Ледяной сфинкс
Chapter XVIII. A Revelation
Besides,thereareprecociouswintersaswellasprecocioussummers.Thefineseasonthisyearwasfulltwomonthsinadvance,anditistobefearedthebadseasonmaycomesoonerthanusual.”
“Thatisverylikely,”Ireplied.“Afterall,itdoesnotsignifytous,sinceourcampaignwillcertainlybeoverinthreeweeks.”
“Ifsomeobstacledoesnotarisebeforehand,Mr.Jeorling.”
“Andwhatobstacle?”
“Forinstance,acontinentstretchingtothesouthandbarringourway.”
“Acontinent,Hurliguerly!”
“Ishouldnotbeatallsurprised.”
“And,infact,therewouldbenothingsurprisinginit.”
“AsforthelandsseenbyDirkPeters,”saidtheboatswain,“wherethemenoftheJanemighthavelandedononeoranotherofthem,Idon’tbelieveinthem.”
“Why?”
“BecauseWilliamGuy,whocanonlyhavehadasmallcraftathisdisposal,couldnothavegotsofarintotheseseas.”
“Idonotfeelquitesosureofthat.Nevertheless,Mr.Jeorling—”
“WhatwouldtherebesosurprisinginWilliamGuy’sbeingcarriedtolandsomewherebytheactionofthecurrents?Hedidnotremainonboardhisboatforeightmonths,Isuppose.Hiscompanionsandhemayhavebeenabletolandonanisland,orevenonacontinent,andthatisasufficientmotiveforustopursueoursearch.”
“Nodoubt—butallarenotofyouropinion,”repliedHurliguerly,shakinghishead.
“Iknow,”saidI,“andthatiswhatmakesmemostanxious.
