登陆注册
37884800000071

第71章 THREE 1929-1932 Paddy(3)

Fee didn't answer, only sat staring in front of her with beads of sweat along her upper lip, eyes stilled to a desperately rational pain, as if within herself she was marshaling every resource she possessed not to scream. "Daddy, Daddy!" Meggie called sharply, frightened. The tone of her voice brought him out still fastening his flannel undershirt, with Bob, Jack, Hughie and Stu behind him. Meggie pointed wordlessly at her mother.

Paddy's heart seemed to block his throat. He bent over Fee, his hand picking up one limp wrist. "What is it, dear?" he asked in tones more tender than any of his children had ever heard him use; yet somehow they knew they were the tones he used with her when they were not around to hear. She seemed to recognize that special voice enough to emerge from her shocked trance, and the big grey eyes looked up into his face, so kind and worn, no longer young.

"Here," she said, pointing at a small item of news toward the bottom of the page.

Stuart had gone to stand behind his mother, his hand lightly on her shoulder; before he started to read the article Paddy glanced up at his son, into the eyes so like Fee's, and he nodded. What had roused him to jealousy in Frank could never do so in Stuart; as if their love for Fee bound them tightly together instead of separating them.

Paddy read out loud, slowly, his tone growing sadder and sadder. The little headline said: BOXER RECEIVES LIFE SENTENCE.

Francis Armstrong Cleary, aged 26, professional boxer, was convicted today in Goulburn District Court of the murder of Ronald Albert Cumming, aged 32, laborer, last July. The jury reached its verdict after only ten minutes' deliberation, recommending the most severe punishment the court could mete out. It was, said Mr. Justice FitzHugh-Cunneally, a ****** open-and-closed case. Cumming and Cleary had quarreled violently in the public bar of the Harbor Hotel on July 23rd. Later the same night Sergeant Tom Beardsmore of the Goulburn police, accompanied by two constables, was called to the Harbor Hotel by its proprietor, Mr. James Ogilvie. In the lane behind the hotel the police discovered Cleary kicking at the head of the insensible Cumming. His fists were bloodstained and bore tufts of Cumming's hair. When arrested Cleary was drunk but lucid. He was charged with assault with intent to commit grievous bodily harm, but the charge was amended to murder after Cumming died of brain injuries in the Goulburn District Hospital next day. Mr. Arthur Whyte, K.C., entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, but four medical witnesses for the Crown stated unequivocally that under the provisions of the M'naghten rules Cleary could not be called insane. In addressing the jury,Mr. Justice FitzHugh-Cunneally told them there was no question of guilt or innocence, the verdict was clearly guilty, but he requested them to take time considering their recommendation for either clemency or severity, as he would be guided by their opinion. When sentencing Cleary, Mr. Justice FitzHugh-Cunneally called his act "subhuman savagery," and regretted that the drunken unpremeditated nature of the crime precluded hanging, as he regarded Cleary's hands as a weapon quite as deadly as a gun or knife. Cleary was sentenced to life imprisonment at hard labor, the sentence to be served in Goulburn Gaol, this institution being one designed for violently disposed prisoners. Asked if he had anything so say, Cleary answered, "Just don't tell my mother."

Paddy looked at the top of the page to see the date: December 6, 1925. "It happened over three years ago," he said helplessly. No one answered him or moved, for no one knew what to do; from the front of the house came the gleeful laughter of the twins, their high voices raised in chatter. was "Just-don't-tell my mother,"" said Fee numbly. "And no one did! Oh, God! My poor, poor Frank!"

Paddy wiped the tears from his face with the back of his free hand, then squatted down in front of her, patting her lap gently. "Fee dear, pack your things. We'll go to him."

She half-rose before sinking back, her eyes in her small white face starred and glistening as if dead, pupils huge and gold-filmed. "I can't go," she said without a hint of agony, yet ****** everyone feel that the agony was there. "It would kill him to see me. Oh, Paddy, it would kill him! I know him so well-his pride, his ambition, his determination to be someone important. Let him bear the shame alone, it's what he wants. You read it. "Just don't tell my mother." We've got to help him keep his secret. What good will it do him or us to see him?"

Paddy was still weeping, but not for Frank; for the life which had gone from Fee's face, for the dying in her eyes. A Jonah, that's what the lad had always been; the bitter bringer of blight, forever standing between Fee and himself, the cause of her withdrawal from his heart and the hearts of his children. Every time it looked as if there might be happiness in store for Fee, Frank took it away. But Paddy's love for her was as deep and impossible to eradicate as hers was for Frank; he could never use the lad as his whipping boy again, not after that night in the presbytery. So he said, "Well, Fee, if you think it's better not to attempt to get in touch with him, we won't. Yet I'd like to know he was all right, that whatever can be done for him is being done. How about if I write to Father de Bricassart and ask him to look out for Frank?"

The eyes didn't liven, but a faint pink stole into her cheeks. "Yes, Paddy, do that. Only make sure he knows not to tell Frank we found out. Perhaps it would ease Frank to think for certain that we don't know."

同类推荐
  • 六十六

    六十六

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 女科精要

    女科精要

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 毗卢遮那五字真言修习仪轨

    毗卢遮那五字真言修习仪轨

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 医述

    医述

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 元洁莹禅师语录

    元洁莹禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 百生游

    百生游

    起源,轮回,人生,梦回,希望,问心。一切的一切又是一个开始。
  • 小妖玩游戏

    小妖玩游戏

    大爷的,拯救世界这么大的事,你就给我发一款游戏?
  • 空间小福女

    空间小福女

    谢依晴做梦也没想到,她刚买了一大袋零食,还没来得及吃上一口,就一不留神被“撞”进了古代。小小的姑娘,有一点点可爱,有一点点甜,有一点点迷糊,还有一点点……暴力倾向!还好,家里爷爷奶奶慈祥,爹娘宠溺,一家人齐心合力,努力打造出一片锦绣天地。只是这位公子,你跟走马灯似的,在这里转了这么多圈?不头晕吗?公子:仙女们,猜猜我是谁! 本文,温馨无虐,喜欢的小伙伴们,可以看过来。
  • 君子不邪

    君子不邪

    断仙台,登天梯,上神道,尊圣位。君子剑所指,归邪!
  • 梦游双生

    梦游双生

    玫瑰饼里真的有玫瑰吗?庄周的梦里真的有蝴蝶吗?
  • 将门虎女:太子殿下独家宠

    将门虎女:太子殿下独家宠

    她,是将门虎女,不爱红装爱武装,他,是当今太子,身处高位,却岌岌可危。她女扮男装上街逍遥,用自己弟弟的名号嚣张横行,自以为天衣无缝,没想到竟被他一眼识破,点名让她参加太子妃的选拔。太子妃选拔当天,她连夜逃遁,他千里追妻:“你,这辈子都休想逃!”--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 综漫之乱入之始

    综漫之乱入之始

    秦麟飞重生到超神学院,在十三岁那年晚上觉醒超能力,穿梭!一不注意到了火影世界。看看他如何开始新的人生吧!
  • 我在同学两亿岁世界里浪

    我在同学两亿岁世界里浪

    没什么好说的写着玩在家要疯,本书纯属扯淡
  • 我的西游很逆天

    我的西游很逆天

    一万年后的今天,三藏将重新踏上颠覆神权的「西行」之路!要让世人知道,这世上根本就不存在什么神仙佛陀,那不过是一群自命清高的匪徒,强加给世人的理念,好让世人都敬他,畏他!
  • 多幸运我能遇见你

    多幸运我能遇见你

    【最好的友谊和爱情,十六七岁的爱情不是叛逆,而是过早的遇见了对的人。】