Now youre going to drink some soup and getoff to
sleep again. Death and the madness which is worse thandeath had cast their shadow
over him. He was whistling as far as his crackedlips allowed him.
Inside there was darkness, andAdam stumbled over
something which he recognised as a food box. He was morose and peevish, and liable
touncontrollable rages. But he must gothrough with the job he had
undertaken.
At Shannon Island he had found the schooner which
Falconet hadinstructed to meet him in June. The place becameas cold as a hyperborean
hell, cold and yet airless. Once or twice he stammered a fewwords of gratitude. Such
was his mood at thestart, and even the tragic fate of Myburg did not greatly
changeit. You have falsified ruleswhich cannot be falsified.
Heremembered that Falconets companion had been
called MagnusPaulsen.
Adams one relaxation was to tend
thedogs.
Next morning Adams bleared eyes studied the map.
But the wind had blown itself out before morning, and nowthe air was clear and
quiet. Im rather tied up just now,but Im entirely at your service.
Tasks which on the outwardjourney he would have
made light of were now beyond his power. If they weredelayed they would winter on
Shannon Island and go home in thespring. I cant tell you what a privilege it is
toshow you round.
Hes about the largest size of man weve got, dont
you think? They had with them food at theutmost for seven days and petroleum for a
little longer.
The problem was toavoid blood-poisoning, and Adam
put all his wits to the job. They slept ill that night and nextmorning reduced their
rations to a pound a day. The dark world out-of-doorswas a less savage place than
the squalid hut.
He looks innocent, andsometimes foolish, but he is
very, very acute. Once or twice he stammered a fewwords of gratitude. They sat or
lay in their sleeping-bags in a dreadfulfrozen monotony of dislike. But thisreturn
of his physical powers seemed to be accompanied by adisorientation of mind.