the frozen deep(冰渊)-第12节
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Crayford advanced and questioned the quartermaster。 〃What do you
want with Captain Helding？〃 he asked。
〃I have a report to make； sir。 There has been an accident on the ice。〃
〃To one of your men？〃
〃No； sir。 To one of our officers。〃
Wardour； on the point of going out； paused when the quartermaster
made that reply。 For a moment he considered with himself。 Then he
walked slowly back to the part of the room in which Frank was standing。
Crayford； directing the quartermaster； pointed to the arched door way in
the side of the hut。
〃I am sorry to hear of the accident；〃 he said。 〃You will find Captain
Helding in that room。〃
For the second time； with singular persistency； Wardour renewed the
conversation with Frank。
〃So you knew the Burnhams？〃 he said。 〃What became of Clara when
her father died？〃
Frank's face flushed angrily on the instant。
〃Clara！〃 he repeated。 〃What authorizes you to speak of Miss Burnham
in that familiar manner？〃
Wardour seized the opportunity of quarreling with him。
〃What right have you to ask？〃 he retorted； coarsely。
Frank's blood was up。 He forgot his promise to Clara to keep their
engagement secrethe forgot everything but the unbridled insolence of
Wardour's language and manner。
〃A right which I insist on your respecting；〃 he answered。 〃The right of
being engaged to marry her。〃
Crayford's steady eyes were still on the watch； and Wardour felt them
on him。 A little more and Crayford might openly interfere。 Even Wardour
recognized for once the necessity of controlling his temper； cost him what
it might。 He made his apologies； with overstrained politeness； to Frank。
〃Impos sible to dispute such a right as yours；〃 he said。 〃Perhaps you
will excuse me when you know that I am one of Miss Burnham's old
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friends。 My father and her father were neighbors。 We have always met like
brother and sister〃
Frank generously stopped the apology there。
〃Say no more；〃 he interposed。 〃I was in the wrongI lost my temper。
Pray forgive me。〃
Wardour looked at him with a strange； reluctant interest while he was
speaking。 Wardour asked an extraordinary question when he had done。
〃Is she very fond of you？〃
Frank burst out laughing。
〃My dear fellow；〃 he said； 〃come to our wedding； and judge for
yourself。〃
〃Come to your wedding？〃 As he repeated the words Wardour stole one
glance at Frank which Frank （employed in buckling his knapsack） failed
to see。 Crayford noticed it； and Crayford's blood ran cold。 Comparing the
words which Wardour had spoken to him while they were alone together
with the words that had just passed in his presence； he could draw but one
conclusion。 The woman whom Wardour had loved and lost wasClara
Burnham。 The man who had robbed him of her was Frank Aldersley。 And
Wardour had discovered it in the interval since they had last met。 〃Thank
God！〃 thought Crayford； 〃the dice have parted them！ Frank goes with the
expedition； and Wardour stays behind with me。〃
The reflection had barely occurred to himFrank's thoughtless
invitation to Wardour had just passed his lipswhen the canvas screen
over the doorway was drawn aside。 Captain Helding and the officers who
were to leave with the exploring party returned to the main room on their
way out。 Seeing Crayford； Captain Helding stopped to speak to him。
〃I have a casualty to report；〃 said the captain； 〃which diminishes our
numbers by one。 My second lieutenant； who was to have joined the
exploring party； has had a fall on the ice。 Judging by what the
quartermaster tells me； I am afraid the poor fellow has broken his leg。〃
〃I will supply his place；〃 cried a voice at the other end of the hut。
Everybody looked round。 The man who had spoken was Richard
Wardour。
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THE FROZEN DEEP
Crayford instantly interferedso vehemently as to astonish all who
knew him。
〃No！〃 he said。 〃Not you； Richard！ not you！〃
〃Why not？〃 Wardour asked； sternly。
〃Why not； indeed？〃 added Captain Helding。 〃Wardour is the very man
to be useful on a long march。 He is in perfect health； and he is the best
shot among us。 I was on the point of proposing him myself。〃
Crayford failed to show his customary respect for his superior officer。
He openly disputed the captain's conclusion。
〃Wardour has no right to volunteer；〃 he rejoined。 〃It has been settled；
Captain Helding； that chance shall decide who is to go and who is to stay。〃
〃And chance _has_ decided it；〃 cried Wardour。 〃Do you think we are
going to cast the dice again； and give an officer of the _Sea…mew_ a
chance of replacing an officer of the _Wanderer_？ There is a vacancy in
our party； not in yours； and we claim the right of filling it as we please。 I
volunteer； and my captain backs me。 Whose authority is to keep me here
after that？〃
〃Gently； Wardour；〃 said Captain Helding。 〃A man who is in the right
can afford to speak with moderation。〃 He turned to Crayford。 〃You must
admit yourself；〃 he continued； 〃that Wardour is right this time。 The
missing man belongs to my command； and in common justice one of my
officers ought to supply his place。〃
It was impossible to dispute the matter further。 The dullest man present
could see that the captain's reply was unanswerable。 In sheer despair；
Crayford took Frank's arm and led him aside a few steps。 The last chance
left of parting the two men was the chance of appealing to Frank。
〃My dear boy；〃 he began； 〃I want to say one friendly word to you on
the subject of your health。 I have already； if you remember； expressed my
doubts whether you are strong enough to make one of an exploring party。 I
feel those doubts more strongly than ever at this moment。 Will you take
the advice of a friend who wishes you well？〃
Wardour had followed Crayford。 Wardour roughly interposed before
Frank could reply。
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〃Let him alone！〃
Crayford paid no heed to the interruption。 He was too earnestly bent
on withdrawing Frank from the expedition to notice anything that was said
or done by the persons about him。
〃Don't； pray don't； risk hardships which you are unfit to bear！〃 he went
on； entreatingly。 〃Your place can be easily filled。 Change your mind； Frank。
Stay here with me。〃
Again Wardour interfered。 Again he called out； 〃Leave him alone！〃
more roughly than ever。 Still deaf and blind to every consideration but one；
Crayford pressed his entreaties on Frank。
〃You owned yourself just now that you were not well seasoned to
fatigue；〃 he persisted。 〃You feel （you _must_ feel） how weak that last
illness has left you？ You know （I am sure you know） how unfit you are to
brave exposure to cold； and long marches over the snow。〃
Irritated beyond endurance by Crayford's obstinacy； seeing； or
thinking he saw； signs of yielding in Frank's face； Wardour so far forgot
himself as to seize Crayford by the arm and attempt to drag him away
from Frank。 Crayford turned and looked at him。
〃Richard；〃 he said； very quietly； 〃you are not yourself。 I pity you。 Drop
your hand。〃
Wardour relaxed his hold； with something of the sullen submission of
a wild animal to its keeper。 The momentary silence which followed gave
Frank an opportunity of speaking at last。
〃I am gratefully sensible； Crayford；〃 he began； 〃of the interest which
you take in me〃
〃And you will follow my advice？〃 Crayford interposed； eagerly。
〃My mind is made up； old friend；〃 Frank answered； firmly and sadly。
〃Forgive me for disappointing you。 I am appointed to the expedition。 With
the expedition I go。〃 He moved nearer to Wardour。 In his innocence of all
suspicion he clapped Wardour heartily on the shoulder。 〃When I feel the
fatigue；〃 said poor simple Frank； 〃you will help me； comradewon't you？
Come along！〃
Wardour snatched his gun out of the hands of the sailor who was
