Ледяной сфинкс
Chapter XVII. And Pym
”
“ThenhemusthavefoundallthatremainedofthecrewoftheJane—mybrotherWilliamandthosewhohadsurvivedwithhim?”
“No,”repliedHunt;“andDirkPetersalwaysbelievedthattheyhadperished—yes,totheverylastman.Therewasnooneupontheisland.”
“Noone?”
“Notalivingsoul.”
“Butthepopulation?”
”Noone!Noone,Itellyou.Theislandwasadesert—yes,adesert!”
Thisstatementcontradictedcertainfactsofwhichwewereabsolutelycertain.Afterall,though,itseemedpossiblethatwhenDirkPetersreturnedtoTsalalIsland,thepopulation,seizedbywhocantellwhatterror,hadalreadytakenrefugeuponthesouth-westerngroup,andthatWilliamGuyandhiscompanionswerestillhiddeningorgesofKlock-Klock.Thatwouldexplainwhyhalf-breedhadnotcomeacrossthem,andalsowhysurvivorsoftheJanehadhadnothingtofearduringelevenyearsoftheirsojournintheisland.Ontheotherhand,sincePattersonhadleftthemtheresevenmonthspreviously,ifwedidnotfindthem,thatmusthavebeenbecausetheyhadbeenobligedtoleaveTsalal,theplacebeingrendereduninhabitablebytheearthquake.
“Sothat,”resumedCaptainLenGuy,“onthereturnofDirkPeters,therewasnolongeraninhabitantontheisland?”
“Noone,”repeatedHunt,“noone.Thehalf-breeddidnotmeetasinglenative.”
“AndwhatdidDirkPetersdo?”
“Understandme.
