Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XVII. And Pym
“Whatareyouaskingmeabout,captain?Acurtainofvapour?Yes,perhaps,andalsoappearancesoflandtowardsthesouth.”
EvidentlyDirkPetershadneverreadEdgarPoe’sbook,andverylikelydidnotknowhowtoread.AfterhavinghandedoverPym’sjournal,hehadnottroubledhimselfaboutitspublication.HavingretiredtoIllinoisatfirstandtotheFalklandsafterwards,hehadnonotionofthestirthattheworkhadmade,orofthefantasticandbaselessclimaxtowhichourgreatpoethadbroughtthosestrangeadventures.
And,besides,mightnotArthurPymhimself,withhistendencytothesupernatural,havefanciedthathesawthesewondrousthings,duesolelytohisimaginativebrain?
Then,forthefirsttimeinthecourseofthisdiscussion,West’svoicemadeitselfheard.Ihadnoideawhichsidehewouldtake.Thefirstwordsheutteredwere:
“Captain,yourorders?”
CaptainLenGuyturnedtowardshiscrew,whosurroundedhim,boththeoldandthenew.Hearneremainedinthebackground,readytointerveneifheshouldthinkitnecessary.
Thecaptainquestionedtheboatswainandhiscomrades,whosedevotionwasunreservedlyhis,byalongandanxiouslook,andIheardhimmutterbetweenhisteeth,—
“Ah!ifitdependedonlyonme!ifIweresureoftheassentandthehelpofthemall!”
ThenHearnespokeroughly:
“Captain,”saidhe,“it’stwomonthssincewelefttheFalklands.Now,mycompanionswereengagedforavoyagewhichwasnottotakethemfartherbeyondtheicebergsthanTsalalIsland.
