the frozen deep-第12节

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talking　in　her　sleep。

Mrs。　Crayford　looks　back　at　the　house。　Sad　experience　makes　her
suspicious　of　the　servants'　curiosity。　Sad　experience　has　long
since　warned　her　that　the　servants　are　not　to　be　trusted　within
hearing　of　the　wild　words　which　Clara　speaks　in　the　trance。　Has
any　one　of　them　ventured　into　the　garden？　No。　They　are　out　of
hearing　at　the　window；　waiting　for　the　signal　which　tells　them
that　their　help　is　needed。

Turning　toward　Clara　once　more；　Mrs。　Crayford　hears　the　vacantly
uttered　words；　falling　faster　and　faster　from　her　lips

〃Frank！　Frank！　Frank！　Don't　drop　behinddon't　trust　Richard
Wardour。　While　you　can　stand；　keep　with　the　other　men；　Frank！〃

（The　farewell　warning　of　Crayford　in　the　solitudes　of　the　Frozen
Deep；　repeated　by　Clara　in　the　garden　of　her　English　home！）

A　moment　of　silence　follows；　and；　in　that　moment；　the　vision　has
changed。　She　sees　him　on　the　iceberg　now；　at　the　mercy　of　the
bitterest　enemy　he　has　on　earth。　She　sees　him　driftingover　the
black　water；　through　the　ashy　light。

〃Wake；　Frank！　wake　and　defend　yourself！　Richard　Wardour　knows
that　I　love　youRichard　Wardour's　vengeance　will　take　your　life！
Wake；　Frankwake！　You　are　drifting　to　your　death！〃　A　low　groan
of　horror　bursts　from　her；　sinister　and　terrible　to　hear。
〃Drifting！　drifting！〃　she　whispers　to　herself〃drifting　to　his
death！〃

Her　glassy　eyes　suddenly　softenthen　close。　A　long　shudder　runs
through　her。　A　faint　flush　shows　itself　on　the　deadly　pallor　of
her　face；　and　fades　again。　Her　limbs　fail　her。　She　sinks　into
Mrs。　Crayford's　arms。

The　servants；　answering　the　call　for　help；　carry　her　into　the
house。　They　lay　her　insensible　on　her　bed。　After　half　an　hour　or
more；　her　eyes　open　againthis　time　with　the　light　of　life　in
themopen；　and　rest　languidly　on　the　friend　sitting　by　the
bedside。

〃I　have　had　a　dreadful　dream；〃　she　murmurs　faintly。　〃Am　I　ill；
Lucy？　I　feel　so　weak。〃

Even　as　she　says　the　words；　sleep；　gentle；　natural　sleep；　takes
her　suddenly；　as　it　takes　young　children　weary　with　their　play。
Though　it　is　all　over　now；　though　no　further　watching　is
required；　Mrs。　Crayford　still　keeps　her　place　by　the　bedside；　too
anxious　and　too　wakeful　to　retire　to　her　own　room。

On　other　occasions；　she　is　accustomed　to　dismiss　from　her　mind
the　words　which　drop　from　Clara　in　the　trance。　This　time　the
effort　to　dismiss　them　is　beyond　her　power。　The　words　haunt　her。
Vainly　she　recalls　to　memory　all　that　the　doctors　have　said　to
her；　in　speaking　of　Clara　in　the　state　of　trance。　〃What　she
vaguely　dreads　for　the　lost　man　whom　she　loves　is　mingled　in　her
mind　with　what　she　is　constantly　reading；　of　trials；　dangers；　and
escapes　in　the　Arctic　seas。　The　most　startling　things　that　she
may　say　or　do　are　all　attributable　to　this　cause；　and　may　all　be
explained　in　this　way。〃　So　the　doctors　have　spoken；　and；　thus
far；　Mrs。　Crayford　has　shared　their　view。　It　is　only　to…night
that　the　girl's　words　ring　in　her　ear；　with　a　strange　prophetic
sound　in　them。　It　is　only　to…night　that　she　asks　herself：　〃Is
Clara　present；　in　the　spirit；　with　our　loved　and　lost　ones　in　the
lonely　North？　Can　mortal　vision　see　the　dead　and　living　in　the
solitudes　of　the　Frozen　Deep？〃



Chapter　14。


The　night　had　passed。

Far　and　near　the　garden　view　looked　its　gayest　and　brightest　in
the　light　of　the　noonday　sun。　The　cheering　sounds　which　tell　of
life　and　action　were　audible　all　round　the　villa。　From　the　garden
of　the　nearest　house　rose　the　voices　of　children　at　play。　Along
the　road　at　the　back　sounded　the　roll　of　wheels；　as　carts　and
carriages　passed　at　intervals。　Out　on　the　blue　sea；　the　distant
splash　of　the　paddles；　the　distant　thump　of　the　engines；　told
from　time　to　time　of　the　passage　of　steamers；　entering　or　leaving
the　strait　between　the　island　and　the　mainland。　In　the　trees；　the
birds　sang　gayly　among　the　rustling　leaves。　In　the　house；　the
women…servants　were　laughing　over　some　jest　or　story　that　cheered
them　at　their　work。　It　was　a　lively　and　pleasant　timea　bright；
enjoyable　day。

The　two　ladies　were　out　together；　resting　on　a　garden　seat；　after
a　walk　round　the　grounds。

They　exchanged　a　few　trivial　words　relating　to　the　beauty　of　the
day；　and　then　said　no　more。　Possessing　the　same　consciousness　of
what　she　had　seen　in　the　trance　which　persons　in　general　possess
of　what　they　have　seen　in　a　dreambelieving　in　the　vision　as　a
supernatural　revelationClara's　worst　forebodings　were　now；　to
her　mind；　realized　as　truths。　Her　last　faint　hope　of　ever　seeing
Frank　again　was　now　at　an　end。　Intimate　experience　of　her　told
Mrs。　Crayford　what　was　passing　in　Clara's　mind；　and　warned　her
that　the　attempt　to　reason　and　remonstrate　would　be　little　better
than　a　voluntary　waste　of　words　and　time。　The　disposition　which
she　had　herself　felt　on　the　previous　night；　to　attach　a
superstitious　importance　to　the　words　that　Clara　had　spoken　in
the　trance；　had　vanished　with　the　return　of　the　morning。　Rest　and
reflection　had　quieted　her　mind；　and　had　restored　the　composing
influence　of　her　sober　sense。　Sympathizing　with　Clara　in　all
besides；　she　had　no　sympathy；　as　they　sat　together　in　the
pleasant　sunshine；　with　Clara's　gloomy　despair　of　the　future。
She；　who　could　still　hope；　had　nothing　to　say　to　the　sad
companion　who　had　done　with　hope。　So　the　quiet　minutes　succeeded
each　other；　and　the　two　friends　sat　side　by　side　in　silence。

An　hour　passed；　and　the　gate…bell　of　the　villa　rang。

They　both　startedthey　both　knew　the　ring。　It　was　the　hour　when
the　postman　brought　their　newspapers　from　London。　In　past　days；
what　hundreds　on　hundreds　of　times　they　had　torn　off　the　cover
which　inclosed　the　newspaper；　and　looked　at　the　same　column　with
the　same　weary　mingling　of　hope　and　despair！　There　to…dayas　it
was　yesterday；　as　it　would　be；　if　they　lived；　to…morrowthere
was　the　servant　with　Lucy's　newspaper　and　Clara's　newspaper　in
his　hand！

Would　both　of　them　do　again　to…day　what　both　had　done　so　often　in
the　days　that　were　gone？

No！　Mrs。　Crayford　removed　the　cover　from　her　newspaper　as　usual。
Clara　laid　_her_　newspaper　aside；　unopened；　on　the　garden　seat。

In　silence；　Mrs。　Crayford　looked；　where　she　always　looked；　at　the
column　devoted　to　the　Latest　Intelligence　from　foreign　parts。　The
instant　her　eye　fell　on　the　page　she　started　with　a　loud　cry　of
joy。　The　newspaper　fell　from　her　trembling　hand。　She　caught　Clara
in　her　arms。　〃Oh；　my　darling！　my　darling！　news　of　them　at　last。〃

Without　answering；　without　the　slightest　change　in　look　or
manner；　Clara　took　the　newspaper　from　the　ground；　and　read　the
top　line　in　the　column；　printed　in　capital　letters：

THE　ARCTIC　EXPEDITION。

She　waited；　and　looked　at　Mrs。　Crayford。

〃Can　you　bear　to　hear　it；　Lucy；〃　she　asked；　〃if　I　read　it　aloud？〃

Mrs。　Crayford　was　too　agitated　to　answer　in　words。　She　signed
impatiently　to　Clara　to　go　on。

Clara　read　the　news　which　followed　the　heading　in　capital
letters。　Thus　it　ran：

〃The　following　intelligence；　from　St。　Johns；　Newfoundland；　has
reached　us　for　publication。　The　whaling…vessel　_Blythew　ood_　is
reported　to　have　met　with　the　surviving　officers　and　men　of　the
Expedition　in　Davis　Strait。　Many　are　stated　to　be　dead；　and　some
are　supposed　to　be　missing。　The　list　of　the　saved；　as　collected
by　the　people　of　the　whaler；　is　not　vouched　for　as　being
absolutely　correct；　the　circumstances　having　been　adverse　to
investigation。　The　vessel　was　pressed　for　time；　and　the　members
of　the　Expedition；　all　more　or　less　suffering　from　exhaustion；
were　not　in　a　position　to　give　the　necessary　assistance　to
inquiry。　Further　particulars　may　be　looked　for　by　the　next　mail。〃

The　list　of　the　survivors　followed；　beginning　with　the　officers
in　the　order　of　their　rank。　They　both　read　the　list　together。　The
first　name　was　Captain　Helding；　the　second　was　Lieutenant
Crayford。

There　the　wife's　joy　overpowered　her。　After　a　pause；　she　put　her
arm　around　Clara's　waist；　and　spoke　to　her。

〃Oh；　my　love！〃　she　murmured；　〃are　you　as　happy　as　I　am？　Is
Frank's　name　there　too？　The　tears　are　in　my　eyes。　Read　for　meI
can't　read　for　myself。〃

The　answer　came；　in　still；　sad　tones：

〃I　have　read　as　far　as　your　husband's　name。　I　have　no　need　to
read　further。〃

Mrs。　Crayford　dashed　the　tears　from　her　eyessteadied
herselfand　looked　at　the　newspaper。

On　the　list　of　the　survivors；　the　search　was　vain。　Frank's　name
was　not　among　them。　On　a　second　list；　headed　〃Dead　or　Missing；〃
the　first　two　names　that　appeared　were：

FRANCIS　ALDERSLEY。　RICHARD　WARDOUR。

In　speechless　distress　and　dismay；　Mrs。　Crayford　looked　at　Clara。
Had　she　force　enough　in　her　feeble　health　to　sustain　the　shock
that　had　fallen　on　her？　Yes！　she　bore　it　with　a　strange　unnatural
resignationshe　looked；　she　spoke；　with　the　sad　self…possession
of　despair。

〃I　was　prepared　for　it；〃　she　said。　〃I　saw　them　in　the　spirit　last
night。　Richard　Wardour　has　discovered　the　truth；　and　Frank　has
paid　the　penalty　with　his　lifeand　I；　I　alone；　am　to　blame。〃　She
shuddered；　and　put　her　hand　on　her　heart。　〃We　shall　not　be　long
parted；　Lucy。　I　shall　go　to　him。　He　will　not　return　to　me。〃

Those　words　were　spoken　with　a　calm　certainty　of　conviction　that
wa