Oh, sic a wife as willie had,
I wadna gie a button for her.
It was early morning when Rashleigh took the road once more, pondering upon the comfort enjoyed by these industrious1 people, whose whole mode of life and manners formed so complete a contrast to that of the lower classes of Australian society that he scarcely dared to hope the habitation of Mr Arlack, to which he was bound, would be in any way comparable to it.
According to the directions he had received, he now retraced3 his steps towards Campbelltown, and going on to a small public-house at the southern end of its straggling street, obtained some breakfast, after which he enquired4 among a knot of idlers who were playing at quoits which was the road leading to Mr Arlack’s.
“Mr Arlack!” replied the man to whom he addressed himself. “I never knowed as he had got a handle to his name before!”
Then, calling to one of his compeers, he shouted, “Why, what do you think! Here’s a cove6 as wants to find out Mr Arlack’s. An’t that a pretty go?
“Ho! ho! ho!” roared out the other. “I say, young fellow, how long have you been in the Colony?”
“About two years and a half,” replied Ralph.
“Oh! Then you’re only green yet, as green as a savoy cabbage; but old Lunnon Bob is the name we gives your Mr Arlack. What do you want with him, eh?”
“Why, I am assigned to him,” responded Rashleigh.
“Aye, aye! Assigned to him, are you? Let’s look at your teeth,” said the other; and our adventurer, simply enough, opened his mouth.
“Ha! By George!” swore the querist. “You’d better knock one half of them there grinders o’ yourn out again the first iron-bark fence you come to; for in the first place, you’ll have no use at all for them at old Bob’s, and in the next, Polly Arlack will hate you like hell, for she’ll think you’ve come a’purpose to eat her out of house and home.”
At this sally, the man’s brother compotators testified their satisfaction by redoubled peals7 of horse-laughter; and Rashleigh, taking such treatment in dudgeon, was about to depart when the fellow who had first spoken to him offered him a drink of something from a pot he held, saying as he did so, “Never mind that old fellow, he’s only having a lark9 with you. Come, drink a drop o’ this; you won’t have a chance again soon. Now, do you see them slip-rails? Well, you must rum down a road that leads through them, and follow it along until you come to a farm you’ll see in a cleared bottom; enquire5 there and they’ll show you the path to Lunnon Bob’s.”
Thanking the man, Rashleigh followed the route he had thus indicated, and soon arrived at the first farm, where the dogs, to the number of at least a score, rushed out upon him with tremendous yells, their gaunt and bony frames testifying such an extremity10 of famine as might well inspire fear in the breast of anyone whom they assailed11, lest the ravenous12 brutes13 should immolate14 him as the readiest means of appeasing15 that hunger which had reduced them to skeletons.
This danger he happily escaped, and being again instructed as to the proper path, at length arrived upon Bob Arlack’s farm. The culture of this cherished spot of the earth’s surface did not afford any very high specimen16 of the arts of agriculture. Weeds of rank and luxuriant growth formed by far the most prominent objects in the so-called cultivated field, amid which, in one corner, about ten acres of straggling rows of maize17 seemed to maintain a most desperate conflict for sufficient air from the heavens and nutriment from the soil to enable them to support a sickly existence.
Other crops there seemed to be none, and the rest of the cleared land was enjoyed by the weeds in undisputed supremacy19. Where the fence could be seen, it appeared in a most dilapidated condition; the bush poles of which it had at first been composed were in many places broken down and in others altogether missing, thus leaving the paddock they were destined20 to secure at the mercy of any vagrant21 animal who might chance to stray that way. At the farther end of this clearing might be seen a cluster of huts, towards which a narrow pathway appeared to lead, that Rashleigh now followed; but upon his getting near his destination, the view did not afford any very cheering anticipations22 of his future lot.
The principal dwelling23, or home of all the Arlacks, was a hut which, even in that age of simple materials and rude workmanship, might claim pre-eminence for ugliness and deformity. The walls, having dropped much out of the perpendicular24, were shoved up by props25 applied26 externally. The gaping27 orifices in the bark roof bespoke28 premature29 decay, occasioned by neglect. The chinks between the slabs30, of fully31 an average width, had once been attempted to be stopped; but the rain having wetted the plaster through the yawning fissures32, it had fallen in piecemeal33, and was never renewed; and finally, it seemed a moot34 point whether there was more filth35 to be found inside, or out, of this most delectable36 dwelling.
As Ralph drew nigh the door, a shoal of half-starved hens and ducks disputed the precedence of the entrée with him; while just as he was crossing the threshold, a whole flight of these fowl37 intruders, apparently38 alarmed by some unexpected opposition39 from within, fluttered out past his head with most discordant40 screams. Inside the hut was a being of epicene gender41; at least, its dress rendered sex doubtful, inasmuch as the upper parts, which first met his gaze, were, a tattered42 man’s hat and shirt, both marvellously out of repair, and utterly43 unacquainted with any kind of ablution or other purification. The elf locks which in greasy44 and matted luxuriance shaded her face, and a questionable45 garment that depended from her middle, looking more like a petticoat, however, than anything else, seemed in Rashleigh’s opinion to stamp this apparition46 of uncleanliness as a female, and accordingly he saluted47 her as such, with, “Pray, ma’am, is Mr Arlack at home?”
The lady replied, “He’ll be here just now. What do you want with him? Drat them fowls48!” she added parenthetically. “What a deuce of a row they kick up!”
“Why, ma’am,” replied our exile, “I’m assigned to him, from Emu Plains.”
“Oh,” returned the dame49. “You’re the new government man. Sit down and rest yourself.” And then she began again the execution of some domestic duty which the irruption of the feathered invaders50 had apparently interrupted.
Rashleigh, having obeyed her injunctions to be seated, calmly surveyed his future mistress at his leisure. In person Mrs Arlack was rather above the middle height, but so far from being en bon point that her enemies called her skinny. Her cheek bones in particular were remarkably51 prominent. Above these twinkled a sparkling pair of small greenish-grey eyes. These orbs52 of vision, in apparent mistrust of the “willainy of the world”, as Arlack would express it, had retreated as far as possible from the surface of her countenance53, and taken up their abode54 at the bottom of two deep caverns55, the entrances to which were fortified56 by stiff bristly overhanging brows of portentous57 size and a very dirty flaxen hue59. Her nose, from its irregular aquiline60 shape, bore no slight resemblance to the broken bill of a cockatoo, but ever appeared to maintain an anxious guard over the orifice that formed a most capacious mouth, into which, in fact, the nasal protuberance seemed desirous of intruding61 its extremity at least.
Her complexion62, as far as the important fact could be ascertained63 through the dirt which so perpetually begrimed it, was a kind of dingy64 yellow, and her voice was a not very melodious65 compound of a growl66 and a squeak67.
As Mrs Arlack was so philosophically68 negligent69 of the means of setting off her own most powerful natural charms by any recourse to the fastidious arts of tidiness or cleanliness, it may easily be conceived that her dwelling was none of the neatest on earth. Indeed, the complicated arrangement of unhewn timber, which by the greatest stretch of courtesy was called a table, appeared never to have been cleansed70 or washed since it first was put together and at present afforded a singular mélange of movables, among which may just be mentioned a large black iron pot, leaning negligently71 on one side, so as to show a little hominy in the bottom; a few wooden spoons, of most indubitable native manufacture, as they might vie in size as well as rudeness with the paddles used by the Tonga Islanders; some half-munched fragments of corn cake; in divers72 places a plentiful73 sprinkling of tobacco ashes from the pipe of the proprietor74; a lump of blackish-yellow home-made soap swimming in a puddle75 of slop; a lot of ragged76 children’s clothing, with a few filthy77 napkins among them; and some four or five dirty tin pots, which were battered78 and bruised79 into all manner of shapes.
The earthen floor of this recherché retreat was plentifully80 strewn with fowls’ dung, agreeably chequered by petty lagoons81 of stinking82 water. The fireplace, for want of care, had most grievously suffered in its contests with the fury of the element it was erected83 to control, for many of the slabs that composed it were burned quite across at their bottoms, leaving large orifices for the accommodation of a stray dog or pig who might wish to enjoy the genial84 warmth of the ashes, which a grunter was at that moment doing, having stretched his lazy length along in perilous85 proximity86 to a blazing log.
To crown all, the hut appeared the chosen rendezvous87 of myriads88 of fleas89 upon the floor and of clouds of flies in the air, the perpetual biting of the former serving to counteract90 the somnolent91 desires occasioned by the monotonously92 drowsy93 hum of the latter.
While Rashleigh was intently gazing upon the varied94 rich and rare beauties of this charming prospect95, a pot on the fire near him boiled over suddenly, and Mrs Arlack cried out, in a tone like that of a cracked tin trumpet96, “What the hell are you gaping at, you, sir? Why don’t you take the pot off?”
This he hastened to do, and the lady added, “You’d better look a little smart here, I can tell you. We don’t like no sleepy-going coves97 about our farm.”
In a few minutes more, Mr Arlack appeared at the door, dressed in a dirty and ragged cotton shirt, ditto duck continuations, a dilapidated straw hat, and boots to match.
His beauteous helpmate said, “Here, Bob, is a new government man for you;” and showed him the pass which she had received from Rashleigh.
While his new master was reading, or rather pretending to read this pass, Rashleigh observed that Mr Arlack was short, squat98 and bowlegged. His mouth, to use a colonial witticism99, was unlike a poor man’s lease in being “from y-ear to y-ear”, because it stretched from here to yonder; and yet, in spite of its size, it seemed still to be too small for his tongue, which, whenever its owner was quiescent100, protruded101 very much and wobbled about in an extraordinary way as often as he spoke8.
Besides the decidedly open feature above referred to, Arlack possessed102 a most splendid squint103 with both eyes, so that it was often observed he would make a capital cook, as he could always keep one eye on the pot while he surveyed the intricacies of the chimney with the other; and, to complete the catalogue of his complexional recommendations, his face was absolutely furrowed104, seamed and gashed105 until it had nearly lost a human shape by the pitiless assaults of the smallpox106.
As Mr Arlack had originally been a member of the ardent107 fraternity of chummies in the cityward regions of London, he had there contracted the usual cockney contempt for the letters “v” and “w”, transposing those much injured visible signs of spoken sounds in the most careless and ludicrous manner. His first address to our adventurer exemplified this peculiarity108; for having apparently at last deciphered the date of the pass, he demanded, “Vell, and vere have you been to all this vile110? Vy didn’t you come ’ere sooner than this ’ere?”
“I am not a very good hand at walking,” replied Rashleigh; “but I did not lose much time on the road, any more than I could help.”
“Um,” replied the other. “I s’pose not; but howsomever, I von’t take no furder notice of this ’ere breach111. Sally, did you give him his mess?”
“No,” said Sally. “I thought there was time enough.”
“Vell, vell. Give it to him now, and let him go to his hut,” returned the caro sposo of the amiable112 lady, who thereupon left off mixing up her corn meal and enquired of Ralph, “What are you going to put your mess in?”
“Why,” returned the other, “I don’t know, unless you may be good enough to lend me a bag.”
“Well, I’m sure!” retorted the dame. “Lend you a bag, indeed! A pretty thing, as if I’d got nothing to do but make bags for government men!”
As this was spoken with sufficient haughtiness113 to show that she was fully aware of the immeasurable distance in point of station between herself and the applicant114, Ralph saw he could not hope for any accommodation from her, and he replied, “Very well, ma’am. I’ll put it in my handkerchief and hat, if you please.”
“Come on, then,” said his mistress. And after measuring the grain with the greatest nicety in a quart pot, she said, “There now. There’s a peck of corn (maize) for you, and here’s four pounds of pork. That’s your week’s mess, and you’ll come to me this day week for more.”
Not if I can help it, thought Rashleigh, as he withdrew to the hut, which Mrs A. pointed115 out from her back door as his future residence. He passed a small shed open on three sides, where there was a steel mill. A little beyond this stood three diminutive116 stacks of bush hay and straw, which the efforts of the cattle had nearly overturned, these roving bands of plunderers having nibbled118 all round their bottoms until they looked just like whipping-tops, supported by some most mysterious agency. A little beyond these stood the government men’s hut.
It may easily be imagined from the account given of Mr Arlack’s own dwelling that the abode of his assigned servants was anything but a palatial119 residence. In good truth, a more desolate120 and neglected-looking hole can scarcely be conceived. Two rude sleeping-places constructed of sheets of bark, and three pieces of broken iron pots comprised all the movable articles, except two short blocks of wood. The sides and roof were more than commonly pervious. The earthen floor was covered with littered straw, apparently wasted out of one of the berths122, where it lay as if the occupant used it for a bed, loose as it was. On a fence opposite the door hung a mass of rags, which only close examination could convince an observer had once been a blanket. Ralph, who had found an empty bag hanging up, went his way to grind the maize with the steel mill. This instrument was in very bad repair, and sunset arrived by the time he had ground his pittance123 of meal, which was, after all, so coarsely done that if he had used a sieve124 fully half of the weekly allowance would have been lost; but Mr Arlack’s establishment did not allow such a wasteful125 piece of refinement126.
He now returned to the wretched hut, brought a little wood in, made up a fire, and swept the floor with a handful of leafy boughs128. While he was thus engaged, his future companion came in, bearing a calabash full of water. Rashleigh had well-nigh fainted with affright at the first glimpse he caught of this gaunt and woebegone wretch127, whose emaciated129 figure would have well befitted him to represent Shakspeare’s starved apothecary130, so much so, indeed, that our adventurer at first deemed him no earthly being; but the spectral131 visitant speedily reassured132 him by saying, though in melancholy133 and sepulchral134 tones, “Well, mate! You’ve come home, I see!”
“Aye,” returned Rashleigh; “and a pretty home it is to come to!”
The other only replied by a significant gesture, and after having brought in his tattered bed-clothes, set himself to work in the preparation of some hominy. Having procured136 another of the pieces of iron pot, Ralph followed his example, and both sat down upon the blocks to eat this meagre fare. Salt or sugar they had none, and Rashleigh could swallow only a few mouthfuls of the tasteless repast; but his companion, after remarking that he did not seem to like hominy, quickly finished what he had left. He then produced a few dry leaves of bush tobacco, offering some to our exile, who declined it, while “Jem” filled a rough wooden pipe and sat down to smoke in silence.
After a while, he asked Rashleigh whether he had yet obtained a blanket, and being answered in the negative, observed that he ought then to go to the house and ask for one; which Rashleigh did, and received a tattered rag from Mrs Arlack, after a few muttered curses from his master for being so troublesome. Ralph ventured to observe “that it did not seem a very good one”; but the gentle dame replied, with an oath, that “most likely the blanket was as good as he was”, and then shut the door in his face; upon which rebuff he returned to his companion, who aided him in bringing a quantity of straw to lie upon, which was laid in the vacant berth121, and as comfortable a bed made as circumstances would permit.
Rashleigh slept quickly, nor did he awake until his hut-mate shook him by the shoulder, saying it was more than time to get up, for the laughing jackasses — certain birds so called — had been crying out a long while. Ralph tumbled out quickly, and began to put on his clothes in great haste.
Before he had done this, however, though it was not yet clear daylight, Arlack was at the door, damning them for a pair of lazy beggars, and asking if they meant to stop there all day. When they came out he said to Rashleigh, “I’ll tell you vot it is, my fine svell cove. You an’t a-goin’ to do as you likes here. So don’t think it. If you don’t brighten your lamps (open your eyes) pretty quick, I’ll try what good a teazing (flogging) will do you . . . And as for you, Jem, you ort to know better. ‘Ow do you expect I’m agoin’ to find you in wittles if you lies there stinking till these ’ere ‘ours of a morning, eh?”
“Why, Bob,” replied Jem in a plaintive137 tone of apology, “I overslept myself; and this young fellow I suppose was tired arter his journey!”
“Bob, indeed!” said the other. “I think it might he Mr Arlack, or Master at any rate, in your mouth! Have I served my lagging in all sorts of misery138 to be ‘Bobbed’ by you, do you think?”
Thus grumbling139 and growling140, he led the way to the house, where he gave to each a tremendous large hoe, saying, “There, Jem. You know the new ground. Go there with your mate and pitch into it, and I’ll be down presently.”
Rashleigh and his companion went to a distant part of the farm which had just been cleared, and where a small portion was newly broken up. Jem now explained the manner in which they were to set in, each taking a piece to himself, so that the work could be afterwards measured without difficulty, as Arlack insisted upon his men doing the full government task at all kinds of labour every day that a man went into his ground.
Now the allotted141 portion of new land for each assigned servant to break up was thirteen superficial rods per day, two spits deep; and even in a favourable142 spot it was found quite work enough; but here the soil was as hard as stone, and the hoe rebounded143 off it. Rashleigh was very soon bathed in perspiration144; but he kept on, thinking it might come easier after a bit. About eight o’clock they went home to a breakfast of more hominy, with a little pork fat to relieve it, and in half an hour resumed their work. Arlack came to look at them very soon after breakfast, and seeing that Rashleigh had done only a very small portion of his task, he abused him most heartily145, telling him that it was just as he expected; but he’d take care no beggar had the laugh of him, to make him find rations146 for nothing. If he hadn’t got his government work done by sundown he might look out, for he should go to Court, and then he’d find out there was no gammon in Bob Arlack.
Such were the truculent147 threats of this worthy148 that Ralph began with all his heart to wish himself back again on Emu Plains; but still, as he knew he could not try any harder than he had done, he hoped to be forgiven if he were taken before the magistrates149, and therefore resolved not to give Arlack any insolence150 that might furnish him with a further and more reasonable ground of complaint. But by steady perseverance151 he managed to get his task done a few minutes after sunset, his master having been standing152 over him for fully two hours before.
Tired to death, and every bone aching with the severity of his toil153, our unlucky adventurer hastened home and threw himself on his miserable154 bed, where he lay like one entranced until morning, not even feeling energy enough to get up and prepare any food.
Mr Robert Arlack belonged to a class at that time very numerous in New South Wales, both among the very great and very little, who looked solely155 upon their assigned servants or government men as machines for getting money, and who with this view worked them most unmercifully, extracting from each the full quota156 of work stipulated157 by the regulations; and if they broke down, returned them to Government, obtaining fresh ones in their places. In fact, they considered convicts to be only a more expensive kind of labouring cattle, and on account of their not being able to live upon grass, a trifle less worthy than working bullocks. With such views they never thought of giving these unfortunate wretches158 a single ounce of any nourishment159 they could possibly avoid or a single article of raiment unless absolutely compelled; and strange to say, it was only very recently that regulations were made by Sir R. Darling, then Governor, to compel an equitable160 supply of food and clothing to be given by assignees to their servants; and even then, for a long period the regulations were evaded161. Thus the position of convicts assigned to private service, even of the more wealthy among the early settlers, was sufficiently162 irksome, because these gentlemen, for the most part avowing163 that they came so many thousand miles from home for the sole purpose of amassing165 fortunes, considered any and all means to be sanctified by such an end. As for those whose fortune allotted them to the employment of the lower class of Australian agriculturists, their lot was pitiable in the extreme.
The latter, being men who had for the most part served sentences of transportation during which they had themselves suffered all the rigour of oppressive task masters, thought they were fully justified166 in retaliating167 upon those whom the change of fortune incidental to freedom had placed under them all the ill usage which they had endured in their periods of bondage168. Besides this, they also had the incentive169 of a grasping desire to get money; though the majority of them could neither use nor accumulate any sum, but regularly wasted the produce of their land in scenes of the most brutal170 debauchery, which they continued as long as they had the means, and starved during all the rest of the year, both themselves and their families and of course their assigned servants subsisting171 almost entirely172 upon maize.
In addition to these evils of starvation and hard work, convicts assigned to such men as these were obliged to endure all the acts of petty tyranny and overbearing malice173 that vulgar minds, intoxicated174 by the acquisition for the first time in their lives of almost unlimited175 power over a fellow being, alone could either conceive or prompt the execution of. And no complaints, however well founded, stood the slightest chance of redress176, for the simple reason that the magistrates before whom such complaints must be brought were all masters of convicts themselves and consequently highly interested in upholding what they no doubt considered a proper system of discipline and subordination.
Then again, the overbearing pride and hauteur177 generally assumed towards government men by their masters tended much to irritate the minds of the former, more especially when it happened that their superiors for the present were men who, originally steeped to the lips in the cornmission of every atrocity178, had at length but recently become free themselves, too many of them having also acquired freedom by acts of the basest treachery, or by the most tyrannical abuse of power entrusted179 to them as constables181, overseers, et hoc genus omne.
For many days Ralph Rashleigh wrought182 at the hoe, breaking up new ground in the manner before described, until at length, having recovered his appetite, he found his ration135 very insufficient183; and as he could not starve, he had recourse to the system he had learned on Emu Plains, of grating corn to meal. In order to supply animal food, he laid all sorts of plans to trap the poultry184 belonging to the farm; and this went on until Mrs Arlack began to suspect her government men of being the culprits chargeable with this crime. She came into the hut one night at the moment after Rashleigh had taken out of the pot two of her young ducks, scenting185 the odour of which, she vented186 her anger in most opprobrious187 epithets188; but as Ralph had seen her approaching, he concealed189 the spoil in such a manner as to defy her strictest search. Still, she could see the liquor in the pot, and truly enough insisted it was some of her poultry that had been boiled therein.
After this narrow escape from detection. our adventurer, still goaded191 by hunger, resorted to another means of cooking any fowls he could purloin192. Not daring to bring them into the hut, he made fires in such secluded193 spots of the bush as might be secure from observation. Some hours afterwards, when the fires were sufficiently burned down, he enveloped194 the birds in tempered clay, feathers and entrails included, then covered the whole mass with red-hot ashes, after the manner of baking a cake. When sufficiently done, the covering would break off like pieces of potsherds, carrying with it the feathers incorporated in the clay; and on opening the bird, all the entrails fell out in a lump, leaving the cavity perfectly195 clean and wholesome196.
His mistress, who found her stock of poultry diminish fearfully under this process, having no means of securing or watching the objects of plunder117, at last resolved to watch the suspected plunderers; and one night, as Rashleigh sat alone by the fire, revolving197 plans in his mind of escaping from this state of intolerable thraldom198, to the service of Government, he heard the sound of breathing close to his ear, and turning suddenly round, he saw through a chink the light reflected from the fire by a pair of sparkling eyes, and through other minor199 causes he rightly conjectured200 his mistress was there. He took no notice, however, but went to bed and pretended to snore audibly soon after. Presently Mrs Arlack entered the hut on tiptoe, having very stealthily opened the door. She marched round the place, peeping into every nook and cranny she deemed could possibly conceal190 even the bones of a fowl, but could find nothing.
Rashleigh now feigned201 to talk in his sleep, and after some indistinct muttering said distinctly, “Two last night . . . Two more tonight, feathers and all . . . The old goose too. Feathers and all. Oughch! Feathers and all . . . Oughch!”
Then, turning partially202 and heavily over, he began to snore more loudly than ever; but all the time he took great care to observe the prowling dame with a very small portion of one of his eyes unclosed. That good lady seemed almost beside herself with rage. She looked round apparently for something to strike him with, but finding no weapon at hand, had time to recollect203 herself, and withdrew.
Rashleigh now went to sleep in reality; but some time in the night he awoke, and going to the fire to light his pipe, he observed through a hole in the slabs part of a plaid cloak, which he knew belonged to his mistress.
Close by the fire was a pot full of liquor, in which pork had been boiled, which, through a hollow log that ran near it having taken fire, was now simmering, and appeared pretty hot. Pretending to kick against the pot, he muttered a curse, and seizing it by the pothooks, dashed its contents full at the hole. A loud shriek204 attested205 the success of his cruel experiment, and Rashleigh ran out. He was saluted by Mrs Arlack — for she it was, as he had anticipated — with a volley of oaths and the most dire2 abuse, she swearing she was scalded to death, and that she would have him hanged, if there was any law or justice to be obtained in New South Wales.
In the midst of this tumult206, Arlack came running out in his shirt, armed with an axe58; and before Rashleigh could defend himself, the axe was thrown at his head, which it very fortunately, but narrowly, missed. His master then rushed upon him like a fury, bellowing207 all sorts of threats; but as he came with his head rather low, Rashleigh raised up his knee, which caught Arlack in the mouth at the same rime18 that he received a well-aimed blow planted just under his right ear, that felled him senseless to the earth. Dreadful was now the clamour of Mrs Arlack, who had got hold of the axe, which she uplifted to strike our adventurer; but he, closing upon her, wrested208 the murderous weapon from her hand and pushed her backwards209 on the ground. Then, bidding her get up and take her husband away with her, he retreated into the hut, fastening the door as well as he could, and keeping the axe with him.
His discomfited210 master and mistress withdrew, vowing164 that they’d get our adventurer hanged, at least, next day; but as soon as they were out of sight, Rashleigh dressed himself and left the hut. He walked to the residence of the district constable180, about eight miles off, where he told his tale and begged protection from the brutality211 of Arlack and his wife, showing in confirmation212 of the truth of his statement, the axe he had brought with him, and his face, which had been much torn by Mrs Arlack’s nails in the struggle.
Now it so happened that this worthy official wanted the services of a man for a few days, and he had, besides, a strong though concealed hatred213 of Arlack; so he listened very attentively214 to the story, and when it was over, received Rashleigh, locking him up in a small room used for purposes of confinement215.
About an hour after sunrise Mr Arlack arrived, and our adventurer, on hearing his well-known voice, repaired to an orifice, where, himself unseen, he could still both see his master and hear the awful account he gave the constable, of a “vicked and murderous assault made by a willain of a government man of his, both upon himself and his vife”, concluding by saying that “the wagabond had bolted avay with an axe, and as he vas a most desperate willain, the constable had better look out for him”.
“Well,” replied the constable, “there’s nothing like hearing both sides of a story, certainly. I had heard your man’s, for he has been here this three hours, and now I’ve heard yours. But I expect the magistrates will have to settle betwixt you. So I’ll only tell you my private opinion, and that is, that you are both a liar109 and a rascal216, and your wife a damned sight worse than you are! I’ve had my eye upon the pair of you this long time, and I’ll let the magistrates know how you goes on with your men.”
Arlack was rather taken aback at this unexpected rebuff; but, at last recovering a portion of his native impudence217, he retorted, “Vell, and I should jist like to know vot it is to you, how ve uses our government men, eh? I’ll tell you vot it is, Mr Constable, you’d better mind vot you’re arter, or I’ll try if I can’t put a lever under you that’ll hoist218 you flying out of your billet.”
“Be off with you!” said the man in office, enraged219. “And don’t come here athreatening of me in the execution of my dooty, or else I’ll find a shop for you, as free as you are.” And off went Mr Arlack in high dudgeon at his reception, which greatly delighted Rashleigh, who had been a gratified spectator of his mortification220.
In a little while, the door of the place of confinement being unlocked, the constable let Ralph out, saying, “As you’ll be here a week now before there’s any Court, if you have a mind to help me on my bit of ground a little, I’ll find you in summat to eat for your trouble; and that’ll be better for you than stopping in here upon dry bread, which is all that Government allows for prisoners before they are tried.”
Rashleigh very gladly assented221, and after a hearty222 breakfast they went out together to burn off some fallen timber. About noon, however, another constable came, who spoke to the lock-up keeper in private; and they both departed together, leaving Ralph to work alone during the rest of the day.
Shortly after sunset the myrmidons of the law returned, bringing with them a prisoner. When our adventurer came in from work he found them in high glee, and by their conversation it was evident they anticipated a heavy sum of money as a reward. They had also brought with them some spirits, for the lock-up keeper gave Rashleigh a small quantity before he locked him up.
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industrious
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2
dire
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| adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的 | |
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3
retraced
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| v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
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4
enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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5
enquire
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| v.打听，询问；调查，查问 | |
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6
cove
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| n.小海湾，小峡谷 | |
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7
peals
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| n.（声音大而持续或重复的）洪亮的响声( peal的名词复数 )；隆隆声；洪亮的钟声；钟乐v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的第三人称单数 ) | |
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8
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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9
lark
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| n.云雀，百灵鸟；n.嬉戏，玩笑；vi.嬉戏 | |
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10
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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11
assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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12
ravenous
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| adj.极饿的，贪婪的 | |
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13
brutes
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| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
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14
immolate
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| v.牺牲 | |
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15
appeasing
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| 安抚，抚慰( appease的现在分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争） | |
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16
specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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17
maize
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| n.玉米 | |
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18
rime
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| n.白霜；v.使蒙霜 | |
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19
supremacy
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| n.至上；至高权力 | |
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20
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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21
vagrant
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| n.流浪者，游民；adj.流浪的，漂泊不定的 | |
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22
anticipations
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| 预期( anticipation的名词复数 )； 预测； （信托财产收益的）预支； 预期的事物 | |
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23
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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24
perpendicular
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| adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置 | |
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25
props
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| 小道具； 支柱( prop的名词复数 )； 支持者； 道具； （橄榄球中的）支柱前锋 | |
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26
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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27
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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28
bespoke
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| adj.（产品）订做的；专做订货的v.预定( bespeak的过去式 )；订（货）；证明；预先请求 | |
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29
premature
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| adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的 | |
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30
slabs
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| n.厚板，平板，厚片( slab的名词复数 )；厚胶片 | |
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31
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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32
fissures
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| n.狭长裂缝或裂隙( fissure的名词复数 )；裂伤；分歧；分裂v.裂开( fissure的第三人称单数 ) | |
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33
piecemeal
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| adj.零碎的；n.片，块；adv.逐渐地；v.弄成碎块 | |
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34
moot
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| v.提出；adj.未决议的；n.大会；辩论会 | |
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35
filth
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| n.肮脏，污物，污秽；淫猥 | |
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36
delectable
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| adj.使人愉快的；美味的 | |
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37
fowl
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| n.家禽，鸡，禽肉 | |
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38
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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39
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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40
discordant
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| adj.不调和的 | |
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41
gender
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| n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性 | |
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42
tattered
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| adj.破旧的，衣衫破的 | |
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43
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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44
greasy
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| adj. 多脂的，油脂的 | |
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45
questionable
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| adj.可疑的，有问题的 | |
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46
apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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47
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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48
fowls
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| 鸟( fowl的名词复数 )； 禽肉； 既不是这； 非驴非马 | |
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49
dame
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| n.女士 | |
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50
invaders
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| 入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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51
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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52
orbs
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| abbr.off-reservation boarding school 在校寄宿学校n.球，天体，圆形物( orb的名词复数 ) | |
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53
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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54
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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55
caverns
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| 大山洞，大洞穴( cavern的名词复数 ) | |
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56
fortified
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| adj. 加强的 | |
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57
portentous
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| adj.不祥的，可怕的，装腔作势的 | |
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58
axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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59
hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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60
aquiline
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| adj.钩状的，鹰的 | |
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61
intruding
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| v.侵入，侵扰，打扰( intrude的现在分词)；把…强加于 | |
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62
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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63
ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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64
dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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65
melodious
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| adj.旋律美妙的，调子优美的，音乐性的 | |
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66
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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67
squeak
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| n.吱吱声，逃脱；v.（发出）吱吱叫，侥幸通过；（俚）告密 | |
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68
philosophically
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| adv.哲学上；富有哲理性地；贤明地；冷静地 | |
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69
negligent
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| adj.疏忽的；玩忽的；粗心大意的 | |
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70
cleansed
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| 弄干净，清洗( cleanse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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71
negligently
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72
divers
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| adj.不同的；种种的 | |
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73
plentiful
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| adj.富裕的，丰富的 | |
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74
proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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75
puddle
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| n.(雨)水坑，泥潭 | |
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76
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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77
filthy
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| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
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78
battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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79
bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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80
plentifully
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| adv. 许多地，丰饶地 | |
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81
lagoons
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| n.污水池( lagoon的名词复数 )；潟湖；（大湖或江河附近的）小而浅的淡水湖；温泉形成的池塘 | |
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82
stinking
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| adj.臭的，烂醉的，讨厌的v.散发出恶臭( stink的现在分词 )；发臭味；名声臭；糟透 | |
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83
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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84
genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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85
perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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86
proximity
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| n.接近，邻近 | |
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87
rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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88
myriads
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| n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 ) | |
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89
fleas
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| n.跳蚤( flea的名词复数 )；爱财如命；没好气地（拒绝某人的要求） | |
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90
counteract
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| vt.对…起反作用，对抗，抵消 | |
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91
somnolent
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| adj.想睡的，催眠的；adv.瞌睡地；昏昏欲睡地；使人瞌睡地 | |
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92
monotonously
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| adv.单调地，无变化地 | |
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93
drowsy
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| adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的 | |
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94
varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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95
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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96
trumpet
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| n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘 | |
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97
coves
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| n.小海湾( cove的名词复数 )；家伙 | |
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98
squat
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| v.蹲坐，蹲下；n.蹲下；adj.矮胖的，粗矮的 | |
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99
witticism
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| n.谐语，妙语 | |
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100
quiescent
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| adj.静止的，不活动的，寂静的 | |
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101
protruded
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| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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102
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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103
squint
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| v. 使变斜视眼, 斜视, 眯眼看, 偏移, 窥视; n. 斜视, 斜孔小窗; adj. 斜视的, 斜的 | |
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104
furrowed
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| v.犁田，开沟( furrow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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105
gashed
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| v.划伤，割破( gash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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106
smallpox
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| n.天花 | |
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107
ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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108
peculiarity
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| n.独特性，特色；特殊的东西；怪癖 | |
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109
liar
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| n.说谎的人 | |
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110
vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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111
breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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112
amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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113
haughtiness
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| n.傲慢；傲气 | |
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114
applicant
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| n.申请人，求职者，请求者 | |
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115
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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116
diminutive
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| adj.小巧可爱的，小的 | |
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117
plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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118
nibbled
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| v.啃，一点一点地咬（吃）( nibble的过去式和过去分词 )；啃出（洞），一点一点咬出（洞）；慢慢减少；小口咬 | |
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119
palatial
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| adj.宫殿般的，宏伟的 | |
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120
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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121
berth
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| n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊 | |
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122
berths
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| n.（船、列车等的）卧铺( berth的名词复数 )；（船舶的）停泊位或锚位；差事；船台vt.v.停泊( berth的第三人称单数 )；占铺位 | |
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123
pittance
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| n.微薄的薪水，少量 | |
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124
sieve
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| n.筛，滤器，漏勺 | |
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125
wasteful
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| adj.（造成）浪费的，挥霍的 | |
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126
refinement
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| n.文雅；高尚；精美；精制；精炼 | |
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127
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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128
boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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129
emaciated
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| adj.衰弱的，消瘦的 | |
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130
apothecary
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| n.药剂师 | |
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131
spectral
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| adj.幽灵的，鬼魂的 | |
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132
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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133
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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134
sepulchral
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| adj.坟墓的，阴深的 | |
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135
ration
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| n.定量(pl.)给养，口粮；vt.定量供应 | |
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136
procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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137
plaintive
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| adj.可怜的，伤心的 | |
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138
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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139
grumbling
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| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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140
growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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141
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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142
favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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143
rebounded
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| 弹回( rebound的过去式和过去分词 )； 反弹； 产生反作用； 未能奏效 | |
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144
perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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145
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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146
rations
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| 定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量 | |
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147
truculent
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| adj.野蛮的，粗野的 | |
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148
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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149
magistrates
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| 地方法官，治安官( magistrate的名词复数 ) | |
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150
insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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151
perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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152
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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153
toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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154
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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155
solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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156
quota
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| n.（生产、进出口等的）配额，（移民的）限额 | |
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157
stipulated
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| vt.& vi.规定；约定adj.[法]合同规定的 | |
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158
wretches
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| n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 )；可怜的人；恶棍；坏蛋 | |
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159
nourishment
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| n.食物，营养品；营养情况 | |
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160
equitable
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| adj.公平的；公正的 | |
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161
evaded
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| 逃避( evade的过去式和过去分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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162
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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163
avowing
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| v.公开声明，承认( avow的现在分词 ) | |
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164
vowing
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式） | |
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165
amassing
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| v.积累，积聚( amass的现在分词 ) | |
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166
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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167
retaliating
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| v.报复，反击( retaliate的现在分词 ) | |
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168
bondage
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| n.奴役，束缚 | |
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169
incentive
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| n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机 | |
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170
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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171
subsisting
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| v.（靠很少的钱或食物）维持生活，生存下去( subsist的现在分词 ) | |
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172
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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173
malice
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| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
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174
intoxicated
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| 喝醉的，极其兴奋的 | |
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175
unlimited
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| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
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176
redress
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| n.赔偿，救济，矫正；v.纠正，匡正，革除 | |
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177
hauteur
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| n.傲慢 | |
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178
atrocity
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| n.残暴，暴行 | |
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179
entrusted
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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180
constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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181
constables
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| n.警察( constable的名词复数 ) | |
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182
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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183
insufficient
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| adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的 | |
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184
poultry
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| n.家禽，禽肉 | |
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185
scenting
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| vt.闻到（scent的现在分词形式） | |
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186
vented
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| 表达，发泄（感情，尤指愤怒）( vent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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187
opprobrious
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| adj.可耻的，辱骂的 | |
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188
epithets
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| n.（表示性质、特征等的）词语( epithet的名词复数 ) | |
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189
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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190
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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191
goaded
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| v.刺激( goad的过去式和过去分词 )；激励；（用尖棒）驱赶；驱使（或怂恿、刺激）某人 | |
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192
purloin
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| v.偷窃 | |
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193
secluded
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| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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194
enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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195
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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196
wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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197
revolving
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| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
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198
thraldom
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| n.奴隶的身份，奴役，束缚 | |
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199
minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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200
conjectured
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| 推测，猜测，猜想( conjecture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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201
feigned
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| a.假装的，不真诚的 | |
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202
partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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203
recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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204
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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205
attested
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| adj.经检验证明无病的，经检验证明无菌的v.证明( attest的过去式和过去分词 )；证实；声称…属实；使宣誓 | |
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206
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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207
bellowing
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的现在分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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208
wrested
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| （用力）拧( wrest的过去式和过去分词 )； 费力取得； （从…）攫取； （ 从… ） 强行取去… | |
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209
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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210
discomfited
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| v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败 | |
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211
brutality
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| n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮 | |
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212
confirmation
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| n.证实，确认，批准 | |
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213
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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214
attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
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215
confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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216
rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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217
impudence
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| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
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218
hoist
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| n.升高，起重机，推动；v.升起，升高，举起 | |
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219
enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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220
mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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221
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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222
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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