Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XVIII. A Revelation
Wecouldnotknow,exceptthatfortheeightdaysthecurrentpushedustowardsthesouth,andthewindalso.Afinebreezeandafairsea,andourshirtsforasail.”
“Yes,whitelinenshirts,whichfrightenedyourprisonerNuNu—”
“Perhapsso—Ididnotnotice.ButifPymhassaidso,Pymmustbebelieved.”
“Andduringthoseeightdaysyouwereabletosupplyyourselveswithfood?”
“Yes,sir,andthedaysafter—weandthesavage.Youknow—thethreeturtlesthatwereintheboat.Theseanimalscontainastoreoffreshwater—andtheirfleshissweet,evenraw.Oh,rawflesh,sir!”
Heloweredhisvoice,andthrewafurtiveglancearoundhim.Itwouldbeimpossibletodescribethefrightfulexpressionofthehalf-breed’sfaceashethusrecalledtheterriblescenesoftheGrampus.AnditwasnottheexpressionofacannibalofAustraliaortheNewHebrides,butthatofamanwhoispervadedbyaninsurmountablehorrorofhimself.
“Wasitnotonthe1stofMarch,DirkPeters,”Iasked,“thatyouperceivedforthefirsttimetheveilofgreyvapourshotwithluminousandmovingrays?”
“Idonotremember,sir,butifPymsaysitwasso,Pymmustbebelieved.”
“Didheneverspeaktoyouoffieryrayswhichfellfromthesky?”Ididnotusetheterm“polaraurora,”lestthehalf-breedshouldnotunderstandit.
“Never,sir,”saidDirkPeters,aftersomereflection.
