the frozen deep-第14章

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besides；　she　had　no　sympathy；　as　they　sat　together　in　the
pleasant　sunshine；　with　Clara's　gloomy　despair　of　the　future。
She；　who　could　still　hope；　had　nothing　to　say　to　the　sad
companion　who　had　done　with　hope。　So　the　quiet　minutes　succeeded
each　other；　and　the　two　friends　sat　side　by　side　in　silence。

An　hour　passed；　and　the　gate…bell　of　the　villa　rang。

They　both　startedthey　both　knew　the　ring。　It　was　the　hour　when
the　postman　brought　their　newspapers　from　London。　In　past　days；
what　hundreds　on　hundreds　of　times　they　had　torn　off　the　cover
which　inclosed　the　newspaper；　and　looked　at　the　same　column　with
the　same　weary　mingling　of　hope　and　despair！　There　to…dayas　it
was　yesterday；　as　it　would　be；　if　they　lived；　to…morrowthere
was　the　servant　with　Lucy's　newspaper　and　Clara's　newspaper　in
his　hand！

Would　both　of　them　do　again　to…day　what　both　had　done　so　often　in
the　days　that　were　gone？

No！　Mrs。　Crayford　removed　the　cover　from　her　newspaper　as　usual。
Clara　laid　_her_　newspaper　aside；　unopened；　on　the　garden　seat。

In　silence；　Mrs。　Crayford　looked；　where　she　always　looked；　at　the
column　devoted　to　the　Latest　Intelligence　from　foreign　parts。　The
instant　her　eye　fell　on　the　page　she　started　with　a　loud　cry　of
joy。　The　newspaper　fell　from　her　trembling　hand。　She　caught　Clara
in　her　arms。　〃Oh；　my　darling！　my　darling！　news　of　them　at　last。〃

Without　answering；　without　the　slightest　change　in　look　or
manner；　Clara　took　the　newspaper　from　the　ground；　and　read　the
top　line　in　the　column；　printed　in　capital　letters：

THE　ARCTIC　EXPEDITION。

She　waited；　and　looked　at　Mrs。　Crayford。

〃Can　you　bear　to　hear　it；　Lucy；〃　she　asked；　〃if　I　read　it　aloud？〃

Mrs。　Crayford　was　too　agitated　to　answer　in　words。　She　signed
impatiently　to　Clara　to　go　on。

Clara　read　the　news　which　followed　the　heading　in　capital
letters。　Thus　it　ran：

〃The　following　intelligence；　from　St。　Johns；　Newfoundland；　has
reached　us　for　publication。　The　whaling…vessel　_Blythew　ood_　is
reported　to　have　met　with　the　surviving　officers　and　men　of　the
Expedition　in　Davis　Strait。　Many　are　stated　to　be　dead；　and　some
are　supposed　to　be　missing。　The　list　of　the　saved；　as　collected
by　the　people　of　the　whaler；　is　not　vouched　for　as　being
absolutely　correct；　the　circumstances　having　been　adverse　to
investigation。　The　vessel　was　pressed　for　time；　and　the　members
of　the　Expedition；　all　more　or　less　suffering　from　exhaustion；
were　not　in　a　position　to　give　the　necessary　assistance　to
inquiry。　Further　particulars　may　be　looked　for　by　the　next　mail。〃

The　list　of　the　survivors　followed；　beginning　with　the　officers
in　the　order　of　their　rank。　They　both　read　the　list　together。　The
first　name　was　Captain　Helding；　the　second　was　Lieutenant
Crayford。

There　the　wife's　joy　overpowered　her。　After　a　pause；　she　put　her
arm　around　Clara's　waist；　and　spoke　to　her。

〃Oh；　my　love！〃　she　murmured；　〃are　you　as　happy　as　I　am？　Is
Frank's　name　there　too？　The　tears　are　in　my　eyes。　Read　for　meI
can't　read　for　myself。〃

The　answer　came；　in　still；　sad　tones：

〃I　have　read　as　far　as　your　husband's　name。　I　have　no　need　to
read　further。〃

Mrs。　Crayford　dashed　the　tears　from　her　eyessteadied
herselfand　looked　at　the　newspaper。

On　the　list　of　the　survivors；　the　search　was　vain。　Frank's　name
was　not　among　them。　On　a　second　list；　headed　〃Dead　or　Missing；〃
the　first　two　names　that　appeared　were：

FRANCIS　ALDERSLEY。　RICHARD　WARDOUR。

In　speechless　distress　and　dismay；　Mrs。　Crayford　looked　at　Clara。
Had　she　force　enough　in　her　feeble　health　to　sustain　the　shock
that　had　fallen　on　her？　Yes！　she　bore　it　with　a　strange　unnatural
resignationshe　looked；　she　spoke；　with　the　sad　self…possession
of　despair。

〃I　was　prepared　for　it；〃　she　said。　〃I　saw　them　in　the　spirit　last
night。　Richard　Wardour　has　discovered　the　truth；　and　Frank　has
paid　the　penalty　with　his　lifeand　I；　I　alone；　am　to　blame。〃　She
shuddered；　and　put　her　hand　on　her　heart。　〃We　shall　not　be　long
parted；　Lucy。　I　shall　go　to　him。　He　will　not　return　to　me。〃

Those　words　were　spoken　with　a　calm　certainty　of　conviction　that
was　terrible　to　hear。　〃I　have　no　more　to　say；〃　she　added；　after　a
moment；　and　rose　to　return　to　the　house。　Mrs。　Crayford　caught　her
by　the　hand；　and　forced　her　to　take　her　seat　again。

〃Don't　look　at　me；　don't　speak　to　me；　in　that　horrible　manner！〃
she　exclaimed。　〃Clara！　it　is　unworthy　of　a　reasonable　being；　it
is　doubting　the　mercy　of　God；　to　say　what　you　have　just　said。
Look　at　the　newspaper　again。　See！　They　tell　you　plainly　that
their　information　is　not　to　be　depended　onthey　warn　you　to　wait
for　further　particulars。　The　very　words　at　the　top　of　the　list
show　how　little　they　knew　of　the　truth　'Dead　_or_　Missing！'　On
their　own　showing；　it　is　quite　as　likely　that　Frank　is　missing　as
that　Frank　is　dead。　For　all　you　know；　the　next　mail　may　bring　a
letter　from　him。　Are　you　listening　to　me？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Can　you　deny　what　I　say？〃

〃No。〃

〃'Yes！'　'No！'　Is　that　the　way　to　answer　me　when　I　am　so
distressed　and　so　anxious　about　you？〃

〃I　am　sorry　I　spoke　as　I　did；　Lucy。　We　look　at　some　subjects　in
very　different　ways。　I　don't　dispute；　dear；　that　yours　is　the
reasonable　view。〃

〃You　don't　dispute？〃　retorted　Mrs。　Crayford；　warmly。　〃No！　you　do
what　is　worseyou　believe　in　your　own　opinion；　you　persist　in
your　own　conclusionwith　the　newspaper　before　you！　Do　you；　or　do
you　not；　believe　the　newspaper？〃

〃I　believe　in　what　I　saw　last　night。〃

〃In　what　you　saw　last　night！　You；　an　educated　woman；　a　clever
woman；　believing　in　a　vision　of　your　own　fancya　mere　dream！　I
wonder　you　are　not　ashamed　to　acknowledge　it！〃

〃Call　it　a　dream　if　you　like；　Lucy。　I　have　had　other　dreams　at
other　timesand　I　have　known　them　to　be　fulfilled。〃

〃Yes！〃　said　Mrs。　Crayford。　〃For　once　in　a　way　they　may　have　been
fulfilled；　by　chanceand　you　notice　it；　and　remember　it；　and　pin
your　faith　on　it。　Come；　Clara；　be　honest！What　about　the
occasions　when　the　chance　has　been　against　you；　and　your　dreams
have　not　been　fulfilled？　You　superstitious　people　are　all　alike。
You　conveniently　forget　when　your　dreams　and　your　presentiments
prove　false。　For　my　sake；　dear；　if　not　for　your　own；〃　she
continued；　in　gentler　and　tenderer　tones；　〃try　to　be　more
reasonable　and　more　hopeful。　Don't　lose　your　trust　in　the　future；
and　your　trust　in　God。　God；　who　has　saved　my　husband；　can　save
Frank。　While　there　is　doubt；　there　is　hope。　Don't　embitter　my
happiness；　Clara！　Try　to　think　as　I　thinkif　it　is　only　to　show
that　you　love　me。〃

She　put　her　arm　round　the　girl's　neck；　and　kissed　her。　Clara
returned　the　kiss；　Clara　answered；　sadly　and　submissively；

〃I　do　love　you；　Lucy。　I　_will_　try。〃

Having　answered　in　those　terms；　she　sighed　to　herself；　and　said
no　more。　It　would　have　been　plain；　only　too　plain；　to　far　less
observant　eyes　than　Mrs。　Crayford's　that　no　salutary　impression
had　been　produced　on　her。　She　had　ceased　to　defend　her　own　way　of
thinking；　she　spoke　of　it　no　morebut　there　was　the　terrible
conviction　of　Frank's　death　at　Wardour's　hands　rooted　as　firmly
as　ever　in　her　mind！　Discouraged　and　distressed；　Mrs。　Crayford
left　her；　and　walked　back　toward　the　house。



Chapter　15。


At　the　drawing…room　window　of　the　villa　there　appeared　a　polite
little　man；　with　bright　intelligent　eyes；　and　cheerful　sociable
manners。　Neatly　dressed　in　professional　black；　he　stood；
self…proclaimed；　a　prosperous　country　doctorsuccessful　and
popular　in　a　wide　circle　of　patients　and　friends。　As　Mrs。
Crayford　approached　him；　he　stepped　out　briskly　to　meet　her　on
the　lawn；　with　both　hands　extended　in　courteous　and　cordial
greeting。

〃My　dear　madam；　accept　my　heartfelt　congratulations！〃　cried　the
doctor。　〃I　have　seen　the　good　news　in　the　paper；　and　I　could
hardly　feel　more　rejoiced　than　I　do　now　if　I　had　the　honor　of
knowing　Lieutenant　Crayford　personally。　We　mean　to　celebrate　the
occasion　at　home。　I　said　to　my　wife　before　I　came　out；　'A　bottle
of　the　old　Madeira　at　dinner　to…day；　mind！to　drink　the
lieutenant's　health；　God　bless　him！'　And　how　is　our　interesting
patient？　The　news　is　not　altogether　what　we　could　wish；　so　far　as
she　is　concerned。　I　felt　a　little　anxious；