Wilkie Collins

The Frozen Deep Wilkie Collins

"Now, my dear!" Mrs. Crayford began, "what does this mean?""Nothing.""That won't do, Clara. Try again.""The heat of the room-""That won't do, either. Say that you choose to keep your own secrets, and I shall understand whatyou mean."Clara's sad, clear gray eyes looked up for the first time in Mrs. Crayford's face, and suddenlybecame dimmed with tears."If I only dared tell you!" she murmured. "I hold so to your good opinion of me, Lucy-and I amso afraid of losing it."Mrs. Crayford's manner changed. Her eyes rested gravely and anxiously on Clara's face."You know as well as I do that nothing can shake my affection for you," she said. "Do justice, mychild, to your old friend. There is nobody here to listen to what we say. Open your heart, Clara. I seeyou are in trouble, and I want to comfort you."Clara began to yield. In other words, she began to make conditions."Will you promise to keep what I tell you a secret from every living creature?" she began. Mrs. Crayford met that question, by putting a question on her side."Does 'every living creature' include my husband?""Your husband more than anybody! I love him, I revere him. He is so noble; he is so good! If Itold him what I am going to tell you, he would despise me. Own it plainly, Lucy, if I am asking toomuch in asking you to keep a secret from your husband.""Nonsense, child! When you are married, you will know that the easiest of all secrets to keep is asecret from your husband. I give you my promise. Now begin!"Clara hesitated painfully."I don't know how to begin!" she exclaimed, with a burst of despair. "The words won't come tome.""Then I must help you. Do you feel ill tonight? Do you feel as you felt that day when you werewith my sister and me in the garden?""Oh no.""You are not ill, you are not really affected by the heat-and yet you turn as pale as ashes, andyou are obliged to leave the quadrille! There must be some reason for this."