the frozen deep(冰渊)-第12章
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Mrs。 Crayford returns to the room。 Her own sad experience tells her what
has happened。 She summons the servants and directs them to wait in the
drawing…room until she calls to them。 This done； she returns to the garden；
and approaches the mysterious figure on the lawn。
Dead to the outer world； as if she lay already in her graveinsensible
to touch； insensible to sound； motionless as stone； cold as stoneClara
stands on the moonlit lawn； facing the seaward view。 Mrs。 Crayford waits
at her side； patiently watching for the change which she knows is to come。
〃Catalepsy；〃 as some call it〃hysteria；〃 as others saythis alone is certain；
the same interval always passes； the same change always appears。
It comes now。 Not a change in her eyes； they still remain wide open；
fixed and glassy。 The first movement is a movement of her hands。 They
rise slowly from her side and waver in the air like the hands of a person
groping in the dark。 Another interval； and the movement spreads to her
lips： they part and tremble。 A few minutes more； and words begin to drop；
one by one； from those parted lipswords spoken in a lost； vacant tone； as
if she is 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！）
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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； Frank…
…wake！ 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；
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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
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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
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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？
