Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XVIII. A Revelation
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Thehalf-breedwasalludingtothesceneofthe“shortstraw”(orlot-drawing)onboardtheAmericanbrig,whenitwasdecidedbetweenAugustusBarnard,ArthurPym,DirkPeters,andParker,thesailor,thatoneofthefourshouldbesacrificed—asfoodforthethreeothers.IrememberedtheobstinateresistanceofArthurPym,andhowitwasimpossibleforhimtorefusetotakehispartinthetragedyabouttobeperformed—hesaysthishimself—andthehorribleactwhoseremembrancemustpoisontheexistenceofallthosewhohadsurvivedit.
Oh,thatlot-drawing!The“shortstraws”werelittlesplintersofwoodofunevenlengthwhichArthurheldinhishand.Theshortestwastodesignatehimwhoshouldbeimmolated.Andhespeaksofthesortofinvoluntaryfiercedesiretodeceivehiscompanionsthathethathefelt—”tocheat”isthewordheuses—buthedidnot“cheat,”andheaskspardonforhavinghadtheidea!Letustrytoputourselvesinhisplace!
Hemadeuphismind,andheldouthishand,closedonthefourslips.DirkPetersdrewthefirst.Fatefavouredhim.Hehadnothingmoretofear.ArthurPymcalculatedthatonemorechancewasagainsthim.AugustusBarnarddrewinhisturn.Saved,too,he!AndnowArthurPymreckoneduptheexactchancesbetweenParkerandhimself.Atthatmomentalltheferocityofthetigerenteredintohissoul.Heconceivedanintenseanddevilishhatredofhispoorcomrade,hisfellow-man.
FiveminuteselapsedbeforeParkerdaredtodraw.
