Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter III. Captain Len Guy
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“Andthesecond,captain?”
“BecausetherouteoftheHalbraneisneversettledbeforehand.Shestartsforoneportandgoestoanother,justasIfindittomyadvantage.YoumustknowthatIamnotintheserviceofashipowner.Myshareintheschoonerisconsiderable,andIhavenoonebutmyselftoconsultinrespecttoher.”
“Thenitentirelydependsonyoutogivemeapassage?”
“Thatisso,butIcanonlyansweryoubyarefusal—tomyextremeregret.”
“Perhapsyouwillchangeyourmind,captain,whenyouknowthatIcareverylittlewhatthedestinationofyourschoonermaybe.Itisnotunreasonabletosupposethatshewillgosomewhere—”
“Somewhereindeed.”IfanciedthatCaptainLenGuythrewalonglooktowardsthesouthernhorizon.
“Togohereortogothereisalmostamatterofindifferencetome.WhatIdesiredaboveallwastogetawayfromKerguelenatthefirstopportunitythatshouldoffer.”
CaptainLenGuymademenoanswer;heremainedinsilentthought,butdidnotendeavourtoslipawayfromme.
“Youaredoingmethehonourtolistentome?”Iaskedhimsharply.
“Yes,sir.”
“Iwillthenaddthat,ifIamnotmistaken,andiftherouteofyourshiphasnotbeenaltered,itwasyourintentiontoleaveChristmasHarbourforTristand’Acunha.”
“PerhapsforTristand’Acunha,perhapsfortheCape,perhapsfortheFalklands,perhapsforelsewhere.
