Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XIX. Land?
Whenthedisappearanceofthefivemenhadbeenascertained,wefellintodespair.ThenwefeltmorekeenlythanbeforethedangerswhichthreateneveryexpeditiontotheAntarcticzone.
“WhataboutHearne?”saidavoice.
MartinHoltpronouncedthenameatamomentwhentherewasgeneralsilence.Hadthesealing-masterbeencrushedtodeathinthenarrowpartoftheholdwherehewasshutup?
Westrushedtowardstheschooner,hoistedhimselfonboardbymeansofaropehangingoverthebows,andgainedthehatchwhichgivesaccesstothatpartofthehold.
WewaitedsilentandmotionlesstolearnthefateofHearne,althoughtheevilspiritofthecrewwasbutlittleworthyofourpity.
Andyet,howmanyofuswerethenthinkingthatifwehadheededhisadvice,andiftheschoonerhadtakenthenortherncourse,awholecrewwouldnothavebeenreducedtotakerefugeonadriftingice-mountain!Iscarcelydaredtocalculatemyownshareofthevastresponsibility,Iwhohadsovehementlyinsistedontheprolongationofthevoyage.
AtlengththematereappearedondeckandHearnefollowedhim!Byamiracle,neitherthebulkheads,northeribs,northeplankinghadyieldedattheplacewherethesealing-masterwasconfined.
Hearnerejoinedhiscomradeswithoutopeninghislips,andwehadnofurthertroubleabouthim.
Towardssixo’clockinthemorningthefogclearedoff,owingtoamarkedfallinthetemperature.
