按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
which might answer him in her face。 His own face darkened slowly while
he looked。 He was beginning to suspect her； and he acknowledged it in his
next words。
〃Something has changed you toward me； Clara。 Somebody has
influenced you against me。 Is ityou force me to ask the questionis it
some other man？〃
〃You have no right to ask me that。〃
He went on without noticing what she had said to him。
〃Has that other man come between you and me？ I speak plainly on my
side。 Speak plainly on yours。〃
〃I _have_ spoken。 I have nothing more to say。〃
There was a pause。 She saw the warning light which told of the fire
within him； growing brighter and brighter in his eyes。 She felt his grasp
strengthening on her hand。 He appealed to her for the last time。
〃Reflect；〃 he said； 〃reflect before it is too late。 Your silence will not
serve you。 If you persist in not answering me； I shall take your silence as a
confession。 Do you hear me？〃
〃I hear you。〃
〃Clara Burnham！ I am not to be trifled with。 Clara Burnham！ I insist
on the truth。 Are you false to me？〃
She resented that searching question with a woman's keen sense of the
17
… Page 18…
THE FROZEN DEEP
insult that is implied in doubting her to her face。
〃Mr。 Wardour！ you forget yourself when you call me to account in that
way。 I never encouraged you。 I never gave you promise or pledge〃
He passionately interrupted her before she could say more。
〃You have engaged yourself in my absence。 Your words own it； your
looks own it！ You have engaged yourself to another man！〃
〃If I _have_ engaged myself； what right have you to complain of it？〃
she answered firmly。 〃What right have you to control my actions？〃
The next words died away on her lips。 He suddenly dropped her hand。
A marked change appeared in the expression of his eyesa change which
told her of the terrible passions that she had let loose in him。 She read；
dimly read； something in his face which made her tremblenot for herself；
but for Frank。
Little by little the dark color faded out of his face。 His deep voice
dropped suddenly to a low and quiet tone as he spoke the parting words。
〃Say no more； Miss Burnhamyou have said enough。 I am answered； I
am dismissed。〃 He paused； and； stepping close up to her； laid his hand on
her arm。
〃The time may come；〃 he said； 〃when I shall forgive you。 But the man
who has robbed me of you shall rue the day when you and he first met。〃
He turned and left her。
A few minutes later； Mrs。 Crayford； entering the conservatory； was met
by one of the attendants at the ball。 The man stopped as if he wished to
speak to her。
〃What do you want？〃 she asked。
〃I beg your pardon； ma'am。 Do you happen to have a smelling…bottle
about you？ There is a young lady in the conservatory who is taken faint。〃
Between the Scenes
The Landing Stage
Chapter 5。
The morning of the next daythe morning on which the ships were to
18
… Page 19…
THE FROZEN DEEP
sailcame bright and breezy。 Mrs。 Crayford； having arranged to follow her
husband to the water…side； and see the last of him before he embarked；
entered Clara's room on her way out of the house； anxious to hear how her
young friend passed the night。 To her astonishment she found Clara had
risen； and was dressed； like herself； to go out。
〃What does this mean； my dear？ After what you suffered last night
after the shock of seeing that manwhy don't you take my advice and rest
in your bed？〃
〃I can't rest。 I have not slept all night。 Have you been out yet？〃
〃No。〃
〃Have you seen or heard anything of Richard Wardour？〃
〃What an extraordinary question！〃
〃Answer my question！ Don't trifle with me！〃
〃Compose yourself； Clara。 I have neither seen nor heard anything of
Richard Wardour。 Take my word for it； he is far enough away by this
time。〃
〃No！ He is here！ He is near us！ All night long the presentiment has
pursued meFrank and Richard Wardour will meet。〃
〃My dear child！ what are you thinking of？ T hey are total strangers to
each other。〃
〃Something will happen to bring them together。 I feel it！ I know it！
They will meetthere will be a mortal quarrel between themand I shall
be to blame。 Oh； Lucy！ why didn't I take your advice？ Why was I mad
enough to let Frank know that I loved him？ Are you going to the landing…
stage？ I am all readyI must go with you。〃
〃You must not think of it； Clara。 There will be crowding and confusion
at the water…side。 You are not strong enough to bear it。 WaitI won't be
long awaywait till I come back。〃
〃I must and will go with you！ Crowd？ _He_ will be among the crowd！
Confusion？ In that confusion _he_ will find his way to Frank！ Don't ask
me to wait。 I shall go mad if I wait。 I shall not know a moment's ease until
I have seen Frank； with my own eyes； safe in the boat which takes him to
his ship！ You have got your bonnet on； what are we stopping here for？
19
… Page 20…
THE FROZEN DEEP
Come！ or I shall go without you。 Look at the clock； we have not a moment
to lose！〃
It was useless to contend with her。 Mrs。 Crayford yielded。 The two
women left the house together。
The landing…stage； as Mrs。 Crayford had predicted； was thronged with
spectators。 Not only the relatives and friends of the Arctic voyagers； but
strangers as well； had assembled in large numbers to see the ships sail。
Clara's eyes wandered affrightedly hither and thither among the strange
faces in the crowd； searching for the one face that she dreaded to see； and
not finding it。 So completely were her nerves unstrung； that she started
with a cry of alarm on suddenly hearing Frank's voice behind her。
〃The _Sea…mew_'s boats are waiting；〃 he said。 〃I must go； darling。
How pale you are looking； Clara！ Are you ill？〃
She never answered。 She questioned him with wild eyes and trembling
lips。
〃Has anything happened to you； Frank？ anything out of the common？〃
Frank laughed at the strange question。
〃Anything out of the common？〃 he repeated。 〃Nothing that I know of；
except sailing for the Arctic seas。 That's out of the common； I suppose
isn't it？〃
〃Has anybody spoken to you since last night？ Has any stranger
followed you in the street？〃
Frank turned in blank amazement to Mrs。 Crayford。
〃What on earth does she mean？〃
Mrs。 Crayford's lively invention supplied her with an answer on the
spur of the moment。
〃Do you believe in dreams； Frank？ Of course you don't！ Clara has
been dreaming about you； and Clara is foolish enough to believe in dreams。
That's allit's not worth talking about。 Hark！ they are calling you。 Say
good…by； or you will be too late for the boat。〃
Frank took Clara's hand。 Long afterwardin the dark Arctic days； in
the dreary Arctic nightshe remembered how coldly and how passively
that hand lay in his。
20
… Page 21…
THE FROZEN DEEP
〃Courage； Clara！〃 he said； gayly。 〃A sailor's sweetheart must accustom
herself to partings。 The time will soon pass。 Good…by； my darling！ Good…
by； my wife！〃
He kissed the cold hand； he looked his lastfor many a long year；
perhaps！at the pale and beautiful face。 〃How she loves me！〃 he thought。
〃How the parting distresses her！〃 He still held her hand； he would have
lingered longer； if Mrs。 Crayford had not wisely waived all ceremony and
pushed him away。
The two ladies followed him at a safe distance through the crowd； and
saw him step into the boat。 The oars struck the water； Frank waved his cap
to Clara。 In a moment more a vessel at anchor hid the boat from view。
They had seen the last of him on his way to the Frozen Deep！
〃No Richard Wardour in the boat；〃 said Mrs。 Crayford。 〃No Richard
Wardour on the shore。 Let this be a lesson to you； my dear。 Never