Part 11 (2/2)
”Yes”
”You knew Dirk Peters?”
”Yes”
”You lived some years with him in Illinois?”
”Nine years”
”And he often related these things to you?”
”Yes”
”And, for your own part, you have no doubt that he told you the exact truth?”
”None”
”Well, then, did it never occur to hiht have remained on Tsalal Island?”
”No”
”He believed that William Guy and his companions must all have perished in the landslip of the hill of KlockKlock?”
”Yes, and from what he often repeated to me, Pym believed it also”
”Where did you see Dirk Peters for the last tio?”
”Over two years”
”And which of you tas the first to leave Vandalia?”
I thought I detected a slight hesitation in Hunt before he answered,-- ”We left the place together”
”You, to go to?”
”The Falklands”
”And he--”
”He?” repeated Hunt
And then his wandering gaze fixed itself on Martin Holt, our sailing- the tempest
”Well!” resu you?”
”Yes”
”Then answer ive up Ao whither? Speak!”
”To the Falklands”
”And where is he now?”
”He stands before you”
Dirk Peters! Hunt was the half-breed Dirk Peters, the devoted coht for in the United States, and whose presence was probably to furnish us with a fresh reason for pursuing our daring can
I shall not be at all surprised if nized Dirk Peters in Hunt; indeed, I shall be astonished if they have failed to do so The extraordinary thing is that Captain Len Guy and ain, did not see at once, when Hunt came on the shi+p at the Falklands, that he and the half-breed were identical! I can only admit that ere both blindfolded by soes of that book ought to have effectually cleared our vision
There was no doubt whatever that Hunt really was Dirk Peters Although he was eleven years older, he answered in every particular to the description of hier ”of fierce aspect” In fact, the half-breed had changed with age and the experience of terrible scenes through which he had passed; nevertheless, he was still the faithful companion to whom Arthur Pym had often owed his safety, that same Dirk Peters who loved him as his own son, and who had never--no, never--lost the hope of finding hiain one day amid the awful Antarctic wastes
Nohy had Dirk Peters hidden himself in the Falklands under the name of Hunt? Why, since his enito? Why had he not told who he was, since he are of the intentions of the captain, as about tothe course of the Jane?
Why? No doubt because he feared that his name would inspire horror Was it not the name of one who had shared in the horrible scenes of the Grampus, who had killed Parker, the sailor, who had fed upon the man's flesh, and quenched his thirst in the man's blood? To induce him to reveal his name he must needs be assured that the Halbrane would attempt to discover and rescue Arthur Pym!
And as to the existence of Arthur Pyainst the ad cryof the half-breed, ”Pym, poor Pym! he must not be forsaken!” troubled me profoundly
assuredly, since I had resolved to take part in the expedition of the Halbrane, I was no longer the sa declaration of the half-breed None drea his veracity He had said, ”I ath, moved by irresistible impulse, I said: ”My friends, before any decision is made, let us carefully consider the situation Should we not lay up everlasting regret for ourselves if ere to abandon our expedition at the very moment when it promises to succeed? Reflect upon this, captain, and you, my companions It is less than seven months since Patterson left your countrymen alive on Tsalal Island If they were there then, the fact proves that for eleven years they had been enabled to exist on the resources provided by the island, having nothing to fear from the islanders, some of whom had fallen victims to circumstances unknown to us, and others had probably transferred the island This is quite plain, and I do not see how any objection can be raised to ”
No one made answer: there was none to be made
”If we have not come across the captain of the Jane and his people,” I resued to abandon Tsalal Island since Patterson's departure Why? In my belief, it was because the earthquake had rendered the island uninhabitable Now, they would only have required a native boat to gain either another island or some point of the Antarctic continent by the aid of the southern current I hardly hesitate to assert that all this has occurred; but in any case, I know, and I repeat, that we shall have done nothing if we do not persevere in the search on which the safety of your country look No answer
Captain Len Guy, whose emotion was unrestrained, bowed his head, for he felt that I was right, that by invoking the duties of hu the only course open tohearts
”And what is in question?” I continued, after the silent pause ”To accorees of latitude, and that while the sea is open, while we have twoto fear from the southern winter I certainly should not ask you to brave its severity And shall we hesitate, when the Halbrane is abundantly furnished, her crew coinary dangers? Shall we not have courage to go on, on, thither?”
And I pointed to the southern horizon Dirk Peters pointed to it also, with an iesture which spoke for him
Still, the eyes of all were fixed upon us, but there was no response I continued to urge every argument, and to quote every exae, but the silence was unbrokenj and now the men stood with eyes cast down
And yet I had not once pronounced the name of Dirk Peters, nor alluded to Dirk Peters' proposal
I was askingmy companions with my own belief, when Captain Len Guy spoke: ”Dirk Peters,” he said, ”doyou assert that Arthur Pym and you after your departure from Tsalal Island saw land in the direction of the south ?”