the frozen deep-第15章

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patient？　The　news　is　not　altogether　what　we　could　wish；　so　far　as
she　is　concerned。　I　felt　a　little　anxious；　to　tell　you　the　truth；
about　the　effect　of　it；　and　I　have　paid　my　visit　to…day　before　my
usual　time。　Not　that　I　take　a　gloomy　view　of　the　news　myself。　No！
There　is　clearly　a　doubt　about　the　correctness　of　the
information；　so　far　as　Mr。　Aldersley　is　concernedand　that　is　a
point；　a　great　point　in　Mr。　Aldersley's　favor。　I　give　him　the
benefit　of　the　doubt；　as　the　lawyers　say。　Does　Miss　Burnham　give
him　the　benefit　of　the　doubt　too？　I　hardly　dare　hope　it；　I
confess。〃

〃Miss　Burnham　has　grieved　and　alarmed　me；〃　Mrs。　Crayford
answered。　〃I　was　just　thinking　of　sending　for　you　when　we　met
here。〃

With　those　introductory　words；　she　told　the　doctor　exactly　what
had　happened；　repeating　not　only　the　conversation　of　that　morning
between　Clara　and　herself；　but　also　the　words　which　had　fallen
from　Clara；　in　the　trance　of　the　past　night。

The　doctor　listened　attentively。　Little　by　little；　its　easy
smiling　composure　vanished　from　his　face；　as　Mrs。　Crayford　went
on；　and　left　him　completely　transformed　into　a　grave　and
thoughtful　man。

〃Let　us　go　and　look　at　her；〃　he　said。

He　seated　himself　by　Clara's　side；　and　carefully　studied　her
face；　with　his　hand　on　her　pulse。　There　was　no　sympathy　here
between　the　dreamy　mystical　temperament　of　the　patient　and　the
downright　practical　character　of　the　doctor。　Clara　secretly
disliked　her　medical　attendant。　She　submitted　impatiently　to　the
close　investigation　of　which　he　made　her　the　object。　He
questioned　herand　she　answered　irritably。　Advancing　a　step
further　（the　doctor　was　not　easily　discouraged）　he　adverted　to
the　news　of　the　Expedition；　and　took　up　the　tone　of　remonstrance
which　had　been　already　adopted　by　Mrs。　Crayford。　Clara　declined
to　discuss　the　question。　She　rose　with　formal　politeness；　and
requested　permission　to　return　to　the　house。　The　doctor　attempted
no　further　resistance。　〃By　all　means；　Miss　Burnham；〃　he　answered；
resignedlyhaving　first　cast　a　look　at　Mrs。　Crayford　which　said
plainly；　〃Stay　here　with　me。〃　Clara　bowed　her　acknowledgments　in
co　ld　silence；　and　left　them　together。　The　doctor's　bright　eyes
followed　the　girl's　wasted；　yet　still　graceful　figure　as　it
slowly　receded　from　view；　with　an　expression　of　grave　anxiety
which　Mrs。　Crayford　noticed　with　grave　misgiving　on　her　side。　He
said　nothing；　until　Clara　had　disappeared　under　the　veranda　which
ran　round　the　garden…side　of　the　house。

〃I　think　you　told　me；〃　he　began；　〃that　Miss　Burnham　has　neither
father　nor　mother　living？〃

〃Yes。　Miss　Burnham　is　an　orphan。〃

〃Has　she　any　near　relatives？〃

〃No。　You　may　speak　to　me　as　her　guardian　and　her　friend。　Are　you
alarmed　about　her？〃

〃I　am　seriously　alarmed。　It　is　only　two　days　since　I　called　here
last；　and　I　see　a　marked　change　in　her　for　the　worsephysically
and　morally；　a　change　for　the　worse。　Don't　needlessly　alarm
yourself！　The　case　is　not；　I　trust；　entirely　beyond　the　reach　of
remedy。　The　great　hope　for　us　is　the　hope　that　Mr。　Aldersley　may
still　be　living。　In　that　event；　I　should　feel　no　misgivings　about
the　future。　Her　marriage　would　make　a　healthy　and　a　happy　woman
of　her。　But　as　things　are；　I　own　I　dread　that　settled　conviction
in　her　mind　that　Mr。　Aldersley　is　dead；　and　that　her　own　death　is
soon　to　follow。　In　her　present　state　of　health　this　idea
（haunting　her　as　it　certainly　will　night　and　day）　will　have　its
influence　on　her　body　as　well　as　on　her　mind。　Unless　we　can　check
the　mischief；　her　last　reserves　of　strength　will　give　way。　If　you
wish　for　other　advice；　by　all　means　send　for　it。　You　have　my
opinion。〃

〃I　am　quite　satisfied　with　your　opinion；〃　Mrs。　Crayford　replied。
〃For　God's　sake；　tell　me；　what　can　we　do？〃

〃We　can　try　a　complete　change；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃We　can　remove
her　at　once　from　this　place。〃

〃She　will　refuse　to　leave　it；〃　Mrs。　Crayford　rejoined。　〃I　have
more　than　once　proposed　a　change　to　herand　she　always　says　No。〃

The　doctor　paused　for　a　moment；　like　a　man　collecting　his
thoughts。

〃I　heard　something　on　my　way　here；〃　he　proceeded；　〃which　suggests
to　my　mind　a　method　of　meeting　the　difficulty　that　you　have　just
mentioned。　Unless　I　am　entirely　mistaken；　Miss　Burnham　will　not
say　No　to　the　change　that　I　have　in　view　for　her。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Mrs。　Crayford；　eagerly。

〃Pardon　me　if　I　ask　you　a　question；　on　my　part；　before　I　reply；〃
said　the　doctor。　〃Are　you　fortunate　enough　to　possess　any
interest　at　the　Admiralty？〃

〃Certainly。　My　father　is　in　the　Secretary's　office；　and　two　of
the　Lords　of　the　Admiralty　are　friends　of　his。〃

〃Excellent！　Now　I　can　speak　out　plainly　with　little　fear　of
disappointing　you。　After　what　I　have　said；　you　will　agree　with
me；　that　the　only　change　in　Miss　Burnham's　life　which　will　be　of
any　use　to　her　is　a　change　that　will　alter　the　present　tone　of
her　mind　on　the　subject　of　Mr。　Aldersley。　Place　her　in　a　position
to　discovernot　by　reference　to　her　own　distempered　fancies　and
visions；　but　by　reference　to　actual　evidence　and　actual
factwhether　Mr。　Aldersley　is；　or　is　not；　a　living　man；　and
there　will　be　an　end　of　the　hysterical　delusions　which　now
threaten　to　fatally　undermine　her　health。　Even　taking　matters　at
their　worsteven　assuming　that　Mr。　Aldersley　has　died　in　the
Arctic　seasit　will　be　less　injurious　to　her　to　discover　this
positively；　than　to　leave　her　mind　to　feed　on　its　own　morbid
superstitions　and　speculations；　for　weeks　and　weeks　together；
while　the　next　news　from　the　Expedition　is　on　its　way　to　England。
In　one　word；　I　want　you　to　be　in　a　position；　before　the　week　is
out；　to　put　Miss　Burnham's　present　conviction　to　a　practical
test。　Suppose　you　could　say　to　her；　'We　differ；　my　dear；　about
Mr。　Francis　Aldersley。　You　declare；　without　the　shadow　of　a
reason　for　it；　that　he　is　certainly　dead；　and；　worse　still；　that
he　has　died　by　the　act　of　one　of　his　brother　officers。　I　assert；
on　the　authority　of　the　newspaper；　that　nothing　of　the　sort　has
happened；　and　that　the　chances　are　all　in　favor　of　his　being
still　a　living　man。　What　do　you　say　to　crossing　the　Atlantic；　and
deciding　which　of　us　is　rightyou　or　I？'　Do　you　think　Miss
Burnham　will　say　No　to　that；　Mrs。　Crayford？　If　I　know　anything　of
human　nature；　she　will　seize　the　opportunity　as　a　means　of
converting　you　to　a　belief　in　the　Second　Sight。〃

〃Good　Heavens；　doctor！　do　you　mean　to　tell　me　that　we　are　to　go
to　sea　and　meet　the　Arctic　Expedition　on　its　way　home？〃

〃Admirably　guessed；　Mrs。　Crayford！　That　is　exactly　what　I　mean。〃

〃But　how　is　it　to　be　done？〃

〃I　will　tell　you　immediately。　I　mentioneddidn't　I？that　I　had
heard　something　on　my　road　to　this　house。〃

〃Yes　〃

〃Well；　I　met　an　old　friend　at　my　own　gate；　who　walked　with　me　a
part　of　the　way　here。　Last　night　my　friend　dined　with　the　admiral
at　Portsmouth。　Among　the　guests　there　was　a　member　of　the
Ministry　who　had　brought　the　news　about　the　Expedition　with　him
from　London。　This　gentleman　told　the　company　there　was　very
little　doubt　that　the　Admiralty　would　immediately　send　out　a
steam…vessel；　to　meet　the　rescued　men　on　the　shores　of　America；
and　bring　them　home。　Wait　a　little；　Mrs。　Crayford！　Nobody　knows；
as　yet；　under　what　rules　and　regulations　the　vessel　will　sail。
Under　somewhat　similar　circumstances；　privileged　people　have　been
received　as　passengers；　or　rather　as　guests；　in　her　majesty's
shipsand　what　has　been　conceded　on　former　occasions　may；　by
bare　possibility；　be　conceded　now。　I　can　say　no　more。　If　you　are
not　afraid　of　the　voyage　for　yourself；　I　am　not　afraid　of　it
（nay；　I　am　all　in　favor　of　it　on　medical　grounds）　for　my　patient。
What　do　you　say？　Will　you　write　to　your　father；　and　ask　him　to
try　what　his　interest　will　do　with　his　friends　at　the　Admiralty？〃

Mrs。　Crayford　rose　excitedly　to　her　feet。

〃Write！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃I　will　do　better　than　write。　The　journey
to　London　is　no　great　matterand　my　housekeeper　here　is　to　be
trusted　to　take　care　of　Clara　in　my　absence。　I　will　see　my　father
to…night！　He　shall　make　good　use　of　his　interest　at　the
Admiraltyyou　may　rely　on　that。　Oh；　my　dear　doctor；　what　a
prospect　it　is！　My　husband！　Clara！　What　a　discovery　you　h