prisoner；　andthrust　into　a　suffocating　barracoon；　herded　with　the　foulest　of　mankind；　with　all　imaginable　depths　of　blasphemy　and　indecency　sounded　hourly　in　his　sight　and　hearinghe　lost　his　self…respect；　and　became　what　his　gaolers　took　him　to　bea　wild　beast　to　be　locked　under　bolts　and　bars；　lest　he　should　break　out　and　tear　them。

The　conversation　ran　upon　the　sudden　departure　of　the　four。　What　could　they　want　with　them　at　that　hour？

〃I　tell　you　there's　something　up　on　deck；〃　says　one　to　the　group　nearest　him。　〃Don't　you　hear　all　that　rumbling　and　rolling？〃

〃What　did　they　lower　boats　for？　　I　heard　the　dip　o'　the　oars。〃

〃Don't　know；　mate。　　P'r'aps　a　burial　job；〃　hazarded　a　short；　stout　fellow；　as　a　sort　of　happy　suggestion。

〃One　of　those　coves　in　the　parlour！〃　said　another；　and　a　laugh　followed　the　speech。

〃No　such　luck。　　You　won't　hang　your　jib　for　them　yet　awhile。　More　like　the　skipper　agone　fishin'。〃

〃The　skipper　don't　go　fishin'；　yer　fool。　　What　would　he　do　fishin'？special　in　the　middle　o'　the　night。〃

〃That　'ud　be　like　old　Dovery；　eh？〃　says　a　fifth；　alluding　to　an　old　grey…headed　fellow；　whoa　returned　convictwas　again　under　sentence　for　body…snatching。

〃Ay；〃　put　in　a　young　man；　who　had　the　reputation　of　being　the　smartest　〃crow〃　（the　〃look…out〃　man　of　a　burglars'　gang）　in　London〃'fishers　of　men；'　as　the　parson　says。〃

The　snuffling　imitation　of　a　Methodist　preacher　was　good；　and　there　was　another　laugh。

Just　then　a　miserable　little　cockney　pickpocket；　feeling　his　way　to　the　door；　fell　into　the　party。

A　volley　of　oaths　and　kicks　received　him。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　gen'l'men；〃　cries　the　miserable　wretch；　〃but　I　want　h'air。〃

〃Go　to　the　barber's　and　buy　a　wig；　then！〃　says　the　〃Crow〃；　elated　at　the　success　of　his　last　sally。

〃Oh；　sir；　my　back！〃

〃Get　up！〃　groaned　someone　in　the　darkness。　　〃Oh；　Lord；　I'm　smothering！　Here；　sentry！〃

〃Vater！〃　cried　the　little　cockney。　　〃Give　us　a　drop　o'　vater；　for　mercy's　sake。　I　haven't　moist'ned　my　chaffer　this　blessed　day。〃

〃Half　a　gallon　a　day；　bo'；　and　no　more；〃　says　a　sailor　next　him。

〃Yes；　what　have　yer　done　with　yer　half…gallon；　eh？〃　asked　the　Crow　derisively。　〃Someone　stole　it；〃　said　the　sufferer。

〃He's　been　an'　blued　it；〃　squealed　someone。　　〃Been　an'　blued　it　to　buy　a　Sunday　veskit　with！　　Oh；　ain't　he　a　vicked　young　man？〃　And　the　speaker　hid　his　head　under　the　blankets；　in　humorous　affectation　of　modesty。

All　this　time　the　miserable　little　cockneyhe　was　a　tailor　by　tradehad　b