Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XVII. And Pym
DirkPeterspointedtoitalso,withanimperativegesturewhichspokeforhim.
Still,theeyesofallwerefixeduponus,buttherewasnoresponse.Icontinuedtourgeeveryargument,andtoquoteeveryexampleinfavourofthesafetyofpursuingourvoyage,butthesilencewasunbrokenandnowthemenstoodwitheyescastdown.
AndyetIhadnotoncepronouncedthenameofDirkPeters,noralludedtoDirkPeters’proposal.
IwasaskingmyselfwhetherIhadorhadnotsucceededininspiringmycompanionswithmyownbelief,whenCaptainLenGuyspoke:
“DirkPeters,”hesaid,“doyouassertthatArthurPymandyouafteryourdeparturefromTsalalIslandsawlandinthedirectionofthesouth?”
“Yes,land,”answeredthehalf-breed.“Islandsorcontinent—understandme—andIbelievethatPym,poorPym,iswaitingthereuntilaidcomestohim.”
“There,whereperhapsWilliamGuyandhiscompanionsarealsowaiting,”saidI,tobringbackthediscussiontomorepracticalpoints.
CaptainLenGuyreflectedforalittlewhile,andthenspoke:
“Isittrue,DirkPeters,”heasked,“thatbeyondtheeighty-fourthparallelthehorizonisshutinbythatcurtainofvapourwhichisdescribedinthenarrative?Haveyouseen—seenwithyourowneyes—thosecataractsintheair,thatgulfinwhichArthurPym’sboatwaslost?”
Thehalf-breedlookedfromonetotheotherofus,andshookhisbighead.
“Idon’tknow,”hesaid.
