Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter IX. Fitting out the Halbrane
”
“Oh!notsofar,Iimagine,andifitisnotamatterofgoingbeyondtheeighty-fourthparallel—”
“Whocantell,”repliedtheboatswain,“atalleventstheHalbranewillmakemoredegreesoflatitudethananyothershipbeforeher.”
“Weshallsee.”
“Anddoesthatnotalarmyou,Mr.Jeorling?”
“Notintheveryleast.”
“Norus,restassured.No,no!Yousee,Mr.Jeorling,ourcaptainisagoodone,althoughheisnotalker.Youonlyneedtotakehimtherightway!FirsthegivesyouthepassagetoTristand’Acunhathatherefusedyouatfirst,andnowheextendsittothepole.”
“Thepoleisnotthequestion,boatswain.”
“Ah!itwillbereachedatlast,someday.”
“Thethinghasnotyetbeendone.And,besides,Idon’ttakemuchinterestinthepole,andhavenoambitiontoconquerit.InanycaseitisonlytoTsalalIsland—”
“TsalalIsland,ofcourse.Nevertheless,youwillacknowledgethatourcaptainhasbeenveryaccommodatingtoyou,and—”
“AndthereforeIammuchobligedtohim,boatswain,and,”Ihastenedtoadd,”toyoualso;sinceitistoyourinfluenceIowemypassage.”
“Verylikely.”Hurliguerly,agoodfellowatbottom,asIafterwardslearned,discernedalittletouchofironyinmytone;buthedidnotappeartodoso;hewasresolvedtopersevereinhispatronageofme.And,indeed,hisconversationcouldnotbeotherwisethanprofitabletome,forhewasthoroughlyacquaintedwiththeFalklandIslands.
