Evan Holl learnt the news one afternoon when he had asked leave to go down to Knightsbridge. He came back before the hour at which he usually returned from his father's. Frank himself let him in.
“You are early, Evan.”
“Yes, sir.”
Frank noticed that the boy did not speak in his usual cheery tone.
“Anything the matter, lad?”
“Yes, sir; there is a terrible upset at home. Mother's crying, and Aunt Bessy's crying fit to break her heart, and everything is upside down.”
“That sounds bad, Evan; come into my room and tell me what is the matter.”
[62]
Prescott was there, as was his custom in the evening, when Frank was at home.
“Now, Evan, tell us all about it.”
“If you please, sir, Uncle Will has got transported.”
“Got transported, Evan! Why, what has your Uncle Will been doing?”
“Please, sir, he's been going and being a Chartist.”
“Oh, is the Holl who was tried to-day your uncle, Evan?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Whew,” whistled Frank, “that is a bad business; how the deuce could the man have made such a fool of himself?”
“Please, sir, I don't know,” Evan answered, taking Frank's ejaculation as a direct question addressed to himself.
“No, I don't suppose you do, Evan, and I don't suppose he does himself, which is more to the point. The question is, what is to be done?”
There was silence for a moment, and then Evan said, hesitatingly,—
[63]
“You don't think you could get him off, sir, do you? It will break Aunt Bessy's heart.”
“No, Evan, that is quite out of the question; your uncle is a fool, and must pay for his folly12. I could do nothing for him if I wished it ever so much, and I am not sure that I do wish it at all. I have neither patience with nor pity for these men. It is the wife I am thinking of, as he ought to have been, before he ran his head against a wall. Something might be done for her, though I don't plainly see what. There, Evan, go off to bed, I will talk it over with Mr. Prescott.”
The result of the talk was that the friends drove down the following morning to Knightsbridge. Mrs. Holl—her honest face swollen13 and red from crying—was, as usual, washing. Her sister-in-law sat by the fire in an apathy14 of sorrow. She could cry no more, and, worn out by her grief, looked the image of despondency. When the young men entered she did not even look up or appear to notice their presence.
“Evan has been telling us, Mrs. Holl,” Frank began, “about this bad affair of your husband's brother. Of course nothing can be done in his case, but we came to ask what his wife intends to do.”
[64]
“Bless the poor creature,” Mrs. Holl said, “she ain't even thought about it. She is grieving too much over that husband of hers. There, I have no patience with him, though he be my John's brother. To think what a tidy chap he were, and what a steady good workman, before he took up with these Chartist goings-on.”
“Yes,” Bessy Holl said, speaking suddenly, and almost startling her listeners, for she had appeared lost in her own thoughts, as indeed she was, having probably but a vague idea of what was being said; “yes, Bill was that; there was not his equal, I've heard say, at planing and grooving15, and moulding and tongueing. But there,” and here she broke into a sort of hysterical16 laughter, “it's the tongueing that's done it, and I knew it would all along. God forgive me!” she again broke out after a pause, “I don't know what I am talking about,” and then she began to cry quietly again, rocking herself to and fro.
[65]
“I will tell you what I thought, Mrs. Holl. You see, when a convict first goes out he is put to work upon the roads. After he has been at that for some time, in proportion to the length of his sentence, he is hired out to one of the farmers, and a year or two afterwards, if his conduct continues good, he gets a ticket-of-leave, and does as he pleases. Now, in the present case, as the sentence is only for seven years, it is probable that your brother will not be kept more than a year upon public work, and will then be hired to a farmer. No disgrace will attach to him afterwards for having been a convict for his political opinions, and he may yet live to make an honest name and a fair position in Australia. Now, my idea is that his wife should sail a year after him and join him there; it is probable that she would find no difficulty in getting employment about the house or dairy wherever he may be. Women are scarce there. The passage money out is about twenty-five pounds, and say another ten pounds for expenses out there until she is settled—thirty-five pounds. Now, Mrs. Holl, I have plenty of money and I don't see that I can do better with it than to lend this money [66] to your sister-in-law. I am a very unsettled man and do not know where I may be at the end of some months, so I have handed over the money to Mr. Prescott here, and at the end of a year, if Mrs. Holl is ready to start to join her husband, he will give it to her.”
As he finished, Bessy Holl rose from her chair and tottered17 three steps forward, and then fell upon her knees. Then she tried to speak, but tears and sobs18 choked her, and she could only gasp19 out, “God bless you! God bless you! to think, only a year—my William, my William!” and she went off in violent hysterics.
The young men assisted Mrs. Holl to raise her, and to carry her into the next room and lay her upon a bed, and then Frank said, “We had better leave her to you, Mrs. Holl; she will soon be better.”
Mrs. Holl turned to him and took his hand, “Young gentleman,” she said, solemnly, “the [67] thought of that poor child's joyful20 cry will ring in your ears and gladden your heart may be for many a year to come. You will have your reward, as the good book says. I am a rough woman, sir, and can no more thank you than that poor creature there, but my prayers can do you no harm, and you will have them, sir. May God in heaven bless you, sir, and make you a very happy man, as you deserve to be!”
It was two days later that Sarah and Bessy Holl were shown into the waiting-room of the prison where William Holl was confined. He was to be taken to Portland, whence he was in a short time to be shipped for Australia. It was a small room, and after they were ushered21 into it they sat for nearly five minutes in silence before the door was opened. Bessy was calm and composed now; her face was sad but no longer hopeless; perhaps, indeed, if she could have read her own heart she would have found that she was really happier than she had been for months past. Her life, indeed, had lately been one long anxiety and care. She had seen ruin gradually coming upon them; her husband, from being one of the best of workmen and the most cheerful of husbands, had become an idle, moody22 man; her home had been broken up, and she herself had suffered the actual pangs23 of hunger. And never for a [68] moment had Bessy believed in her husband's schemes and aspirations24, but had all along had a prison, or perhaps a gallows25, before her eyes as the end which must sooner or later befall him. Now all this weary strain of thought and care was over. Her husband would, indeed, be separated from her for a year—but what was a year? At the end of that time there was a future before them, a fresh home in a new country, honest labour and contentment and happiness, and William would yet again be the William she had loved and married.
Thoughts something like these were running in her mind, when the door opened and her husband entered. He was already in convict attire26, and all Bessy's glad thoughts faded, and she gave a little cry as she looked at his pale, haggard face. She tottered forward and fell half fainting on his neck.
“My poor girl,” he said, softly, “my poor girl, and I have brought you to this; this is the end of all my hopes and plans.”
Sarah Holl went to the barred window and looked out into the narrow court. She so pitied Bessy, and was so out of all patience, as she [69] said herself, with her husband that she could not bring herself to speak kindly27 to him. Yet, for Bessy's sake, she would not embitter28 their last meeting. So she looked steadily29 out of the window, and stood there alternating between anger and pity, now longing30 to turn round and upbraid31 William Holl for his madness and folly, now crying quietly to herself in relenting sorrow.
William Holl placed his wife in a chair and then knelt down beside her.
“Oh Bessy, Bessy! what can I say, how can I ask you to forgive me? I have destroyed your life, Bessy, and yet I would have given mine to make you happy. When I think, Bessy, how happy we were, how bright and gay you were only a year ago and see what I have brought you to, I could die, Bessy—oh! how gladly—if I could recall the past and have never seen you. I see now how right you were, and how mad I have been—how miserably32 mad—to think that all the idle hands who were willing to spend their time in talking and drinking, and making speeches, were patriots33 ready to die for the cause of freedom. I have been a fool, Bessy, but, oh, [70] that I could have my punishment alone! Why must I drag you down to misery34 too? Even had things been as I thought them, what right had I to devote myself, as I thought, to my country, and to sacrifice my wife? Oh, Bessy! you may forgive me, but I never can forgive myself.”
Bessy, up to this time, had not spoken a word. Sometimes she had tried to stop her husband, but her own sobs had prevented her.
“I do forgive you with all my heart, William. You did what you thought was right; you never meant to make me unhappy, you never thought——” and here she broke down again.
“No, Bessy,” he said, sadly, “I never did think, but I ought to have thought. I was a dreamer, and I wilfully35 blinded myself. I have not even the satisfaction of knowing that I was ignorant. I knew you suffered, I knew you wanted bread, but I went on. Oh Bessy, Bessy! I have gone all wrong, but it is hard upon you. I was born to be a blight36 and a curse to you.”
“No, no, William!” the wife broke out; “no, no, not that.”
“Yes, Bessy, it is so. I know my brother and his wife are good people. They will take care of [71] you, dear. I shall never see you again. Hear me out, darling. I only hope that it will not be for long. I am not strong, and I do not think I shall last many months. I hope not, I pray to God not. It is all I can do for you now, Bessy; to die and set you free. But you will think of me kindly, dear: think of me as I used to be before I went mad, as the William who courted you long ago. Will you promise me this, Bessy?”
Bessy was crying too much to speak.
“Oh! William,” she sobbed37 out at last; “you must not talk so, you will kill me. We are going to be happy yet. Yes, yes,” she said, as he shook his head in sad denial; “you don't know, you have not heard what I have to tell you. I am coming out to you, dear. In a little time, they tell me, they will let you out of prison to work with a farmer, and in a year I am to start to you; only a year, William, think of that. Mr. Maynard, God bless him, has given me the money, and in a year after you get out I shall be by your side. Think of it, William. And he said, too, there was no disgrace in being sent out for politics, and that some day you would get on and be well thought of again. [72] Yes, it is all true, William, I am only come to say good-bye for a year.”
William Holl had listened at first with incredulity, then with a flash of joyful hope, and then with the deep silent thankfulness of conviction. Then he got up and held his wife to his heart.
“Yes, yes, I feel it is true,” he said; “my own Bessy, once again my own, we shall be happy yet.” Then again releasing her, he said solemnly: “Let us kneel down, Bessy, and thank God together, and let us pray Him to bless the man who has thus, in the time of our misery, given us new life and hope.” Bessy knelt in silence beside her husband, and in a voice broken by deep emotion he went on: “Thou merciful God, I thank thee that in our hour of misery Thou has had mercy upon us. Grant us a re-union in the land to which I go; and enable me, by a life of earnest toil38, to atone39 for my error here, and to console my wife for the grief I have caused her. And, O God, bless, I pray thee, our benefactor40, and shower blessings41 and mercies upon him, as he has blessed and been merciful to us, Amen.”
[73]
The remaining quarter of an hour of the time allotted43 for the visit was spent in discussing arrangements, and in drawing happy pictures of the future, and when the turnkey opened the door and said that time was up, they parted with tears indeed, but with hearts full of anticipation44 of re-union and a happy future.
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1
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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fabric
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| n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织 | |
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3
conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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7
condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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8
conspirators
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| n.共谋者，阴谋家( conspirator的名词复数 ) | |
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traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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10
vows
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| 誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿 | |
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11
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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12
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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13
swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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14
apathy
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| n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡 | |
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15
grooving
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| n.（轧辊）孔型设计v.沟( groove的现在分词 )；槽；老一套；（某种）音乐节奏 | |
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16
hysterical
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| adj.情绪异常激动的，歇斯底里般的 | |
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17
tottered
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| v.走得或动得不稳( totter的过去式和过去分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠 | |
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sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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joyful
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| adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的 | |
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ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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moody
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| adj.心情不稳的，易怒的，喜怒无常的 | |
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pangs
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| 突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 )； 悲痛 | |
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aspirations
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| 强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音 | |
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gallows
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| n.绞刑架，绞台 | |
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attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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embitter
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| v.使苦；激怒 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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30
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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upbraid
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| v.斥责，责骂，责备 | |
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miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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patriots
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| 爱国者，爱国主义者( patriot的名词复数 ) | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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wilfully
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| adv.任性固执地；蓄意地 | |
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blight
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| n.枯萎病；造成破坏的因素；vt.破坏，摧残 | |
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sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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39
atone
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| v.赎罪，补偿 | |
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40
benefactor
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| n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人 | |
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41
blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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42
sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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43
allotted
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| 分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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