Page 575 - for-the-term-of-his-natural-life

pleasing. They were so good to him that he felt at times in-
clined to confess all, and leave his case in the hands of the
folk he had injured. Yet—he thought—such a course would
be absurd. It would result in no benefit to anyone, simply
in misery to himself. The true Richard Devine was buried
fathoms deep in the greedy ocean of convict-discipline, and
the waves of innumerable punishments washed over him.
John Rex flattered himself that he had usurped the name
of one who was in fact no living man, and that, unless one
should rise from the dead, Richard Devine could never
return to accuse him. So flattering himself, he gradually
became bolder, and by slow degrees suffered his true na-
ture to appear. He was violent to the servants, cruel to dogs
and horses, often wantonly coarse in speech, and brutal-
ly regardless of the feelings of others. Governed, like most
women, solely by her feelings, Lady Devine had at first been
prodigal of her affection to the man she believed to be her
injured son. But his rash acts of selfishness, his habits of
grossness and self-indulgence, gradually disgusted her. For
some time she—poor woman—fought against this feeling,
endeavouring to overcome her instincts of distaste, and
arguing with herself that to permit a detestation of her un-
fortunate son to arise in her heart was almost criminal; but
she was at length forced to succumb.
For the first year Mr. Richard conducted himself with
great propriety, but as his circle of acquaintance and his
confidence in himself increased, he now and then forgot
the part he was playing. One day Mr. Richard went to pass
the day with a sporting friend, only too proud to see at his

For the Term of His Natural Life