Читать книгу Beyond the Great South Wall: The Secret of the Antarctic онлайн

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“Do you think he knew that he was dying?” I queried, as he paused. “At least, was he delirious all the time, or was there an interval of consciousness?” I added hopefully.

“Oh yes, my lord. He was quite calm at the last, and knew he was going. I think what vexed him most was that he hadn’t finished the business he’d come for.”

“And what was that?” demanded Gerry and I as with a single voice.

Baines looked at Gerry a little uncertainly, shuffling his hat between his hands, and glanced at me interrogatively before he made answer. I understood what he meant, and hastened to put him at his ease.

“You can speak freely before Mr. Carver,” said I. “I have no secrets from him.”

“Well, my lord,” said Baines, with a sort of apologetic hesitation, “I cannot think that ’is lordship was altogether himself these last two or three months. He had possessed himself of a piece of paper covered with what you’d call ‘jommetry’—at least that’s what I believe it’s called, my lord—when we were in Lisbon, and for hours together he would pore over this when we were going out to Greytown, and mutter away to himself in a really most extraordinary manner. Then when we got to Greytown he wouldn’t stop there a day—and they say you should always take a day or two to get acclimatized before you go up-country—but got mules together and started at once for Chichitza——”