贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > the frozen deep >

第16章

the frozen deep-第16章

小说: the frozen deep 字数: 每页4000字

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!



Admiraltyyou may rely on that。 Oh; my dear doctor; what a
prospect it is! My husband! Clara! What a discovery you have
madewhat a treasure you are! How can I thank you?〃

〃Compose yourself; my dear madam。 Don't make too sure of success。
We may consider Miss Burnham's objections as disposed of
beforehand。 But suppose the Lords of the Admiralty say No?〃

〃In that case; I shall be in London; doctor; and I shall go to
them myself。 Lords are only men; and men are not in the habit of
saying No to me。〃

So they parted。



In a week from that day; her majesty's ship _Amazon_ sailed for
North America。 Certain privileged persons; specially interested
in the Arctic voyagers; were permitted to occupy the empty
state…rooms on board。 On the list of these favored guests of the
ship were the names of two ladiesMrs。 Crayford and Miss
Burnham。



Fifth Scene

The Boat…House。

Chapter 16。


Once more the open seathe sea whose waters break on the shores
of Newfoundland! An English steamship lies at anchor in the
offing。 The vessel is plainly visible through the open doorway of
a large boat…house on the shoreone of the buildings attached to
a fishing…station on the coast of the island。

The only person in the boat…house at this moment is a man in the
dress of a sailor。 He is seated on a chest; with a piece of cord
in his hand; looking out idly at the sea。 On the rough
carpenter's table near him lies a strange object to be left in
such a placea woman's veil。

What is the vessel lying at anchor in the offing?

The vessel is the _Amazon_dispatched from England to receive
the surviving officers and men of the Arctic Expedition。 The
meeting has been successfully effected; on the shores of North
America; three days since。 But the homeward voyage has been
delayed by a storm which has driven the ship out of her course。
Taking advantage; on the third day; of the first returning calm;
the commander of the _Amazon_ has anchored off the coast of
Newfoundland; and has sent ashore to increase his supplies of
water before he sails for England。 The weary passengers have
landed for a few hours; to refresh themselves after the
discomforts of the tempest。 Among them are the two ladies。 The
veil left on the table in the boat…house is Clara's veil。

And who is the man si tting on the chest; with the cord in his
hand; looking out idly at the sea? The man is the only cheerful
person in the ship's company。 In other wordsJohn Want。

Still reposing on the chest; our friend; who never grumbles; is
surprised by the sudden appearance of a sailor at the boat…house
door。

〃Look sharp with your work there; John Want!〃 says the sailor。
〃Lieutenant Crayford is just coming in to look after you。〃

With this warning the messenger disappears again。 John Want rises
with a groan; turns the chest up on one end; and begins to fasten
the cord round it。 The ship's cook is not a man to look back on
his rescue with the feeling of unmitigated satisfaction which
animates his companions in trouble。 On the contrary; he is
ungratefully disposed to regret the North Pole。

〃If I had only known〃thus runs the train of thought in the mind
of John Want〃if I had only known; before I was rescued; that I
was to be brought to this place; I believe I should have
preferred staying at the North Pole。 I was very happy keeping up
everybody's spirits at the North Pole。 Taking one thing with
another; I think I must have been very comfortable at the North
Poleif I had only known it。 Another man in my place might be
inclined to say that this Newfoundland boat…house was rather a
sloppy; slimy; draughty; fishy sort of a habitation to take
shelter in。 Another man might object to perpetual Newfoundland
fogs; perpetual Newfoundland cod…fish; and perpetual Newfoundland
dogs。 We had some very nice bears at the North Pole。 Never mind!
it's all one to me_I_ don't grumble。〃

〃Have you done cording that box?〃

This time the voice is a voice of authoritythe man at the
doorway is Lieutenant Crayford himself。 John Want answers his
officer in his own cheerful way。

〃I've done it as well as I can; sirbut the damp of this place
is beginning to tell upon our very ropes。 I say nothing about our
lungsI only say our ropes。〃

Crayford answers sharply。 He seems to have lost his former relish
for the humor of John Want。

〃Pooh! To look at your wry face; one would think that our rescue
from the Arctic regions was a downright misfortune。 You deserve
to be sent back again。〃

〃I could be just as cheerful as ever; sir; if I _was_ sent back
again; I hope I'm thankful; but I don't like to hear the North
Pole run down in such a fishy place as this。 It was very clean
and snowy at the North Poleand it's very damp and sandy here。
Do you never miss your bone…soup; sir? _I_ do。 It mightn't have
been strong; but it was very hot; and the cold seemed to give it
a kind of a meaty flavor as it went down。 Was it you that was
a…coughing so long last night; sir? I don't presume to say
anything against the air of these latitudes; but I should be glad
to know it wasn't you that was a…coughing so hollow。 Would you be
so obliging as just to feel the state of these ropes with the
ends of your fingers; sir? You can dry them afterward on the back
of my jacket。〃

〃You ought to have a stick laid on the back of your jacket。 Take
that box down to the boat directly。 You croaking vagabond! You
would have grumbled in the Garden of Eden。〃

The philosopher of the Expedition was not a man to be silenced by
referring him to the Garden of Eden。 Paradise itself was not
perfect to John Want。

〃I hope I could be cheerful anywhere; sir;〃 said the ship's cook。
〃But you mark my wordsthere must have been a deal of
troublesome work with the flower…beds in the Garden of Eden。〃

Having entered that unanswerable protest; John Want shouldered
the box; and drifted drearily out of the boat…house。

Left by himself; Crayford looked at his watch; and called to a
sailor outside。

〃Where are the ladies?〃 he asked。

〃Mrs。 Crayford is coming this way; sir。 She was just behind you
when you came in。〃

〃Is Miss Burnham with her?〃

〃No; sir; Miss Burnham is down on the beach with the passengers。
I heard the young lady asking after you; sir。〃

〃Asking after me?〃 Crayford considered with himself as he
repeated the words。 He added; in lower and graver tones; 〃You had
better tell Miss Burnham you have seen me here。〃

The man made his salute and went out。 Crayford took a turn in the
boat…house。

Rescued from death in the Arctic wastes; and reunited to a
beautiful wife; the lieutenant looked; nevertheless;
unaccountably anxious and depressed。 What could he be thinking
of? He was thinking of Clara。

On the first day when the rescued men were received on board the
_Amazon_; Clara had embarrassed and distressed; not Crayford
only; but the other officers of the Expedition as well; by the
manner in which she questioned them on the subject of Francis
Aldersley and Richard Wardour。 She had shown no signs of dismay
or despair when she heard that no news had been received of the
two missing men。 She had even smiled sadly to herself; when
Crayford (out of compassionate regard for her) declared that he
and his comrades had not given up the hope of seeing Frank and
Wardour yet。 It was only when the lieutenant had expressed
himself in those terms and when it was hoped that the painful
subject had been dismissedthat Clara had startled every one
present by announcing that she had something still to say in
relation to Frank and Wardour; which had not been said yet。
Though she spoke guardedly; her next words revealed suspicions of
foul play lurking in her mindexactly reflecting similar
suspicions lurking in Crayford's mindwhich so distressed the
lieutenant; and so surprised his comrades; as to render them
quite incapable of answering her。 The warnings of the storm which
shortly afterward broke over the vessel were then visible in sea
and sky。 Crayford made them his excuse for abruptly leaving the
cabin in which the conversation had taken place。 His brother
officers; profiting by his example; pleaded their duties on deck;
and followed him out。

On the

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的