Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XXIII. Found at Last
MartinHoltseemedtobestupefiedbytherevelation.Theothersdraggedhimaway,andnowheiswiththem!”WewereallagreedthatthingshadhappenedasIsupposed,andnowthequestionwas,didDirkPeters,inhispresentstateofmind,meantoabsenthimself?Wouldheconsenttoresumehisplaceamongus?
Weallleftthecavern,andafteranhour’ssearchwecameinsightofDirkPeters,whosefirstimpulsewastoescapefromus.Atlength,however,HurliguerlyandFranciscameupwithhim.Hestoodstillandmadenoresistance.Iadvancedandspoketohim,theothersdidthesame.CaptainLenGuyofferedhimhishand,whichhetookafteramoment’shesitation.Then,withoututteringasingleword,hereturnedtowardsthebeach.
FromthatdaynoallusionwasevermadetothetragicstoryoftheGrampus.DirkPeters’woundprovedtobeslight;hemerelywrappedapieceofsailclothroundtheinjuredarm,andwentofftohisworkwithentireunconcern.
Wemadeallthepreparationinourpowerforaprolongedhibernation.Winterwasthreateningus.Forsomedayspastthesunhardlyshowedatallthroughthemists.Thetemperaturefellto36degreesandwouldrisenomore,whilethesolarrays,castingshadowsofendlesslengthuponthesoil,gavehardlyanyheat.Thecaptainmadeusputonwarmwoollenclotheswithoutwaitingforthecoldtobecomemoresevere.
Icebergs,packs,streams,anddriftscameingreaternumbersfromthesouth.
