Ледяной сфинкс
Chapter XI. From the Sandwich Islands to the Polar Circle
Theschooner’screw,Ioughttomention,wereanimatedbythelikesentiments,andsharedthesamehopes.Ialludetotheoriginalseamenwhoweresodevotedtotheircaptain.Asforthenewones,theywereprobablyindifferenttotheresultoftheenterprise,provideditshouldsecuretheprofitspromisedtothembytheirengagement.
Atleast,Iwasassuredbytheboatswainthatsuchwasthecase,butwiththeexceptionofHunt.Thismanhadapparentlynotbeeninducedtotakeservicebythebribeofhighwagesorprizemoney.Hewasabsolutelysilentonthatandeveryothersubject.
“Ifhedoesnotspeaktoyou,boatswain,”Isaid,“neitherdoeshespeaktome.”
“Doyouknow,Mr.Jeorling,whatitismynotionthatmanhasalreadydone?”
“Tellme,Hurliguerly.”
“Well,then,Ibelievehehasgonefar,farintothesouthernseas,lethimbeasdumbasafishaboutit.Whyheisdumbishisownaffair.Butifthatsea-hogofamanhasnotbeeninsidetheAntarcticCircleandeventheicewallbyagooddozendegrees,maythefirstseaweshipcarrymeoverboard.”
“Fromwhatdoyoujudge,boatswain?”
“Fromhiseyes,Mr.Jeorling,fromhiseyes.Nomatteratwhatmoment,lettheship’sheadbeasitmay,thoseeyesofhisarealwaysonthesouth,open,unwinking,fixedlikegunsinposition.”
Hurliguerlydidnotexaggerate,andIhadalreadyremarkedthis.ToemployanexpressionofEdgarPoe’s,Hunthadeyeslikeafalcon’s.
