The brittle capsule burst, and in a second, insensible from the fumes of the powerful ammonia it contained, Rovinski fell flat upon the snow.
When the Pole had been taken back to the vessel, and had been confined below, Mr.Gibbs, utterly unable to comprehend the motives of the man in thus rushing off to die alone amid the rigors of the polar regions, went down to talk to him.

At first Rovinski refused to make any answers to the questions put to him, but at last, apparently enraged by the imputation that he must be a weak-minded, almost idiotic, man to behave himself in such an imbecile fashion, he suddenly blazed out: "Imbecile!" he cried.

"Weak-minded! If it had not been for that accursed sledge, I would have shown you what sort of an imbecile I am.

I can't get away now, and I will tell you how I would have been an idiot.

I would have gone back to the pole, at least to the little house, where, like a fool, you left the end of your cable open to me, open to anybody on board who might be brave enough to take advantage of your imbecility.
I had food enough with me to last until I got back to the pole, and I knew of the 'cache' which you left there.