Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XVIII. A Revelation
”
“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthehalf-breed?”Iasked.
“Well,ourmenappeartoaccusehimchieflyoftheprolongationofthevoyage.Yousee,Mr.Jeorling,thoughyouhaveagooddealtodowithit,youpay,andpaywell,whilethiscrazyfellow,DirkPeters,persistsinassertingthathispoorPymisstillliving—hispoorPymwhowasdrowned,orfrozen,orcrushed—killed,anyhow,onewayoranother,elevenyearsago!”
SocompletelywasthismyownbeliefthatIneverdiscussedthesubjectwiththehalf-breed.
“Yousee,Mr.Jeorling,”resumedtheboatswain,“atthefirstsomecuriositywasfeltaboutDirkPeters.Then,afterhesavedMartinHolt,itwasinterest.Certainly,hewasnomoretalkativethanbefore,andthebearcamenoofteneroutofhisden!Butnowweknowwhatheis,andnoonelikeshimthebetterforthat.Atalleventsitwashewhoinducedourcaptain,bytalkingoflandtothesouthofTsalalIsland,tomakethisvoyage,anditisowingtohimthathehasreachedtheeighty-sixthdegreeoflatitude.”
“Thatisquitetrue,boatswain.”
“Andso,Mr.Jeorling,IamalwaysafraidthatoneofthesedayssomebodywilldoPetersanillturn.”
“DirkPeterswoulddefendhimself,andIshouldpitythemanwholaidafingeronhim.”
“Quiteso.Itwouldnotbegoodforanybodytobeinhishands,fortheycouldbendiron!Butthen,allbeingagainsthim,hewouldbeforcedintothehold.
