Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter VI. An Ocean Waif
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Iwasstruckbythefixityofhisgazeupontheobject,whosenaturehehadsopromptlydeclared:hecontinuedtocontemplateitforseveralminutes,andIguessedwhatwaspassinginthemindofthemanundertheobsessionofafixedidea.Thisfragmentofice,tornfromthesouthernicebergs,camefromthosewaterswhereinhisthoughtscontinuallyranged.Hewantedtoseeitmorenear,perhapsatclosequarters,itmightbetotakeawaysomebitsofit.AtanorderfromWesttheschoonerwasdirectedtowardsthefloatingmass;presentlywewerewithintwocables’-length,andIcouldexamineit.
Themoundinthecenterwasmeltingrapidly;beforetheendofthedaynothingwouldremainofthefragmentoficewhichhadbeencarriedbythecurrentssohighupastheforty-fifthparallel.
CaptainLenGuygazedatitsteadily,buthenowneedednoglass,andpresentlyweallbegantodistinguishasecondobjectwhichlittlebylittledetacheditselffromthemass,accordingasthemeltingprocesswenton—ablackshape,stretchedonthewhiteice.
Whatwasoursurprise,mingledwithhorror,whenwesawfirstanarm,thenaleg,thenatrunk,thenaheadappear,formingahumanbody,notinastateofnakedness,butclothedindarkgarments.
ForamomentIeventhoughtthatthelimbsmoved,thatthehandswerestretchedtowardsus.
Thecrewutteredasimultaneouscry.No!thisbodywasnotmoving,butitwasslowlyslippingofftheicysurface.
IlookedatCaptainLenGuy.
