the frozen deep(冰渊)-第3章
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was a little startled as well as surprised； but I managed to hide it。 I said；
'What is it； Mr。 Wardour？' He stepped close up to me； he said； in his quick；
rough way： 'Clara！ I am going to the African coast。 If I live； I shall come
back promoted； and we both know what will happen then。' He kissed me。 I
was half frightened； half angry。 Before I could compose myself to say a
word； he was out in the garden againhe was gone！ I ought to have
spoken； I know。 It was not honorable； not kind toward him。 You can't
reproach me for my want of courage and frankness more bitterly than I
reproach myself！〃
〃My dear child； I don't reproach you。 I only think you might have
written to him。〃
〃I did write。〃
〃Plainly？〃
〃Yes。 I told him in so many words that he was deceiving himself； and
that I could never marry him。〃
〃Plain enough； in all conscience！ Having said that； surely you are not
to blame。 What are you fretting about now？〃
〃Suppose my letter has never reached him？〃
〃Why should you suppose anything of the sort？〃
〃What I wrote required an answer； Lucy_asked_ for an answer。 The
answer has never come。 What is the plain conclusion？ My letter has never
reached him。 And the _Atalanta_ is expected back！ Richard Wardour is
returning to EnglandRichard Wardour will claim me as his wife！ You
wondered just now if I really meant what I said。 Do you doubt it still？〃
Mrs。 Crayford leaned back absently in her chair。 For the first time
since the conversation had begun； she let a question pass without making a
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reply。 The truth is； Mrs。 Crayford was thinking。
She saw Clara's position plainly； she understood the disturbing effect
of it on the mind of a young girl。 Still； making all allowances； she felt
quite at a loss； so far； to account for Clara's excessive agitation。 Her quick
observing faculty had just detected that Clara's face showed no signs of
relief； now that she had unburdened herself of her secret。 There was
something clearly under the surface heresomething of importance that
still remained to be discovered。 A shrewd doubt crossed Mrs。 Crayford's
mind； and inspired the next words which she addressed to her young
friend。
〃My dear；〃 she said abruptly； 〃have you told me all？〃
Clara started as if the question terrified her。 Feeling sure that she now
had the clew in her hand； Mrs。 Crayford deliberately repeated her question；
in another form of words。 Instead of answering； Clara suddenly looked up。
At the same moment a faint flush of color appeared in her face for the first
time。
Looking up instinctively on her side； Mrs。 Crayford became aware of
the presence； in the conservatory； of a young gentleman who was claiming
Clara as his partner in the coming waltz。 Mrs。 Crayford fell into thinking
once more。 Had this young gentleman （she asked herself） anything to do
with the untold end of the story？ Was this the true secret of Clara
Burnham's terror at the impending return of Richard Wardour？ Mrs。
Crayford decided on putting her doubts to the test。
〃A friend of yours； my dear？〃 she asked； innocently。 〃Suppose you
introduce us to each other。〃
Clara confusedly introduced the young gentleman。
〃Mr。 Francis Aldersley； Lucy。 Mr。 Aldersley belongs to the Arctic
expedition。〃
〃Attached to the expedition？〃 Mrs。 Crayford repeated。 〃I am attached
to the expedition tooin my way。 I had better introduce myself； Mr。
Aldersley； as Clara seems to have forgotten to do it for me。 I am Mrs。
Crayford。 My husband is Lieutenant Crayford； of the _Wanderer_。 Do you
belong to that ship？〃
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〃I have not the honor； Mrs。 Crayford。 I belong to the _Sea…mew_。〃
Mrs。 Crayford's superb eyes looked shrewdly backward and forward
between Clara and Francis Aldersley； and saw the untold sequel to Clara's
story。 The young officer was a bright； handsome； gentleman…like lad。 Just
the person to seriously complicate the difficulty with Richard Wardour！
There was no time for making any further inquiries。 The band had begun
the prelude to the waltz； and Francis Aldersley was waiting for his partner。
With a word of apology to the young man； Mrs。 Crayford drew Clara aside
for a moment； and spoke to her in a whisper。
〃One word； my dear； before you return to the ball…room。 It may sound
conceited； after the little you have told me； but I think I understand your
position _now_； better than you do yourself。 Do you want to hear my
opinion？〃
〃I am longing to hear it； Lucy！ I want your opinion； I want your
advice。〃
〃You shall have both in the plainest and fewest words。 First； my
opinion： You have no choice but to come to an explanation with Mr。
Wardour as soon as he returns。 Second； my advice： If you wish to make
the explanation easy to both sides； take care that you make it in the
character of a free woman。〃
She laid a strong emphasis on the last three words； and looked
pointedly at Francis Aldersley as she pronounced them。 〃I won't keep you
from your partner any longer； Clara；〃 she resumed； and led the way back
to the ball…room。
Chapter 3。
The burden on Clara's mind weighs on it more heavily than ever； after
what Mrs。 Crayford has said to her。 She is too unhappy to feel the
inspiriting influence of the dance。 After a turn round the room； she
complains of fatigue。 Mr。 Francis Aldersley looks at the conservatory （still
as invitingly cool and empty as ever）； leads her back to it； and places her
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on a seat among the shrubs。 She triesvery feeblyto dismiss him。
〃Don't let me keep you from dancing； Mr。 Aldersley。〃
He seats himself by her side； and feasts his eyes on the lovely
downcast face that dares not turn toward him。 He whispers to her：
〃Call me Frank。〃
She longs to call him Frankshe loves him with all her heart。 But Mrs。
Crayford's warning words are still in her mind。 She never opens her lips。
Her lover moves a little closer； and asks another favor。 Men are all alike
on these occasions。 Silence invariably encourages them to try again。
〃Clara！ have you forgotten what I said at the concert yesterday？ May I
say it again？〃
〃No！〃
〃We sail to…morrow for the Arctic seas。 I may not return for years。
Don't send me away without hope！ Think of the long； lonely time in the
dark North！ Make it a happy time for _me_。〃
Though he speaks with the fervor of a man； he is little more than a lad：
he is only twenty years old； and he is going to risk his young life on the
frozen deep！ Clara pities him as she never pitied any human creature
before。 He gently takes her hand。 She tries to release it。
〃What！ not even that little favor on the last night？〃
Her faithful heart takes his part； in spite of her。 Her hand remains in
his； and feels its soft persuasive pressure。 She is a lost woman。 It is only a
question of time now！
〃Clara！ do you love me？〃
There is a pause。 She shrinks from looking at himshe trembles with
strange contradictory sensations of pleasure and pain。 His arm steals round
her； he repeats his question in a whisper； his lips almost touch her little
rosy ear as he says it again：
〃Do you love me？〃
She closes her eyes faintlyshe hears nothing but those wordsfeels
nothing but his arm round her forgets Mrs。 Crayford's warningforgets
Richard Wardour himselfturns suddenly； with a loving woman's
desperate disregard of everything but her lovenestles her head on his
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bosom； and answers him in that way； at last！
He lifts the beautiful drooping headtheir lips meet in their first kiss
they are both in heaven： it is Clara who brings them back to earth again
with a startit is Clara who says； 〃Oh！ what have I done？〃as usual； when
it is too late。
Frank answers the question。
〃You have made me happy； my angel。 Now； when I come back； I come
back to make you my wife。〃
She shudders。 She remembers Richard Wardour again at those words。
〃Mind！〃 she says； 〃nobody is to know we are engaged till I permit you
to mention it。 Remember that！〃
He promises to remember it。 His arm tries to wind round her once
more。 No！ She is mistress of herself； she can positively dismiss him now
after she has let him kiss her！
〃Go！〃 she says。 〃I want to see Mrs。 Crayford。 Find her！ Say I am here；
waiting to speak to her。 Go at once； Frankfor my sake！〃
There is no alternative but to obey her。 His eyes drink a last draught of
her beauty。 He hurries away on his errandthe happiest man in the room。
Five minutes since she was only his partner in the dance。 He has spoken
and she has pledged herself to be his partner for life！
Chapter 4。
It was not easy to find Mrs。 Crayford in the crowd。 Searching here；
and searching there； Frank became conscious of a stranger； who appeared
to be looking for somebody； on his side。 He was a dark； heavy…browed；
strongly…built man； dressed in a shabby old naval officer's uniform。 His
mannerstrikingly resolute and self…containedwas unmistakably the
manner of a gentleman。 He wound his way slowly through the crowd；
stopping to look at every lady whom he passed； and then looking away
again with a frown。 Little by little he approached the conservatory
entered it； after a moment's reflectiondetected the glimmer of a white
