Ледяной сфинкс
Chapter VIII. Bound for the Falklands
Anditwasbeyondtheeighty-third,nearlyfivehundredandfiftymilesfarther,thatwemustgotothesuccourofthesurvivorsoftheJane!
Iconfessthatforapracticalmanofunimaginativetemperament,Ifeltstrangelyexcited;anervousrestlessnesshadtakenpossessionofme.IwashauntedbythefiguresofArthurPymandhiscompanions,lostinAntarcticice-deserts.IbegantofeeladesiretotakepartintheproposedundertakingofCaptainLenGuy.Ithoughtaboutitincessantly.AsafacttherewasnothingtorecallmetoAmerica.ItistruethatwhetherIshouldgettheconsentofthecommanderoftheHalbraneremainedtobeseen;but,afterall,whyshouldherefusetokeepmeasapassenger?Woulditnotbeavery“human”satisfactiontohimtogivemematerialproofthathewasintheright,bytakingmetotheverysceneofacatastrophethatIhadregardedasfictitious,showingmetheremainsoftheJaneatTsalal,andlandingmeonthatselfsameislandwhichIhaddeclaredtobeamyth?
Nevertheless,Iresolvedtowait,beforeIcametoanydefinitedetermination,untilanopportunityofspeakingtothecaptainshouldarise.
Afteranintervalofunfavourableweather,duringwhichtheHalbranemadebutslowprogress,onthe4thofOctober,inthemorning,theaspectoftheskyandtheseaunderwentamarkedchange.Thewindbecamecalm,thewavesabated,andthenextdaythebreezeveeredtothenorth-west.Thiswasveryfavourabletous,andintendays,withacontinuanceofsuchfortunateconditions,wemighthopetoreachtheFalklands.
