the frozen deep-第14节

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factwhether　Mr。　Aldersley　is；　or　is　not；　a　living　man；　and
there　will　be　an　end　of　the　hysterical　delusions　which　now
threaten　to　fatally　undermine　her　health。　Even　taking　matters　at
their　worsteven　assuming　that　Mr。　Aldersley　has　died　in　the
Arctic　seasit　will　be　less　injurious　to　her　to　discover　this
positively；　than　to　leave　her　mind　to　feed　on　its　own　morbid
superstitions　and　speculations；　for　weeks　and　weeks　together；
while　the　next　news　from　the　Expedition　is　on　its　way　to　England。
In　one　word；　I　want　you　to　be　in　a　position；　before　the　week　is
out；　to　put　Miss　Burnham's　present　conviction　to　a　practical
test。　Suppose　you　could　say　to　her；　'We　differ；　my　dear；　about
Mr。　Francis　Aldersley。　You　declare；　without　the　shadow　of　a
reason　for　it；　that　he　is　certainly　dead；　and；　worse　still；　that
he　has　died　by　the　act　of　one　of　his　brother　officers。　I　assert；
on　the　authority　of　the　newspaper；　that　nothing　of　the　sort　has
happened；　and　that　the　chances　are　all　in　favor　of　his　being
still　a　living　man。　What　do　you　say　to　crossing　the　Atlantic；　and
deciding　which　of　us　is　rightyou　or　I？'　Do　you　think　Miss
Burnham　will　say　No　to　that；　Mrs。　Crayford？　If　I　know　anything　of
human　nature；　she　will　seize　the　opportunity　as　a　means　of
converting　you　to　a　belief　in　the　Second　Sight。〃

〃Good　Heavens；　doctor！　do　you　mean　to　tell　me　that　we　are　to　go
to　sea　and　meet　the　Arctic　Expedition　on　its　way　home？〃

〃Admirably　guessed；　Mrs。　Crayford！　That　is　exactly　what　I　mean。〃

〃But　how　is　it　to　be　done？〃

〃I　will　tell　you　immediately。　I　mentioneddidn't　I？that　I　had
heard　something　on　my　road　to　this　house。〃

〃Yes　〃

〃Well；　I　met　an　old　friend　at　my　own　gate；　who　walked　with　me　a
part　of　the　way　here。　Last　night　my　friend　dined　with　the　admiral
at　Portsmouth。　Among　the　guests　there　was　a　member　of　the
Ministry　who　had　brought　the　news　about　the　Expedition　with　him
from　London。　This　gentleman　told　the　company　there　was　very
little　doubt　that　the　Admiralty　would　immediately　send　out　a
steam…vessel；　to　meet　the　rescued　men　on　the　shores　of　America；
and　bring　them　home。　Wait　a　little；　Mrs。　Crayford！　Nobody　knows；
as　yet；　under　what　rules　and　regulations　the　vessel　will　sail。
Under　somewhat　similar　circumstances；　privileged　people　have　been
received　as　passengers；　or　rather　as　guests；　in　her　majesty's
shipsand　what　has　been　conceded　on　former　occasions　may；　by
bare　possibility；　be　conceded　now。　I　can　say　no　more。　If　you　are
not　afraid　of　the　voyage　for　yourself；　I　am　not　afraid　of　it
（nay；　I　am　all　in　favor　of　it　on　medical　grounds）　for　my　patient。
What　do　you　say？　Will　you　write　to　your　father；　and　ask　him　to
try　what　his　interest　will　do　with　his　friends　at　the　Admiralty？〃

Mrs。　Crayford　rose　excitedly　to　her　feet。

〃Write！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃I　will　do　better　than　write。　The　journey
to　London　is　no　great　matterand　my　housekeeper　here　is　to　be
trusted　to　take　care　of　Clara　in　my　absence。　I　will　see　my　father
to…night！　He　shall　make　good　use　of　his　interest　at　the
Admiraltyyou　may　rely　on　that。　Oh；　my　dear　doctor；　what　a
prospect　it　is！　My　husband！　Clara！　What　a　discovery　you　have
madewhat　a　treasure　you　are！　How　can　I　thank　you？〃

〃Compose　yourself；　my　dear　madam。　Don't　make　too　sure　of　success。
We　may　consider　Miss　Burnham's　objections　as　disposed　of
beforehand。　But　suppose　the　Lords　of　the　Admiralty　say　No？〃

〃In　that　case；　I　shall　be　in　London；　doctor；　and　I　shall　go　to
them　myself。　Lords　are　only　men；　and　men　are　not　in　the　habit　of
saying　No　to　me。〃

So　they　parted。



In　a　week　from　that　day；　her　majesty's　ship　_Amazon_　sailed　for
North　America。　Certain　privileged　persons；　specially　interested
in　the　Arctic　voyagers；　were　permitted　to　occupy　the　empty
state…rooms　on　board。　On　the　list　of　these　favored　guests　of　the
ship　were　the　names　of　two　ladiesMrs。　Crayford　and　Miss
Burnham。



Fifth　Scene

The　Boat…House。

Chapter　16。


Once　more　the　open　seathe　sea　whose　waters　break　on　the　shores
of　Newfoundland！　An　English　steamship　lies　at　anchor　in　the
offing。　The　vessel　is　plainly　visible　through　the　open　doorway　of
a　large　boat…house　on　the　shoreone　of　the　buildings　attached　to
a　fishing…station　on　the　coast　of　the　island。

The　only　person　in　the　boat…house　at　this　moment　is　a　man　in　the
dress　of　a　sailor。　He　is　seated　on　a　chest；　with　a　piece　of　cord
in　his　hand；　looking　out　idly　at　the　sea。　On　the　rough
carpenter's　table　near　him　lies　a　strange　object　to　be　left　in
such　a　placea　woman's　veil。

What　is　the　vessel　lying　at　anchor　in　the　offing？

The　vessel　is　the　_Amazon_dispatched　from　England　to　receive
the　surviving　officers　and　men　of　the　Arctic　Expedition。　The
meeting　has　been　successfully　effected；　on　the　shores　of　North
America；　three　days　since。　But　the　homeward　voyage　has　been
delayed　by　a　storm　which　has　driven　the　ship　out　of　her　course。
Taking　advantage；　on　the　third　day；　of　the　first　returning　calm；
the　commander　of　the　_Amazon_　has　anchored　off　the　coast　of
Newfoundland；　and　has　sent　ashore　to　increase　his　supplies　of
water　before　he　sails　for　England。　The　weary　passengers　have
landed　for　a　few　hours；　to　refresh　themselves　after　the
discomforts　of　the　tempest。　Among　them　are　the　two　ladies。　The
veil　left　on　the　table　in　the　boat…house　is　Clara's　veil。

And　who　is　the　man　si　tting　on　the　chest；　with　the　cord　in　his
hand；　looking　out　idly　at　the　sea？　The　man　is　the　only　cheerful
person　in　the　ship's　company。　In　other　wordsJohn　Want。

Still　reposing　on　the　chest；　our　friend；　who　never　grumbles；　is
surprised　by　the　sudden　appearance　of　a　sailor　at　the　boat…house
door。

〃Look　sharp　with　your　work　there；　John　Want！〃　says　the　sailor。
〃Lieutenant　Crayford　is　just　coming　in　to　look　after　you。〃

With　this　warning　the　messenger　disappears　again。　John　Want　rises
with　a　groan；　turns　the　chest　up　on　one　end；　and　begins　to　fasten
the　cord　round　it。　The　ship's　cook　is　not　a　man　to　look　back　on
his　rescue　with　the　feeling　of　unmitigated　satisfaction　which
animates　his　companions　in　trouble。　On　the　contrary；　he　is
ungratefully　disposed　to　regret　the　North　Pole。

〃If　I　had　only　known〃thus　runs　the　train　of　thought　in　the　mind
of　John　Want〃if　I　had　only　known；　before　I　was　rescued；　that　I
was　to　be　brought　to　this　place；　I　believe　I　should　have
preferred　staying　at　the　North　Pole。　I　was　very　happy　keeping　up
everybody's　spirits　at　the　North　Pole。　Taking　one　thing　with
another；　I　think　I　must　have　been　very　comfortable　at　the　North
Poleif　I　had　only　known　it。　Another　man　in　my　place　might　be
inclined　to　say　that　this　Newfoundland　boat…house　was　rather　a
sloppy；　slimy；　draughty；　fishy　sort　of　a　habitation　to　take
shelter　in。　Another　man　might　object　to　perpetual　Newfoundland
fogs；　perpetual　Newfoundland　cod…fish；　and　perpetual　Newfoundland
dogs。　We　had　some　very　nice　bears　at　the　North　Pole。　Never　mind！
it's　all　one　to　me_I_　don't　grumble。〃

〃Have　you　done　cording　that　box？〃

This　time　the　voice　is　a　voice　of　authoritythe　man　at　the
doorway　is　Lieutenant　Crayford　himself。　John　Want　answers　his
officer　in　his　own　cheerful　way。

〃I've　done　it　as　well　as　I　can；　sirbut　the　damp　of　this　place
is　beginning　to　tell　upon　our　very　ropes。　I　say　nothing　about　our
lungsI　only　say　our　ropes。〃

Crayford　answers　sharply。　He　seems　to　have　lost　his　former　relish
for　the　humor　of　John　Want。

〃Pooh！　To　look　at　your　wry　face；　one　would　think　that　our　rescue
from　the　Arctic　regions　was　a　downright　misfortune。　You　deserve
to　be　sent　back　again。〃

〃I　could　be　just　as　cheerful　as　ever；　sir；　if　I　_was_　sent　back
again；　I　hope　I'm　thankful；　but　I　don't　like　to　hear　the　North
Pole　run　down　in　such　a　fishy　place　as　this。　It　was　very　clean
and　snowy　at　the　North　Poleand　it's　very　damp　and　sandy　here。
Do　you　never　miss　your　bone…soup；　sir？　_I_　do。　It　mightn't　have
been　strong；　but　it　was　very　hot；　and　the　cold　seemed　to　give　it
a　kind　of　a　meaty　flavor　as　it　went　down。　Was　it　you　that　was
a…coughing　so　long　last　night；　sir？　I　don't　presume　to　say
anything　against　the　air　of　these　latitudes；　but　I　should　be　glad
to　know　it　wasn't　you　that　was　a…coughing　so　hollow。　Would　you　be
so　obliging　as　just　to　feel　the　state　of　these　ropes　with　the
ends　of　your　fingers；　sir？　You　can　dry　them　afterward　on　the　back
of　my　jacket。〃

〃You　ought　to　have　a　stick　laid　on　the　back　of　your　jacket。　Take
that　box　down　to　the　boat　directly。　You　croaking　vagabond！　You
would　have　grumbled　in　the　Garden　of　Eden。〃

The　philosopher　of　the　Expedition　was　not　a　man　to　be　silenced　by
referring　him　to　the　Garden　of　Eden。　Paradise　itself　was　not
perfect　to　John　Want。

〃I　hope　I　could　be　cheerful　anywhere；　sir；〃　said　the　ship's　cook。
〃But　you　mark　my　wordsthere　must　have　been　a　deal　of
troublesome　work　with　the　flower…beds　in　the　Garden　of　Eden。〃

Having　entered　that　unanswerable　protest；　John　Want　shouldered
the　box；　and　drifted　drearily　out　of　the　boat…house。

Left　by　himself；　Crayford　looked　at　his　watch；　and　called　to　a
sailor　outside。

〃Where　are　the　ladies？〃　he　asked。

〃Mrs。　Crayford　is　coming　this　way；　sir。　She　was　just　behind　you
when　you　came　in。〃

〃Is　Miss　Burnham　with　her？〃

〃No；　sir；　Miss　Burnham　is　down　on　the　beach　with　t