Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XII. Between the Polar Circle and the Ice Wall
Atthemomentofacertaindifficultmanoeuvre,fourmenhadtoclimbtothecrossbarsofthefore-mastinordertoreefthemainsail.ThefirstwhosprangtotheratlineswasHunt.ThesecondwasMartinHolt;Burryandoneoftherecruitsfollowedthem.IcouldnothavebelievedthatanymancoulddisplaysuchskillandagilityasHunt’s.Hishandsandfeethardlycaughttheratlines.Havingreachedthecrossbarsfirst,hestretchedhimselfontheropestotheendoftheyard,whileHoltwenttotheotherend,andthetworecruitsremainedinthemiddle.
Whilethemenwereworking,andthetempestwasragingroundus,aterrificlurchoftheshiptostarboardunderthestrokeofamountainouswave,flungeverythingonthedeckintowildconfusion,andthesearushedinthroughthescupper-holes.Iwasknockeddown,andforsomemomentswasunabletorise.
Sogreathadbeentheinclineoftheschoonerthattheendoftheyardofthemainsailwasplungedthreeorfourfeetintothecrestofawave.WhenitemergedMartinHolt,whohadbeenastrideonit,haddisappeared.Acrywasheard,utteredbythesailing-master,whosearmcouldbeseenwildlywavingamidthewhitenessofthefoam.Thesailorsrushedtothesideandflungoutonearope,anotheracask,athirdaspar—inshort,anyobjectofwhichMartinHoltmightlayhold.AtthemomentwhenIstruggleduptomyfeetIcaughtsightofamassivesubstancewhichclefttheairandvanishedinthewhirlofthewaves.
Wasthisasecondaccident?No!itwasavoluntaryaction,adeedofself-sacrifice.
