Page 417 - for-the-term-of-his-natural-life

CHAPTER XIV. Mr.

NORTH’S DISPOSITION.

You will find this a terrible place, Mr. Meekin,’ said North
‘to his supplanter, as they walked across to the Comman-
dant’s to dinner. ‘It has made me heartsick.’
‘I thought it was a little paradise,’ said Meekin. ‘Captain
Frere says that the scenery is delightful.’ ‘So it is,’ returned
North, looking askance, ‘but the prisoners are not delight-
ful.’
‘Poor, abandoned wretches,’ says Meekin, ‘I suppose not.
How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon that bank! Eh!’
‘Abandoned, indeed, by God and man—almost.’
‘Mr. North, Providence never abandons the most unwor-
thy of His servants. Never have I seen the righteous forsaken,
nor His seed begging their bread. In the valley of the shad-
ow of death He is with us. His staff, you know, Mr. North.
Really, the Commandant’s house is charmingly situated!’
Mr. North sighed again. ‘You have not been long in the
colony, Mr. Meekin. I doubt—forgive me for expressing my-
self so freely—if you quite know of our convict system.’
‘An admirable one! A most admirable one!’ said Meekin.
‘There were a few matters I noticed in Hobart Town that
did not quite please me— the frequent use of profane lan-
guage for instance—but on the whole I was delighted with

1 For the Term of His Natural Life