Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XX. “Unmerciful Disaster“
CaptainLenGuycastasternglanceuponthemenandsaidinasharptone:
“SailorsoftheHalbrane,Imustfirstspeaktoyouofourlostcompanions.Fiveofushavejustperishedinthiscatastrophe.”
“Wearewaitingtoperishinourturn,intheseseas,wherewehavebeendraggedinspiteof—”
“Besilent,Hearne,”criedWest,palewithanger,“orifnot—”
“Hearnehassaidwhathehadtosay,”CaptainLenGuycontinued,coldly.“Nowitissaid,andIadvisehimnottointerruptmeasecondtime!”
Thesealing-mastermightpossiblyhaveventuredonananswer,forhefeltthathewasbackedbythemajorityofthecrew;butMartinHoltheldhimback,andhewassilent.
CaptainLenGuythentookoffhishatandpronouncedthefollowingwordswithanemotionthataffectedustothebottomofourhearts:—
“Wemustprayforthosewhohavediedinthisdangerousvoyage,whichwasundertakeninthenameofhumanity.MayGodbepleasedtotakeintoconsiderationthefactthattheydevotedtheirlivestotheirfellow-creatures,andmayHenotbeinsensibletoourprayers!Kneeldown,sailorsoftheHalbrane!”
Theyallkneltdownontheicysurface,andthemurmursofprayerascendedtowardsheaven.
WewaitedforCaptainLenGuytorisebeforewedidso.
“Now,”heresumed,“afterthosewhoaredeadcomethosewhohavesurvived.TothemIsaythattheymustobeyme,whatevermyordersmaybe,andeveninourpresentsituationIshallnottolerateanyhesitationoropposition.
