Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XXI. Amid the Mists
“Cursethebird!”hesaidonhisreturntothecamp,addressingtheobservationtome.“Ihavehadanarrowescape!Athump,anddownIwent,sprawling.IsavedmyselfIdon’tknowhow,forIwasallbutovertheside.Thoseiceledges,youknow,slipthroughone’sfingerslikewater.Icalledouttothebird,‘Can’tyouevenlookbeforeyou,youfool?’Butwhatwasthegoodofthat?Thebigblundererdidnotevenbegmypardon!”
Intheafternoonofthesamedayourearswereassailedbyahideousbrayingfrombelow.Hurliguerlyremarkedthatastherewerenoassestotreatustotheconcert,itmustbegivenbypenguins.Hithertothesecountlessdwellersinthepolarregionshadnotthoughtpropertoaccompanyusonourmovingisland;wehadnotseenevenone,eitheratthefootoftheicebergoronthedriftingpacks.Therecouldbenodoubtthattheywerethereinthousands,forthemusicwasunmistakablythatofamultitudeofperformers.Nowthosebirdsfrequentbychoicetheedgesofthecoastsofislandsandcontinentsinhighlatitudes,ortheice-fieldsintheirneighbourhood.Wasnottheirpresenceanindicationthatlandwasnear?
IaskedCaptainLenGuywhathethoughtofthepresenceofthesebirds.
“Ithinkwhatyouthink,Mr.Jeorling,”hereplied.“Sincewehavebeendrifting,noneofthemhavetakenrefugeontheiceberg,andheretheyarenowincrowds,ifwemayjudgebytheirdeafeningcries.Fromwhencedotheycome?Nodoubtfromland,whichisprobablynear.”
“IsthisWest’sopinion?”
“Yes,Mr.
