the frozen deep-第6部分

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stopped　and　looked　up　at　the　man　in　the　hammock。

〃I　must　rouse　the　cook；〃　he　said　to　himself；　with　a　smile。　〃That
fellow　little　thinks　how　useful　he　is　in　keeping　up　my　spirits。
The　most　inveterate　croaker　and　grumbler　in　the　worldand　yet；
according　to　his　own　account；　the　only　cheerful　man　in　the　whole
ship's　company。　John　Want！　John　Want！　Rouse　up；　there！〃

A　head　rose　slowly　out　of　the　bedclothes；　covered　with　a　red
night…cap。　A　melancholy　nose　rested　itself　on　the　edge　of　the
hammock。　A　voice；　worthy　of　the　nose；　expressed　its　opinion　of
the　Arctic　climate；　in　these　words：

〃Lord！　Lord！　here's　all　my　breath　on　my　blanket。　Icicles；　if　you
please；　sir；　all　round　my　mouth　and　all　over　my　blanket。　Every
time　I　have　snored；　I've　frozen　something。　When　a　man　gets　the
cold　into　him　to　that　extent　that　he　ices　his　own　bed；　it　can't
last　much　longer。　Never　mind！　_I_　don't　grumble。〃

Crayford　tapped　the　saucepan　of　bones　impatiently。　John　Want
lowered　himself　to　the　floorgrumbling　all　the　wayby　a　rope
attached　to　the　rafters　at　his　bed　head。　Instead　of　approaching
his　superior　officer　and　his　saucepan；　he　hobbled；　shivering；　to
the　fire…place；　and　held　his　chin　as　close　as　he　possibly　could
over　the　fire。　Crayford　looked　after　him。

〃Halloo！　what　are　you　doing　there？〃

〃Thawing　my　beard；　sir。〃

〃Come　here　directly；　and　set　to　work　on　these　bones。〃

John　Want　remained　immovably　attached　to　the　fire…place；　holding
something　else　over　the　fire。　Crayford　began　to　lose　his　temper。

〃What　the　devil　are　you　about　now？〃

〃Thawing　my　watch；　sir。　It's　been　under　my　pillow　all　night；　and
the　cold　has　stopped　it。　Cheerful；　wholesome；　bracing　sort　of
climate　to　live　in；　isn't　it；　sir？　Never　mind！　_I_　don't
grumble。〃

〃No；　we　all　know　that。　Look　here！　Are　these　bones　pounded　small
enough？〃

John　Want　suddenly　approached　the　lieutenant；　and　looked　at　him
with　an　appearance　of　the　deepest　interest。

〃You'll　excuse　me；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃how　very　hollow　your　voice
sounds　this　morning！〃

〃Never　mind　my　voice。　The　bones！　the　bones！〃

〃Yes；　sirthe　bones。　They'll　take　a　trifle　more　pounding。　I'll
do　my　best　with　them；　sir；　for　your　sake。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

John　Want　shook　his　head；　and　looked　at　Crayford　with　a　dreary
smile。

〃I　don't　think　I　shall　have　the　honor　of　making　much　more　bone
soup　for　you；　sir。　Do　you　think　yourself　you'll　last　long；　sir？　I
don't；　saving　your　presence。　I　think　about　another　week　or　ten
days　will　do　for　us　all。　Never　mind！　_I_　don't　grumble。〃

He　poured　the　bones　into　the　mortar；　and　began　to　pound
themunder　protest。　At　the　same　moment　a　sailor　appeared；
entering　from　the　inner　hut。

〃A　message　from　Captain　Ebsworth；　sir。〃

〃Well？〃

〃The　captain　is　worse　than　ever　with　his　freezing　pains；　sir。　He
wants　to　see　you　immediately。〃

〃I　will　go　at　once。　Rouse　the　doctor。〃

Answering　in　those　terms；　Crayford　returned　to　the　inner　hut；
followed　by　the　sailor。　John　Want　shook　his　head　again；　and
smiled　more　drearily　than　ever。

〃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