the frozen deep-第3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！


bashfulness　about　him。　He　confused　and　puzzled　me。　He　never　spoke
out。　He　seemed　to　treat　me　as　if　our　future　lives　had　been
provided　for　while　we　were
　children。　What　could　I　do；　Lucy？〃

〃Do？　You　could　have　asked　your　father　to　end　the　difficulty　for
you。〃

〃Impossible！　You　forget　what　I　have　just　told　you。　My　father　was
suffering　at　that　time　under　the　illness　which　afterward　caused
his　death。　He　was　quite　unfit　to　interfere。〃

〃Was　there　no　one　else　who　could　help　you？〃

〃No　one。〃

〃No　lady　in　whom　you　could　confide？〃

〃I　had　acquaintances　among　the　ladies　in　the　neighborhood。　I　had
no　friends。〃

〃What　did　you　do；　then？〃

〃Nothing。　I　hesitated；　I　put　off　coming　to　an　explanation　with
him；　unfortunately；　until　it　was　too　late。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　too　late？〃

〃You　shall　hear。　I　ought　to　have　told　you　that　Richard　Wardour　is
in　the　navy〃

〃Indeed！　I　am　more　interested　in　him　than　ever。　Well？〃

〃One　spring　day　Richard　came　to　our　house　to　take　leave　of　us
before　he　joined　his　ship。　I　thought　he　was　gone；　and　I　went　into
the　next　room。　It　was　my　own　sitting…room；　and　it　opened　on　to
the　garden。〃

〃Yes？〃

〃Richard　must　have　been　watching　me。　He　suddenly　appeared　in　the
garden。　Without　waiting　for　me　to　invite　him；　he　walked　into　the
room。　I　was　a　little　startled　as　well　as　surprised；　but　I　managed
to　hide　it。　I　said；　'What　is　it；　Mr。　Wardour？'　He　stepped　close
up　to　me；　he　said；　in　his　quick；　rough　way：　'Clara！　I　am　going　to
the　African　coast。　If　I　live；　I　shall　come　back　promoted；　and　we
both　know　what　will　happen　then。'　He　kissed　me。　I　was　half
frightened；　half　angry。　Before　I　could　compose　myself　to　say　a
word；　he　was　out　in　the　garden　againhe　was　gone！　I　ought　to
have　spoken；　I　know。　It　was　not　honorable；　not　kind　toward　him。
You　can't　reproach　me　for　my　want　of　courage　and　frankness　more
bitterly　than　I　reproach　myself！〃

〃My　dear　child；　I　don't　reproach　you。　I　only　think　you　might　have
written　to　him。〃

〃I　did　write。〃

〃Plainly？〃

〃Yes。　I　told　him　in　so　many　words　that　he　was　deceiving　himself；
and　that　I　could　never　marry　him。〃

〃Plain　enough；　in　all　conscience！　Having　said　that；　surely　you
are　not　to　blame。　What　are　you　fretting　about　now？〃

〃Suppose　my　letter　has　never　reached　him？〃

〃Why　should　you　suppose　anything　of　the　sort？〃

〃What　I　wrote　required　an　answer；　Lucy_asked_　for　an　answer。
The　answer　has　never　come。　What　is　the　plain　conclusion？　My
letter　has　never　reached　him。　And　the　_Atalanta_　is　expected
back！　Richard　Wardour　is　returning　to　EnglandRichard　Wardour
will　claim　me　as　his　wife！　You　wondered　just　now　if　I　really
meant　what　I　said。　Do　you　doubt　it　still？〃

Mrs。　Crayford　leaned　back　absently　in　her　chair。　For　the　first
time　since　the　conversation　had　begun；　she　let　a　question　pass
without　making　a　reply。　The　truth　is；　Mrs。　Crayford　was　thinking。

She　saw　Clara's　position　plainly；　she　understood　the　disturbing
effect　of　it　on　the　mind　of　a　young　girl。　Still；　making　all
allowances；　she　felt　quite　at　a　loss；　so　far；　to　account　for
Clara's　excessive　agitation。　Her　quick　observing　faculty　had　just
detected　that　Clara's　face　showed　no　signs　of　relief；　now　that
she　had　unburdened　herself　of　her　secret。　There　was　something
clearly　under　the　surface　heresomething　of　importance　that
still　remained　to　be　discovered。　A　shrewd　doubt　crossed　Mrs。
Crayford's　mind；　and　inspired　the　next　words　which　she　addressed
to　her　young　friend。

〃My　dear；〃　she　said　abruptly；　〃have　you　told　me　all？〃

Clara　started　as　if　the　question　terrified　her。　Feeling　sure　that
she　now　had　the　clew　in　her　hand；　Mrs。　Crayford　deliberately
repeated　her　question；　in　another　form　of　words。　Instead　of
answering；　Clara　suddenly　looked　up。　At　the　same　moment　a　faint
flush　of　color　appeared　in　her　face　for　the　first　time。

Looking　up　instinctively　on　her　side；　Mrs。　Crayford　became　aware
of　the　presence；　in　the　conservatory；　of　a　young　gentleman　who
was　claiming　Clara　as　his　partner　in　the　coming　waltz。　Mrs。
Crayford　fell　into　thinking　once　more。　Had　this　young　gentleman
（she　asked　herself）　anything　to　do　with　the　untold　end　of　the
story？　Was　this　the　true　secret　of　Clara　Burnham's　terror　at　the
impending　return　of　Richard　Wardour？　Mrs。　Crayford　decided　on
putting　her　doubts　to　the　test。

〃A　friend　of　yours；　my　dear？〃　she　asked；　innocently。　〃Suppose　you
introduce　us　to　each　other。〃

Clara　confusedly　introduced　the　young　gentleman。

〃Mr。　Francis　Aldersley；　Lucy。　Mr。　Aldersley　belongs　to　the　Arctic
expedition。〃

〃Attached　to　the　expedition？〃　Mrs。　Crayford　repeated。　〃I　am
attached　to　the　expedition　tooin　my　way。　I　had　better　introduce
myself；　Mr。　Aldersley；　as　Clara　seems　to　have　forgotten　to　do　it
for　me。　I　am　Mrs。　Crayford。　My　husband　is　Lieutenant　Crayford；　of
the　_Wanderer_。　Do　you　belong　to　that　ship？〃

〃I　have　not　the　honor；　Mrs。　Crayford。　I　belong　to　the　_Sea…mew_。〃

Mrs。　Crayford's　superb　eyes　looked　shrewdly　backward　and　forward
between　Clara　and　Francis　Aldersley；　and　saw　the　untold　sequel　to
Clara's　story。　The　young　officer　was　a　bright；　handsome；
gentleman…like　lad。　Just　the　person　to　seriously　complicate　the
difficulty　with　Richard　Wardour！　There　was　no　time　for　making　any
further　inquiries。　The　band　had　begun　the　prelude　to　the　waltz；
and　Francis　Aldersley　was　waiting　for　his　partner。　With　a　word　of
apology　to　the　young　man；　Mrs。　Crayford　drew　Clara　aside　for　a
moment；　and　spoke　to　her　in　a　whisper。

〃One　word；　my　dear；　before　you　return　to　the　ball…room。　It　may
sound　conceited；　after　the　little　you　have　told　me；　but　I　think　I
understand　your　position　_now_；　better　than　you　do　yourself。　Do
you　want　to　hear　my　opinion？〃

〃I　am　longing　to　hear　it；　Lucy！　I　want　your　opinion；　I　want　your
advice。〃

〃You　shall　have　both　in　the　plainest　and　fewest　words。　First；　my
opinion：　You　have　no　choice　but　to　come　to　an　explanation　with
Mr。　Wardour　as　soon　as　he　returns。　Second；　my　advice：　If　you　wish
to　make　the　explanation　easy　to　both　sides；　take　care　that　you
make　it　in　the　character　of　a　free　woman。〃

She　laid　a　strong　emphasis　on　the　last　three　words；　and　looked
pointedly　at　Francis　Aldersley　as　she　pronounced　them。　〃I　won't
keep　you　from　your　partner　any　longer；　Clara；〃　she　resumed；　and
led　the　way　back　to　the　ball…room。



Chapter　3。


The　burden　on　Clara's　mind　weighs　on　it　more　heavily　than　ever；
after　what　Mrs。　Crayford　has　said　to　her。　She　is　too　unhappy　to
feel　the　inspiriting　influence　of　the　dance。　After　a　turn　round
the　room；　she　complains　of　fatigue。　Mr。　Francis　Aldersley　looks
at　the　conservatory　（still　as　invitingly　cool　and　empty　as　ever）；
leads　her　back　to　it；　and　places　her　on　a　seat　among　the　shrubs。
She　triesvery　feeblyto　dismiss　him。

〃Don't　let　me　keep　you　from　dancing；　Mr。　Aldersley。〃

He　seats　himself　by　her　side；　and　feasts　his　eyes　on　the　lovely
downcast　face　that　dares　not　turn　toward　him。　He　whispers　to　her：

〃Call　me　Frank。〃

She　longs　to　call　him　Frankshe　loves　him　with　all　her　heart。
But　Mrs。　Crayford's　warning　words　are　still　in　her　mind。　She
never　opens　her　lips。　Her　lover　moves　a　little　closer；　and　asks
another　favor。　Men　are　all　alike　on　these　occasions。　Silence
invariably　encourages　them　to　try　again。

〃Clara！　have　you　forgotten　what　I　said　at　the　concert　yesterday？
May　I　say　it　again？〃

〃No！〃

〃We　sail　to…morrow　for　the　Arctic　seas。　I　may　not　return　for
years。　Don't　send　me　away　without　hope！　Think　of　the　long；　lonely
time　in　the　dark　North！　Make　it　a　happy　time　for　_me_。〃

Though　he　speaks　with　the　fervor　of　a　man；　he　is　little　more　than
a　lad：　he　is　only　twenty　years　old；　and　he　is　going　to　risk　his
young　life　on　the　frozen　deep！　Clara　pities　him　as　she　never
pitied　any　human　creature　before。　He　gently　takes　her　hand。　She
tries　to　release　it。

〃What！　not　even　that　little　favor　on　the　last　night？〃

Her　faithful　heart　takes　his　part；　in　spite　of　her。　Her　hand
remains　in　his；　and　feels　its　soft　persuasive　pressure。　She　is　a
lost　woman。　It　is　only　a　question　of　time　now！

〃Clara！　do　you　love　me？〃

There　is　a　pause。　She　shrinks　from　looking　at　himshe　trembles
with　strange　contradictory　sensations　of　pleasure　and　pain。　His
arm　ste