the frozen deep(冰渊)-第19节
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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 members of the party of relief；〃 he said。
〃How are we to answer you？〃
〃Your brother officers who _were_ members of the party must have
told you what happened；〃 Clara rejoined。 〃I only ask you and Mr。
Steventon to tell me what they told you。〃
Mrs。 Crayford interposed again； with a practical suggestion this time。
〃The luncheon is not unpacked yet；〃 she said。 〃Come； Clara！ this is our
business； and the time is passing。〃
〃The luncheon can wait a few minutes longer；〃 Clara answered。 〃Bear
with my obstinacy；〃 she went on； laying her hand caressingly on
Crayford's shoulder。 〃Tell me how those two came to be separated from
the rest。 You have always been the kindest of friendsdon't begin to be
cruel to me now！〃
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The tone in which she made her entreaty to Crayford went
