the frozen deep(冰渊)-第14部分
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fell from her trembling hand。 She caught Clara in her arms。 〃Oh； my
darling！ my darling！ news of them at last。〃
Without answering； without the slightest change in look or manner；
Clara took the newspaper from the ground； and read the top line in the
column； printed in capital letters：
THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION。
She waited； and looked at Mrs。 Crayford。
〃Can you bear to hear it； Lucy；〃 she asked； 〃if I read it aloud？〃
Mrs。 Crayford was too agitated to answer in words。 She signed
impatiently to Clara to go on。
Clara read the news which followed the heading in capital letters。 Thus
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it ran：
〃The following intelligence； from St。 Johns； Newfoundland； has
reached us for publication。 The whaling…vessel _Blythew ood_ is reported
to have met with the surviving officers and men of the Expedition in Davis
Strait。 Many are stated to be dead； and some are supposed to be missing。
The list of the saved； as collected by the people of the whaler； is not
vouched for as being absolutely correct； the circumstances having been
adverse to investigation。 The vessel was pressed for time； and the
members of the Expedition； all more or less suffering from exhaustion；
were not in a position to give the necessary assistance to inquiry。 Further
particulars may be looked for by the next mail。〃
The list of the survivors followed； beginning with the officers in the
order of their rank。 They both read the list together。 The first name was
Captain Helding； the second was Lieutenant Crayford。
There the wife's joy overpowered her。 After a pause； she put her arm
around Clara's waist； and spoke to her。
〃Oh； my love！〃 she murmured； 〃are you as happy as I am？ Is Frank's
name there too？ The tears are in my eyes。 Read for meI can't read for
myself。〃
The answer came； in still； sad tones：
〃I have read as far as your husband's name。 I have no need to read
further。〃
Mrs。 Crayford dashed the tears from her eyessteadied herselfand
looked at the newspaper。
On the list of the survivors； the search was vain。 Frank's name was not
among them。 On a second list； headed 〃Dead or Missing；〃 the first two
names that appeared were：
FRANCIS ALDERSLEY。 RICHARD WARDOUR。
In speechless distress and dismay； Mrs。 Crayford looked at Clara。 Had
she force enough in her feeble health to sustain the shock that had fallen
on her？ Yes！ she bore it with a strange unnatural resignationshe looked；
she spoke； with the sad self…possession of despair。
〃I was prepared for it；〃 she said。 〃I saw them in the spirit last night。
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Richard Wardour has discovered the truth； and Frank has paid the penalty
with his lifeand I； I alone； am to blame。〃 She shuddered； and put her
hand on her heart。 〃We shall not be long parted； Lucy。 I shall go to him。
He will not return to me。〃
Those words were spoken with a calm certainty of conviction that was
terrible to hear。 〃I have no more to say；〃 she added； after a moment； and
rose to return to the house。 Mrs。 Crayford caught her by the hand； and
forced her to take her seat again。
〃Don't look at me； don't speak to me； in that horrible manner！〃 she
exclaimed。 〃Clara！ it is unworthy of a reasonable being； it is doubting the
mercy of God； to say what you have just said。 Look at the newspaper
again。 See！ They tell you plainly that their information is not to be
depended onthey warn you to wait for further particulars。 The very
words at the top of the list show how little they knew of the truth 'Dead
_or_ Missing！' On their own showing； it is quite as likely that Frank is
missing as that Frank is dead。 For all you know； the next mail may bring a
letter from him。 Are you listening to me？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Can you deny what I say？〃
〃No。〃
〃'Yes！' 'No！' Is that the way to answer me when I am so distressed and
so anxious about you？〃
〃I am sorry I spoke as I did； Lucy。 We look at some subjects in very
different ways。 I don't dispute； dear； that yours is the reasonable view。〃
〃You don't dispute？〃 retorted Mrs。 Crayford； warmly。 〃No！ you do
what is worseyou believe in your own opinion； you persist in your own
conclusionwith the newspaper before you！ Do you； or do you not；
believe the newspaper？〃
〃I believe in what I saw last night。〃
〃In what you saw last night！ You； an educated woman； a clever woman；
believing in a vision of your own fancya mere dream！ I wonder you are
not ashamed to acknowledge it！〃
〃Call it a dream if you like； Lucy。 I have had other dreams at other
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timesand I have known them to be fulfilled。〃
〃Yes！〃 said Mrs。 Crayford。 〃For once in a way they may have been
fulfilled； by chanceand you notice it； and remember it； and pin your faith
on it。 Come； Clara； be honest！What about the occasions when the chance
has been against you； and your dreams have not been fulfilled？ You
superstitious people are all alike。 You conveniently forget when your
dreams and your presentiments prove false。 For my sake； dear； if not for
your own；〃 she continued； in gentler and tenderer tones； 〃try to be more
reasonable and more hopeful。 Don't lose your trust in the future； and your
trust in God。 God； who has saved my husband； can save Frank。 While
there is doubt； there is hope。 Don't embitter my happiness； Clara！ Try to
think as I thinkif it is only to show that you love me。〃
She put her arm round the girl's neck； and kissed her。 Clara returned
the kiss； Clara answered； sadly and submissively；
〃I do love you； Lucy。 I _will_ try。〃
Having answered in those terms； she sighed to herself； and said no
more。 It would have been plain； only too plain； to far less observant eyes
than Mrs。 Crayford's that no salutary impression had been produced on her。
She had ceased to defend her own way of thinking； she spoke of it no
morebut there was the terrible conviction of Frank's death at Wardour's
hands rooted as firmly as ever in her mind！ Discouraged and distressed；
Mrs。 Crayford left her； and walked back toward the house。
Chapter 15。
At the drawing…room window of the villa there appeared a polite little
man； with bright intelligent eyes； and cheerful sociable manners。 Neatly
dressed in professional black； he stood； self…proclaimed； a prosperous
country doctorsuccessful and popular in a wide circle of patients and
friends。 As Mrs。 Crayford approached him； he stepped out briskly to meet
her on the lawn； with both hands extended in courteous and cordial
greeting。
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〃My dear madam； accept my heartfelt congratulations！〃 cried the
doctor。 〃I have seen the good news in the paper； and I could hardly feel
more rejoiced than I do now if I had the honor of knowing Lieutenant
Crayford personally。 We mean to celebrate the occasion at home。 I said to
my wife before I came out； 'A bottle of the old Madeira at dinner to…day；
mind！to drink the lieutenant's health； God bless him！' And how is our
interesting patient？ The news is not altogether what we could wish； so far
as she is concerned。 I felt a little anxious； to tell you the truth； about the
effect of it； and I have paid my visit to…day before my usual time。 Not that
I take a gloomy view of the news myself。 No！ There is clearly a doubt
about the correctness of the information； so far as Mr。 Aldersley is
concernedand that is a point； a great point in Mr。 Aldersley's favor。 I give
him the benefit of the doubt； as the lawyers say。 Does Miss Burnham give
him the benefit of the doubt too？ I hardly dare hope it； I confess。〃
〃Miss Burnham has grieved and alarmed me；〃 Mrs。 Crayford answered。
〃I was just thinking of sending for you when we met here。〃
With those introductory words； she told the doctor exactly what had
happened； repeating not only the conversation of that morning between
Clara and herself； but also the words which had fallen from Clara； in the
trance of the past night。
The doctor listened attentively。 Little by little； its easy smiling
composure vanished from his face； as Mrs。 Crayford went on； and left him
completely transformed into a grave and thoughtful man。
〃Let us go and look at her；〃 he said。
He seated himself by Clara's side； and carefully studied her face； with
his hand on her pulse。 There was no sympathy here between the dreamy
mystical temperament of the patien
