Ледяной сфинкс
Chapter III. Captain Len Guy
”
“Well,then,CaptainGuy,itispreciselyelsewherethatIwanttogo,”Irepliedironically,andtryinghardtocontrolmyirritation.
ThenasingularchangetookplaceinthedemeanourofCaptainLenGuy.Hisvoicebecamemoresharpandharsh.Inveryplainwordshemademeunderstandthatitwasquiteuselesstoinsist,thatourinterviewhadalreadylastedtoolong,thattimepressed,andhehadbusinessattheport;inshortthatwehadsaidallthatwecouldhavetosaytoeachother.
Ihadputoutmyarmtodetainhim—toseizehimwouldbeamorecorrectterm—andtheconversation,illbegun,seemedlikelytoendstillmoreill,whenthisoddpersonturnedtowardsmeandsaidinamildertone,—
“Prayunderstand,sir,thatIamverysorrytobeunabletodowhatyouask,andtoappeardisobligingtoanAmerican.ButIcouldnotactotherwise.InthecourseofthevoyageoftheHalbranesomeunforeseenincidentmightoccurtomakethepresenceofapassengerinconvenient—evenonesoaccommodatingasyourself.ThusImightexposemyselftotheriskofbeingunabletoprofitbythechanceswhichIseek.”
“Ihavetoldyou,captain,andIrepeatit,thatalthoughmyintentionistoreturntoAmericaandtoConnecticut,Idon’tcarewhetherIgetthereinthreemonthsorinsix,orbywhatroute;it’sallthesametome,andevenwereyourschoonertotakemetotheAntarcticseas—”
“TheAntarcticseas!”exclaimedCaptainLenGuywithaquestioninhistone.Andhislooksearchedmythoughtswiththekeennessofadagger.
