Page 458 - for-the-term-of-his-natural-life

‘But is your mind softened by its teachings? Do you real-
ize the Infinite Mercy of God, Who has compassion, Dawes,
upon the greatest sinners?’ The convict made a move of im-
patience. The old, sickening, barren cant of piety was to be
recommenced then. He came asking for bread, and they
gave him the usual stone.
‘Do you believe that there is a God, Mr. Meekin?’
‘Abandoned sinner! Do you insult a clergyman by such
a question?’
‘Because I think sometimes that if there is, He must often
be dissatisfied at the way things are done here,’ said Dawes,
half to himself.
‘I can listen to no mutinous observations, prisoner,’ said
Meekin. ‘Do not add blasphemy to your other crimes. I fear
that all conversation with you, in your present frame of
mind, would be worse than useless. I will mark a few pas-
sages in your Bible, that seem to me appropriate to your
condition, and beg you to commit them to memory. Hailes,
the door, if you please.’
So, with a bow, the ‘consoler’ departed.
Rufus Dawes felt his heart grow sick. North had gone,
then. The only man who had seemed to have a heart in his
bosom had gone. The only man who had dared to clasp his
horny and blood-stained hand, and call him ‘brother’, had
gone. Turning his head, he saw through the window—wide
open and unbarred, for Nature, at Port Arthur, had no need
of bars—the lovely bay, smooth as glass, glittering in the
afternoon sun, the long quay, spotted with groups of par-
ti-coloured chain-gangs, and heard, mingling with the soft