Таинственный остров

           Seeingonlycertainobjectsandinalimitedspace,alwaysincontactwiththecolonists,towhomhewouldsoonbecomeaccustomed,havingnodesirestosatisfy,betterfed,betterclothed,itwasnaturalthathisphysicalnatureshouldgraduallyimprove;butwashepenetratedwiththesenseofanewlife?orrather,toemployawordwhichwouldbeexactlyapplicabletohim,washenotbecomingtamed,likeananimalincompanywithhismaster?Thiswasanimportantquestion,whichCyrusHardingwasanxioustoanswer,andyethedidnotwishtotreathisinvalidroughly!Wouldheeverbeaconvalescent?

           Howtheengineerobservedhimeverymoment!Howhewasonthewatchforhissoul,ifonemayusetheexpression!Howhewasreadytograspit!ThesettlersfollowedwithrealsympathyallthephasesofthecureundertakenbyHarding.Theyaidedhimalsointhisworkofhumanity,andall,exceptperhapstheincredulousPencroft,soonsharedbothhishopeandhisfaith.

           Thecalmofthestrangerwasdeep,ashasbeensaid,andheevenshowedasortofattachmentfortheengineer,whoseinfluenceheevidentlyfelt.CyrusHardingresolvedthentotryhim,bytransportinghimtoanotherscene,fromthatoceanwhichformerlyhiseyeshadbeenaccustomedtocontemplate,totheborderoftheforest,whichmightperhapsrecallthosewheresomanyyearsofhislifehadbeenpassed!

           "But,"saidGideonSpilett,"canwehopethathewillnotescape,ifoncesetatliberty?"

           "Theexperimentmustbetried,"repliedtheengineer.

           "Well!"saidPencroft.