the frozen deep-第13节

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Those　words　were　spoken　with　a　calm　certainty　of　conviction　that
was　terrible　to　hear。　〃I　have　no　more　to　say；〃　she　added；　after　a
moment；　and　rose　to　return　to　the　house。　Mrs。　Crayford　caught　her
by　the　hand；　and　forced　her　to　take　her　seat　again。

〃Don't　look　at　me；　don't　speak　to　me；　in　that　horrible　manner！〃
she　exclaimed。　〃Clara！　it　is　unworthy　of　a　reasonable　being；　it
is　doubting　the　mercy　of　God；　to　say　what　you　have　just　said。
Look　at　the　newspaper　again。　See！　They　tell　you　plainly　that
their　information　is　not　to　be　depended　onthey　warn　you　to　wait
for　further　particulars。　The　very　words　at　the　top　of　the　list
show　how　little　they　knew　of　the　truth　'Dead　_or_　Missing！'　On
their　own　showing；　it　is　quite　as　likely　that　Frank　is　missing　as
that　Frank　is　dead。　For　all　you　know；　the　next　mail　may　bring　a
letter　from　him。　Are　you　listening　to　me？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Can　you　deny　what　I　say？〃

〃No。〃

〃'Yes！'　'No！'　Is　that　the　way　to　answer　me　when　I　am　so
distressed　and　so　anxious　about　you？〃

〃I　am　sorry　I　spoke　as　I　did；　Lucy。　We　look　at　some　subjects　in
very　different　ways。　I　don't　dispute；　dear；　that　yours　is　the
reasonable　view。〃

〃You　don't　dispute？〃　retorted　Mrs。　Crayford；　warmly。　〃No！　you　do
what　is　worseyou　believe　in　your　own　opinion；　you　persist　in
your　own　conclusionwith　the　newspaper　before　you！　Do　you；　or　do
you　not；　believe　the　newspaper？〃

〃I　believe　in　what　I　saw　last　night。〃

〃In　what　you　saw　last　night！　You；　an　educated　woman；　a　clever
woman；　believing　in　a　vision　of　your　own　fancya　mere　dream！　I
wonder　you　are　not　ashamed　to　acknowledge　it！〃

〃Call　it　a　dream　if　you　like；　Lucy。　I　have　had　other　dreams　at
other　timesand　I　have　known　them　to　be　fulfilled。〃

〃Yes！〃　said　Mrs。　Crayford。　〃For　once　in　a　way　they　may　have　been
fulfilled；　by　chanceand　you　notice　it；　and　remember　it；　and　pin
your　faith　on　it。　Come；　Clara；　be　honest！What　about　the
occasions　when　the　chance　has　been　against　you；　and　your　dreams
have　not　been　fulfilled？　You　superstitious　people　are　all　alike。
You　conveniently　forget　when　your　dreams　and　your　presentiments
prove　false。　For　my　sake；　dear；　if　not　for　your　own；〃　she
continued；　in　gentler　and　tenderer　tones；　〃try　to　be　more
reasonable　and　more　hopeful。　Don't　lose　your　trust　in　the　future；
and　your　trust　in　God。　God；　who　has　saved　my　husband；　can　save
Frank。　While　there　is　doubt；　there　is　hope。　Don't　embitter　my
happiness；　Clara！　Try　to　think　as　I　thinkif　it　is　only　to　show
that　you　love　me。〃

She　put　her　arm　round　the　girl's　neck；　and　kissed　her。　Clara
returned　the　kiss；　Clara　answered；　sadly　and　submissively；

〃I　do　love　you；　Lucy。　I　_will_　try。〃

Having　answered　in　those　terms；　she　sighed　to　herself；　and　said
no　more。　It　would　have　been　plain；　only　too　plain；　to　far　less
observant　eyes　than　Mrs。　Crayford's　that　no　salutary　impression
had　been　produced　on　her。　She　had　ceased　to　defend　her　own　way　of
thinking；　she　spoke　of　it　no　morebut　there　was　the　terrible
conviction　of　Frank's　death　at　Wardour's　hands　rooted　as　firmly
as　ever　in　her　mind！　Discouraged　and　distressed；　Mrs。　Crayford
left　her；　and　walked　back　toward　the　house。



Chapter　15。


At　the　drawing…room　window　of　the　villa　there　appeared　a　polite
little　man；　with　bright　intelligent　eyes；　and　cheerful　sociable
manners。　Neatly　dressed　in　professional　black；　he　stood；
self…proclaimed；　a　prosperous　country　doctorsuccessful　and
popular　in　a　wide　circle　of　patients　and　friends。　As　Mrs。
Crayford　approached　him；　he　stepped　out　briskly　to　meet　her　on
the　lawn；　with　both　hands　extended　in　courteous　and　cordial
greeting。

〃My　dear　madam；　accept　my　heartfelt　congratulations！〃　cried　the
doctor。　〃I　have　seen　the　good　news　in　the　paper；　and　I　could
hardly　feel　more　rejoiced　than　I　do　now　if　I　had　the　honor　of
knowing　Lieutenant　Crayford　personally。　We　mean　to　celebrate　the
occasion　at　home。　I　said　to　my　wife　before　I　came　out；　'A　bottle
of　the　old　Madeira　at　dinner　to…day；　mind！to　drink　the
lieutenant's　health；　God　bless　him！'　And　how　is　our　interesting
patient？　The　news　is　not　altogether　what　we　could　wish；　so　far　as
she　is　concerned。　I　felt　a　little　anxious；　to　tell　you　the　truth；
about　the　effect　of　it；　and　I　have　paid　my　visit　to…day　before　my
usual　time。　Not　that　I　take　a　gloomy　view　of　the　news　myself。　No！
There　is　clearly　a　doubt　about　the　correctness　of　the
information；　so　far　as　Mr。　Aldersley　is　concernedand　that　is　a
point；　a　great　point　in　Mr。　Aldersley's　favor。　I　give　him　the
benefit　of　the　doubt；　as　the　lawyers　say。　Does　Miss　Burnham　give
him　the　benefit　of　the　doubt　too？　I　hardly　dare　hope　it；　I
confess。〃

〃Miss　Burnham　has　grieved　and　alarmed　me；〃　Mrs。　Crayford
answered。　〃I　was　just　thinking　of　sending　for　you　when　we　met
here。〃

With　those　introductory　words；　she　told　the　doctor　exactly　what
had　happened；　repeating　not　only　the　conversation　of　that　morning
between　Clara　and　herself；　but　also　the　words　which　had　fallen
from　Clara；　in　the　trance　of　the　past　night。

The　doctor　listened　attentively。　Little　by　little；　its　easy
smiling　composure　vanished　from　his　face；　as　Mrs。　Crayford　went
on；　and　left　him　completely　transformed　into　a　grave　and
thoughtful　man。

〃Let　us　go　and　look　at　her；〃　he　said。

He　seated　himself　by　Clara's　side；　and　carefully　studied　her
face；　with　his　hand　on　her　pulse。　There　was　no　sympathy　here
between　the　dreamy　mystical　temperament　of　the　patient　and　the
downright　practical　character　of　the　doctor。　Clara　secretly
disliked　her　medical　attendant。　She　submitted　impatiently　to　the
close　investigation　of　which　he　made　her　the　object。　He
questioned　herand　she　answered　irritably。　Advancing　a　step
further　（the　doctor　was　not　easily　discouraged）　he　adverted　to
the　news　of　the　Expedition；　and　took　up　the　tone　of　remonstrance
which　had　been　already　adopted　by　Mrs。　Crayford。　Clara　declined
to　discuss　the　question。　She　rose　with　formal　politeness；　and
requested　permission　to　return　to　the　house。　The　doctor　attempted
no　further　resistance。　〃By　all　means；　Miss　Burnham；〃　he　answered；
resignedlyhaving　first　cast　a　look　at　Mrs。　Crayford　which　said
plainly；　〃Stay　here　with　me。〃　Clara　bowed　her　acknowledgments　in
co　ld　silence；　and　left　them　together。　The　doctor's　bright　eyes
followed　the　girl's　wasted；　yet　still　graceful　figure　as　it
slowly　receded　from　view；　with　an　expression　of　grave　anxiety
which　Mrs。　Crayford　noticed　with　grave　misgiving　on　her　side。　He
said　nothing；　until　Clara　had　disappeared　under　the　veranda　which
ran　round　the　garden…side　of　the　house。

〃I　think　you　told　me；〃　he　began；　〃that　Miss　Burnham　has　neither
father　nor　mother　living？〃

〃Yes。　Miss　Burnham　is　an　orphan。〃

〃Has　she　any　near　relatives？〃

〃No。　You　may　speak　to　me　as　her　guardian　and　her　friend。　Are　you
alarmed　about　her？〃

〃I　am　seriously　alarmed。　It　is　only　two　days　since　I　called　here
last；　and　I　see　a　marked　change　in　her　for　the　worsephysically
and　morally；　a　change　for　the　worse。　Don't　needlessly　alarm
yourself！　The　case　is　not；　I　trust；　entirely　beyond　the　reach　of
remedy。　The　great　hope　for　us　is　the　hope　that　Mr。　Aldersley　may
still　be　living。　In　that　event；　I　should　feel　no　misgivings　about
the　future。　Her　marriage　would　make　a　healthy　and　a　happy　woman
of　her。　But　as　things　are；　I　own　I　dread　that　settled　conviction
in　her　mind　that　Mr。　Aldersley　is　dead；　and　that　her　own　death　is
soon　to　follow。　In　her　present　state　of　health　this　idea
（haunting　her　as　it　certainly　will　night　and　day）　will　have　its
influence　on　her　body　as　well　as　on　her　mind。　Unless　we　can　check
the　mischief；　her　last　reserves　of　strength　will　give　way。　If　you
wish　for　other　advice；　by　all　means　send　for　it。　You　have　my
opinion。〃

〃I　am　quite　satisfied　with　your　opinion；〃　Mrs。　Crayford　replied。
〃For　God's　sake；　tell　me；　what　can　we　do？〃

〃We　can　try　a　complete　change；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃We　can　remove
her　at　once　from　this　place。〃

〃She　will　refuse　to　leave　it；〃　Mrs。　Crayford　rejoined。　〃I　have
more　than　once　proposed　a　change　to　herand　she　always　says　No。〃

The　doctor　paused　for　a　moment；　like　a　man　collecting　his
thoughts。

〃I　heard　something　on　my　way　here；〃　he　proceeded；　〃which　suggests
to　my　mind　a　method　of　meeting　the　difficulty　that　you　have　just
mentioned。　Unless　I　am　entirely　mistaken；　Miss　Burnham　will　not
say　No　to　the　change　that　I　have　in　view　for　her。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Mrs。　Crayford；　eagerly。

〃Pardon　me　if　I　ask　you　a　question；　on　my　part；　before　I　reply；〃
said　the　doctor。　〃Are　you　fortunate　enough　to　possess　any
interest　at　the　Admiralty？〃

〃Certainly。　My　father　is　in　the　Secretary's　office；　and　two　of
the　Lords　of　the　Admiralty　are　friends　of　his。〃

〃Excellent！　Now　I　can　speak　out　plainly　with　little　fear　of
disappointing　you。　After　what　I　have　said；　you　will　agree　with
me；　that　the　only　change　in　Miss　Burnham's　life　which　will　be　of
any　use　to　her　is　a　change　that　will　alter　the　present　tone　of
her　mind　on　the　subject　of　Mr。　Aldersley。　Place　her　in　a　position
to　discovernot　by　reference　to　her　own　distempered　fancies　and
visions；　but　by　reference　to　actual　evidence　and　actual
factwhether　Mr。　Aldersley　is；　or　is　not；　a　living　man；　and
there　will　be　an　end　of　the　hyste