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Chapter 8
JusticeFitzHugh-Cunneallycalledhisact"subhumansavagery,"andregrettedthatthedrunkenunpremeditatednatureofthecrimeprecludedhanging,asheregardedCleary’shandsasaweaponquiteasdeadlyasagunorknife.Clearywassentencedtolifeimprisonmentathardlabor,thesentencetobeservedinGoulburnGaol,thisinstitutionbeingonedesignedforviolentlydisposedprisoners.Askedifhehadanythingsosay,Clearyanswered,"Justdon’ttellmymother."
Paddylookedatthetopofthepagetoseethedate:December6,1925."Ithappenedoverthreeyearsago,"hesaidhelplessly.
Nooneansweredhimormoved,fornooneknewwhattodo;fromthefrontofthehousecamethegleefullaughterofthetwins,theirhighvoicesraisedinchatter.
"‘Just—don’t—tellmymother,’"saidFeenumbly."Andnoonedid!Oh,God!Mypoor,poorFrank!"
Paddywipedthetearsfromhisfacewiththebackofhisfreehand,thensquatteddowninfrontofher,pattingherlapgently.
"Feedear,packyourthings.We’llgotohim."
Shehalf-rosebeforesinkingback,hereyesinhersmallwhitefacestarredandglisteningasifdead,pupilshugeandgold-filmed.
"Ican’tgo,"shesaidwithoutahintofagony,yetmakingeveryonefeelthattheagonywasthere."Itwouldkillhimtoseeme.Oh,Paddy,itwouldkillhim!Iknowhimsowell—hispride,hisambition,hisdeterminationtobesomeoneimportant.Lethimbeartheshamealone,it’swhathewants.Youreadit.‘Justdon’ttellmymother.