the frozen deep-第4部分

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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　seen　or　heard　anything　of　Richard　Wardour？〃

〃What　an　extraordinary　question！〃

〃Answer　my　question！　Don't　trifle　with　me！〃

〃Compose　yourself；　Clara。　I　have　neither　seen　nor　heard　anything
of　Richard　Wardour。　Take　my　word　for　it；　he　is　far　enough　away　by
this　time。〃

〃No！　He　is　here！　He　is　near　us！　All　night　long　the　presentiment
has　pursued　meFrank　and　Richard　Wardour　will　meet。〃

〃My　dear　child！　what　are　you　thinking　of？　T　hey　are　total
strangers　to　each　other。〃

〃Something　will　happen　to　bring　them　together。　I　feel　it！　I　know
it！　They　will　meetthere　will　be　a　mortal　quarrel　between
themand　I　shall　be　to　blame。　Oh；　Lucy！　why　didn't　I　take　your
advice？　Why　was　I　mad　enough　to　let　Frank　know　that　I　loved　him？
Are　you　going　to　the　landing…stage？　I　am　all　readyI　must　go
with　you。〃

〃You　must　not　think　of　it；　Clara。　There　will　be　crowding　and
confusion　at　the　water…side。　You　are　not　strong　enough　to　bear
it。　WaitI　won't　be　long　awaywait　till　I　come　back。〃

〃I　must　and　will　go　with　you！　Crowd？　_He_　will　be　among　the
crowd！　Confusion？　In　that　confusion　_he_　will　find　his　way　to
Frank！　Don't　ask　me　to　wait。　I　shall　go　mad　if　I　wait。　I　shall
not　know　a　moment's　ease　until　I　have　seen　Frank；　with　my　own
eyes；　safe　in　the　boat　which　takes　him　to　his　ship！　You　have　got
your　bonnet　on；　what　are　we　stopping　here　for？　Come！　or　I　shall
go　without　you。　Look　at　the　clock；　we　have　not　a　moment　to　lose！〃

It　was　useless　to　contend　with　her。　Mrs。　Crayford　yielded。　The
two　women　left　the　house　together。

The　landing…stage；　as　Mrs。　Crayford　had　predicted；　was　thronged
with　spectators。　Not　only　the　relatives　and　friends　of　the　Arctic
voyagers；　but　strangers　as　well；　had　assembled　in　large　numbers
to　see　the　ships　sail。　Clara's　eyes　wandered　affrightedly　hither
and　thither　among　the　strange　faces　in　the　crowd；　searching　for
the　one　face　that　she　dreaded　to　see；　and　not　finding　it。　So
completely　were　her　nerves　unstrung；　that　she　started　with　a　cry
of　alarm　on　suddenly　hearing　Frank's　voice　behind　her。

〃The　_Sea…mew_'s　boats　are　waiting；〃　he　said。　〃I　must　go；
darling。　How　pale　you　are　looking；　Clara！　Are　you　ill？〃

She　never　answered。　She　questioned　him　with　wild　eyes　and
trembling　lips。

〃Has　anything　happened　to　you；　Frank？　anything　out　of　the
common？〃

Frank　laughed　at　the　strange　question。

〃Anything　out　of　the　common？〃　he　repeated。　〃Nothing　that　I　know
of；　except　sailing　for　the　Arctic　seas。　That's　out　of　the　common；
I　supposeisn't　it？〃

〃Has　anybody　spoken　to　you　since　last　night？　Has　any　stranger
followed　you　in　the　street？〃

Frank　turned　in　blank　amazement　to　Mrs。　Crayford。

〃What　on　earth　does　she　mean？〃

Mrs。　Crayford's　lively　invention　supplied　her　with　an　answer　on
the　spur　of　the　moment。

〃Do　you　believe　in　dreams；　Frank？　Of　course　you　don't！　Clara　has
been　dreaming　about　you；　and　Clara　is　foolish　enough　to　believe
in　dreams。　That's　allit's　not　worth　talking　about。　Hark！　they
are　calling　you。　Say　good…by；　or　you　will　be　too　late　for　the
boat。〃

Frank　took　Clara's　hand。　Long　afterwardin　the　dark　Arctic　days；
in　the　dreary　Arctic　nightshe　remembered　how　coldly　and　how
passively　that　hand　lay　in　his。

〃Courage；　Clara！〃　he　said；　gayly。　〃A　sailor's　sweetheart　must
accustom　herself　to　partings。　The　time　will　soon　pass。　Good…by；
my　darling！　Good…by；　my　wife！〃

He　kissed　the　cold　hand；　he　looked　his　lastfor　many　a　long
year；　perhaps！at　the　pale　and　beautiful　face。　〃How　she　loves
me！〃　he　thought。　〃How　the　parting　distresses　her！〃　He　still　held
her　hand；　he　would　have　lingered　longer；　if　Mrs。　Crayford　had　not
wisely　waived　all　ceremony　and　pushed　him　away。

The　two　ladies　followed　him　at　a　safe　distance　through　the　crowd；
and　saw　him　step　into　the　boat。　The　oars　struck　the　water；　Frank
waved　his　cap　to　Clara。　In　a　moment　more　a　vessel　at　anchor　hid
the　boat　from　view。　They　had　seen　the　last　of　him　on　his　way　to
the　Frozen　Deep！

〃No　Richard　Wardour　in　the　boat；〃　said　Mrs。　Crayford。　〃No　Richard
Wardour　on　the　shore。　Let　this　be　a　lesson　t