the frozen deep-第10章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


to　demolish　your　bed…place。　I'll　have　it　down！　I　would　have　the
whole　hut　down；　if　they　would　only　give　me　the　chance　of　chopping
at　it！〃

A　long　strip　of　wood　fell　to　his　axlong　enough　to　require
cutting　in　two。　He　turned　it；　and　stooped　over　it。　Something
caught　his　eyeletters　carved　in　the　wood。　He　looked　closer。　The
letters　were　very　faintly　and　badly　cut。　He　could　only　make　out
the　first　three　of　them；　and　even　of　those　he　was　not　quite
certain。　They　looked　like　C　L　Aif　they　looked　like　anything。　He
threw　down　the　strip　of　wood　irritably。

〃Dn　the　fellow　（whoever　he　is）　who　cut　this！　Why　should　he
carve　_that_　name；　of　all　the　names　in　the　world？〃

He　paused；　consideringthen　determined　to　go　on　again　with　his
self…imposed　labor。　He　was　ashamed　of　his　own　outburst。　He　looked
eagerly　for　the　ax。　〃Work；　work！　Nothing　for　it　but　work。〃　He
found　the　ax；　and　went　on　again。

He　cut　out　another　plank。

He　stopped；　and　looked　at　it　suspiciously。

There　was　carving　again；　on　this　plank。　The　letters　F。　and　A。
appeared　on　it。

He　put　down　the　ax。　There　were　vague　misgivings　in　him　which　he
was　not　able　to　realize。　The　state　of　his　own　mind　was　fast
becoming　a　puzzle　to　him。

〃More　carving；〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃That's　the　way　these　young
idlers　employ　their　long　hours。　F。　A。？　Those　must　be　_his_
initialsFrank　Aldersley。　Who　c　arved　the　letters　on　the　other
plank？　Frank　Aldersley；　too？〃

He　turned　the　piece　of　wood　in　his　hand　nearer　to　the　light；　and
looked　lower　down　it。　More　carving　again；　lower　down！　Under　the
initials　F。　A。　were　two　more　lettersC。　B。

〃C。　B。？〃　he　repeated　to　himself。　〃His　sweet　heart's　initials；　I
suppose？　Of　courseat　his　agehis　sweetheart's　initials。〃

He　paused　once　more。　A　spasm　of　inner　pain　showed　the　shadow　of
its　mysterious　passage；　outwardly　on　his　face。

〃_Her_　cipher　is　C。　B。；〃　he　said；　in　low；　broken　tones。　〃C。
B。Clara　Burnham。〃

He　waited；　with　the　plank　in　his　hand；　repeating　the　name　over
and　over　again；　as　if　it　was　a　question　he　was　putting　to
himself。

〃Clara　Burnham？　Clara　Burnham？〃

He　dropped　the　plank；　and　turned　deadly　pale　in　a　moment。　His
eyes　wandered　furtively　backward　and　forward　between　the　strip　of
wood　on　the　floor　and　the　half…demolished　berth。　〃Oh；　God！　what
has　come　to　me　now？〃　he　said　to　himself；　in　a　whisper。　He
snatched　up　the　ax；　with　a　strange　crysomething　between　rage
and　terror。　He　triedfiercely；　desperately　triedto　go　on　with
his　work。　No！　strong　as　he　was；　he　could　not　use　the　ax。　His
hands　were　helpless；　they　trembled　incessantly。　He　went　to　the
fire；　he　held　his　hands　over　it。　They　still　trembled　incessantly；
they　infected　the　rest　of　him。　He　shuddered　all　over。　He　knew
fear。　His　own　thoughts　terrified　him。

〃Crayford！〃　he　cried　out。　〃Crayford！　come　here；　and　let's　go
hunting。〃

No　friendly　voice　answered　him。　No　friendly　face　showed　itself　at
the　door。

An　interval　passed；　and　there　came　over　him　another　change。　He
recovered　his　self…possession　almost　as　suddenly　as　he　had　lost
it。　A　smilea　horrid；　deforming；　unnatural　smilespread　slowly；
stealthily；　devilishly　over　his　face。　He　left　the　fire；　he　put
the　ax　away　softly　in　a　corner；　he　sat　down　in　his　old　place；
deliberately　self…abandoned　to　a　frenzy　of　vindictive　joy。　He　had
found　the　man！　There；　at　the　end　of　the　worldthere；　at　the　last
fight　of　the　Arctic　voyagers　against　starvation　and　death；　he　had
found　the　man！

The　minutes　passed。

He　became　conscious；　on　a　sudden；　of　a　freezing　stream　of　air
pouring　into　the　room。

He　turned；　and　saw　Crayford　opening　the　door　of　the　hut。　A　man
was　behind　him。　Wardour　rose　eagerly；　and　looked　over　Crayford's
shoulder。

Was　itcould　it　bethe　man　who　had　carved　the　letters　on　the
plank？　Yes！　Frank　Aldersley！



Chapter　11。


〃Still　at　work！〃　Crayford　exclaimed；　looking　at　the
half…demolished　bed…place。　〃Give　yourself　a　little　rest；　Richard。
The　exploring　party　is　ready　to　start。　If　you　wish　to　take　leave
of　your　brother　officers　before　they　go；　you　have　no　time　to
lose。〃

He　checked　himself　there；　looking　Wardour　full　in　the　face。

〃Good　Heavens！〃　he　cried；　〃how　pale　you　are！　Has　anything
happened？〃

Franksearching　in　his　locker　for　articles　of　clothing　which　he
might　require　on　the　journeylooked　round。　He　was　startled；　as
Crayford　had　been　startled；　by　the　sudden　change　in　Wardour　since
they　had　last　seen　him。

〃Are　you　ill？〃　he　asked。　〃I　hear　you　have　been　doing　Bateson's
work　for　him。　Have　you　hurt　yourself？〃

Wardour　suddenly　moved　his　head；　so　as　to　hide　his　face　from　both
Crayford　and　Frank。　He　took　out　his　handkerchief；　and　wound　it
clumsily　round　his　left　hand。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　hurt　myself　with　the　ax。　It's　nothing。　Never
mind。　Pain　always　has　a　curious　effect　on　me。　I　tell　you　it's
nothing！　Don't　notice　it！〃

He　turned　his　face　toward　them　again　as　suddenly　as　he　had　turned
it　away。　He　advanced　a　few　steps；　and　addressed　himself　with　an
uneasy　familiarity　to　Frank。

〃I　didn't　answer　you　civilly　when　you　spoke　to　me　some　little
time　since。　I　mean　when　I　first　came　in　here　along　with　the　rest
of　them。　I　apologize。　Shake　hands！　How　are　you？　Ready　for　the
march？〃

Frank　met　the　oddly　abrupt　advance　which　had　been　made　to　him
with　perfect　good　humor。

〃I　am　glad　to　be　friends　with　you；　Mr。　Wardour。　I　wish　I　was　as
well　seasoned　to　fatigue　as　you　are。〃

Wardour　burst　into　a　hard；　joyless；　unnatural　laugh。

〃Not　strong；　eh？　You　don't　look　it。　The　dice　had　better　have　sent
me　away；　and　kept　you　here。　I　never　felt　in　better　condition　in
my　life。〃　He　paused　and　added；　with　his　eye　on　Frank　and　with　a
strong　emphasis　on　the　words：　〃We　men　of　Kent　are　made　of　tough
material。〃

Frank　advanced　a　step　on　his　side；　with　a　new　interest　in　Richard
Wardour。

〃You　come　from　Kent？〃　he　said。

〃Yes。　From　East　Kent。〃　He　waited　a　little　once　more；　and　looked
hard　at　Frank。　〃Do　you　know　that　part　of　the　country？〃　he　asked。

〃I　ought　to　know　something　about　East　Kent；〃　Frank　answered。
〃Some　dear　friends　of　mine　once　lived　there。〃

〃Friends　of　yours？〃　Wardour　repeated。　〃One　of　the　county
families；　I　suppose？〃

As　he　put　the　question；　he　abruptly　looked　over　his　shoulder。　He
was　standing　between　Crayford　and　Frank。　Crayford；　taking　no　part
in　the　conversation；　had　been　watching　him；　and　listening　to　him
more　and　more　attentively　as　that　conversation　went　on。　Within
the　last　moment　or　two　Wardour　had　become　instinctively　conscious
of　this。　He　resented　Crayford's　conduct　with　needless
irritability。

〃Why　are　you　staring　at　me？〃　he　asked。

〃Why　are　you　looking　unlike　yourself？〃　Crayford　answered；
quietly。

Wardour　made　no　reply。　He　renewed　the　conversation　with　Frank。

〃One　of　the　county　families？〃　he　resumed。　〃The　Winterbys　of　Yew
Grange；　I　dare　say？〃

〃No；〃　said　Frank；　〃but　friends　of　the　Witherbys；　very　likely。　The
Burnhams。〃

Desperately　as　he　struggled　to　maintain　it；　Wardour's
self…control　failed　him。　He　started　violently。　The　clumsily…wound
handkerchief　fell　off　his　hand。　Still　looking　at　him　attentively；
Crayford　picked　it　up。

〃There　is　your　handkerchief；　Richard；〃　he　said。　〃Strange！〃

〃What　is　strange？〃

〃You　told　us　you　had　hurt　yourself　with　the　ax〃

〃Well？〃

〃There　is　no　blood　on　your　handkerchief。〃

Wardour　snatched　the　handkerchief　out　of　Crayford's　hand；　and；
turning　away；　approached　the　outer　door　of　the　hut。　〃No　blood　on
the　handkerchief；〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃There　may　be　a　stain　or
two　when　Crayford　sees　it　again。〃　He　stopped　within　a　few　paces
of　the　door；　and　spoke　to　Crayford。　〃You　recommended　me　to　take
leave　of　my　brother　officers　before　it　was　too　late；〃　he　said。　〃I
am　going　to　follow　your　advice。〃

The　door　was　opened　from　the　outer　side　as　he　laid　his　hand　on
the　lock。

One　of　the　quartermasters　of　the　_Wanderer_　entered　the　hut。

〃Is　Captain　Helding　here；　sir？〃　he　asked；　addressing　himself　to
Wardour。

Wardour　pointed　to　Crayford。

〃The　lieutenant　will　tell　you；〃　he　said。

Crayford　advanced　and　questioned　the　quartermaster。　〃What　do　you
want　with　Captain　Helding？〃　he　asked。

〃I　have　a　report　to　make；　sir。　There　has　been　an　accident　on　the
ice。〃

〃To　one　of　y