the frozen deep-第18章

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put　on　his　honor；　and　fairly　forced　to　say　something；　owned　the
truth。　Wardour　had　replaced　an　officer　whom　accident　had　disabled
from　accompanying　the　party　of　relief；　and　Wardour　and　Frank　were
missing　together。

Clara　looked　at　Mrs。　Crayford。

〃You　hear？〃　she　said。　〃It　is　you　who　are　mistaken；　not　I。　What
you　call　'Accident；'　what　I　call　'Fate；'　brought　Richard　Wardour
and　Frank　together　as　members　of　the　same　Expedition；　after　all。〃
Without　waiting　for　a　reply；　she　again　turned　to　Steventon；　and
surprised　him　by　changing　the　painful　subject　of　the　conversation
of　her　own　accord。

〃Have　you　been　in　the　Highlands　of　Scotland？〃　she　asked。

〃I　have　never　been　in　the　Highlands；〃　the　lieutenant　replied。

〃Have　you　ever　read；　in　books　about　the　Highlands；　of　such　a
thing　as　'The　Second　Sight'？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Do　you　believe　in　the　Second　Sight？〃

Steventon　politely　declined　to　commit　himself　to　a　direct　reply。

〃I　don't　know　what　I　might　have　done；　if　I　had　ever　been　in　the
Highlands；〃　he　said。　〃As　it　is；　I　have　had　no　opportunities　of
giving　the　subject　any　serious　consideration。〃

〃I　won't　put　your　credulity　to　the　test；〃　Clara　proceeded。　〃I
won't　ask　you　to　believe　anything　more　extraordinary　than　that　I
had　a　strange　dream　in　England　not　very　long　since。　My　dream
showed　me　what　you　have　just　acknowledgedand　more　than　that。
How　did　the　two　missing　men　come　to　be　parted　from　their
companions？　Were　they　lost　by　pure　accident；　or　were　they
deliberately　left　behind　on　the　march？〃

Crayford　made　a　last　vain　effort　to　check　her　inquiries　at　the
point　which　they　had　now　reached。

〃Neither　Steventon　nor　I　were　members　of　the　party　of　relief；〃　he
said。　〃How　are　we　to　answer　you？〃

〃Your　brother　officers　who　_were_　members　of　the　party　must　have
told　you　what　happened；〃　Clara　rejoined。　〃I　only　ask　you　and　Mr。
Steventon　to　tell　me　what　they　told　you。〃

Mrs。　Crayford　interposed　again；　with　a　practical　suggestion　this
time。

〃The　luncheon　is　not　unpacked　yet；〃　she　said。　〃Come；　Clara！　this
is　our　business；　and　the　time　is　passing。〃

〃The　luncheon　can　wait　a　few　minutes　longer；〃　Clara　answered。
〃Bear　with　my　obstinacy；〃　she　went　on；　laying　her　hand
caressingly　on　Crayford's　shoulder。　〃Tell　me　how　those　two　came
to　be　separated　from　the　rest。　You　have　always　been　the　kindest
of　friendsdon't　begin　to　be　cruel　to　me　now！〃

The　tone　in　which　she　made　her　entreaty　to　Crayford　went　straight
to　the　sailor's　heart。　He　gave　up　the　hopeless　struggle：　he　let
her　see　a　glimpse　of　the　truth。

〃On　the　third　day　out；〃　he　said；　〃Frank's　strength　failed　him。　　He
fell　behin　d　the　rest　from　fatigue。〃

〃Surely　they　waited　for　him？〃

〃It　was　a　serious　risk　to　wait　for　him；　my　child。　Their　lives
（and　the　lives　of　the　men　they　had　left　in　the　huts）　depended；　in
that　dreadful　climate；　on　their　pushing　on。　But　Frank　was　a
favorite。　They　waited　half　a　day　to　give　Frank　the　chance　of
recovering　his　strength。〃

There　he　stopped。　There　the　imprudence　into　which　his　fondness
for　Clara　had　led　him　showed　itself　plainly；　and　closed　his　lips。

It　was　too　late　to　take　refuge　in　silence。　Clara　was　determined
on　hearing　more。

She　questioned　Steventon　next。

〃Did　Frank　go　on　again　after　the　half…day's　rest？〃　she　asked。

〃He　tried　to　go　on〃

〃And　failed？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What　did　the　men　do　when　he　failed？　Did　they　turn　cowards？　Did
they　desert　Frank？〃

She　had　purposely　used　language　which　might　irritate　Steventon
into　answering　her　plainly。　He　was　a　young　manhe　fell　into　the
snare　that　she　had　set　for　him。

〃Not　one　among　them　was　a　coward；　Miss　Burnham！〃　he　replied；
warmly。　〃You　are　speaking　cruelly　and　unjustly　of　as　brave　a　set
of　fellows　as　ever　lived！　The　strongest　man　among　them　set　the
example；　he　volunteered　to　stay　by　Frank；　and　to　bring　him　on　in
the　track　of　the　exploring　party。〃

There　Steventon　stoppedconscious；　on　his　side；　that　he　had　said
too　much。　Would　she　ask　him　who　this　volunteer　was？　No。　She　went
straight　on　to　the　most　embarrassing　question　that　she　had　put
yetreferring　to　the　volunteer；　as　if　Steventon　had　already
mentioned　his　name。

〃What　made　Richard　Wardour　so　ready　to　risk　his　life　for　Frank's
sake？〃　she　said　to　Crayford。　〃Did　he　do　it　out　of　friendship　for
Frank？　Surely　you　can　tell　me　that？　Carry　your　memory　back　to　the
days　when　you　were　all　living　in　the　huts。　Were　Frank　and　Wardour
friends　at　that　time？　Did　you　never　hear　any　angry　words　pass
between　them？〃

There　Mrs。　Crayford　saw　her　opportunity　of　giving　her　husband　a
timely　hint。

〃My　dear　child！〃　she　said；　〃how　can　you　expect　him　to　remember
that？　There　must　have　been　plenty　of　quarrels　among　the　men；　all
shut　up　together；　and　all　weary　of　each　other's　company；　no
doubt。〃

〃Plenty　of　quarrels！〃　Crayford　repeated；　〃and　every　one　of　them
made　up　again。〃

〃And　every　one　of　them　made　up　again；〃　Mrs。　Crayford　reiterated；
in　her　turn。　〃There！　a　plainer　answer　than　that　you　can't　wish　to
have。　Now　are　you　satisfied？　Mr。　Steventon；　come　and　lend　a　hand
（as　you　say　at　sea）　with　the　hamperClara　won't　help　me。
William；　don't　stand　there　doing　nothing。　This　hamper　holds　a
great　deal；　we　must　have　a　division　of　labor。　Your　division　shall
be　laying　the　tablecloth。　Don't　handle　it　in　that　clumsy　way！　You
unfold　a　table…cloth　as　if　you　were　unfurling　a　sail。　Put　the
knives　on　the　right；　and　the　forks　on　the　left；　and　the　napkin
and　the　bread　between　them。　Clara；　if　you　are　not　hungry　in　this
fine　air；　you　ought　to　be。　Come　and　do　your　duty；　come　and　have
some　lunch！〃

She　looked　up　as　she　spoke。　Clara　appeared　to　have　yielded　at
last　to　the　conspiracy　to　keep　her　in　the　dark。　She　had　returned
slowly　to　the　boat…house　doorway；　and　she　was　standing　alone　on
the　threshold；　looking　out。　Approaching　her　to　lead　her　to　the
luncheon…table；　Mrs。　Crayford　could　hear　that　she　was　speaking
softly　to　herself。　She　was　repeating　the　farewell　words　which
Richard　Wardour　had　spoken　to　her　at　the　ball。

〃'A　time　may　come　when　I　shall　forgive　_you_。　But　the　man　who　has
robbed　me　of　you　shall　rue　the　day　when　you　and　he　first　met。'
Oh；　Frank！　Frank！　does　Richard　still　live；　with　your　blood　on　his
conscience；　and　my　image　in　his　heart？〃

Her　lips　suddenly　closed。　She　started；　and　drew　back　from　the
doorway；　trembling　violently。　Mrs。　Crayford　looked　out　at　the
quiet　seaward　view。

〃Anything　there　that　frightens　you；　my　dear？〃　she　asked。　〃I　can
see　nothing；　except　the　boats　drawn　up　on　the　beach。〃

〃_I_　can　see　nothing　either；　Lucy。〃

〃And　yet　you　are　trembling　as　if　there　was　something　dreadful　in
the　view　from　this　door。〃

〃There　_is_　something　dreadful！　I　feel　it；　though　I　see　nothing。
I　feel　it；　nearer　and　nearer　in　the　empty　air；　darker　and　darker
in　the　sunny　light。　I　don't　know　what　it　is。　Take　me　away！　No。
Not　out　on　the　beach。　I　can't　pass　the　door。　Somewhere　else！
somewhere　else！〃

Mrs。　Crayford　looked　round　her；　and　noticed　a　second　door　at　the
inner　end　of　the　boat…house。　She　spoke　to　her　husband。

〃See　where　that　door　leads　to；　William。〃

Crayford　opened　the　door。　It　led　into　a　desolate　inclosure；　half
garden；　half　yard。　Some　nets　stretched　on　poles　were　hanging　up
to　dry。　No　other　objects　were　visiblenot　a　living　creature
appeared　in　the　place。　〃It　doesn't　look　very　inviting；　my　dear；〃
said　Mrs。　Crayford。　〃I　am　at　your　service；　however。　What　do　you
say？〃

She　offered　her　arm　to　Clara　as　she　spoke。　Clara　refused　it。　She
took　Crayford's　arm；　and　clung　to　him。

〃I'm　frightened；　dreadfully　frightened！〃　she　said　to　him；
faintly。　〃You　keep　with　mea　woman　is　no　protection；　I　want　to
be　with　you。〃　She　looked　round　again　at　the　boat…house　doorway。
〃Oh！〃　she　whispered；　〃I'm　cold　all　overI'm　frozen　with　fear　of
this　place。　Come　into　the　yard！　Come　into　the　yard！〃

〃Leave　her　to　me；〃　said　Crayford　to　his　wife。　〃I　will　call　you；
if　she　doesn't　get　better　in　the　open　air。〃

He　took　her　out　at　once；　and　closed　the　yard　door　behind　them。

〃Mr。　Steventon；　do　you　understand　this？〃　asked　Mrs。　Crayford。
〃What　can　she　possibly　be　frightened　of？〃

She　put　the　question；　still　looking　mechanically　at　the　door　by
which　her　husband　and　Clara　had　gone　out。