the frozen deep-第7章

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〃Rouse　the　doctor？〃　he　repeated。　〃Suppose　the　doctor　should　be
frozen？　He　hadn't　a　ha'porth　of　warmth　in　him　last　night；　and　his
voice　sounded　like　a　whisper　in　a　speaking…trumpet。　Will　the
bones　do　now？　Yes；　the　bones　will　do　now。　Into　the　saucepan　with
you；〃　cried　John　Want；　suiting　the　action　to　the　word；　〃and
flavor　the　hot　water　if　you　can！　When　I　remember　that　I　was　once
an　apprentice　at　a　pastry…cook'swhen　I　think　of　the　gallons　of
turtle…soup　that　this　hand　has　stirred　up　in　a　jolly　hot
kitchenand　when　I　find　myself　mixing　bones　and　hot　water　for
soup；　and　turning　into　ice　as　fast　as　I　can；　if　I　wasn't　of　a
cheerful　disposition　I　should　feel　inclined　to　grumble。　John
Want！　John　Want！　whatever　had　you　done　with　your　natural　senses
when　you　made　up　your　mind　to　go　to　sea？〃

A　new　voice　hailed　the　cook；　speaking　from　one　of　the　bed…places
in　the　side　of　the　hut。　It
　was　the　voice　of　Francis　Aldersley。

〃Who's　that　croaking　over　the　fire？〃

〃Croaking？〃　repeated　John　Want；　with　the　air　of　a　man　who
considered　himself　the　object　of　a　gratuitous　insult。　〃Croaking？
You　don't　find　your　own　voice　at　all　altered　for　the　worsedo
you；　Mr。　Frank？　I　don't　give　_him_；〃　John　proceeded；　speaking
confidentially　to　himself；　〃more　than　six　hours　to　last。　He's　one
of　your　grumblers。〃

〃What　are　you　doing　there？〃　asked　Frank。

〃I'm　making　bone　soup；　sir；　and　wondering　why　I　ever　went　to
sea。〃

〃Well；　and　why　did　you　go　to　sea？〃

〃I'm　not　certain；　Mr。　Frank。　Sometimes　I　think　it　was　natural
perversity；　sometimes　I　think　it　was　false　pride　at　getting　over
sea…sickness；　sometimes　I　think　it　was　reading　'Robinson　Crusoe；'
and　books　warning　of　me　_not_　to　go　to　sea。〃

Frank　laughed。　〃You're　an　odd　fellow。　What　do　you　mean　by　false
pride　at　getting　over　sea…sickness？　Did　you　get　over　sea…sickness
in　some　new　way？〃

John　Want's　dismal　face　brightened　in　spite　of　himself。　Frank　had
recalled　to　the　cook's　memory　one　of　the　noteworthy　passages　in
the　cook's　life。

〃That's　it；　sir！〃　he　said。　〃If　ever　a　man　cured　sea…sickness　in　a
new　way　yet；　I　am　that　manI　got　over　it；　Mr。　Frank；　by　dint　of
hard　eating。　I　was　a　passenger　on　board　a　packet…boat；　sir；　when
first　I　saw　blue　water。　A　nasty　lopp　of　a　sea　came　on　at
dinner…time；　and　I　began　to　feel　queer　the　moment　the　soup　was
put　on　the　table。　'Sick？'　says　the　captain。　'Rather；　sir；'　says
I。　'Will　you　try　my　cure？'　says　the　captain。　'Certainly；　sir；'
says　I。　'Is　your　heart　in　your　mouth　yet？'　says　the　captain。　'Not
quite；　sir；'　says　I。　'Mock…turtle　soup？'　says　the　captain；　and
helps　me。　I　swallow　a　couple　of　spoonfuls；　and　turn　as　white　as　a
sheet。　The　captain　cocks　his　eye　at　me。　'Go　on　deck；　sir；'　says
he；　'get　rid　of　the　soup；　and　then　come　back　to　the　cabin。'　I　got
rid　of　the　soup；　and　came　back　to　the　cabin。　'Cod's
head…and…shoulders；'　says　the　captain；　and　helps　me。　'I　can't
stand　it；　sir；'　says　I。　'You　must；'　says　the　captain；　'because
it's　the　cure。'　I　crammed　down　a　mouthful；　and　turned　paler　than
ever。　'Go　on　deck；'　says　the　captain。　'Get　rid　of　the　cod's　head；
and　come　back　to　the　cabin。'　Off　I　go；　and　back　I　come。　'Boiled
leg　of　mutton　and　trimmings；'　says　the　captain；　and　helps　me。　'No
fat；　sir；'　says　I。　'Fat's　the　cure；'　says　the　captain；　and　makes
me　eat　it。　'Lean's　the　cure；'　says　the　captain；　and　makes　me　eat
it。　'Steady？'　says　the　captain。　'Sick；'　says　I。　'Go　on　deck；'
says　the　captain；　'get　rid　of　the　boiled　leg　of　mutton　and
trimmings　and　come　back　to　the　cabin。'　Off　I　go；　staggeringback
I　come；　more　dead　than　alive。　'Deviled　kidneys；'　says　the
captain。　I　shut　my　eyes；　and　got　'em　down。　'Cure's　beginning；'
says　the　captain。　'Mutton…chop　and　pickles。'　I　shut　my　eyes；　and
got　_them_　down。　'Broiled　ham　and　cayenne　pepper；'　says　the
captain。　'Glass　of　stout　and　cranberry　tart。　Want　to　go　on　deck
again？'　'No；　sir；'　says　I。　'Cure's　done；'　says　the　captain。
'Never　you　give　in　to　your　stomach；　and　your　stomach　will　end　in
giving　in　to　you。'〃

Having　stated　the　moral　purpose　of　his　story　in　those
unanswerable　words；　John　Want　took　himself　and　his　saucepan　into
the　kitchen。　A　moment　later；　Crayford　returned　to　the　hut　and
astonished　Frank　Aldersley　by　an　unexpected　question。

〃Have　you　anything　in　your　berth；　Frank；　that　you　set　a　value
on？〃

〃Nothing　that　I　set　the　smallest　value　onwhen　I　am　out　of　it；〃
he　replied。　〃What　does　your　question　mean？〃

〃We　are　almost　as　short　of　fuel　as　we　are　of　provisions；〃
Crayford　proceeded。　〃Your　berth　will　make　good　firing。　I　have
directed　Bateson　to　be　here　in　ten　minutes　with　his　ax。〃

〃Very　attentive　and　considerate　on　your　part；〃　said　Frank。　〃What
is　to　become　of　me；　if　you　please；　when　Bateson　has　chopped　my
bed　into　fire…wood？〃

〃Can't　you　guess？〃

〃I　suppose　the　cold　has　stupefied　me。　The　riddle　is　beyond　my
reading。　Suppose　you　give　me　a　hint？〃

〃Certainly。　There　will　be　beds　to　spare　soonthere　is　to　be　a
change　at　last　in　our　wretched　lives　here。　Do　you　see　it　now？〃

Frank's　eyes　sparkled。　He　sprang　out　of　his　berth；　and　waved　his
fur　cap　in　triumph。

〃See　it？〃　he　exclaimed；　〃of　course　I　do！　The　exploring　party　is
to　start　at　last。　Do　I　go　with　the　expedition？〃

〃It　is　not　very　long　since　you　were　in　the　doctor's　hands；
Frank；〃　said　Crayford；　kindly。　〃I　doubt　if　you　are　strong　enough
yet　to　make　one　of　the　exploring　party。〃

〃Strong　enough　or　not；〃　returned　Frank；　〃any　risk　is　better　than
pining　and　perishing　here。　Put　me　down；　Crayford；　among　those　who
volunteer　to　go。〃

〃Volunteers　will　not　be　accepted；　in　this　case；〃　said　Crayford。
〃Captain　Helding　and　Captain　Ebsworth　see　serious　objections；　as
we　are　situated；　to　that　method　of　proceeding。〃

〃Do　they　mean　to　keep　the　appointments　in　their　own　hands？〃　asked
Frank。　〃I　for　one　object　to　that。〃

〃Wait　a　little；〃　said　Crayford。　〃You　were　playing　backgammon　the
other　day　with　one　of　the　officers。　Does　the　board　belong　to　him
or　to　you？〃

〃It　belongs　to　me。　I　have　got　it　in　my　locker　here。　What　do　you
want　with　it？〃

〃I　want　the　dice　and　the　box　for　casting　lots。　The　captains　have
arrangedmost　wisely；　as　I　thinkthat　Chance　shall　decide　among
us　who　goes　with　the　expedition　and　who　stays　behind　in　the　huts。
The　officers　and　crew　of　the　_Wanderer_　will　be　here　in　a　few
minutes　to　cast　the　lots。　Neither　you　nor　any　one　can　object　to
that　way　of　deciding　among　us。　Officers　and　men　alike　take　their
chance　together。　Nobody　can　grumble。〃

〃I　am　quite　satisfied；〃　said　Frank。　〃But　I　know　of　one　man　among
the　officers　who　is　sure　to　make　objections。〃

〃Who　is　the　man？〃

〃You　know　him　well　enough；　too。　The　'Bear　of　the　Expeditions'
Richard　Wardour。〃

〃Frank！　Frank！　you　have　a　bad　habit　of　letting　your　tongue　run
away　with　you。　Don't　repeat　that　stupid　nickname　when　you　talk　of
my　good　friend；　Richard　Wardour。〃

〃Your　good　friend？　Crayford！　your　liking　for　that　man　amazes　me。〃

Crayford　laid　his　hand　kindly　on　Frank's　shoulder。　Of　all　the
officers　of　the　_Sea…mew_；　Crayford's　favorite　was　Frank。

〃Why　should　it　amaze　you？〃　he　asked。　〃What　opportunities　have　you
had　of　judging？　You　and　Wardour　have　always　belonged　to　different
ships。　I　have　never　seen　you　in　Wardour's　society　for　five
minutes　together。　How　can　_you_　form　a　fair　estimate　of　his
character？〃

〃I　take　the　general　estimate　of　his　character；〃　Frank　answered。
〃He　has　got　his　nickname　because　he　is　the　most　unpopular　man　in
his　ship。　Nobody　likes　himthere　must　be　some　reason　for　that。〃

〃There　is　only　one　reason　for　it；〃　Crayford　rejoined。　〃Nobody
understands　Richard　Wardour。　I　am　not　talking　at　random。
Remember；　I　sailed　from　England　with　him　in　the　_Wanderer_；　and　I
was　only　transferred　to　the　_Sea…mew_　long　after　we　were　locked
up　in　the　ice。　I　was　Richard　Wardour's　companion　on　board　ship
for　months；　and　I　learned　there　to　do　him　justice。　Under　all　his
outward　defects；　I　tell　you；　there　beats　a　great　and　generous
heart。　Suspend　your　opinion；　my　lad；　until　you　know　my　friend　as
well　as　I　do。　No　more　of　this　now。　Give　me　the　dice　and　the　box。〃

Frank　opened　his　locker。　At　the　same　moment　the　silence　of　the
snowy　waste　outside　was　broken　by　a　shouting　of　voices　hailing
the　hut〃_Sea…m