the frozen deep-第11章

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want　with　Captain　Helding？〃　he　asked。

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

〃To　one　of　your　men？〃

〃No；　sir。　To　one　of　our　officers。〃

Wardour；　on　the　point　of　going　out；　paused　when　the　quartermaster
made　that　reply。　For　a　moment　he　considered　with　himself。　Then　he
walked　slowly　back　to　the　part　of　the　room　in　which　Frank　was
standing。　Crayford；　directing　the　quartermaster；　pointed　to　the
arched　door　way　in　the　side　of　the　hut。

〃I　am　sorry　to　hear　of　the　accident；〃　he　said。　〃You　will　find
Captain　Helding　in　that　room。〃

For　the　second　time；　with　singular　persistency；　Wardour　renewed
the　conversation　with　Frank。

〃So　you　knew　the　Burnhams？〃　he　said。　〃What　became　of　Clara　when
her　father　died？〃

Frank's　face　flushed　angrily　on　the　instant。

〃Clara！〃　he　repeated。　〃What　authorizes　you　to　speak　of　Miss
Burnham　in　that　familiar　manner？〃

Wardour　seized　the　opportunity　of　quarreling　with　him。

〃What　right　have　you　to　ask？〃　he　retorted；　coarsely。

Frank's　blood　was　up。　He　forgot　his　promise　to　Clara　to　keep
their　engagement　secrethe　forgot　everything　but　the　unbridled
insolence　of　Wardour's　language　and　manner。

〃A　right　which　I　insist　on　your　respecting；〃　he　answered。　〃The
right　of　being　engaged　to　marry　her。〃

Crayford's　steady　eyes　were　still　on　the　watch；　and　Wardour　felt
them　on　him。　A　little　more　and　Crayford　might　openly　interfere。
Even　Wardour　recognized　for　once　the　necessity　of　controlling　his
temper；　cost　him　what　it　might。　He　made　his　apologies；　with
overstrained　politeness；　to　Frank。

〃Impos　sible　to　dispute　such　a　right　as　yours；〃　he　said。　〃Perhaps
you　will　excuse　me　when　you　know　that　I　am　one　of　Miss　Burnham's
old　friends。　My　father　and　her　father　were　neighbors。　We　have
always　met　like　brother　and　sister〃

Frank　generously　stopped　the　apology　there。

〃Say　no　more；〃　he　interposed。　〃I　was　in　the　wrongI　lost　my
temper。　Pray　forgive　me。〃

Wardour　looked　at　him　with　a　strange；　reluctant　interest　while　he
was　speaking。　Wardour　asked　an　extraordinary　question　when　he　had
done。

〃Is　she　very　fond　of　you？〃

Frank　burst　out　laughing。

〃My　dear　fellow；〃　he　said；　〃come　to　our　wedding；　and　judge　for
yourself。〃

〃Come　to　your　wedding？〃　As　he　repeated　the　words　Wardour　stole
one　glance　at　Frank　which　Frank　（employed　in　buckling　his
knapsack）　failed　to　see。　Crayford　noticed　it；　and　Crayford's
blood　ran　cold。　Comparing　the　words　which　Wardour　had　spoken　to
him　while　they　were　alone　together　with　the　words　that　had　just
passed　in　his　presence；　he　could　draw　but　one　conclusion。　The
woman　whom　Wardour　had　loved　and　lost　wasClara　Burnham。　The　man
who　had　robbed　him　of　her　was　Frank　Aldersley。　And　Wardour　had
discovered　it　in　the　interval　since　they　had　last　met。　〃Thank
God！〃　thought　Crayford；　〃the　dice　have　parted　them！　Frank　goes
with　the　expedition；　and　Wardour　stays　behind　with　me。〃

The　reflection　had　barely　occurred　to　himFrank's　thoughtless
invitation　to　Wardour　had　just　passed　his　lipswhen　the　canvas
screen　over　the　doorway　was　drawn　aside。　Captain　Helding　and　the
officers　who　were　to　leave　with　the　exploring　party　returned　to
the　main　room　on　their　way　out。　Seeing　Crayford；　Captain　Helding
stopped　to　speak　to　him。

〃I　have　a　casualty　to　report；〃　said　the　captain；　〃which
diminishes　our　numbers　by　one。　My　second　lieutenant；　who　was　to
have　joined　the　exploring　party；　has　had　a　fall　on　the　ice。
Judging　by　what　the　quartermaster　tells　me；　I　am　afraid　the　poor
fellow　has　broken　his　leg。〃

〃I　will　supply　his　place；〃　cried　a　voice　at　the　other　end　of　the
hut。

Everybody　looked　round。　The　man　who　had　spoken　was　Richard
Wardour。

Crayford　instantly　interferedso　vehemently　as　to　astonish　all
who　knew　him。

〃No！〃　he　said。　〃Not　you；　Richard！　not　you！〃

〃Why　not？〃　Wardour　asked；　sternly。

〃Why　not；　indeed？〃　added　Captain　Helding。　〃Wardour　is　the　very
man　to　be　useful　on　a　long　march。　He　is　in　perfect　health；　and　he
is　the　best　shot　among　us。　I　was　on　the　point　of　proposing　him
myself。〃

Crayford　failed　to　show　his　customary　respect　for　his　superior
officer。　He　openly　disputed　the　captain's　conclusion。

〃Wardour　has　no　right　to　volunteer；〃　he　rejoined。　〃It　has　been
settled；　Captain　Helding；　that　chance　shall　decide　who　is　to　go
and　who　is　to　stay。〃

〃And　chance　_has_　decided　it；〃　cried　Wardour。　〃Do　you　think　we
are　going　to　cast　the　dice　again；　and　give　an　officer　of　the
_Sea…mew_　a　chance　of　replacing　an　officer　of　the　_Wanderer_？
There　is　a　vacancy　in　our　party；　not　in　yours；　and　we　claim　the
right　of　filling　it　as　we　please。　I　volunteer；　and　my　captain
backs　me。　Whose　authority　is　to　keep　me　here　after　that？〃

〃Gently；　Wardour；〃　said　Captain　Helding。　〃A　man　who　is　in　the
right　can　afford　to　speak　with　moderation。〃　He　turned　to
Crayford。　〃You　must　admit　yourself；〃　he　continued；　〃that　Wardour
is　right　this　time。　The　missing　man　belongs　to　my　command；　and　in
common　justice　one　of　my　officers　ought　to　supply　his　place。〃

It　was　impossible　to　dispute　the　matter　further。　The　dullest　man
present　could　see　that　the　captain's　reply　was　unanswerable。　In
sheer　despair；　Crayford　took　Frank's　arm　and　led　him　aside　a　few
steps。　The　last　chance　left　of　parting　the　two　men　was　the　chance
of　appealing　to　Frank。

〃My　dear　boy；〃　he　began；　〃I　want　to　say　one　friendly　word　to　you
on　the　subject　of　your　health。　I　have　already；　if　you　remember；
expressed　my　doubts　whether　you　are　strong　enough　to　make　one　of
an　exploring　party。　I　feel　those　doubts　more　strongly　than　ever
at　this　moment。　Will　you　take　the　advice　of　a　friend　who　wishes
you　well？〃

Wardour　had　followed　Crayford。　Wardour　roughly　interposed　before
Frank　could　reply。

〃Let　him　alone！〃

Crayford　paid　no　heed　to　the　interruption。　He　was　too　earnestly
bent　on　withdrawing　Frank　from　the　expedition　to　notice　anything
that　was　said　or　done　by　the　persons　about　him。

〃Don't；　pray　don't；　risk　hardships　which　you　are　unfit　to　bear！〃
he　went　on；　entreatingly。　〃Your　place　can　be　easily　filled。
Change　your　mind；　Frank。　Stay　here　with　me。〃

Again　Wardour　interfered。　Again　he　called　out；　〃Leave　him　alone！〃
more　roughly　than　ever。　Still　deaf　and　blind　to　every
consideration　but　one；　Crayford　pressed　his　entreaties　on　Frank。

〃You　owned　yourself　just　now　that　you　were　not　well　seasoned　to
fatigue；〃　he　persisted。　〃You　feel　（you　_must_　feel）　how　weak　that
last　illness　has　left　you？　You　know　（I　am　sure　you　know）　how
unfit　you　are　to　brave　exposure　to　cold；　and　long　marches　over
the　snow。〃

Irritated　beyond　endurance　by　Crayford's　obstinacy；　seeing；　or
thinking　he　saw；　signs　of　yielding　in　Frank's　face；　Wardour　so
far　forgot　himself　as　to　seize　Crayford　by　the　arm　and　attempt　to
drag　him　away　from　Frank。　Crayford　turned　and　looked　at　him。

〃Richard；〃　he　said；　very　quietly；　〃you　are　not　yourself。　I　pity
you。　Drop　your　hand。〃

Wardour　relaxed　his　hold；　with　something　of　the　sullen　submission
of　a　wild　animal　to　its　keeper。　The　momentary　silence　which
followed　gave　Frank　an　opportunity　of　speaking　at　last。

〃I　am　gratefully　sensible；　Crayford；〃　he　began；　〃of　the　interest
which　you　take　in　me〃

〃And　you　will　follow　my　advice？〃　Crayford　interposed；　eagerly。

〃My　mind　is　made　up；　old　friend；〃　Frank　answered；　firmly　and
sadly。　〃Forgive　me　for　disappointing　you。　I　am　appointed　to　the
expedition。　With　the　expedition　I　go。〃　He　moved　nearer　to
Wardour。　In　his　innocence　of　all　suspicion　he　clapped　Wardour
heartily　on　the　shoulder。　〃When　I　feel　the　fatigue；〃　said　poor
simple　Frank；　〃you　will　help　me；　comradewon't　you？　Come　along！〃

Wardour　snatched　his　gun　out　of　the　hands　of　the　sailor　who　was
carrying　it　for　him。　His　dark　face　became　suddenly　irradiated
with　a　terrible　joy。

〃Come！〃　he　cried。　〃Over　the　snow　and　over　the　ice！　Come！　where　no
human　footsteps　have　ever　trodden；　and　where　no　human　trace　is
ever　left。〃

Blindly；　instinctively；　Crayford　made　an　effort　to　part　them。　His
brother　officers；　standing　near；　pulled　him　back。　They　looked　at
each　other　anxiously。　The　merciless　cold；　striking　its　victims　in
various　ways；　had　struck　in　some　instances　at　their　reason　first。
Everybody　loved　Crayford。　Was　he；　t