20000 лье под водой

Chapter 16. Shortage of Air

           Forfivedayswehadlivedonthereserveonboard.Andwhatwasleftoftherespirableairmustbekeptfortheworkers.Evennow,asIwrite,myrecollectionisstillsovividthataninvoluntaryterrorseizesmeandmylungsseemtobewithoutair.Meanwhile,CaptainNemoreflectedsilently,andevidentlyanideahadstruckhim;butheseemedtorejectit.Atlast,thesewordsescapedhislips:

           "Boilingwater!"hemuttered.

           "Boilingwater?"Icried.

           "Yes,sir.Weareenclosedinaspacethatisrelativelyconfined.Wouldnotjetsofboilingwater,constantlyinjectedbythepumps,raisethetemperatureinthispartandstaythecongelation?"

           "Letustryit,"Isaidresolutely.

           "Letustryit,Professor."

           Thethermometerthenstoodatoutside.CaptainNemotookmetothegalleys,wherethevastdistillatorymachinesstoodthatfurnishedthedrinkablewaterbyevaporation.Theyfilledthesewithwater,andalltheelectricheatfromthepileswasthrownthroughthewormsbathedintheliquid.Inafewminutesthiswaterreached100°.Itwasdirectedtowardsthepumps,whilefreshwaterreplaceditinproportion.Theheatdevelopedbythetroughswassuchthatcoldwater,drawnupfromtheseaafteronlyhavinggonethroughthemachines,cameboilingintothebodyofthepump.Theinjectionwasbegun,andthreehoursafterthethermometermarkedbelowzerooutside.Onedegreewasgained.Twohourslaterthethermometeronlymarked4°.

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