Таинственный остров

           "Thatistrue,"remarkedPencroft,"andwhenIhavebeenservingonboardwhalersIhaveseenicebergsoffCapeHorn."

           "TheseverecoldexperiencedinLincolnIsland,"saidGideonSpilett,"maythenperhapsbeexplainedbythepresenceoffloesoricebergscomparativelyneartoLincolnIsland."

           "Youropinionisveryadmissibleindeed,mydearSpilett,"answeredCyrusHarding,"anditisevidentlytotheproximityoficebergsthatweoweourrigorouswinters.Iwoulddrawyourattentionalsotoanentirelyphysicalcause,whichrenderstheSoutherncolderthantheNorthernHemisphere.Infact,sincethesunisnearertothishemisphereduringthesummer,itisnecessarilymoredistantduringthewinter.Thisexplainsthentheexcessoftemperatureinthetwoseasons,for,ifwefindthewintersverycoldinLincolnIsland,wemustnotforgetthatthesummershere,onthecontrary,areveryhot."

           "Butwhy,ifyouplease,captain,"askedPencroft,knittinghisbrows,"whyshouldourhemisphere,asyousay,besobadlydivided?Itisn’tjust,that!"

           "FriendPencroft,"answeredtheengineer,laughing,"whetherjustornot,wemustsubmittoit,andhereliesthereasonforthispeculiarity.Theearthdoesnotdescribeacirclearoundthesun,butanellipse,asitmustbythelawsofrationalmechanics.Now,theearthoccupiesoneofthefocioftheellipse,andsoatonepointinitscourseisatitsapogee,thatis,atitsfarthestfromthesun,andatanotherpointitisatitsperigee,ornearesttothesun.