the frozen deep-第15部分

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yetreferring　to　the　volunteer；　as　if　Steventon　had　already
mentioned　his　name。

〃What　made　Richard　Wardour　so　ready　to　risk　his　life　for　Frank's
sake？〃　she　said　to　Crayford。　〃Did　he　do　it　out　of　friendship　for
Frank？　Surely　you　can　tell　me　that？　Carry　your　memory　back　to　the
days　when　you　were　all　living　in　the　huts。　Were　Frank　and　Wardour
friends　at　that　time？　Did　you　never　hear　any　angry　words　pass
between　them？〃

There　Mrs。　Crayford　saw　her　opportunity　of　giving　her　husband　a
timely　hint。

〃My　dear　child！〃　she　said；　〃how　can　you　expect　him　to　remember
that？　There　must　have　been　plenty　of　quarrels　among　the　men；　all
shut　up　together；　and　all　weary　of　each　other's　company；　no
doubt。〃

〃Plenty　of　quarrels！〃　Crayford　repeated；　〃and　every　one　of　them
made　up　again。〃

〃And　every　one　of　them　made　up　again；〃　Mrs。　Crayford　reiterated；
in　her　turn。　〃There！　a　plainer　answer　than　that　you　can't　wish　to
have。　Now　are　you　satisfied？　Mr。　Steventon；　come　and　lend　a　hand
（as　you　say　at　sea）　with　the　hamperClara　won't　help　me。
William；　don't　stand　there　doing　nothing。　This　hamper　holds　a
great　deal；　we　must　have　a　division　of　labor。　Your　division　shall
be　laying　the　tablecloth。　Don't　handle　it　in　that　clumsy　way！　You
unfold　a　table…cloth　as　if　you　were　unfurling　a　sail。　Put　the
knives　on　the　right；　and　the　forks　on　the　left；　and　the　napkin
and　the　bread　between　them。　Clara；　if　you　are　not　hungry　in　this
fine　air；　you　ought　to　be。　Come　and　do　your　duty；　come　and　have
some　lunch！〃

She　looked　up　as　she　spoke。　Clara　appeared　to　have　yielded　at
last　to　the　conspiracy　to　keep　her　in　the　dark。　She　had　returned
slowly　to　the　boat…house　doorway；　and　she　was　standing　alone　on
the　threshold；　looking　out。　Approaching　her　to　lead　her　to　the
luncheon…table；　Mrs。　Crayford　could　hear　that　she　was　speaking
softly　to　herself。　She　was　repeating　the　farewell　words　which
Richard　Wardour　had　spoken　to　her　at　the　ball。

〃'A　time　may　come　when　I　shall　forgive　_you_。　But　the　man　who　has
robbed　me　of　you　shall　rue　the　day　when　you　and　he　first　met。'
Oh；　Frank！　Frank！　does　Richard　still　live；　with　your　blood　on　his
conscience；　and　my　image　in　his　heart？〃

Her　lips　suddenly　closed。　She　started；　and　drew　back　from　the
doorway；　trembling　violently。　Mrs。　Crayford　looked　out　at　the
quiet　seaward　view。

〃Anything　there　that　frightens　you；　my　dear？〃　she　asked。　〃I　can
see　nothing；　except　the　boats　drawn　up　on　the　beach。〃

〃_I_　can　see　nothing　either；　Lucy。〃

〃And　yet　you　are　trembling　as　if　there　was　something　dreadful　in
the　view　from　this　door。〃

〃There　_is_　something　dreadful！　I　feel　it；　though　I　see　nothing。
I　feel　it；　nearer　and　nearer　in　the　empty　air；　darker　and　darker
in　the　sunny　light。　I　don't　know　what　it　is。　Take　me　away！　No。
Not　out　on　the　beach。　I　can't　pass　the　door。　Somewhere　else！
somewhere　else！〃

Mrs。　Crayford　looked　round　her；　and　noticed　a　second　door　at　the
inner　end　of　the　boat…house。　She　spoke　to　her　husband。

〃See　where　that　door　leads　to；　William。〃

Crayford　opened　the　door。　It　led　into　a　desolate　inclosure；　half
garden；　half　yard。　Some　nets　stretched　on　poles　were　hanging　up
to　dry。　No　other　objects　were　visiblenot　a　living　creature
appeared　in　the　place。　〃It　doesn't　look　very　inviting；　my　dear；〃
said　Mrs。　Crayford。　〃I　am　at　your　service；　however。　What　do　you
say？〃

She　offered　her　arm　to　Clara　as　she　spoke。　Clara　refused　it。　She
took　Crayford's　arm；　and　clung　to　him。

〃I'm　frightened；　dreadfully　frightened！〃　she　said　to　him；
faintly。　〃You　keep　with　mea　woman　is　no　protection；　I　want　to
be　with　you。〃　She　looked　round　again　at　the　boat…house　doorway。
〃Oh！〃　she　whispered；　〃I'm　cold　all　overI'm　frozen　with　fear　of
this　place。　Come　into　the　yard！　Come　into　the　yard！〃

〃Leave　her　to　me；〃　said　Crayford　to　his　wife。　〃I　will　call　you；
if　she　doesn't　get　better　in　the　open　air。〃

He　took　her　out　at　once；　and　closed　the　yard　door　behind　them。

〃Mr。　Steventon；　do　you　understand　this？〃　asked　Mrs。　Crayford。
〃What　can　she　possibly　be　frightened　of？〃

She　put　the　question；　still　looking　mechanically　at　the　door　by
which　her　husband　and　Clara　had　gone　out。　Receiving　no　reply；　she
glanced　round　at　Steventon。　He　was　standing　on　the　opposite　side
of　the　luncheon…table；　with　his　eyes　fixed　attentively　on　the
view　from　the　main　doorway　of　the　boat…house。　Mrs。　Crayford
looked　where　Steventon　was　looking。　This　time　there　was　something
visible。　She　saw　the　shadow　of　a　human　figure　projected　on　the
stretch　of　smooth　yellow　sand　in　front　of　the　boat…house。

In　a　moment　more　the　figure　appeared。　A　man　came　slowly　into
view；　and　stopped　on　the　threshold　of　the　door。



Chapter　18。


The　man　was　a　sinister　and　terrible　object　to　look　at。　His　eyes
glared　like　the　eyes　of　a　wild　animal；　his　head　was　bare；　his
long　gray　hair　was　torn　and　tangled；　his　miserable　garments　hung
about　him　in　rags。　He　stood　in　the　doorway；　a　speechless　figure
of　misery　and　want；　staring　at　the　well…spread　table　like　a
hungry　dog。

Steventon　spoke　to　him。

〃Who　are　you？〃

He　answered；　in　a　hoarse；　hollow　voice；

〃A　starving　man。〃

He　advanced　a　few　steps；　slowly　and　painfully；　as　if　he　were
sinking　under　fatigue。

〃Throw　me　some　bones　from　the　table；〃　he　said。　〃Give　me　my　share
along　with　the　dogs。〃

There　was　madness　as　well　as　hunger　in　his　eyes　while　he　spoke
those　words。　Steventon　placed　Mrs。　Crayford　behind　him；　so　that
he　might　be　easily　able　to　protect　her　in　case　of　need；　and
beckoned　to　two　sailors　who　were　passing　the　door　of　the
boat…house　at　the　time。

〃Give　the　man　some　bread　and　meat；〃　he　said；　〃and　wait　near　him。〃

The　outcast　seized　on　the　bread　and　meat　with　lean；　long…nailed
hands　that　looked　like　claws。　After　his　first　mouthful　of　the
food；　he　stopped；　considered　vacantly　with　himself；　and　broke　the
bread　and　meat　into　two　portions。　One　portion　he　put　into　an　old
canvas　wallet　that　hung　over　his　shoulder；　the　other　he　devoured
voraciously。　Steventon　questioned　him。

〃Where　do　you　come　from？〃

〃From　the　sea。〃

〃Wrecked？〃

〃Yes。〃

Steventon　turned　to　Mrs。　Crayford。

〃There　may　be　some　truth　in　the　poor　wretch's　story；〃　he　said。　〃I
heard　something　of　a　strange　boat　having　been　cast　on　the　beach
thirty　or　forty　miles　higher　up　the　coast。　When　were　you　wrecked；
my　man？〃

The　starving　creature　looked　up　from　his　food；　and　made　an　effort
to　collect　his　thoughtsto　exert　his　memory。　It　was　not　to　be
done。　He　gave　up　the　attempt　in　despair。　His　language；　when　he
spoke；　was　as　wild　as　his　looks。

〃I　can't　tell　you；〃　he　said。　〃I　can't　get　the　wash　of　the　sea　out
of　my　ears。　I　can't　get　the　shining　stars　all　night；　and　the
burning　sun　all　day；　out　of　my　brain。　When　was　I　wrecked？　When
was　I　first　adrift　in　the　boat？　When　did　I　get　the　tiller　in　my
hand　and　fight　against　hunger　and　sleep？　When　did　the　gnawi　ng　in
my　breast；　and　the　burning　in　my　head；　first　begin？　I　have　lost
all　reckoning　of　it。　I　can't　think；　I　can't　sleep；　I　can't　get
the　wash　of　the　sea　out　of　my　ears。　What　are　you　baiting　me　with
questions　for？　Let　me　eat！〃

Even　the　sailors　pitied　him。　The　sailors　asked　leave　of　their
officer　to　add　a　little　drink　to　his　meal。

〃We've　got　a　drop　of　grog　with　us；　sir；　in　a　bottle。　May　we　give
it　to　him？〃

〃Certainly！〃

He　took　the　bottle　fiercely；　as　he　had　taken　the　food；　drank　a
little；　stopped；　and　considered　with　himself　again。　He　held　up
the　bottle　to　the　light；　and；　marking　how　much　liquor　it
contained；　carefully　drank　half　of　it　only。　This　done；　he　put　the
bottle　in　his　wallet　along　with　the　food。

〃Are　you　saving　it　up　for　another　time？〃　said　Steventon。

〃I'm　saving　it　up；〃　the　man　answered。　〃Never　mind　what　for。
That's　my　secret。〃

He　looked　round　the　boat…house　as　he　made　that　reply；　and　noticed
Mrs。　Crayford　for　the　first　time。

〃A　woman　among　you！〃　he　said。　〃Is　she　English？　Is　she　young？　Let
me　look　closer　at　her。〃

He　advanced　a　few　steps　toward　the　table。

〃Don't　be　afraid；　Mrs。　Crayford；〃　said　Steventon。

〃I　am　not　afraid；〃　Mrs。　Crayford　replied。　〃He　frightened　me　at
firsthe　interests　me　now。　Let　him　speak　to　me　if　he　wishes　it！〃

He　never　spoke。　He　stood；　in　dead　silence；　looking　long　and
anxiously　at　the　beautiful　Englishwoman。

〃Well？〃　said　Steventon。

He　shook　his　head　sadly；　and　drew　back　again　with　a　heavy　sigh。

〃No！〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃that's　not　_her_　face。　No！　not　found
yet。〃

Mrs。　Crayford's　interest　was　strongly　excited。　She　ventured　to
speak　to　him。

〃Who　is　it　you　want　to　find？〃　she　asked。　〃Your　wife？〃

He　shook　his　head　again。

〃Who；　then？　What　is　she　like？〃

He　answered　that　question　in　words。　His　hoarse；　hollow　voice
softened；　little　by　little；　into　sorrowful　and　gentle　tones。

〃Young；〃　he　said；　〃with　a　fair；　sad　facewith　kind；　tender
eyeswith　a　soft；　clear　voice。　Young　and　loving　and　merciful。　I
keep　her　face　in　my　mind；　though　I　can　keep　nothing　else。　I　must
wander；　wander；　wanderrestless；　sleepless；　homelesstill　I
find　_her！_　Over　the　ice　and　over　the　snow；　tossing　on　the　sea；
tramping　over　the　land；　awake　all　night；　awake　all　day；　wander；
wander；　wander；　till　I　find　_her！_〃

He　waved　his　hand　with　a　gesture　of　farewell；　and　turned　wearily
to　go　out。

At　the　same　moment　Crayford　opened　the　yard　door。

〃I　think　you　had　better　come　to　Clara；〃　he　began；　and　checked
himself；　noticing　the　stranger。　〃Who　is　that？〃

The　shipwrecked　man；　hearing　another　voice　in　the　room；　looked
round　slowly　over　his　shoulder。　Struck　by　his　appearance；
Crayford　advanced　a　little　nearer　to　him。　Mrs。　Crayford　spoke　to
her　husband　as　he　passed　her。

〃It's　only　a　poor；　mad　creature；　William；〃　she
whispered〃shipwrecked　and　starving。〃

〃Mad？〃　Crayford　repeated；　approaching　nearer　and　nearer　to　the
man。　〃Am　_I_　in　my　right　senses？〃　He　suddenly　sprang　on　the
outcast；　and　seized　him　by　the　throat。　〃Richard　Wardour！〃　he
cried；　in　a　voice　of　fury。　〃Alive！alive；　to　answer　for　Frank！〃

The　man　struggled。　Crayford　held　him。

〃Where　is　Frank？〃　he　said。　〃You　villain；　where　is　Frank？〃

The　man　resisted　no　longer。　He　repeated　vacantly；

〃Villain？　and　where　is　Frank？〃

As　the　name　escaped　his　lips；　Clara　appeared　at　the　open　yard
door；　and　hurried　into