the frozen deep-第4章

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There　is　a　pause。　She　shrinks　from　looking　at　himshe　trembles
with　strange　contradictory　sensations　of　pleasure　and　pain。　His
arm　steals　round　her；　he　repeats　his　question　in　a　whisper；　his
lips　almost　touch　her　little　rosy　ear　as　he　says　it　again：

〃Do　you　love　me？〃

She　closes　her　eyes　faintlyshe　hears　nothing　but　those
wordsfeels　nothing　but　his　arm　round　her　forgets　Mrs。
Crayford's　warningforgets　Richard　Wardour　himselfturns
suddenly；　with　a　loving　woman's　desperate　disregard　of　everything
but　her　lovenestles　her　head　on　his　bosom；　and　answers　him　in
that　way；　at　last！

He　lifts　the　beautiful　drooping　headtheir　lips　meet　in　their
first　kissthey　are　both　in　heaven：　it　is　Clara　who　brings　them
back　to　earth　again　with　a　startit　is　Clara　who　says；　〃Oh！　what
have　I　done？〃as　usual；　when　it　is　too　late。

Frank　answers　the　question。

〃You　have　made　me　happy；　my　angel。　Now；　when　I　come　back；　I　come
back　to　make　you　my　wife。〃

She　shudders。　She　remembers　Richard　Wardour　again　at　those　words。

〃Mind！〃　she　says；　〃nobody　is　to　know　we　are　engaged　till　I　permit
you　to　mention　it。　Remember　that！〃

He　promises　to　remember　it。　His　arm　tries　to　wind　round　her　once
more。　No！　She　is　mistress　of　herself；　she　can　positively　dismiss
him　nowafter　she　has　let　him　kiss　her！

〃Go！〃　she　says。　〃I　want　to　see　Mrs。　Crayford。　Find　her！　Say　I　am
here；　waiting　to　speak　to　her。　Go　at　once；　Frankfor　my　sake！〃

There　is　no　alternative　but　to　obey　her。　His　eyes　drink　a　last
draught　of　her　beauty。　He　hurries　away　on　his　errandthe
happiest　man　in　the　room。　Five　minutes　since　she　was　only　his
partner　in　the　dance。　He　has　spokenand　she　has　pledged　herself
to　be　his　partner　for　life！



Chapter　4。


It　was　not　easy　to　find　Mrs。　Crayford　in　the　crowd。　Searching
here；　and　searching　there；　Frank　became　conscious　of　a　stranger；
who　appeared　to　be　looking　for　somebody；　on　his　side。　He　was　a
dark；　heavy…browed；　strongly…built　man；　dressed　in　a　shabby　old
naval　officer's　uniform。　His　mannerstrikingly　resolute　and
self…containedwas　unmistakably　the　manner　of　a　gentleman。　He
wound　his　way　slowly　through　the　crowd；　stopping　to　look　at　every
lady　whom　he　passed；　and　then　looking　away　again　with　a　frown。
Little　by　little　he　approached　the　conservatoryentered　it；
after　a　moment's　reflectiondetected　the　glimmer　of　a　white
dress　in　the　distance；　through　the　shrubs　and　flowersadvanced
to　get　a　nearer　view　of　the　ladyand　burst　into　Clara's　presence
with　a　cry　of　delight。

She　sprang　to　her　feet。　She　stood　before　him　speechless；
motionless；　struck　to　stone。　All　her　life　was　in　her　eyesthe
eyes　which　told　her　she　was　looking　at　Richard　Wardour。

He　was　the　first　to　speak。

〃I　am　sorry　I　startled　you；　my　darling。　I　forgot　everything　but
the　happiness　of　seeing　you　again。　We　only　reached　our　moorings
two　hours　since。　I　was　some　time　inquiring　after　you；　and　some
time　getting　my　ticket　when　they　told　me　you　were　at　the　ball。
Wish　me　joy；　Clara！　I　am　promoted。　I　have　come　back　to　make　you
my　wife。〃

A　momentary　change　passed　over　the　blank　terror　of　her　face。　Her
color　rose　faintly；　her　lips　moved。　She　abruptly　put　a　question
to　him。

〃Did　you　get　my　letter？〃

He　started。　〃A　letter　from　you？　I　never　received　it。〃

The　momentary　animation　died　out　of　her　face　again。　She　drew　back
from　him　and　dropped　into　a　chair。　He　advanced　toward　her；
astonished　and　alarmed。　She　shrank　in　the　chairshrank；　as　if
she　was　frightened　of　him。

〃Clara；　you　have　not　even　shaken　hands　with　me！　What　does　it
mean？〃

He　paused；　waiting　and　watching　her。　She　made　no　reply。　A　flash
of　the　quick　temper　in　him　leaped　up　in　his　eyes。　He　repeated　his
last　words　in　louder　and　sterner　tones：

〃What　does　it　mean？〃

She　replied　this　time。　His　tone　had　hurt　herhis　tone　had　roused
her　sinking　courage。

〃It　means；　Mr。　Wardour；　that　you　have　been　mistaken　from　the
first。〃

〃How　have　I　been　mistaken？〃

〃You　have　been　under　a　wrong　impression；　and　you　have　given　me　no
opportunity　of　setting　you　right。〃

〃In　what　way　have　I　been　wrong？〃

〃You　have　been　too　hasty　and　too　confident　about　yourself　and
about　me。　You　have　entirely　misunderstood　me。　I　am　grieved　to
distress　you；　but　for　your　sake　I　must　speak　plainly。　I　am　your
friend　always；　Mr。　Wardour。　I　can　never　be　your　wife。〃

He　mechanically　repeated　the　last　words。　He　seemed　to　doubt
whether　he　had　heard　her　aright。

〃You　can　never　be　my　wife？〃

〃Never！〃

〃Why？〃

There　was　no　answer。　She　was　incapable　of　telling　him　a
falsehood。　She　was　ashamed　to　tell　him　the　truth。

He　stooped　over　her；　and　suddenly　possessed　himself　of　her　hand。
Holding　her　hand　firmly；　he　stooped　a　little　lower；　searching　for
the　signs　which　might　answer　him　in　her　face。　His　own　face
darkened　slowly　while　he　looked。　He　was　beginning　to　suspect　her；
and　he　acknowledged　it　in　his　next　words。

〃Something　has　changed　you　toward　me；　Clara。　Somebody　has
influenced　you　against　me。　Is　ityou　force　me　to　ask　the
questionis　it　some　other　man？〃

〃You　have　no　right　to　ask　me　that。〃

He　went　on　without　noticing　what　she　had　said　to　him。

〃Has　that　other　man　come　between　you　and　me？　I　speak　plainly　on
my　side。　Speak　plainly　on　yours。〃

〃I　_have_　spoken。　I　have　nothing　more　to　say。〃

There　was　a　pause。　She　saw　the　warning　light　which　told　of　the
fire　within　him；　growing　brighter　and　brighter　in　his　eyes。　She
felt　his　grasp　strengthening　on　her　hand。　He　appealed　to　her　for
the　last　time。

〃Reflect；〃　he　said；　〃reflect　before　it　is　too　late。　Your　silence
will　not　serve　you。　If　you　persist　in　not　answering　me；　I　shall
take　your　silence　as　a　confession。　Do　you　hear　me？〃

〃I　hear　you。〃

〃Clara　Burnham！　I　am　not　to　be　trifled　with。　Clara　Burnham！　I
insist　on　the　truth。　Are　you　false　to　me？〃

She　resented　that　searching　question　with　a　woman's　keen　sense　of
the　insult　that　is　implied　in　doubting　her　to　her　face。

〃Mr。　Wardour！　you　forget　yourself　when　you　call　me　to　account　in
that　way。　I　never　encouraged　you。　I　never　gave　you　promise　or
pledge〃

He　passionately　interrupted　her　before　she　could　say　more。

〃You　have　engaged　yourself　in　my　absence。　Your　words　own　it；　your
looks　own　it！　You　have　engaged　yourself　to　another　man！〃

〃If　I　_have_　engaged　myself；　what　right　have　you　to　complain　of
it？〃　she　answered　firmly。　〃What　right　have　you　to　control　my
actions？〃

The　next　words　died　away　on　her　lips。　He　suddenly　dropped　her
hand。　A　marked　change　appeared　in　the　expression　of　his　eyesa
change　which　told　her　of　the　terrible　passions　that　she　had　let
loose　in　him。　She　read；　dimly　read；　something　in　his　face　which
made　her　tremblenot　for　herself；　but　for　Frank。

Little　by　little　the　dark　color　faded　out　of　his　face。　His　deep
voice　dropped　suddenly　to　a　low　and　quiet　tone　as　he　spoke　the
parting　words。

〃Say　no　more；　Miss　Burnhamyou　have　said　enough。　I　am　answered；
I　am　dismissed。〃　He　paused；　and；　stepping　close　up　to　her；　laid
his　hand　on　her　arm。

〃The　time　may　come；〃　he　said；　〃when　I　shall　forgive　you。　But　the
man　who　has　robbed　me　of　you　shall　rue　the　day　when　you　and　he
first　met。〃

He　turned　and　left　her。

A　few　minutes　later；　Mrs。　Crayford；　entering　the　conservatory；
was　met　by　one　of　the　attendants　at　the　ball。　The　man　stopped　as
if　he　wished　to　speak　to　her。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　she　asked。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　ma'am。　Do　you　happen　to　have　a
smelling…bottle　about　you？　There　is　a　young　lady　in　the
conservatory　who　is　taken　faint。〃

Between　the　Scenes

The　Landing　Stage

Chapter　5。


The　morning　of　the　next　daythe　morning　on　which　the　ships　were
to　sailcame　bright　and　breezy。　Mrs。　Crayford；　having　arranged
to　follow　her　husband　to　the　water…side；　and　see　the　last　of　him
before　he　embarked；　entered　Clara's　room　on　her　way　out　of　the
house；　anxious　to　hear　how　her　young　friend　passed　the　night。　To
her　astonishment　she　found　Clara　had　risen；　and　was　dressed；　like
herself；　to　go　out。

〃What　does　this　mean；　my　dear？　After　what　you　suffered　last
nightafter　the　shock　of　seeing　that　manwhy　don't　you　take　my
advice　and　rest　in　your　bed？〃

〃I　can't　rest。　I　have　not　slept　all　night。　Have　you　been　out
yet？〃

〃No。〃

〃Have　you