Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XVII. And Pym
Itishewhohasnevercomeback,andheisthere,stillthere!”
IfHunthadbeenthehalf-breedinpersonhecouldnothavespokenwithmoreheartfeltemotionof“poorPym.”
Itwasthen,infrontofthe“curtainofvapour,”thatArthurPymandthehalf-breedhadbeenseparatedfromeachother.DirkPetershadsucceededinreturningfromtheice-worldtoAmerica,whitherhehadconveyedthenotesthatwerecommunicatedtoEdgarPoe.
Huntwasminutelyquestioneduponallthesepointsandhereplied,conformably,hedeclared,towhatthehalf-breedhadtoldhimmanytimes.Accordingtothisstatement,DirkPetershadArthurPym’snote-bookinhispocketatthemomentwhentheice-blockstruckthem,andthusthejournalwhichthehalf-breedplacedatthedisposaloftheAmericanromance-writerwassaved.
“Understandme,”Huntrepeated,“forItellyouthingsasIhavethemfromDirkPeters.Whilethedriftwascarryinghimaway,hecriedoutwithallhisstrength.Pym,poorPym,hadalreadydisappearedinthemidstofthevapour.Thehalf-breed,feedinguponrawfish,whichhecontrivedtocatch,wascarriedbackbyacrosscurrenttoTsalalIsland,wherehelandedhalfdeadfromhunger.”
“ToTsalalIsland!”exclaimedCaptainLenGuy.“Andhowlongwasitsincetheyhadleftit?”
“Threeweeks—yes,threeweeksatthefarthest,soDirkPeterstoldme.
