Page 476 - for-the-term-of-his-natural-life

burst into a passion of weeping. ‘I can’t help it, ma’am,’ says
Burgess, rudely, ashamed. ‘It ain’t my fault.’
‘She’s nervous,’ says Frere, leading her away. ‘You must
excuse her. Come and lie down, dearest.’
‘I will not stay here longer,’ said she. ‘Let us go to-mor-
row.’
‘We can’t,’ said Frere.
‘Oh, yes, we can. I insist. Maurice, if you love me, take
me away.’
‘Well,’ said Maurice, moved by her evident grief, ‘I’ll try.’
He spoke to Burgess. ‘Burgess, this matter has unsettled
my wife, so that she wants to leave at once. I must visit the
Neck, you know. How can we do it?’
‘Well,’ says Burgess, ‘if the wind only holds, the brig
could go round to Pirates’ Bay and pick you up. You’ll only
be a night at the barracks.’
‘I think that would be best,’ said Frere. ‘We’ll start to-
morrow, please, and if you’ll give me a pen and ink I’ll be
obliged.’
‘I hope you are satisfied,’ said Burgess.
‘Oh yes, quite,’ said Frere. ‘I must recommend more care-
ful supervision at Point Puer, though. It will never do to
have these young blackguards slipping through our fingers
in this way.’
So a neatly written statement of the occurrence was
appended to the ledgers in which the names of William
Tomkins and Thomas Grove were entered. Macklewain
held an inquest, and nobody troubled about them any more.
Why should they? The prisons of London were full of such