the frozen deep-第8章

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snowy　waste　outside　was　broken　by　a　shouting　of　voices　hailing
the　hut〃_Sea…mew_；　ahoy！〃



Chapter　8。


The　sailor　on　watch　opened　the　outer　door。　There；　plodding　over
the　ghastly　white　snow；　were　the　officers　of　the　_Wanderer_
approaching　the　hut。　There；　scattered　under　the　merciless　black
sky；　were　the　crew；　with　the　dogs　and　the　sledges；　waiting　the
word　which　was　to　start　them　on　their　perilous　and　doubtful
journey。

Captain　Helding　of　the　_Wanderer_；　accompanied　by　his　officers；
entered　the　hut；　in　high　spirits　at　the　prospect　of　a　change。
Behind　them；　lounging　in　slowly　by　himself；　was　a　dark；　sullen；
heavy…browed　man。　He　neither　spoke；　nor　offered　his　hand　to
anybody：　he　was　the　one　person　present　who　seemed　to　be　perfectly
indifferent　to　the　fate　in　store　for　him。　This　was　the　man　whom
his　brother　officers　had　nicknamed　the　Bear　of　the　Expedition。　In
other　wordsRichard　Wardour。

Crayford　advanced　to　welcome　Captain　Helding。　Frank；　remembering
the　friendly　reproof　which　he　had　just　received；　passed　ov　er　the
other　officers　of　the　_Wanderer_；　and　made　a　special　effort　to　be
civil　to　Crayford's　friend。

〃Good…morning；　Mr。　Wardour；〃　he　said。　〃We　may　congratulate　each
other　on　the　chance　of　leaving　this　horrible　place。〃

〃_You_　may　think　it　horrible；〃　Wardour　retorted；　〃I　like　it。〃

〃Like　it？　Good　Heavens！　why？〃

〃Because　there　are　no　women　here。〃

Frank　turned　to　his　brother　officers；　without　making　any　further
advances　in　the　direction　of　Richard　Wardour。　The　Bear　of　the
Expedition　was　more　unapproachable　than　ever。

In　the　meantime；　the　hut　had　become　thronged　by　the　able…bodied
officers　and　men　of　the　two　ships。　Captain　Helding；　standing　in
the　midst　of　them；　with　Crayford　by　his　side；　proceeded　to
explain　the　purpose　of　the　contemplated　expedition　to　the
audience　which　surrounded　him。

He　began　in　these　words：

〃Brother　officers　and　men　of　the　_Wanderer_　and　_Sea…mew_；　it　is
my　duty　to　tell　you；　very　briefly；　the　reasons　which　have　decided
Captain　Ebsworth　and　myself　on　dispatching　an　exploring　party　in
search　of　help。　Without　recalling　all　the　hardships　we　have
suffered　for　the　last　two　yearsthe　destruction；　first　of　one　of
our　ships；　then　of　the　other；　the　death　of　some　of　our　bravest
and　best　companions；　the　vain　battles　we　have　been　fighting　with
the　ice　and　snow；　and　boundless　desolation　of　these　inhospitable
regionswithout　dwelling　on　these　things；　it　is　my　duty　to
remind　you　that　this；　the　last　place　in　which　we　have　taken
refuge；　is　far　beyond　the　track　of　any　previous　expedition；　and
that　consequently　our　chance　of　being　discovered　by　any　rescuing
parties　that　may　be　sent　to　look　after　us　is；　to　say　the　least　of
it；　a　chance　of　the　most　uncertain　kind。　You　all　agree　with　me；
gentlemen；　so　far？〃

The　officers　（with　the　exception　of　Wardour；　who　stood　apart　in
sullen　silence）　all　agreed；　so　far。

The　captain　went　on。

〃It　is　therefore　urgently　necessary　that　we　should　make　another；
and　probably　a　last；　effort　to　extricate　ourselves。　The　winter　is
not　far　off；　game　is　getting　scarcer　and　scarcer；　our　stock　of
provisions　is　running　low；　and　the　sickespecially；　I　am　sorry
to　say；　the　sick　in　the　_Wanderer_'s　hutare　increasing　in
number　day　by　day。　We　must　look　to　our　own　lives；　and　to　the
lives　of　those　who　are　dependent　on　us；　and　we　have　no　time　to
lose。〃

The　officers　echoed　the　words　cheerfully。

〃Right！　right！　No　time　to　lose。〃

Captain　Helding　resumed：

〃The　plan　proposed　is；　that　a　detachment　of　the　able…bodied
officers　and　men　among　us　should　set　forth　this　very　day；　and
make　another　effort　to　reach　the　nearest　inhabited　settlements；
from　which　help　and　provisions　may　be　dispatched　to　those　who
remain　here。　The　new　direction　to　be　taken；　and　the　various
precautions　to　be　adopted；　are　all　drawn　out　ready。　The　only
question　now　before　us　is；　Who　is　to　stop　here；　and　who　is　to
undertake　the　journey？〃

The　officers　answered　the　question　with　one　accord〃Volunteers！〃

The　men　echoed　their　officers。　〃Ay；　ay；　volunteers。〃

Wardour　still　preserved　his　sullen　silence。　Crayford　noticed　him。
standing　apart　from　the　rest；　and　appealed　to　him　personally。

〃Do　you　say　nothing？〃　he　asked。

〃Nothing；〃　Wardour　answered。　〃Go　or　stay；　it's　all　one　to　me。〃

〃I　hope　you　don't　really　mean　that？〃　said　Crayford。

〃I　do。〃

〃I　am　sorry　to　hear　it；　Wardour。〃

Captain　Helding　answered　the　general　suggestion　in　favor　of
volunteering　by　a　question　which　instantly　checked　the　rising
enthusiasm　of　the　meeting。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃suppose　we　say　volunteers。　Who　volunteers　to
stop　in　the　huts？〃

There　was　a　dead　silence。　The　officers　and　men　looked　at　each
other　confusedly。　The　captain　continued：

〃You　see　we　can't　settle　it　by　volunteering。　You　all　want　to　go。
Every　man　among　us　who　has　the　use　of　his　limbs　naturally　wants
to　go。　But　what　is　to　become　of　those　who　have　not　got　the　use　of
their　limbs？　Some　of　us　must　stay　here；　and　take　care　of　the
sick。〃

Everybody　admitted　that　this　was　true。

〃So　we　get　back　again；〃　said　the　captain；　〃to　the　old
questionWho　among　the　able…bodied　is　to　go？　and　who　is　to　stay？
Captain　Ebsworth　says；　and　I　say；　let　chance　decide　it。　Here　are
dice。　The　numbers　run　as　high　as　twelvedouble　sixes。　All　who
throw　under　six；　stay；　all　who　throw　over　six；　go。　Officers　of
the　_Wanderer_　and　the　_Sea…mew_；　do　you　agree　to　that　way　of
meeting　the　difficulty？〃

All　the　officers　agreed；　with　the　one　exception　of　Wardour；　who
still　kept　silence。

〃Men　of　the　_Wanderer_　and　_Sea…mew_；　your　officers　agree　to　cast
lots。　Do　you　agree　too？〃

The　men　agreed　without　a　dissentient　voice。　Crayford　handed　the
box　and　the　dice　to　Captain　Helding。

〃You　throw　first；　sir。　Under　six；　'Stay。'　Over　six；　'Go。'〃

Captain　Helding　cast　the　dice；　the　top　of　the　cask　serving　for　a
table。　He　threw　seven。

〃Go；〃　said　Crayford。　〃I　congratulate　you；　sir。　Now　for　my　own
chance。〃　He　cast　the　dice　in　his　turn。　Three！〃　Stay！　Ah；　well！
well！　if　I　can　do　my　duty；　and　be　of　use　to　others；　what　does　it
matter　whether　I　go　or　stay？　Wardour；　you　are　next；　in　the
absence　of　your　first　lieutenant。〃

Wardour　prepared　to　cast；　without　shaking　the　dice。

〃Shake　the　box；　man！〃　cried　Crayford。　〃Give　yourself　a　chance　of
luck！〃

Wardour　persisted　in　letting　the　dice　fall　out　carelessly；　just
as　they　lay　in　the　box。

〃Not　I！〃　he　muttered　to　himself。　〃I've　done　with　luck。〃　Saying
those　words；　he　threw　down　the　empty　box；　and　seated　himself　on
the　nearest　chest；　without　looking　to　see　how　the　dice　had
fallen。

Crayford　examined　them。　〃Six！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃There！　you　have　a
second　chance；　in　spite　of　yourself。　You　are　neither　under　nor
overyou　throw　again。〃

〃Bah！〃　growled　the　Bear。　〃It's　not　worth　the　trouble　of　getting
up　for。　Somebody　else　throw　for　me。〃　He　suddenly　looked　at　Frank。
〃You！　you　have　got　what　the　women　call　a　lucky　face。〃

Frank　appealed　to　Crayford。　〃Shall　I？〃

〃Yes；　if　he　wishes　it；〃　said　Crayford。

Frank　cast　the　dice。　〃Two！　He　stays！　Wardour；　I　am　sorry　I　have
thrown　against　you。〃

〃Go　or　stay；〃　reiterated　Wardour；　〃it's　all　one　to　me。　You　will
be　luckier；　young　one；　when　you　cast　for　yourself。〃

Frank　cast　for　himself。

〃Eight。　Hurrah！　I　go！〃

〃What　did　I　tell　you？〃　said　Wardour。　〃The　chance　was　yours。　You
have　thriven　on　my　ill　luck。〃

He　rose；　as　he　spoke；　to　leave　the　hut。　Crayford　stopped　him。

〃Have　you　anything　particular　to　do；　Richard？〃

〃What　has　anybody　to　do　here？〃

〃Wait　a　little；　then。　I　want　to　speak　to　you　when　this　business
is　over。〃

〃Are　you　going　to　give　me　any　more　good　advice？〃

〃Don't　look　at　me　in　that　sour　way；　Richard。　I　am　going　to　ask
you　a　question　about　something　which　concerns　yourself。〃

Wardour　yielded　without　a　word　more。　He　returned　to　his　chest；
and　cynically　composed　himself　to　slumber。　The　casting　of　the
lots　went　on　rapidly　among　the　officers　and　men。　In　another
half…hour　chance　had　decided　the　question　of　〃Go〃　or　〃Stay〃　for
all　alike。　The　men　left　the　hut。　The　officers　entered　the　inner
apartment　for　a　last　conference　with　the　bed…ridden　captain　of
the　_Sea…mew_。　Wardour　and　Crayford　were　left　together；　a