IN THE TOILS OF FATE
“Joe was conveyed back to his prison cell and locked up and left there
in a state of stupefaction.
“Joseph Wyvil, who had heard the verdict, was not able to get near the
unfortunate boy, who had been hurried from the dock to the prison van by
the officers in attendance. And though he followed the prisoner with all
speed to the jail, he was not admitted to see him because it was after
the hour of closing.
“He managed to see the jail chaplain and implore him, late as it was, to
visit the desolate boy in his cell that night.
“The reverend gentleman willingly promised to do so, and Joseph Wyvil
left the prison, with what a heavy heart! to go to his most unhappy
sister and answer as best he might the agonizing questions she would be
sure to put to him.
“Ah! the dreadful intelligence had preceded him to Lil’s lodgings, and
prostrated her frail frame to the very verge of death.
“He found the doctor in attendance, and the young wife, pale as a
corpse, sleeping heavily under the influence of a powerful narcotic.
“‘How did she hear it?’ was one of the first questions put by the
unhappy brother.
“‘By the yelling of the people in the street. We could hardly keep her
from going to the court-room; we couldn’t keep her away from the
windows, watching for you and her husband to come back arm in arm. She
was so confident he would be acquitted! For she said he was innocent,
and being innocent, could not be found guilty and must be acquitted,’
replied their landlady.
“‘Ah! she knew nothing of the power of circumstantial evidence to
convict an innocent man!’ groaned Joseph.
“‘Why, sir, she even packed her trunk to return to Stockton, for she
said that neither she nor her husband, nor her brother, would want to
stay another night in the town where they had suffered so much, but
would take the first train back to their cottage and be at peace.’
“‘Poor child! Poor child!’
“‘And then, while she was watching for you and him from the window, and
turning round every few minutes to ask me to be sure to keep the water
boiling so as to make tea the minute they should come in, or to please
have the bacon grilled to a turn, or something of that sort, all of a
sudden she heard the boys in the street shouting to one another that
Weston, the mail-robber, was found guilty and sentenced to be hanged o’
Monday week!’
“‘She heard that? Oh, poor Lil!’
“‘She heard that, sir, and afore any one could stop her she was out in
the street, in the freezing winter night, without shawl or bonnet, to
inquire into the truth. I just whipped a plaid shawl over my head and
ran out to fetch her in. I found her prostrate and insensible on the
ground, with a crowd of people gathered around her. We raised her and
brought her in and laid her on the bed and brought her to. But as soon
as she got back her senses to know what had happened, she fell into such
convulsions that we had to send for Dr. Yorke, and he gave her summat to
quiet her and put her to sleep. And that’s all, sir,’ concluded the
landlady.
“The doctor gave directions for the treatment of his patient during the
night, and left, promising to return early the next morning.
“The tired landlady went to rest, asking to be called at any time if she
should be wanted.
“And Joseph Wyvil took his seat by the bedside of his unfortunate
sister, to watch her sleep and dread her waking.
“A low taper burned on a little table behind a screen. And all the room
was obscure and silent as a cave.
“Lil slept on quietly, and Joseph was almost tempted to hope that Lil
might wake only in that happier world where ‘there shall be no more
death, neither crying nor sorrow.’
“Joseph Wyvil was a faithful Christian man, and found his greatest
support during this long miserable night watch in praying for Lil and
for Joe.
“The late winter morning had dawned when Lil awoke.
“She awoke very quietly, and although she opened her eyes, looked about,
saw her brother seated by her bed, and evidently by the change that
passed over her face, remembered all that had happened since yesterday,
yet there was no outburst of grief. The effect of the narcotic yet
remained in the blunted sensibilities. But though her feelings were
dulled, her intellect was clear enough; and although there was no
outbreak of sorrow, yet the look of deep despair that settled on her
face showed how profoundly she realized the situation.
“‘Lil! Lil, my darling sister,’ muttered Joseph Wyvil, bending over her.
“‘Let me go to him, Joseph! Oh, please let me go to him. I will behave
myself. Indeed I will behave myself, Joseph,’ she pleaded.
“‘Yes, dear, you shall go just as soon as the doors are opened to admit
visitors.’
“She put out her hand and pressed his.
“‘But, darling Lil, you need not give up hope. All is not lost yet, Lil!
I mean to get up a strong petition in his behalf. He is so young. There
are so many circumstances in his favor. Lil, I am nearly certain we can
get his sentence commuted to transportation for life. And then we also
will go out to Australia, to be near him. And if he conducts himself
well, as he will be sure to do, having so much at stake, he will get a
ticket-of-leave. And after a few weeks, Lil, we’ll not be any worse off
than if we had emigrated, you know. Are you listening, Lil?’
“‘Yes, Joseph. Oh, take me to him. I want to go to him so much. I will
behave myself so well.’
“‘Yes, dear. Just as soon as ever I can do so. Keep up your heart.’
“‘If he dies I shall die too, and in a fortnight all will be over, and
we two shall meet on the other side, never to part any more.’
“‘Don’t speak so hopelessly, dear Lil. I feel sure in my own mind that
we shall win a commutation of his sentence, and then the worst that can
happen to us will be that we shall have to go to Australia; and that may
turn out to be the very best that could happen.’
“Their conversation was interrupted by a rap at the door, followed by
the entrance of the landlady with a small bowl of beef tea for the poor
girl.
“‘Oh, I thank you; but indeed I cannot take anything,’ said Lil, when
this refreshment was offered to her.
“‘Come, now, I want you to drink this because it will do you good. And
you promised to behave, you know,’ said her brother.
“‘I will drink it then,’ said Lil, with perfect docility. And so well
was the liquid seasoned that on tasting it she drank it without
reluctance and even with benefit.
“The landlady had scarcely left the room, with the empty bowl in her
hand, when the doctor entered it.
“Joseph Wyvil arose and bowed, and yielded his place by the bedside to
the physician, who seated himself and proceeded to examine his patient.
“‘She is going on well, yet I would recommend a continuance of the same
treatment for a while longer. She should be kept somewhat under the
influence of sedatives to tide her over this trial,’ was his whispered
advice to Joseph Wyvil, as he arose to leave the room.
“He wrote a prescription and minute directions for its administration,
and then took leave.
“Joseph Wyvil went down to his breakfast and sent up the landlady’s
servant to assist Lil in rising and dressing to go to the jail.
“Joseph called a carriage, but before he put her into it administered a
dose of that merciful medicine sent by the doctor to quiet her nerves
and blunt her feelings, if it could not obscure her intelligence.
“And so they drove to the jail and were admitted to the presence of poor
Joe.
“The jail doctor and the chaplain had done their part, and the doomed
boy was much calmer than he had been on the preceding day.
“The stricken young pair met without any violent outbreak of emotion.
Each grew paler as they embraced, and neither could speak to the other
at first. They sat down on the side of the cot, with their hands clasped
together.
“Joseph Wyvil, after taking and pressing his brother’s hand, drew the
chair and seated himself before them, and began to talk of the petition
for the commutation of Joe’s sentence he intended that day to set on
foot. Mr. Rocke, he said, would draw it up, and he thought that judge
and jury would sign it as well as many clergymen and other citizens. He
himself would take it up to the Home Secretary. He felt sure, he said,
that the petition would be granted, and that transportation for life
would be the very worst that Joe would have to suffer. Beyond every
reasonable cause for believing this, Joseph declared that he felt an
interior confidence that was prophetic, for which he could not account.
“‘And then, Joe, your fate will not be hard. It will depend upon
yourself to make it easy. If you behave yourself, you will find it light
enough, from all that I can hear. You will be taken as some gentleman’s
valet, or even secretary, and after a while get your ticket of leave,
and in due time your pardon——’
“‘Pardon for what I never did!’ said Joe.
“‘Be patient, dear boy! There be a deal of undeserved suffering in this
world for which there must be compensation somewhere. And after all,
Joe, there is many a free emigrant who has suffered and will suffer more
than you need to do. And listen to this, Joe. After a year or two, just
as soon as I have made money enough to carry us through, I will bring
Lil out to you and we will all live out there together, and it will
depend only on ourselves, under the Divine Providence, whether we
prosper.’
“‘We have not got the commutation yet,’ said Joe, despondently.
“‘But we will get it,’ replied Joseph, confidently.
“At this moment Mr. Rocke entered the cell with the petition in his
hand.
“Joseph ceded his chair and took a seat on the foot of the cot.
“After shaking hands with the prisoner, his wife and brother, Mr. Rocke
read the petition, and producing a pocket pen and ink-stand, asked for
their signatures.
“Joe signed his name first, Lil next, adding naively on the same line:
‘Oh, please, please.’
“Mr. Rocke frowned, smiled, but let it stand.
“Joseph Wyvil then signed his name.
“And then the two men left the cell to go and take the petition around
the town, leaving Lil with Joe.
“By this time all of the boy’s history was known to the townspeople.
Joseph Wyvil had given it to the lawyer, at first retaining him. The
lawyer had given it to the reporter of the _Guardian_ on the evening of
the trial, and the whole story was published in this morning’s issue,
together with the report of the trial.
“There was a reaction in public sentiment. Much doubt was entertained of
the prisoner’s complicity with the crime for which he had been
condemned. Much pity was felt for him and for his child-wife, in their
extreme youth and utter despair. The petition for the commutation of his
sentence was signed by judge, jury, magistrates, clergymen and citizens
of all rank.
“Joseph Wyvil and Mr. Rocke took it up to London together and laid it
before the Home Secretary.
“Three weary days passed before they could obtain a hearing. Then five
tedious days before any action was taken on the petition.
“During all this time Joseph Wyvil wrote daily letters full of
confidence and encouragement to his waiting, breathlessly anxious sister
and brother.
“At length, on the ninth day, Joseph Wyvil and Mr. Rocke received the
commutation and started with it for Carlisle.
“It was after the hours of closing the prison. But they could not easily
consent to leave the prisoner, who was now the object of the royal
clemency, one more sleepless night of agonizing suspense.
“So while Joseph Wyvil went home to gladden the heart of his sister with
the good news, Mr. Rocke went to the house of the chaplain and with him
to the governor of the jail, and so gained admittance to the cell.
“Joe, who had parted with Lil but an hour before, was sitting on the
side of his cot staring into vacancy and on the verge of falling into
idiocy, saw through his grated door the low light of the turnkey’s
lantern approaching, and roused himself.
“In another moment the door was unlocked, the two men entered, and Joe’s
eager, questioning eyes read the good news in their faces before the
chaplain took his hand and said:
“‘Return thanks to the Lord, my boy! You are saved!’
“‘Oh, Lil! Lil!’ cried Joe, and dropped his head in his hands and sobbed
like a child.
“When at length he recovered himself he thanked the chaplain and the
lawyer for all that they had done in his behalf.
“And then, as it was late, the two gentlemen shook hands with the
prisoner and withdrew.
“The next morning the meeting between the young pair was a happier one
than they had had since they had parted on that fatal night of the old
squire’s death and the lawyer’s murder.
“Joseph Wyvil also kept their spirits up by hopefully putting the
fairest view of the future before them. He reiterated that it depended
on Joe himself whether his lot in Australia would be the hard lot of a
convict or the ordinary lot of a hard-working emigrant. The chaplain of
this prison, he said, would write a letter to the chaplain of the
transport-ship and make interest with him for the young exile. And
lastly, that, within a year, or two years at most, he would bring Lil
out to Sydney.
“‘And by that time, Joe, you will have behaved yourself so well as to
have got your ticket-of-leave and maybe your free pardon, too, and we
will all, please the Lord, forget our troubles and live happily
together.’
“And Lil and Joe believed all that their hopeful brother told them, and
anticipated the brighter days that might be in store for them in the
future years.
“The interval between this day and the sailing of the transport-ship was
passed as calmly and hopefully as possible under the circumstances.
“Lil was allowed to be as much with Joe as the rules of the prison
justified, and even a little more, perhaps, for governor, chaplain and
physician all sympathized with them, despite the rigid discipline that
would bind souls as much as bodies in such cases of officers and
prisoners.
“The day came in which Joe and a fellow-prisoner named Jeremiah
Hatfield, convicted of robbery and sentenced to seven years’
transportation and penal servitude, were to be taken from the prison,
handcuffed together and put upon the train, in charge of two armed
keepers, to be taken to Liverpool, from whence the transport-ship
Vulture was to sail.
“Lil, supported by the strong arm and strong heart of her brother
Joseph, went early to the prison to take leave of Joe.
“Joe behaved pretty well under the circumstances, kept up his own
spirits and kept up Lil’s.
“‘Only look upon this as if I were going to sea, Lil! You know I am not
guilty. I will not consider myself a convict. I will think of myself
only as an emigrant. And I will behave so well, please the Lord, that
everybody shall esteem me, whether they will or no. And shall believe
that I have been wrongly accused. Cheer up, Lil.’
“The doctor had mercifully given Lil a sedative that morning to enable
her to go through the ordeal, else Heaven only knows what sort of a
scene of wild hysterics would have been enacted in that cell. As it was,
Lil’s heart only ached with a dull despair that found no outlet in sobs
or tears, or even complaint.
“The poor boy and girl were allowed to remain together until the last
possible minute, and then, when they were warned that the moment of
parting had actually come, there was one long, clinging embrace, and
then Joseph led his sister away—not crying, not fainting, yet half dead
in her dumb anguish.
“The chaplain remained with Joe. And before the wife and brother had
reached the end of the corridor, another prisoner was brought from
another cell, handcuffed to Joe, and both were led off to the prison van
that was to take them to the railway station en route for Liverpool and
the transport-ship.
“Joseph Wyvil took his sister back to their lodging-house and made her
go to bed, where, overcome by all that she had done and borne that day,
and stupefied by the sedative she had taken, she fell into a long sleep.
“Meanwhile the kind-hearted and helpful landlady packed up all her
lodgers’ effects to save Lil trouble, in anticipation of the journey
that was to be taken the next day.
“Lil awoke the next morning much calmer and stronger than might have
been expected.
“And the same day Joseph Wyvil, after thanking and remunerating their
landlady, took his sister back to their cottage home at Stockton.