Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XXV. “We Were the First“
WestnowremindedusthatitwasimprudenttoprolongourstayuponthisLandoftheSphinx—anametoberetained.Timepressed,andafewdays’delaywouldhaveentailedourwinteringatthefootoftheice-barrier.
Theordertoreturntothebeachhadjustbeengiven,whenthevoiceofthehalf-breedwasagainheard,ashecriedout:
“There!There!There!”
Wefollowedthesoundstothebackofthemonster’srightpaw,andwefoundDirkPetersonhisknees,withhishandsstretchedoutbeforeanalmostnakedcorpse,whichhadbeenpreservedintactbythecoldoftheseregions,andwasasrigidasiron.Theheadwasbent,awhitebeardhungdowntothewaist,thenailsofthefeetandhandswerelikeclaws.
Howhadthiscorpsebeenfixedtothesideofthemoundatsixfeetabovetheground?
Acrossthebody,heldinplacebyitscross-belt,wesawthetwistedbarrelofamusket,half-eatenbyrust.
“Pym—mypoorPym!”groanedDirkPeters.
Hetriedtorise,thathemightapproachandkisstheossifiedcorpse.Buthiskneesbentunderhim,astrangledsobseemedtorendhisthroat,withaterriblespasmhisfaithfulheartbroke,andthehalf-breedfellback—dead!
Thestorywaseasytoread
