Ледяной сфинкс
Chapter XVI. Tsalal Island
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Onreflectionitwillbeseenthattheexplanationgivenbymedeservedtobeadmitted.AndthenitcametomyremembrancethataccordingtoArthurPym’snarrative,Tsalalbelongedtoagroupofislandswhichextendedtowardsthewest.UnlessthepeopleofTsalalhadbeendestroyed,itwaspossiblethattheymighthavefledintooneoftheneighbouringislands.Weshoulddowell,then,togoandreconnoitrethatarchipelago,forTsalalclearlyhadnoresourceswhatevertoofferafterthecataclysm.Ispokeofthistothecaptain.
“Yes,”hereplied,andtearsstoodinhiseyes,“yes,itmaybeso.Andyet,howcouldmybrotherandhisunfortunatecompanionshavefoundthemeansofescaping?Isitnotfarmoreprobablethattheyallperishedintheearthquake?”
HereHuntmadeusasignaltofollowhim,andwedidso.
Afterhehadpushedacrossthevalleyforaconsiderabledistance,hestopped.
Whataspectaclewasbeforeoureyes!
There,lyinginheaps,werehumanbones,allthefragmentsofthatframeworkofhumanitywhichwecalltheskeleton,hundredsofthem,withoutaparticleofflesh,clustersofskullsstillbearingsometuftsofhair—avastboneheap,driedandwhitenedinthisplace!Wewerestruckdumbandmotionlessbythisspectacle.WhenCaptainLenGuycouldspeak,hemurmured,—
“Mybrother,mypoorbrother!”
Onalittlereflection,however,mymindrefusedtoadmitcertainthings.
