Life wasbigger than mens little jumped-up notions
of themselves. What this country needs is engineers, notlog-rollers. Like the carrot
they hang in frontof the donkey to keep it jogging, he used to say.
Out in the yard a man was hard at work filling the
water-butts atthe kitchen door. Swaggie kicked the bucket down the
FiveMile.
You dont think they lined theirpockets by observing
the Commandments, do you?
I made this valley so men could live in
it?
He was lying in his bunk wrapped up to the ears in
blankets.
No, I dont hold with Chows in a white mans
country.
The old man cleared a space before him with asweep
of his arm. Down in Brisbane the Government was bankrupt, men were rioting
forbread.
I havent been intriguing with anybody, James said
sulkily.
And looking at Emma he repeated it
defiantly.
I been wanting a place of my ownand theres a lot
like me. Its good to think therell be more likeyourself. Being like a mirageand
having no face to speak of.
His voice that was like a bad-tempered dogs yapping
went up halfan octave. Too hot for your namby-pamby hide, is it? Emma would bring
him the food hastily and thrust it into his hands. A gentleman whose grandmother
came out with her convict husbandand had him flogged to death.
The characters in this book are
fictional.
I dont hold with agitators, Berry said stubbornly.
Harriet, thats what well call you, little one, Cabell said,dandling the sickly
newly-born. Copyright laws are changing all over the world.
Never lickspittled to any man, Berry
said.
Life wasbigger than mens little jumped-up notions
of themselves. Ones got his fist on the land and the others just letwork on
it.
For half a minute longer the only movement at the
table was fromthe youngest boy, Geoffrey.
He liftedhimself on his elbow and let the blankets
fall.
Her eyes widened lookingat them, and the heat flush
deepened on her face. A hundred thousand quids worth, and what did we get? Gurseys
head appeared over the edge of the counter again. One of these days youll be worth
your weight in gold a hundredtimes.