the frozen deep(冰渊)-第17部分
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beach？〃
〃She is following me to this place；〃 Mrs。 Crayford replied。 〃I have
been speaking to her this morning。 She is just as resolute as ever to insist
on your telling her of the circumstances under which Frank is missing。 As
things are； you have no alternative but to answer her。〃
〃Help me to answer her； Lucy。 Tell me； before she comes in； how this
dreadful suspicion first took possession of her。 All she could possibly have
known when we left England was that the two men were appointed to
separate ships。 What could have led her to suspect that they had come
together？〃
〃She was firmly persuaded； William； that they _would_ come together
when the Expedition left England。 And she had read in books of Arctic
travel； of men left behind by their comrades on the march； and of men
adrift on ice…bergs。 With her mind full of these images and forebodings；
she saw Frank and Wardour （or dreamed of them） in one of her attacks of
trance。 I was by her side； I heard what she said at the time。 She warned
Frank that Wardour had discovered the truth。 She called out to him； 'While
you can stand； keep with the other men； Frank！〃
〃Good God！〃 cried Crayford； 〃I warned him myself； almost in those
very words； the last time I saw him！〃
〃Don't acknowledge it； William！ Keep her in ignorance of what you
have just told me。 She will not take it for what it isa startling coincidence；
and nothing more。 She will accept it as positive confirmation of the faith；
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the miserable superstitious faith； that is in her。 So long as you don't
actually know that Frank is dead； and that he has died by Wardour's hand；
deny what she saysmislead her for her own sakedispute all her
conclusions as I dispute them。 Help me to raise her to the better and nobler
belief in the mercy of God！〃 She stopped； and looked round nervously at
the doorway。 〃Hush！〃 she whispered。 〃Do as I have told you。 Clara is
here。〃
Chapter 17。
Clara stopped at the doorway； looking backward and forward
distrustfully between the husband and wife。 Entering the boat…house； and
approaching Crayford； she took his arm； and led him away a few steps
from the place in which Mrs。 Crayford was standing。
〃There is no storm now； and there are no duties to be done on board
the ship；〃 she said； with the faint； sad smile which it wrung Crayford's
heart to see。 〃You are Lucy's husband； and you have an interest in me for
Lucy's sake。 Don't shrink on that account from giving me pain： I can bear
pain。 Friend and brother！ will you believe that I have courage enough to
hear the worst？ Will you promise not to deceive me about Frank？〃
The gentle resignation in her voice； the sad pleading in her look； shook
Crayford's self…possession at the outset。 He answered her in the worst
possible manner； he answered evasively。
〃My dear Clara；〃 he said； 〃what have I done that you should suspect
me of deceiving you？〃
She looked him searchingly in the face； then glanced with renewed
distrust at Mrs。 Crayford。 There was a moment of silence。 Before any of
the three could speak again； they were interrupted by the appearance of
one of Crayford's brother officers； followed by two sailors carrying a
hamper between them。 Crayford instantly dropped Clara's arm； and seized
the welcome opportunity of speaking of other things。
〃Any instructions from the ship； Steventon？〃 he asked； approaching
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the officer。
〃Verbal instructions only；〃 Steventon replied。 〃The ship will sail with
the flood…tide。 We shall fire a gun to collect the people； and send another
boat ashore。 In the meantime here are some refreshments for the
passengers。 The ship is in a state of confusion； the ladies will eat their
luncheon more comfortably here。〃
Hearing this； Mrs。 Crayford took _her_ opportunity of silencing Clara
next。
〃Come； my dear；〃 she said。 〃Let us lay the cloth before the gentlemen
come in。〃
Clara was too seriously bent on attaining the object which she had in
view to be silenced in that way。 〃I will help you directly；〃 she answered
then crossed the room and addressed herself to the officer； whose name
was Steventon。
〃Can you spare me a few minutes？〃 she asked。 〃I have something to
say to you。〃
〃I am entirely at your service； Miss Burnham。〃
Answering in those words； Steventon dismissed the two sailors。 Mrs。
Crayford looked anxiously at her husband。 Crayford whispered to her；
〃Don't be alarmed about Steventon。 I have cautioned him； his discretion is
to be depended on。〃
Clara beckoned to Crayford to return to her。
〃I will not keep you long；〃 she said。 〃I will promise not to distress Mr。
Steventon。 Young as I am； you shall both find that I am capable of self…
control。 I won't ask you to go back to the story of your past sufferings； I
only want to be sure that I am right about one thingI mean about what
happened at the time when the exploring party was dispatched in search of
help。 As I understand it； you cast lots among yourselves who was to go
with the party； and who was to remain behind。 Frank cast the lot to go。〃
She paused； shuddering。 〃And Richard Wardour；〃 she went on； 〃cast the
lot to remain behind。 On your honor； as officers and gentlemen； is this the
truth？〃
〃On my honor；〃 Crayford answered； 〃it is the truth。〃
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〃On my honor；〃 Steventon repeated； 〃it is the truth。〃
She looked at them； carefully considering her next words； before she
spoke again。
〃You both drew the lot to stay in the huts；〃 she said； addressing
Crayford and Steventon。 〃And you are both here。 Richard Wardour drew
the lot to stay； and Richard Wardour is not here。 How does his name come
to be with Frank's on the list of the missing？〃
The question was a dangerous one to answer。 Steventon left it to
Crayford to reply。 Once again he answered evasively。
〃It doesn't follow； my dear；〃 he said； 〃that the two men were missing
together because their names happen to come together on the list。〃
Clara instantly drew the inevitable conclusion from that ill…considered
reply。
〃Frank is missing from the party of relief；〃 she said。 〃Am I to
understand that Wardour is missing from the huts？〃
Both Crayford and Steventon hesitated。 Mrs。 Crayford cast one
indignant look at them； and told the necessary lie； without a moment's
hesitation！
〃Yes！〃 she said。 〃Wardour is missing from the huts。〃
Quickly as she had spoken； she had still spoken too late。 Clara had
noticed the momentary hesitation on the part of the two officers。 She
turned to Steventon。
〃I trust to your honor；〃 she said； quietly。 〃Am I right； or wrong； in
believing that Mrs。 Crayford is mistaken？〃
She had addressed herself to the right man of the two。 Steventon had
no wife present to exercise authority over him。 Steventon； put on his honor；
and fairly forced to say something； owned the truth。 Wardour had replaced
an officer whom accident had disabled from accompanying the party of
relief； and Wardour and Frank were missing together。
Clara looked at Mrs。 Crayford。
〃You hear？〃 she said。 〃It is you who are mistaken； not I。 What you call
'Accident；' what I call 'Fate；' brought Richard Wardour and Frank together
as members of the same Expedition； after all。〃 Without waiting for a reply；
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she again turned to Steventon； and surprised him by changing the painful
subject of the conversation of her own accord。
〃Have you been in the Highlands of Scotland？〃 she asked。
〃I have never been in the Highlands；〃 the lieutenant replied。
〃Have you ever read； in books about the Highlands； of such a thing as
'The Second Sight'？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Do you believe in the Second Sight？〃
Steventon politely declined to commit himself to a direct reply。
〃I don't know what I might have done； if I had ever been in the
Highlands；〃 he said。 〃As it is； I have had no opportunities of giving the
subject any serious consideration。〃
〃I won't put your credulity to the test；〃 Clara proceeded。 〃I won't ask
you to believe anything more extraordinary than that I had a strange dream
in England not very long since。 My dream showed me what you have just
acknowledgedand more than that。 How did the two missing men come to
be parted from their companions？ Were they lost by pure accident； or were
they deliberately left behind on the march？〃
Crayford made a last vain effort to check her inquiries at the point
which they had now reached。
〃Neither Steventon nor I were
