Ледяной сфинкс
Chapter IV. From the Kerguelen Isles to Prince Edward Island
”
“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
