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！
〃As far as he is concerned； I don't doubt it！〃 said Frere； cracking a walnut。
〃'The texts of Scripture quoted by our chaplain have comforted me much； and I have much to be grateful for； for after the rash attempt I made to secure my freedom； I have reason to be thankful for the mercy shown to me。 Deathdreadful death of soul and bodywould have been my portion； but； by the mercy of Omnipotence； I have been spared to repentanceJohn iii。 I have now come to bitterness。 The chaplain； a pious gentleman； says it never really pays to steal。 〃Lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven； where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt。〃 Honesty is the best policy； I am convinced； and I would not for ？；000 repeat my evil courses Psalm xxxviii 14。 When I think of the happy days I once passed with good Mr。 Blicks； in the old house in Blue Anchor Yard； and reflect that since that happy time I have recklessly plunged in sin； and stolen goods and watches； studs； rings； and jewellery； become； indeed； a common thief； I tremble with remorse； and fly to prayerPsalm v。 Oh what sinners we are！ Let me hope that now I； by God's blessing placed beyond temptation； will live safely； and that some day I even may； by the will of the Lord Jesus； find mercy for my sins。 Some kind of madness has method in it； but madness of sin holds us without escape。 Such is； dear father； then； my hope and trust for my remaining life herePsalm c 74。 I owe my bodily well…being to Captain Maurice Frere； who was good enough to speak of my conduct in reference to the Osprey； when； with Shiers； Barker； and others； we captured that vessel。 Pray for Captain Frere； my dear father。 He is a good man； and though his public duty is painful and trying to his feelings； yet； as a public functionary； he could not allow his private feelings； whether of mercy or revenge； to step between him and his duty。'〃
〃Confound the rascal！〃 said Frere； growing crimson。
〃'Remember me most affectionately to Sarah and little William； and all friends who yet cherish the recollection of me； and bid them take warning by my fate； and keep from evil courses。 A good conscience is better than gold； and no amount can compensate for the misery incident to a return to crime。 Whether I shall ever see you again； dear father； is more than uncertain； for my doom is life； unless the Government alter their plans concerning me； and allow me an opportunity to earn my freedom by hard work。
〃'The blessing of God rest with you； my dear father； and that you may be washed white in the blood of the Lamb is the prayer of your
〃'Unfortunate Son； 〃'John Rex 〃'P。S。…Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be whiter than snow。〃〃
〃Is that all？〃 said Frere。
〃That is all； sir； and a very touching letter it is。〃
〃So it is；〃 said Frere。 〃Now let me have it a moment； Mr。 Meekin。〃
He took the paper； and referring to the numbers of the texts which he had written in his pocket…book； began to knit his brows over Mr。 John Rex's impious and hypocritical production。 〃I thought so；〃 he said； at length。 〃Those texts were never written for nothing。 It's an old trick； but cleverly done。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 said Meekin。 〃Mean！〃 cries Frere； with a smile at his own acuteness。 〃This precious composition contains a very gratifying piece of intelligence for Mr。 Blicks； whoever he is。 Some receiver； I've no doubt。 Look here； Mr。 Meekin。 Take the letter and this pencil； and begin at the first text。 The 102nd Psalm； from the 4th verse to the 12th inclusive； doesn't he say？ Very good； that's nine verses； isn't it？ Well； now； underscore nine consecutive words from the second word immediately following the next text quoted； 'I have hope；' etc。 Have you got it？〃
〃Yes；〃 says Meekin； astonished； while all heads bent over the table。
〃Well； now； his text is the eighteenth verse of the thirty…fifth Psalm； isn't it？ Count eighteen words on； then underscore five consecutive ones。 You've done that？〃
〃A momentsixteenseventeeneighteen； 'authorities'。〃
〃Count and score in the same way until you come to the word 'Texts' somewhere。 Vickers； I'll trouble you for the claret。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Meekin； after a pause。 〃Here it is'the texts of Scripture quoted by our chaplain'。 But surely Mr。 Frere〃
〃Hold on a bit now；〃 cries Frere。 〃What's the next quotation？John iii。 That's every third word。 Score every third word beginning with 'I' immediately following the text； now； until you come to a quotation。 Got it？ How many words in it？〃
〃'Lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven； where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt'；〃 said Meekin； a little scandalized。 〃Fourteen words。〃
〃Count fourteen words on； then； and score the fourteenth。 I'm up to this text…quoting business。〃
〃The word '？000'；〃 said Meekin。 〃Yes。〃
〃Then there's another text。 Thirty…eighthisn't it？Psalm and the fourteenth verse。 Do that the same way as the other count fourteen words； and then score eight in succession。 Where does that bring you？〃
〃The fifth Psalm。〃
〃Every fifth word then。 Go on； my dear sirgo on。 'Method' of 'escape'； yes。 The hundredth Psalm means a full stop。 What verse？ Seventy…four。 Count seventy…four words and score。〃
There was a pause for a few minutes while Mr。 Meekin counted。 The letter had really turned out interesting。
〃Read out your marked words now； Meekin。 Let's see if I'm right。〃 Mr。 Meekin read with gradually crimsoning face：
〃'I have hope even in this my desolate condition。。。in prison Van Diemen's Land。。。the authorities are held in。。。hatred and contempt of prisoners。。。read in any colonial newspaper。。。accounts of cruelty and tyranny。。。inflicted by gaolers on convicts。。。severe flogging and heavy chaining。。。for slight breaches of discipline。。。I。。e。。。the pious。。。it。。。pays。。。？；000。。。in the old house in Blue Anchor Yard。。。 stolen goods and watches studs rings and jewellery。。。are。。。now。。。placed。。。 safely。。。I。。。 will。。。find。。。some。。。method of escape。。。then。。。for revenge。'〃
〃Well；〃 said Maurice； looking round with a grin； 〃what do you think of that？〃
〃Most remarkable！〃 said Mr。 Pounce。
〃How did you find it out； Frere？〃
〃Oh； it's nothing；〃 says Frere； meaning that it was a great deal。 〃I've studied a good many of these things； and this one is clumsy to some I've seen。 But it's pious； isn't it； Meekin？〃
Mr。 Meekin arose in wrath。
〃It's very ungracious on your part； Captain Frere。 A capital joke； I have no doubt； but permit me to say I do not like jesting on such matters。 This poor fellow's letter to his aged father to be made the subject of heartless merriment； I confess I do not understand。 It was confided to me in my sacred character as a Christian pastor。〃
〃That's just it。 The fellows play upon the parsons； don't you know； and under cover of your 'sacred character' play all kinds of pranks。 How the dog must have chuckled when he gave you that！〃
〃Captain Frere；〃 said Mr。 Meekin； changing colour like a chameleon with indignation and rage； 〃your interpretation is； I am convinced； an incorrect one。 How could the poor man compose such an ingenious piece of cryptography？〃
〃If you mean； fake up that paper；〃 returned Frere； unconsciously dropping into prison slang； 〃I'll tell you。 He