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IX

IX

The battle for Cessation continued, with James Sorley in town trying to agree with everyone, and the Captain agreeing with no one and writing daily letters to the papers, in the library which long association had taught him was a better place to sleep in. On a May morning of 1853, Madam came in through the glass door open to the spring warmth, bringing to him the last Hobart Town Gazette.

"Perhaps a letter of yours will be in it, mon vieux," she said, not very hopefully. So few papers dared print the Captain's letters now.

He flirted over the pages; spread them out. Then he sprang page 144up with a great oath and a crumple of paper; snatched her about the waist. "It's come! It's come!" he shouted. "Glory to God! It's come!" He held the sheets out before her with a shaking hand. "Read, Jenny … See … 'Her Gracious Majesty's Government … irrevocably decided … cessation of transportation … Fourteenth December, 'fifty-three.' Cessation! By …" Here he became so unprintable that Madam was glad to be there. The robustness had gone out of life of late.

"God save the Queen!" she cried, rolling her lace handkerchief in a ball and tossing it up.

"God save her and damn Jim Sorley!" amended the Captain, hurrying off for his accordion. And a few moments later the maids gaping from the windows saw Madam and the Captain marching arm-in-arm round the great carriage-sweep, with a dozen glad dogs at their heels and the Captain making noises on the accordion which someone presently guessed to be the National Anthem.

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