Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XX. “Unmerciful Disaster“
Yes,yesterday—Ihavethoughtofnothingelsesince—MartinHolttookmeaside,farfromtheothers,andtoldmethathewishedtospeaktome—”
“OftheGrampus?”
“OftheGrampus—yes,andofhisbrother,NedHolt.Forthefirsttimeheutteredthatnamebeforeme—andyetwehavesailedtogetherfornearlythreemonths.”
Thehalf-breed’svoicewassochangedthatIcouldhardlyhearhim.
“Itseemedtome,”heresumed,“thatinMartinHolt’smind—no,Iwasnotmistaken—therewassomethinglikeasuspicion.”
“Buttellmewhathesaid!Tellmeexactlywhatheaskedyou.Whatisit?”
IfeltsurethatthequestionputbyMartinHolt,whatsoeveritsbearing,hadbeeninspiredbyHearne.Nevertheless,asIconsidereditwellthatthehalf-breedshouldknownothingofthesealing-master’sdisquietingandinexplicableinterventioninthistragicaffair,Idecideduponconcealingitfromhim.
“Heaskedme,”repliedDirkPeters,“didInotrememberNedHoltoftheGrampus,andwhetherhehadperishedinthefightwiththemutineersorintheshipwreck;whetherhewasoneofthemenwhohadbeenabandonedwithCaptainBarnard;inshort,heaskedmeifIcouldtellhimhowhisbrotherdied.Ah!how!”
Noideacouldbeconveyedofthehorrorwithwhichthehalf-breedutteredwordswhichrevealedaprofoundloathingofhimself.
“AndwhatanswerdidyoumaketoMartinHolt?”
“None,none!”
“YoushouldhavesaidthatNedHoltperishedinthewreckofthebrig.
