Chapter 21 - Page 2

and the inflammation of mylips abated somewhat; and I was now able to speak. .

"Let us see," I said, "we have now but one thing to do. We have nowater; we must go back."

While I spoke my uncle avoided looking at me; he hung his head down;his eyes avoided mine.

"We must return," I exclaimed vehemently; "we must go back on our wayto Snæfell. May God give us strength to climb up the crater again!"

"Return!" said my uncle, as if he was rather answering himself thanme.

"Yes, return, without the loss of a minute."

A long silence followed.

"So then, Axel," replied the Professor ironically, "you have found nocourage or energy in these few drops of water?"

"Courage?"

"I see you just as feeble-minded as you were before, and stillexpressing only despair!"

What sort of a man was this I had to do with, and what schemes was henow revolving in his fearless mind?

"What! you won't go back?"

"Should I renounce this expedition just when we have the fairestchance of success! Never!"

"Then must we resign ourselves to destruction?"

"No, Axel, no; go back. Hans will go with you. Leave me to myself!"

"Leave you here!"

"Leave me, I tell you. I have undertaken this expedition. I willcarry it out to the end, and I will not return. Go, Axel, go!"

My uncle was in high state of excitement. His voice, which had for amoment been tender and gentle, had now become hard and threatening.He was struggling with gloomy resolutions against impossibilities. Iwould not leave him in this bottomless abyss, and on the other handthe instinct of self-preservation prompted me to fly.

The guide watched this scene with his usual phlegmatic unconcern. Yethe understood perfectly well what was going on between his twocompanions. The gestures themselves were sufficient to show that wewere each bent on taking a different road; but Hans seemed to take nopart in a question upon which depended his life. He was ready tostart at a given signal, or to stay, if his master so willed it.

How I wished at this moment I could have made him understand me. Mywords, my complaints, my sorrow would have had some influence overthat frigid nature. Those dangers which our guide could notunderstand I could have demonstrated and proved to him. Together wemight have over-ruled the obstinate Professor; if it were needed, wemight perhaps have compelled him to regain the heights of Snæfell.

I drew near to Hans. I placed my hand upon his. He made no movement.My parted lips sufficiently revealed my sufferings. The Icelanderslowly moved his head, and calmly pointing to my uncle said:

"Master."

"Master!" I shouted; "you madman! no, he is not the master of ourlife; we must fly, we must drag him. Do you hear me? Do youunderstand?"

I had seized Hans by the arm. I wished to