Ледяной сфинкс

Chapter XXI. Amid the Mists

           

           “Cursethebird!”hesaidonhisreturntothecamp,addressingtheobservationtome.“Ihavehadanarrowescape!Athump,anddownIwent,sprawling.IsavedmyselfIdon’tknowhow,forIwasallbutovertheside.Thoseiceledges,youknow,slipthroughone’sfingerslikewater.Icalledouttothebird,‘Can’tyouevenlookbeforeyou,youfool?’Butwhatwasthegoodofthat?Thebigblundererdidnotevenbegmypardon!”

           Intheafternoonofthesamedayourearswereassailedbyahideousbrayingfrombelow.Hurliguerlyremarkedthatastherewerenoassestotreatustotheconcert,itmustbegivenbypenguins.Hithertothesecountlessdwellersinthepolarregionshadnotthoughtpropertoaccompanyusonourmovingisland;wehadnotseenevenone,eitheratthefootoftheicebergoronthedriftingpacks.Therecouldbenodoubtthattheywerethereinthousands,forthemusicwasunmistakablythatofamultitudeofperformers.Nowthosebirdsfrequentbychoicetheedgesofthecoastsofislandsandcontinentsinhighlatitudes,ortheice-fieldsintheirneighbourhood.Wasnottheirpresenceanindicationthatlandwasnear?

           IaskedCaptainLenGuywhathethoughtofthepresenceofthesebirds.

           “Ithinkwhatyouthink,Mr.Jeorling,”hereplied.“Sincewehavebeendrifting,noneofthemhavetakenrefugeontheiceberg,andheretheyarenowincrowds,ifwemayjudgebytheirdeafeningcries.Fromwhencedotheycome?Nodoubtfromland,whichisprobablynear.”

           “IsthisWest’sopinion?”

           “Yes,Mr.

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