Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter IV. From the Kerguelen Isles to Prince Edward Island
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“Impossible,sir!Andifafact,onindisputableevidence,appealedtothewholecivilizedworld;ifamaterialproofoftheexistenceoftheseunhappymen,imprisonedattheendsoftheearth,werefurnished,whowouldventuretomeetthosewhowouldfaingototheiraidwiththecryof‘Impossible!’“
Wasitasentimentofhumanity,exaggeratedtothepointofmadness,thathadrousedtheinterestofthisstrangemaninthoseshipwreckedfolkwhoneverhadsufferedshipwreck,forthegoodreasonthattheyneverhadexisted?
CaptainLenGuyapproachedmeanew,laidhishandonmyshoulderandwhisperedinmyear,—
“No,sir,no!thelastwordhasnotbeensaidconcerningthecrewoftheJane.”
Thenhepromptlywithdrew.
TheJanewas,inEdgarPoe’sromance,thenameoftheshipwhichhadrescuedArthurPymandDirkPetersfromthewreckoftheGrampus,andCaptainLenGuyhadnowuttereditforthefirsttime.ItoccurredtomethenthatGuywasthenameofthecaptainoftheJane,anEnglishship;butwhatofthat?ThecaptainoftheJaneneverlivedbutintheimaginationofthenovelist,heandtheskipperoftheHalbranehavenothingincommonexceptanamewhichisfrequentlytobefoundinEngland.But,onthinkingofthesimilarity,itstruckmethatthepoorcaptain’sbrainhadbeenturnedbythisverything