Part 22 (1/2)
”I do”
”You desire to reach the North Pole,” the Doctor went on; ”and I understand and share your ahtfor it?”
”No, Hatteras, you have not sacrificed your personal antipathies
Even at this very moment I know you are in thethe pole”
”Ah! it is the boat you want to talk about, and that man----”
”Hatteras, let us discuss the question calmly, and examine the case on all sides The coast on which we find ourselves at present ht away to the pole; indeed, if your present infor the su we reach this Arctic Ocean and find it free froate, what shall we do if we have no shi+p?”
Hatteras made no reply
”Tell me, noould you like to find yourself only a few et to it?”
Hatteras still said nothing, but buried his head in his hands
”Besides,” continued the Doctor, ”look at the question in its lishman who sacrifices his fortune, and even his life, to win fresh glory for his country, but because the boat which bears him across an unknown ocean, or touches the new shore, happens to be made of the planks of an American vessel--a cast-areck of no use to anyone--will that lessen the honour of the discovery? If you yourself had found the hull of so deserted on the shore, would you have hesitated to lishunwale?”
Hatteras was still silent
”No,” continued Clawbonny; ”the real truth is, it is not the sloop you care about: it is the man”
”Yes, Doctor, yes,” replied the captain ”It is this Alish hatred Fate has thrown him in my path”
”To save you!”
”To ruin me He seems to defy me, and speaks as if he were lord and master He thinks he has my destiny in his hands, and knows all my projects Didn't we see thenames to the different coasts? Has he ever avowed his object in coet out of my head that this man is not the leader of soovernment”
”Well, Hatteras, suppose it is so, does it follow that this expedition is to search for the North Pole? May it not be to find the North-West Passage? But anyway, Altanorance of our object, for neither Johnson, nor Bell, nor myself, have ever breathed a word to him about it, and I am sure you have not”
”Well, let him always remain so”
”He must be told in the end, for we can't leave him here alone”
”Why not? Can't he stay here in Fort Providence?”
”He would never consent to that, Hatteras; and, moreover, to leave a ht find him safe e came back, would be worse than imprudent: it would be inhuman
Altamont will come with us; he must come But we need not disclose our projects; let us tell hi, but si a survey of the coast”
Hatteras could not bring himself to consent, but said--