Таинственный остров

           Spilett,youwilleatsome!"

           "Ishallbeveryhappy,"repliedthereporter;"butwhatisitthatIamgoingtoeat?"

           "Suckling-pig."

           "Oh,indeed,suckling-pig,Pencroft?Tohearyou,Ithoughtthatyouwerebringingbackayoungpartridgestuffedwithtruffles!"

           "What?"criedPencroft."Doyoumeantosaythatyouturnupyournoseatsuckling-pig?’

           "No,"repliedGideonSpilett,withoutshowinganyenthusiasm;"providedonedoesn’teattoomuch"

           "That’sright,that’sright,"returnedthesailor,whowasnotpleasedwheneverheheardhischasemadelightof."Youliketomakeobjections.Sevenmonthsago,whenwelandedontheisland,youwouldhavebeenonlytoogladtohavemetwithsuchgame!"

           "Well,well,"repliedthereporter,"manisneverperfect,norcontented."

           "Now,"saidPencroft,"IhopethatNebwilldistinguishhimself.Lookhere!Thesetwolittlepeccariesarenotmorethanthreemonthsold!Theywillbeastenderasquails!Comealong,Neb,come!Iwilllookafterthecookingmyself."

           Andthesailor,followedbyNeb,enteredthekitchen,wheretheyweresoonabsorbedintheirculinarylabors.

           Theywereallowedtodoitintheirownway.Neb,therefore,preparedamagnificentrepast—thetwolittlepeccaries,kangaroosoup,asmokedham,stone-pinealmonds,Oswegotea;infact,allthebestthattheyhad,butamongallthedishesfiguredinthefirstrankthesavorypeccaries.

           Atfiveo’clockdinnerwasservedinthedining-roomofGraniteHouse.Thekangaroosoupwassmokingonthetable