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！
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 be
foolish enough to believe in presentiments again。〃
Clara's eyes still wandered suspiciously to and fro among the crowd。
〃Are you not satisfied yet？〃 asked Mrs。 Crayford。
〃No；〃 Clara answered； 〃I am not satisfied yet。〃
〃What！ still looking for him？ This is really too absurd。 Here is my
husband coming。 I shall tell him to call a cab； and send you home。〃
Clara drew back a few steps。
〃I won't be in the way； Lucy； while you are taking leave of your good
husband；〃 she said。 〃I will wait here。〃
〃Wait here！ What for？〃
〃For something which I may yet see； or for something which I may
still hear。〃
〃Richard Wardour？〃
〃Richard Wardour。〃
Mrs。 Crayford turned to her husband without another word。 Clara's
infatuation was beyond the reach of remonstrance。
The boats of the _Wanderer_ took the place at the landing…stage
vacated by the boats of the _Sea…mew_。 A burst of cheering among the
outer ranks of the crowd announced the arrival of the commander of the
21
… Page 22…
THE FROZEN DEEP
expedition on the scene。 Captain Helding appeared； looking right and left
for his first lieutenant。 Finding Crayford with his wife； the captain made
his apologies for interfering； with his best grace。
〃Give him up to his professional duties for one minute； Mrs。 Crayford；
and you shall have him back again for half an hour。 The Arctic expedition
is to blame； my dear ladynot the captainfor parting man and wife。 In
Crayford's place； I should have left it to the bachelors to find the
Northwest Passage； and have stopped at home with you！〃
Excusing himself in those bluntly complimentary terms； Captain
Helding drew the lieutenant aside a few steps； accidentally taking a
direction that led the two officers close to the place at which Clara was
standing。 Both the captain and the lieutenant were too completely
absorbed in their professional business to notice her。 Neither the one nor
the other had the faintest suspicion that she could and did hear every word
of the talk that passed between them。
〃You received my note this morning？〃 the captain began。
〃Certainly； Captain Helding； or I should have been on board the ship
before this。〃
〃I am going on board myself at once；〃 the captain proceeded； 〃but I
must ask you to keep your boat waiting for half an hour more。 You will be
all the longer with your wife； you know。 I thought of that； Crayford。〃
〃I am much obliged to you； Captain Helding。 I suppose there is some
other reason for inverting the customary order of things； and keeping the
lieutenant on shore after the captain is on board？〃
〃Quite true！ there _is_ another reason。 I want you to wait for a
volunteer who has just joined us。〃
〃A volunteer！〃
〃Yes。 He has his outfit to get in a hurry； and he may be half an hour
late。〃
〃It's rather a sudden appointment； isn't it？〃
〃No doubt。 Very sudden。〃
〃Andpardon meit's rather a long time （as we are situated） to keep
the ships waiting for one man？〃
22
… Page 23…
THE FROZEN DEEP
〃Quite true； again。 But a man who is worth having is worth waiting for。
This man is worth having； this man is worth his weight in gold to such an
expedition as ours。 Seasoned to all climates and all fatiguesa strong
fellow； a brave fellow； a clever fellowin short； an excellent officer。 I
know him well