the eureka stockade-第20部分

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he　stench　of　the　place；　and　the　horror　at　my　situation；　had　rendered　life　intolerable　to　me。　　Towards　midnight　of　that　Sunday　I　was　delirious。　Our　growls　and　howling　reached　Commissioner　Rede；　and　about　two　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　doors　were　opened；　and　all　the　prisoners　from　the　Eureka　stockade；　were　removed　between　two　files　of　soldiers　to　the　Camp　store…house　a　spacious　room；　well　ventilated　and　clean。　Commissioner　Rede　came　in　person　to　visit　us。　　Far　from　any　air　of　exultation；　he　appeared　to　me　to　feel　for　our　situation。　　As　he　passed　before　me；　I　addressed　him　in　French；　to　call　his　attention　to　my　misery。　He　answered　very　kindly；　and　concluded　thus：…

〃'Je　ne　manquerai　pas　de　parler　au　Docteur　Carr；　et　si　ce　que　vous　venez　de　me　dire　e　trouve　vrai；　je　veux　bien　m'interesser　pour　vous。'

〃'Vous　etez　bien　bon；　Monsieur　le　Commissionaire；　repondis…je。'

〃'Il　faut　donc　que　j'aie　eu　des　ennemis　bien　cruels　au　Camp！　Avaient…ils　soif　de　mon　sang；　ou　etaient…ils　de　mercenaires？　　Voila　bien　un　secret；　et　je　donnerai　de　coeur　ma　vie　pour　le　percer。　　Dieu　leur　pardonne；　moi；　je　le　voudrais　bien！　mais　je　ne　saurai　les　pardonner　jamais。'〃




Chapter　LXV。



Ecce　Homo。


On　Monday　morning；　the　fresh　air　had　restored　me　a　little　strength。　We　had　an　important　arrival　among　us。　　It　was　the　Editor　of　'The　Times'　newspaper；　arrested　for　sedition。　　All　silver　and　gold　lace；　blue　and　red　coats　in　the　Camp　rushed　in　to　gaze　on　this　wild　elephant；　whose　trunk　it　was　supposed；　had　stirred　up　the　hell　on　Ballaarat。

Henry　Seekamp　is　a　short；　thick；　rare　sort　of　man；　of　quick　and　precise　movements；　sardonic　countenance；　and　one　look　from　his　sharp　round　set　of　eyes；　tells　you　at　once　that　you　must　not　trifle　with　him。　　Of　a　temper　that　must　have　cost　him　some　pains　to　keep　under　control；　he　hates　humbug　and　all　sort　of　yabber…yabber。　　His　round　head　of　tolerable　size；　is　of　German　mould；　for　the　earnestness　of　his　forehead　is　corrected　by　the　fullness　of　his　cheeks；　and　a　set　of　moustachios　is　the　padlock　of　his　mouth；　whose　key　is　kept　safe　in　his　head；　and　his　heart　is　the　turn…key。　　When　his　breast　is　full；　and　he　must　make　it　clean；　its　gall　will　burn　wherever　it　falls；　and　set　the　place　a　blazing。　　To　keep　friends　with　such　a　cast　of　mind；　whose　motto　is　Nelson's；　you　must　do　your　duty；　never　mind　if　you　sink　a　shicer；　bottom　your　shaft　any　how。　　You　are　his　enemy　if　you　are　or　play　the　flunky；　he　will　call　you　a　'thing；'　and　has　a　decided　contempt　for　'incapables。'　Hence；　his　energy　was　never　abated；　though　the　whole　legion　of　Victorian　red…tape　wanted　to　dry　his　inkstand；　and　smother　his　lamp　in　gaol。　　That　there　are　too　many　fools　at　large；　he　knows；　because　he　has　travelled　half　the　world；　what　he　can　not　put　up　with；　is　their　royal　cant；　religious　bosh；　Toorak　small…beer；　and　first　and　foremost；　their　money…grubbing　expertness。　　Hence；　now　and　then；　his　ink　turns　sour；　and　thereby　its　vitriol　burns　stronger。　'The　Times'；　of　which　he　is　the　founder；　is　the　Overseer　of　Ballaarat；　and　the　'Dolce　far　niente'　will　not　prosper。

Our　literary　prisoner　was　literally　insulted；　and　could　not　look　with　enough　contempt　on　all　those　accursed　asses　braying　（at　him）　'The　Times！'　　'The　Times！'

I　felt　for　him　very　much；　and　joined　conversation　with　him　in　French。　I　state　it　as　a　matter　of　fact；　that　there　and　then　I　had　the　presentiment　that　all　the　spies　pointed　me　out　there；　and　only　there　and　then　as　his　accomplice。　　Towards　ten　o'clock　we　were　ordered　to　fall　in；　in　four　rows。　Now　the　Camp　officials　and　their　myrmidons　were　in　their　glory。　They　came　to　number　their　prey；　and　mark　out　a　score　of　heads　to　make　an　'example'　of；　for　the　better　conduct　of　future　generations。　Unfortunately　for　my　red　hair；　fizzing　red　beard；　and　fizzing　red　moustachios；　my　name　was　taken　down　after　the　armed　ruffian　and　the　anonymous　scribbler；　and　followed　by　that　of　the　nigger…rebel。

It　was　odious　to　see　honourable；　honest；　hard…working　men　made　the　gazing　stock　of　a　parcel　of　pampered　perverted　fools；　for　the　fun　of　‘a　change'　to　gratify　their　contempt　for　the　blue…shirt　and　thick　boots　who　had　dared；　mucky　and　muddy；　to　come　out　of　their　deep　wet　holes　to　hamper　these　gods　of　the　land　in　their　dog's　game　of　licence…hunting！




Chapter　LXVI。



Then　the　following　document　was　shown　for　our　edification：…


VICTORIA　GOVERNMENT　GAZETTE　EXTRAORDINARY。　（Published　by　Authority。）　MARTIAL　LAW　DECLARED　IN　THE　DISTRICT　OF　BUNINYONG　PROCLAMATION　By　his　Excellency　Sir　Charles　Hotham；　Knight…Commander　of　the　Most　Honourable　Military　Order　of　the　Bath　LieutenantGovernor　of　Victoria；　&c。；　&c。；　&c。

WHEREAS　bodies　of　armed　men　have　arrayed　themselves　against　Her　Majesty's　forces　and　the　constituted　authorities；　and　have　committed　acts　of　open　rebellion：　　and　whereas；　for　the　effectual　suppression　thereof　it　is　imperatively　necessary　that　Martial　Law　should　be　administered　and　executed　within　the　limits　hereinafter　described；　now　I；　the　Lieutenant…Governor　of　the　said　Colony　with　the　advice　of　the　Executive　Council　thereof；　do　hereby　command　and　Proclaim　that　MARTIAL　LAW　from　and　after　twelve　of　the　clock　at　noon　on　Wednesday；　the　sixth　day　of　December　instant；　shall　and　may　be　administered　against　every　person　and　persons　within　the　said　limits；　who　shall　at　any　time　after　the　said　hour　commit　any　act　of　rebellion；　any　treason；　treasonable　or　seditious　practices；　or　other　outrage　or　misdemeanor　whatsoever　within　the　following　limits；　that　is　to　say：　　arrowee。。。Lal　Lal。。。Moorabool。。。　Ran　Rip。。。Yarrowee　aforesaid。　　And　I　do　hereby；　with　the　advice　aforesaid；　order　and　authorize　all　officers　commanding　Her　Majesty's　forces　to　employ　them　with　the　utmost　vigour　and　decision　for　the　immediate　suppression　of　the　said　rebellion　and　offences；　and　to　proceed　against　and　punish　every　person　and　persons　acting；　aiding；　or　in　any　manner　assisting　in　the　said　rebellion　and　offences；　according　to　Martial　Law；　as　to　them　shall　seem　expedient　for　the　punishment　of　all　such　persons：　　And　I　do　hereby　especially　declare　and　proclaim；　that　no　sentence　of　death　shall　be　carried　into　execution　against　any　such　person　without　my　express　consent　thereto：　　＇'Great　works！'＇　　And　I　do　hereby　with　the　advice　aforesaid；　notify　this　my　Proclamation　to　all　subjects　of　Her　Majesty　in　the　Colony　of　Victoria。

Given　under　my　Hand　and　the　Seal　of　the　Colony；　at　Melbourne；　this　fourth　day　of　December；　in　the　year　of　Our　Lord　one　thousand　eight　hundred　and　fifty…four；　and　in　the　eighteenth　year　of　Her　Majesty's　Reign。

（L。S。）　CHARLES　HOTHAM；　By　His　Excellency's　Command；　JOHN　FOSTER。　God　save　the　Queen！

…

Great　works！




Chapter　LXVII。



Ecce　Amaritudo　Mea　Amarissima。


We　were　frightened　by　the　report　that　a　gang　of　red…coats　were　sinking　a　large　pit　in　the　Camp。

〃Are　they　going　to　bury　us　alive　without　any　flogging？　　That's　not　half　so　merciful　as　Haynau's　rule　in　Austria；〃　was　my　observation　to　a　mate　prisonera　shrewd　Irishman。

〃Where　did　you　read　in　history　that　the　British　Lion　was　ever　merciful　to　a　fallen　foe？〃　was　his　sorrowfully　earnest　reply。

Oh！　days　and　nights　of　the　3rd；　4th；　5th；　and　6th　of　December；　1854；　your　remembrance　will　not　end；　no；　not　even　in　my　grave。

They　were　happy　days　in　my　youth；　when　I　thought　with　Rousseau；　that　the　heart　of　man　is　from　nature　good。　　It　was　a　sad　fatality　now　that　compelled　me　to　feel　the　truth　from　the　prophet　Isaiah；　that　the　heart　of　man　is　desperately　wicked。

I　was　really　thunderstruck　at　the　savage　eagerness　with　which　spies　and　red…coats　sprang　out　of　their　ranks　to　point　me　out。　　Though　a　British　soldier　was　not　ashamed　to　swear　and　confess　his　cowardice　of　running　away　from　before　my　pike；　which　I　never　had　on　the　stockade；　where　the　fellow　never　could　have　seen　me；　I　shall　not　prostitute　my　intelligence　and　comment　on　the　'evidence'　against　me　from　a　gang　of　bloodthirsty　mercenary　spies。　　The　printer　will　copy　my　trial　from　the　public　newspaper；　'The　Age'。




Chapter　LXVIII。



Condemn　The　Wicked；　And　Bring　His　Way　Upon　His　Head；　Oh；　Lord　God　Of　Israel！


The　first　witness　against　me　was　such　a　rum　sort　of　old　colonial　bird　of　the　jackass　tribe；　and　made　such　a　fool　of　himself　for　Her　Majesty's　dear　sake；　about　the　monster　meeting；　where　as　it　appeared；　he　had　volunteered　as　reporter　of　the　Camp；　that　now　God　has　given　him　his　reward。　　He　is　a　gouty　cripple；　still　on　'Her　Majesty's　fodder'　at　the　Camp；　Ballaarat。

Who　will　sharpen　my　quill　and　poison　my　inkstand；　that　I　may　put　to　confusion　the　horrible　brood　of　red…tape　that　ruled　on　Ballaarat　at　the　time。　　To　administer　justice　in　the　sacred　name　of　Her　Most　Gracious　Majesty；　they　squandered　the　sweat　of　self…over…working　diggers；　on　a　set　of　devils；　such　that　they　actually　competed　with　one　another；　in　vomiting　like　sick　dogs！　　Their　multitude　was　taken　as　a　test　of　their　veracity；　on　the　Mosaical　ground；　that　'out　of　the　mouth　of　two　witnesses　shall　the　guilty　be　condemned；'　and　yet；　with　the　exception　of　spy　Goodenough；　and　spy　Peters；　none　other　to　my　knowledge　ever　did　see　my　face　before。

I　assert　and　declare　as　an　honest　man　and　a　Christian；　that　my　eyes　never　did　see　the　witnesses　against　me；　before　I　was　under　arrest　at　the　Camp。　My　soul　was　drowned　in　an　ocean　of　bitterness　when　of　that　brood　of　Satan；　one　did　swear　he　had　run　from　before　my　pike；　another　had　fired　at　me；　but　his　pistol　'snapped；'　a　third　made　me　prisoner　within　the　stockade；　a　fourth　took　me　up　chained　to　other　prisoners　who　had　surrendered；　from　the　stockade　to　the　Camp。

Such；　then；　is　the　perversity　of　the　human　heart！　　In　vain　did　I　point　out　to　the　sitting　magistrate　the　absurdness　of　their　evidence；　and　the　fact　that　Sub…inspector　Carter　and　Dr。　Carr　could　prove　the　contradiction。　I　was　so　embittered　and　broken…hearted　at　the　wickedness　of　so　many　infuriated　mercenary　rascals；　that　had　made　up　their　mind　to　sell　the　blood　of　an　honest　man；　in　as　much　as　I　had　repeatedly　told　each　and　all　of　them；　when　they　came　to　'recognize'　in　our　prison；　that　they　must　mistake　me　for　another　as　I　was　not　within　the　stockade　that　Sunday　morning；　that　I。。。but　it　is　too　humiliating　to　say　any　more。

Mr。　Sturt；　with　an　odious　face；　whose　plumpness　told　me