Таинственный остров

           Hestruggledwiththeconvicts,hecalledtoAyrton,hepouredforthentreatiestothatmysteriousbeing,—thatpowerfulunknownprotector,—whoseimagewasstampeduponhismind;thenheagainfellintoadeepexhaustionwhichcompletelyprostratedhim.SeveraltimesGideonSpilettthoughtthatthepoorboywasdead.

           Thenextday,the8thofDecember,wasbutasuccessionofthefaintingfits.Herbert’sthinhandsclutchedthesheets.Theyhadadministeredfurtherdosesofpoundedbark,butthereporterexpectednoresultfromit.

           "Ifbeforetomorrowmorningwehavenotgivenhimamoreenergeticfebrifuge,"saidthereporter,"Herbertwillbedead."

           Nightarrived—thelastnight,itwastoomuchtobefeared,ofthegood,brave,intelligentboy,sofarinadvanceofhisyears,andwhowaslovedbyallastheirownchild.Theonlyremedywhichexistedagainstthisterriblemalignantfever,theonlyspecificwhichcouldovercomeit,wasnottobefoundinLincolnIsland.

           Duringthenightofthe8thofDecember,Herbertwasseizedbyamoreviolentdelirium.Hisliverwasfearfullycongested,hisbrainaffected,andalreadyitwasimpossibleforhimtorecognizeanyone.

           Wouldheliveuntilthenextday,untilthatthirdattackwhichmustinfalliblycarryhimoff?Itwasnotprobable.Hisstrengthwasexhausted,andintheintervalsoffeverhelayasonedead.

           Towardsthreeo’clockinthemorningHerbertutteredapiercingcry.Heseemedtobetornbyasupremeconvulsion