The Promised Land. MudroorooЧитать онлайн книгу.
mission, I am ready and willing to endure trials and tribulations that might make a lesser man quake. But with your cooperation and goodwill, perhaps an expedition, similar to the one you sanctioned for Bailey, is needed. You have read my commission and it calls for your utmost aid and help. Colonel, an expedition is needed. I know that the committee will defray the costs of such a necessity.’
‘But dash it, man, where am I to get the men? All the buggers – excuse me, ladies – all the blighters are at the goldfield already. Those who are left I can’t spare.’
‘There must be some available who can accompany me. Soldiers, policemen? They could not leave their posts. Desertion is still a hanging matter, is it not?’
‘No, old boy, sorry about that. But wait: by deuce, there is a batch of fellows just sitting around. You know, being civilised and all that. A detachment of native police here. Twenty fine fellows. They don’t know what gold is and they are well trained by Sergeant Barron, a soldier first and last. I’ve seen him put them through their paces. Believe me, they can do the job and, best of all, they can be spared. Was going to use them to keep the natives out of town, but what matter if the womenfolk are scared? Maybe that’ll bring their menfolk home.’
‘And they can drive carts and ride horses, shoot guns and obey orders?’
‘They can do these and more under their sergeant. And not only are there these, but Bailey had a native guide – what was his heathen name? Montgomery, or some such. He’s given up his heathen ways and carries about a Bible, though he can’t read a word of it. He will be your guide. Just say that Jesus has commanded it and he’s your fellow. Into the wilderness, eh? Why not.’ And the governor almost rubbed his hands in glee to have gotten rid of the visitor so easily.
‘So, I can mount my expedition of mercy and compassion as soon as it is feasible – in a few days,’ Sir George Augustus replied; and he too might have rubbed his hands together in satisfaction, if he had not glanced at Rebecca Crawley and detected a gleam in her eye.
‘I sincerely trust that your mission of mercy will meet with satisfaction, for all of us,’ she said, smiling at him as if aware of the hidden purpose beneath his concern. ‘I too would accompany you, but alas I fear the dangers and discomforts would be too much for a woman of my constitution and station.’
It was then that Mrs Fraser made a sudden decision, for she also was interested in the gold, and the virile miners. ‘I too have the wellbeing of the natives at heart,’ she declared. ‘Their interests are to a great extent my interests, as they should be for all of us. They, it is true, held me captive in durance vile, but as a Christian I have forgiven them. “Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do”, and are we not ordained by that blessed providence to bring the Word to everyone, even to those who exist in the most degraded of states? I have the strength and determination to accompany you on your noble mission, sir.’
‘But, madam,’ Sir George protested shrilly, ‘you are a woman and such an expedition is not for such as you. In short, it is man’s work.’
‘No, no,’ Lucy said, twisting her face up and clutching Amelia’s arm fiercely. ‘I could not bear it if you were gone from me. I won’t let you go.’ And she pressed her face into the shoulder of her friend.
‘Piffle,’ declared the governor’s lady loudly. In truth, she could not bear Mrs Fraser and her hard stare. Having the woman on her hands over the weeks the expedition would be gone was perhaps the most disagreeable thing she could imagine and so she again said ‘Piffle’ before going on. ‘What one sex can do another can also attempt. Was there not Frau Isa Pfeiffer, the world traveller, who enduring great hardships voyaged around the world? I keep her book constantly by my bed as an inspiration of what our sex can do. Sir George,’ she commanded, tapping her fan irritably against her wrist, ‘Mrs Fraser, who also has had experience among these savages, is well able to attempt this expedition. In fact, it is not into unknown wilderness that you penetrate, for the gold discovery has created such a rush of men into that remote part of our colony that it is remote no longer. Surely, a woman may travel where men have gone!’
‘But –’ began the knight.
‘Sir George,’ Mrs Fraser said quietly, gaining his attention and his glance. She held them steadily as she continued: ‘I have not told you that I dabble in the pictorial arts and that, in hearing of your adventures, I have attempted a number of sketches which perhaps you shall correct for me one day. I know only the mainland natives, and your experience was in the island to the south. Please examine them, for one of the reasons I wish to accompany you, though the road be hard, is to capture you at work. I feel that that in itself is a noble enterprise, especially if your report, or other publications which might follow, need to be – I would not say embellished – illustrated. I, alas, am all alone in the world and must make my way in as gentlewomanly a fashion as possible.’
So saying, Amelia left her chair, picked up a sketch pad which she had left on the piano and carried it to Sir George. He took it from her gingerly and then clumsily dropped it so that it fell open. He bent over, examined the revealed sketch, then picked the pad up and thumbed through it, stopping every so often as a page caught his fancy. Studying these, now and again he looked up at the woman to say, ‘That is not exactly right’. Or, ‘Certain details are lacking.’ At last, he closed the pad and handed it back to her, commenting as if he were the master and she the pupil: ‘You have a way with the charcoal which I admire. On my expeditions of conciliation, in my journals I made rough drawings, but alas lacked the skill to make them live. If you feel that you have the necessary endurance, you may join my mission to render it in graphic detail. What else may I say when this good lady has added her weight to your request?’
‘Thank you for your kindness,’ Amelia replied somewhat smugly. ‘I take it that I am to accompany the expedition as the official artist?’
‘Dash it,’ exclaimed the governor. ‘She is a female and what is more has an aversion to the direct rays of the sun. I do not believe that I can allow this. If something should happen to this lady, it will not go down well in London. Her sojourn among the natives has elicited much interest there, as well as concern.’
‘But Colonel Crawley,’ replied Sir George ‘we are to have an armed escort, and then I have brought with me an Indian bughi, four wheeled rather than two, which has a hood to shade the occupants from the sun’s harmful rays. The lady will ride in this, though I must state that she may accompany me only if the landscape is such that the vehicle may proceed without hindrance.’
‘There isn’t a track suitable for it,’ declared the governor, then added as he came under the hard eye of Mrs Fraser: ‘But the land is dashedly flat, as flat as a billiard table, and I suppose where carts can go so can that bughi. India is not noted for the smoothness of its roads, is it?’
‘No, that is why I chose such a vehicle,’ replied the knight. ‘Well, if it is to be, it must be. So, let us pass from this subject and enjoy the company of these delightful ladies. Perhaps they will treat us to a song or two. My good wife has a sweet voice. Some have compared it to that of an angel. Please, Lucille, treat us to a song.’
‘I can play the piano tolerably well too,’ said a petulant Lucy, who since her protest had withdrawn from the subject of the expedition.
Her eyes, swimming with tears, accused her friend of desertion; but proud of her skill she went to the piano, sat in front of it and ran her fingers over the keys. It was somewhat out of tune, but no one called attention to it and she didn’t care. She banged out a discordant chord which suited her mood, then looked around and said: ‘When we were taking ship, I brought this broadsheet which was to warn young girls about the perils of the South Land. I have not found such dangers here, but then, thank God, I am not one of those poor creatures sent to languish at the ends of the earth.’ She flung a glance at her friend, attempted an introduction, then using the out-of-tune piano sparingly began to sing:
‘Come all young girls, both far and near, and listen unto me,
While unto you I do unfold what proved my destiny.
My mother died when