the frozen deep-第2章

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anxieties。　Yes！　yes！　Plain　enough　now。　A　disappointment　in
loveeh；　Mrs。　Crayford？〃

〃I　don't　know；　Captain　Helding；　I　am　quite　in　the　dark。　Clara's
confidence　in　mein　other　matters　unboundedis；　in　this　matter
of　her　（supposed）　anxieties；　a　confidence　still　withheld。　In　all
else　we　are　like　sisters。　I　sometimes　fear　there　may　indeed　be
some　trouble　preying　secretly　on　her　mind。　I　sometimes　feel　a
little　hurt　at　her　incomprehensible　silence。〃

Captain　Helding　was　ready　with　his　own　practical　remedy　for　this
difficulty。

〃Encouragement　is　all　she　wants；　ma'am。　Take　my　word　for　it；　this
matter　rests　entirely　with　you。　It's　all　in　a　nutshell。　Encourage
her　to　confide　in　youand　she　_will_　confide。〃

〃I　am　waiting　to　encourage　her；　captain；　until　she　is　left　alone
with　meafter　you　have　all　sailed　for　the　Arctic　seas。　In　the
meantime；　will　you　consider　what　I　have　said　to　you　as　intended
for　your　ear　only？　And　will　you　forgive　me；　if　I　own　that　the
turn　the　subject　has　taken　does　not　tempt　me　to　pursue　it　any
further？〃

The　captain　took　the　hint。　He　instantly　changed　the　subject；
choosing；　on　this　occasion；　safe　professional　topics。　He　spoke　of
ships　that　were　ordered　on　foreign　service；　and；　finding　that
these　as　subjects　failed　to　interest　Mrs。　Crayford；　he　spoke　next
of　ships　that　were　ordered　home　again。　This　last　experiment
produced　its　effectan　effect　which　the　captain　had　not
bargained　for。

〃Do　you　know；〃　he　began；　〃that　the　_Atalanta_　is　expected　back
from　the　West　Coast　of　Africa　every　day？　Have　you　any
acquaintances　among　the　officers　of　that　ship？〃

As　it　so　happened；　he　put　those　questions　to　Mrs。　Crayford　while
they　were　engaged　in　one　of　the　figures　of　the　dance　which
brought　them　within　hearing　of　the　opposite　couple。　At　the　same
momentto　the　astonishment　of　her　friends　and　admirersMiss
Clara　Burnham　threw　the　quadrille　into　confusion　by　making　a
mistake！　Everybody　waited　to　see　her　set　the　mistake　right。　She
made　no　attempt　to　set　it　rightshe　turned　deadly　pale　and
caught　her　partner　by　the　arm。

〃The　heat！〃　she　said；　faintly。　〃Take　me　awaytake　me　into　the
air！〃

Lieutenant　Crayford　instantly　led　her　out　of　the　dance；　and　took
her　into　the　cool　and　empty　conservatory；　at　the　end　of　the　room。
As　a　matter　of　course；　Captain　Helding　and　Mrs。　Crayford　left　the
quadrille　at　the　same　time。　The　captain　saw　his　way　to　a　joke。

〃Is　this　the　trance　coming　on？〃　he　whispered。　〃If　it　is；　as
commander　of　the　Arctic　expedition；　I　have　a　particular　request
to　make。　Will　the　Second　Sight　oblige　me　by　seeing　the　shortest
way　to　the　Northwest　Passage；　before　we　leave　England？〃

Mrs。　Crayford　declined　to　humor　the　joke。　〃If　you　will　excuse　my
leaving　you；〃　she　said　quietly；　〃I　will　try　and　find　out　what　is
the　matter　with　Miss　Burnham。〃

At　the　entrance　to　the　conservatory；　Mrs。　Crayford　encountered
her　husband。　The　lieutenant　was　of　middle　age；　tall　and　comely。　A
man　with　a　winning　simplicity　and　gentleness　in　his　manner；　and
an　irresistible　kindness　in　his　brave　blue　eyes。　In　one　word；　a
man　whom　everybody　lovedincluding　his　wife。

〃Don't　be　alarmed；〃　said　the　lieutenant。　〃The　heat　has　overcome
herthat's　all。〃

Mrs。　Crayford　shook　her　head；　and　looked　at　her　husband；　half
satirically；　half　fondly。

〃You　dear　old　innocent！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃that　excuse　may　do　for
_you_。　For　my　part；　I　don't　believe　a　word　of　it。　Go　and　get
another　partner；　and　leave　Clara　to　me。〃

She　entered　the　conservatory　and　seated　herself　by　Clara's　side。



Chapter　2。


〃Now；　my　dear！〃　Mrs。　Crayford　began；　〃what　does　this　mean？〃

〃Nothing。〃

〃That　won't　do；　Clara。　Try　again。〃

〃The　heat　of　the　room〃

〃That　won't　do；　either。　Say　that　you　choose　to　keep　your　own
secrets；　and　I　shall　understand　what　you　mean。〃

Clara's　sad；　clear　gray　eyes　looked　up　for　the　first　time　in　Mrs。
Crayford's　face；　and　suddenly　became　dimmed　with　tears。

〃If　I　only　dared　tell　you！〃　she　murmured。　〃I　hold　so　to　your　good
opinion　of　me；　Lucyand　I　am　so　afraid　of　losing　it。〃

Mrs。　Crayford's　manner　changed。　Her　eyes　rested　gravely　and
anxiously　on　Clara's　face。

〃You　know　as　well　as　I　do　that　nothing　can　shake　my　affection　for
you；〃　she　said。　〃Do　justice；　my　child；　to　your　old　friend。　There
is　nobody　here　to　listen　to　what　we　say。　Open　your　heart；　Clara。
I　see　you　are　in　trouble；　and　I　want　to　comfort　you。〃

Clara　began　to　yield。　In　other　words；　she　began　to　make
conditions。

〃Will　you　promise　to　keep　what　I　tell　you　a　secret　from　every
living　creature？〃　she　began。

Mrs。　Crayford　met　that　question；　by　putting　a　question　on　her
side。

〃Does　'every　living　creature'　include　my　husband？〃

〃Your　husband　more　than　anybody！　I　love　him；　I　revere　him。　He　is
so　noble；　he　is　so　good！　If　I　told　him　what　I　am　going　to　tell
you；　he　would　despise　me。　Own　it　plainly；　Lucy；　if　I　am　asking
too　much　in　asking　you　to　keep　a　secret　from　your　husband。〃

〃Nonsense；　child！　When　you　are　married；　you　will　know　that　the
easiest　of　all　secrets　to　keep　is　a　secret　from　your　husband。　I
give　you　my　promise。　Now　begin！〃

Clara　hesitated　painfully。

〃I　don't　know　how　to　begin！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　a　burst　of
despair。　〃The　words　won't　come　to　me。〃

〃Then　I　must　help　you。　Do　you　feel　ill　tonight？　Do　you　feel　as
you　felt　that　day　when　you　were　with　my　sister　and　me　in　the
garden？〃

〃Oh　no。〃

〃You　are　not　ill；　you　are　not　really　affected　by　the　heatand
yet　you　turn　as　pale　as　ashes；　and　you　are　obliged　to　leave　the
quadrille！　There　must　be　some　reason　for　this。〃

〃There　is　a　reason。　Captain　Helding〃

〃Captain　Helding！　What　in　the　name　of　wonder　has　the　captain　to
do　with　it？〃

〃He　told　you　something　about　the　_Atalanta_。　He　said　the
_Atalanta_　was　expected　back　from　Africa　immediately。〃

〃Well；　and　what　of　that？　Is　there　anybody　in　whom　you　are
interested　coming　home　in　the　ship？〃

〃Somebody　whom　I　am　afraid　of　is　coming　home　in　the　ship。〃

Mrs。　Crayford's　magnificent　black　eyes　opened　wide　in　amazement。

〃My　dear　Clara！　do　you　really　mean　what　you　say？〃

〃Wait　a　little；　Lucy；　and　you　shall　judge　for　yourself。　We　must
go　backif　I　am　to　make　you　understand　meto　the　year　before　we
knew　each　otherto　the　last　year　of　my　father's　life。　Did　I　ever
tell　you　that　my　father　moved　southward；　for　the　sake　of　his
health；　to　a　house　in　Kent　that　was　lent　to　him　by　a　friend？〃

〃No；　my　dear；　I　don't　remember　ever　hearing　of　the　house　in　Kent。
Tell　me　about　it。〃

〃There　is　nothing　to　tell；　except　this：　the　new　house　was　near　a
fine　country…seat　standing　in　its　own　park。　The　owner　of　the
place　was　a　gentleman　named　Wardour。　He；　too；　was　one　of　my
father's　Kentish　friends。　He　had　an　only　son。〃

She　paused；　and　played　nervously　with　her　fan。　Mrs。　Crayford
looked　at　her　attentively。　Clara's　eyes　remained　fixed　on　her
fanClara　said　no　more。　〃What　was　the　son's　name？〃　asked　Mrs。
Crayford；　quietly。

〃Richard。〃

〃Am　I　right；　Clara；　in　suspecting　that　Mr。　Richard　Wardour
admired　you？〃

The　question　produced　its　intended　effect。　The　question　helped
Clara　to　go　on。

〃I　hardly　knew　at　first；〃　she　said；　〃whether　he　admired　me　or
not。　He　was　very　strange　in　his　waysheadstrong；　terribly
headstrong　and　passionate；　but　generous　and　affectionate　in　spite
of　his　faults　of　temper。　Can　you　understand　such　a　character？〃

〃Such　characters　exist　by　thousands。　I　have　my　faults　of　temper。
I　begin　to　like　Richard　already。　Go　on。〃

〃The　days　went　by；　Lucy；　and　the　weeks　went　by。　We　were　thrown
very　much　together。　I　began；　little　by　little；　to　have　some
suspicion　of　the　truth。〃

〃And　Richard　helped　to　confirm　your　suspicions；　of　course？

〃No。　He　was　notunhappily　for　mehe　was　not　that　sort　of　man。
He　never　spoke　of　the　feeling　with　which　he　regarded　me。　It　was　I
who　saw　it。　I　couldn't　help　seeing　it。　I　did　all　I　could　to　show
that　I　was　willing　to　be　a　sister　to　him；　and　that　I　could　never
be　anything　else。　He　did　not　understand　me；　or　he　would　not；　I
can't　say　which。〃

〃'Would　not；'　is　the　most　likely；　my　dear。　Go　on。〃

〃It　might　have　been　as　you　say。　There　was　a　strange；　rough
bashfulness　about　him。　He　confused　and　puzzled　me。　He　never　spoke
out。　He　seemed　to　treat　me　as