The whole will be under the direction of that capital stage
manager, Mr. R. Barry, who will take occasion to repeat his celebrated
epilogue, in which he will - if the audience demand it - introduce again his
finely melodramatic apostrophe to the thunder.
"With such a programme, what but an exceedingly successful farce can be
anticipated? A little overdone by excessive repetition, it may be said;
but still an admirable farce; and, as we have said, this is positively
the last performance. Therefore, let it go on; or as Jack Falstaff says,
'play out the play.'"
Of course, I leave it to my good reader to guess, whether after four long
months in gaol, which ruined my health for ever, I did laugh or curse on
reading the above.
Concerning the four documents above, so far so good for the present;
and the Farce will be produced on the stage of 'Teatro' Argentina, Roma,
by Great-works. The importance of the following observation, however,
is obvious to any reader who took the proper trouble to understand the
text of the first chapter of this book.
Why Dr. A. Carr, Sub-inspector Carter, Messrs. Gordon and Binney were not
present as witnesses on my trial, was, and is still, a MYSTERY to me.
'Sunt tempora nostra! nam perdidi spem: Melior nunc lingua favere.'
Chapter XC.
Peccator Videbit Et Irascetur; Dentibus Suis Fremet Et Tabescet:
Desiderium Peccatorum Peribit.
AT the end of Mr. Aspinall's able oration, the jury appeared to me, to be
decidedly willing to let me go, with an admonition to sin no more:
because Mr. Aspinall took the same line of defence as Mr. Michie, the
counsel in the trial of John Manning; that is, he confessed to the riot,
but laughed at the treason. However rashly the diggers had acted in
taking up arms, however higgledy-piggledy had been the management of the
stockade, yet they were justified in resisting unconstitutional force
by force.
His Honour tried the patience of the jury; well knowing by experience,
that twelve true-born Britons can always afford to put up with a good
long yarn.
The jury retired at nine o'clock. My first thought was directed to the
Lord my God and my Redeemer. Then naturally enough, to sustain my
courage, I was among my dear friends at Rome and London.
To remain in the felon's dock whilst your JURY consult on your fate,
is a sensation very peculiar in its kind. To be or not to be; that is the
actual matter-of-fact question. Three letters making up the most
important monosyllable in the language, which if pronounced is life, if
omitted is death: an awkward position for an innocent man especially.
The jury, after twenty minutes past nine, were again in the jury-box.
I was satisfied by their countenances that 'the People' were victorious.
The Clerk of the Court: "Gentlemen of the Jury, have you considered
your verdict?"
Foreman: "We have."
The Clerk: "Do you find the prisoner at the bar Guilty or Not Guilty?"
Foreman, with a firm voice: "NOT GUILTY!"
'Magna opera Domini' - (God save the People) - thus my chains sprang
asunder. The people inside telegraphed the good news to the crowd
outside, and "Hurrah!" rent the air in the old British style.
Chapter XCI.
Accidenti Alle Spie.
I WAS soon at the portal of the Supreme Court, a free man. I thought the
people would have smothered me in their demonstrations of joy. Requesting
silence, I stretched forth my right hand towards heaven, and with the
earnestness of a Christian did pray as follows: - I hereby transcribe the
prayer as written in pencil on paper whilst in gaol in the lower cell,
No. 33.
"LORD GOD OF ISRAEL, our Father in Heaven! we acknowledge our
transgressions since we came into this our adopted land. Intemperance,
greediness, the pampering of many bad passions, have provoked Thee against
us; yet, Oh, Lord our God, if in thy justice, Thou are called upon to
chastise us, in Thy mercy save this land of Victoria from the curse of the
'spy system.'"
Timothy Hayes answered, "Amen," and so did all the people, present, and so
will my good reader answer, Amen.
Chapter XCII. & XCIII.
TO LET, No. 33, LOWER CRIBS, IN WINTLE'S HOTEL, NORTH MELBOURNE.
See 'Geelong Advertiser', November 18th.
MACKAY v. HARRISON.
'Merci bien, je sors d'en prendre.'
The pair of chapters will see darkness 'SINE DIE'; that is, if under
another flag, also in another language.
GREAT-WORKS.
'Hesperia! Quando Ego te Auspiciam? Quandoque Licebit Nunc Veterum Libris,
Nunc Somno Et Inertibus Horis, Ducere Solicitae Licunda Oblivia Vitae.'
Chapter XCIV.
EXPLANATION,
TO BE SUBMITTED TO
HER MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY
QUEEN VICTORIA, LONDON,
AND TO
HIS HOLINESS PIUS IX., PONTIFEX MAXIMUS,
ROME.
BY
MY BROTHER DON ANTONIO CARBONI, D.D.,
Head-master of the Grammar School, Coriano, Romagna.
- - -
'Homo Sum, Nil Humani a me Alienum Puto.'
How do I explain, that I allowed one full year to pass away before
publishing my story, whilst many, soon after my acquittal, heard me in
person, corroborate, not indeed boastingly, the impression that I was the
identical brave fellow before whose pike a British soldier was coward
enough to run away.
I have one excuse, and 'it is an excuse.'
The cast of mind which Providence was pleased to assign me was terribly
shaken during four long, long months suffering in gaol, especially,
considering the company I was in, which was my misery. The excitement
during my trial, my glorious acquittal by a British jury, the hearty
acclamations of joy from the people, made me put up with the ignominy
and the impotent teeth-gnashing of silver and gold lace; and for the cause
of the diggers to which I was sincerely attached, I was not sorry at the
Toorak spiders having lent me the wings of an hero - the principal foreign
hero of the Eureka stockade.
