the frozen deep-第19章

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！



She　put　the　question；　still　looking　mechanically　at　the　door　by
which　her　husband　and　Clara　had　gone　out。　Receiving　no　reply；　she
glanced　round　at　Steventon。　He　was　standing　on　the　opposite　side
of　the　luncheon…table；　with　his　eyes　fixed　attentively　on　the
view　from　the　main　doorway　of　the　boat…house。　Mrs。　Crayford
looked　where　Steventon　was　looking。　This　time　there　was　something
visible。　She　saw　the　shadow　of　a　human　figure　projected　on　the
stretch　of　smooth　yellow　sand　in　front　of　the　boat…house。

In　a　moment　more　the　figure　appeared。　A　man　came　slowly　into
view；　and　stopped　on　the　threshold　of　the　door。



Chapter　18。


The　man　was　a　sinister　and　terrible　object　to　look　at。　His　eyes
glared　like　the　eyes　of　a　wild　animal；　his　head　was　bare；　his
long　gray　hair　was　torn　and　tangled；　his　miserable　garments　hung
about　him　in　rags。　He　stood　in　the　doorway；　a　speechless　figure
of　misery　and　want；　staring　at　the　well…spread　table　like　a
hungry　dog。

Steventon　spoke　to　him。

〃Who　are　you？〃

He　answered；　in　a　hoarse；　hollow　voice；

〃A　starving　man。〃

He　advanced　a　few　steps；　slowly　and　painfully；　as　if　he　were
sinking　under　fatigue。

〃Throw　me　some　bones　from　the　table；〃　he　said。　〃Give　me　my　share
along　with　the　dogs。〃

There　was　madness　as　well　as　hunger　in　his　eyes　while　he　spoke
those　words。　Steventon　placed　Mrs。　Crayford　behind　him；　so　that
he　might　be　easily　able　to　protect　her　in　case　of　need；　and
beckoned　to　two　sailors　who　were　passing　the　door　of　the
boat…house　at　the　time。

〃Give　the　man　some　bread　and　meat；〃　he　said；　〃and　wait　near　him。〃

The　outcast　seized　on　the　bread　and　meat　with　lean；　long…nailed
hands　that　looked　like　claws。　After　his　first　mouthful　of　the
food；　he　stopped；　considered　vacantly　with　himself；　and　broke　the
bread　and　meat　into　two　portions。　One　portion　he　put　into　an　old
canvas　wallet　that　hung　over　his　shoulder；　the　other　he　devoured
voraciously。　Steventon　questioned　him。

〃Where　do　you　come　from？〃

〃From　the　sea。〃

〃Wrecked？〃

〃Yes。〃

Steventon　turned　to　Mrs。　Crayford。

〃There　may　be　some　truth　in　the　poor　wretch's　story；〃　he　said。　〃I
heard　something　of　a　strange　boat　having　been　cast　on　the　beach
thirty　or　forty　miles　higher　up　the　coast。　When　were　you　wrecked；
my　man？〃

The　starving　creature　looked　up　from　his　food；　and　made　an　effort
to　collect　his　thoughtsto　exert　his　memory。　It　was　not　to　be
done。　He　gave　up　the　attempt　in　despair。　His　language；　when　he
spoke；　was　as　wild　as　his　looks。

〃I　can't　tell　you；〃　he　said。　〃I　can't　get　the　wash　of　the　sea　out
of　my　ears。　I　can't　get　the　shining　stars　all　night；　and　the
burning　sun　all　day；　out　of　my　brain。　When　was　I　wrecked？　When
was　I　first　adrift　in　the　boat？　When　did　I　get　the　tiller　in　my
hand　and　fight　against　hunger　and　sleep？　When　did　the　gnawi　ng　in
my　breast；　and　the　burning　in　my　head；　first　begin？　I　have　lost
all　reckoning　of　it。　I　can't　think；　I　can't　sleep；　I　can't　get
the　wash　of　the　sea　out　of　my　ears。　What　are　you　baiting　me　with
questions　for？　Let　me　eat！〃

Even　the　sailors　pitied　him。　The　sailors　asked　leave　of　their
officer　to　add　a　little　drink　to　his　meal。

〃We've　got　a　drop　of　grog　with　us；　sir；　in　a　bottle。　May　we　give
it　to　him？〃

〃Certainly！〃

He　took　the　bottle　fiercely；　as　he　had　taken　the　food；　drank　a
little；　stopped；　and　considered　with　himself　again。　He　held　up
the　bottle　to　the　light；　and；　marking　how　much　liquor　it
contained；　carefully　drank　half　of　it　only。　This　done；　he　put　the
bottle　in　his　wallet　along　with　the　food。

〃Are　you　saving　it　up　for　another　time？〃　said　Steventon。

〃I'm　saving　it　up；〃　the　man　answered。　〃Never　mind　what　for。
That's　my　secret。〃

He　looked　round　the　boat…house　as　he　made　that　reply；　and　noticed
Mrs。　Crayford　for　the　first　time。

〃A　woman　among　you！〃　he　said。　〃Is　she　English？　Is　she　young？　Let
me　look　closer　at　her。〃

He　advanced　a　few　steps　toward　the　table。

〃Don't　be　afraid；　Mrs。　Crayford；〃　said　Steventon。

〃I　am　not　afraid；〃　Mrs。　Crayford　replied。　〃He　frightened　me　at
firsthe　interests　me　now。　Let　him　speak　to　me　if　he　wishes　it！〃

He　never　spoke。　He　stood；　in　dead　silence；　looking　long　and
anxiously　at　the　beautiful　Englishwoman。

〃Well？〃　said　Steventon。

He　shook　his　head　sadly；　and　drew　back　again　with　a　heavy　sigh。

〃No！〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃that's　not　_her_　face。　No！　not　found
yet。〃

Mrs。　Crayford's　interest　was　strongly　excited。　She　ventured　to
speak　to　him。

〃Who　is　it　you　want　to　find？〃　she　asked。　〃Your　wife？〃

He　shook　his　head　again。

〃Who；　then？　What　is　she　like？〃

He　answered　that　question　in　words。　His　hoarse；　hollow　voice
softened；　little　by　little；　into　sorrowful　and　gentle　tones。

〃Young；〃　he　said；　〃with　a　fair；　sad　facewith　kind；　tender
eyeswith　a　soft；　clear　voice。　Young　and　loving　and　merciful。　I
keep　her　face　in　my　mind；　though　I　can　keep　nothing　else。　I　must
wander；　wander；　wanderrestless；　sleepless；　homelesstill　I
find　_her！_　Over　the　ice　and　over　the　snow；　tossing　on　the　sea；
tramping　over　the　land；　awake　all　night；　awake　all　day；　wander；
wander；　wander；　till　I　find　_her！_〃

He　waved　his　hand　with　a　gesture　of　farewell；　and　turned　wearily
to　go　out。

At　the　same　moment　Crayford　opened　the　yard　door。

〃I　think　you　had　better　come　to　Clara；〃　he　began；　and　checked
himself；　noticing　the　stranger。　〃Who　is　that？〃

The　shipwrecked　man；　hearing　another　voice　in　the　room；　looked
round　slowly　over　his　shoulder。　Struck　by　his　appearance；
Crayford　advanced　a　little　nearer　to　him。　Mrs。　Crayford　spoke　to
her　husband　as　he　passed　her。

〃It's　only　a　poor；　mad　creature；　William；〃　she
whispered〃shipwrecked　and　starving。〃

〃Mad？〃　Crayford　repeated；　approaching　nearer　and　nearer　to　the
man。　〃Am　_I_　in　my　right　senses？〃　He　suddenly　sprang　on　the
outcast；　and　seized　him　by　the　throat。　〃Richard　Wardour！〃　he
cried；　in　a　voice　of　fury。　〃Alive！alive；　to　answer　for　Frank！〃

The　man　struggled。　Crayford　held　him。

〃Where　is　Frank？〃　he　said。　〃You　villain；　where　is　Frank？〃

The　man　resisted　no　longer。　He　repeated　vacantly；

〃Villain？　and　where　is　Frank？〃

As　the　name　escaped　his　lips；　Clara　appeared　at　the　open　yard
door；　and　hurried　into　the　room。

〃I　heard　Richard's　name！〃　she　said。　〃I　heard　Frank's　name！　What
does　it　mean？〃

At　the　sound　of　her　voice　the　outcast　renewed　the　struggle　to
free　himself；　with　a　sudden　frenzy　of　strength　which　Crayford　was
not　able　to　resist。　He　broke　away　before　the　sailors　could　come
to　their　officer's　assistance。　Half…way　down　the　length　of　the
room　he　and　Clara　met　one　another　face　to　face。　A　new　light
sparkled　in　the　poor　wretch's　eyes；　a　cry　of　recognition　burst
from　his　lips。　He　flung　one　hand　up　wildly　in　the　air。　〃Found！〃
he　shouted；　and　rushed　out　to　the　beach　before　any　of　the　men
present　could　stop　him。

Mrs。　Crayford　put　her　arms　round　Clara　and　held　her　up。　She　had
not　made　a　movement：　she　had　not　spoken　a　word。　The　sight　of
Wardour's　face　had　petrified　her。

The　minutes　passed；　and　there　rose　a　sudden　burst　of　cheering
from　the　sailors　on　the　beach；　near　the　spot　where　the
fishermen's　boats　were　drawn　up。　Every　man　left　his　work。　Every
man　waved　his　cap　in　the　air。　The　passengers；　near　at　hand；
caught　the　infection　of　enthusiasm；　and　joined　the　crew。　A　moment
more；　and　Richard　Wardour　appeared　again　in　the　doorway；　carrying
a　man　in　his　arms。　He　staggered；　breathless　with　the　effort　that
he　was　making；　to　the　place　where　Clara　stood；　held　up　in　Mrs。
Crayford's　arms。

〃Saved；　Clara！〃　he　cried。　〃Saved　for　_you！_〃

He　released　the　man；　and　placed　him　in　Clara's　arms。

Frank！　foot…sore　and　wearybut　livingsaved；　saved　for　_her！_

〃Now；　Clara！〃　cried　Mrs。　Crayford；　〃which　of　us　is　right？　I　who
believed　in　the　mercy　of　God？　or　you　who　believed　in　a　dream？〃

She　never　answered；　she　clung　to　Frank　in　speechless　ecstasy。　She
never　even　looked　at　the　man　who　had　preserved　him；　in　the　first
absorbing　joy　of　seeing　Frank　alive。　Step　by　step；　slower　and
slower；　Richard　Wardour　drew　back；　and　left　them　by　themselves。

〃I　may　rest　now；〃　he　said；　faintly。　〃I　may　sleep　at　last。　The
task　is　done。　The　struggle　is　over。〃

His　last　reserves　of　strength　had　been　g