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Chapter 16. Shortage of Air

           Fivenightsandfourdays!Andwehaveonlyairenoughfortwodaysinthereservoirs!"Withouttakingintoaccount,"saidNed,"that,evenifwegetoutofthisinfernalprison,weshallalsobeimprisonedundertheiceberg,shutoutfromallpossiblecommunicationwiththeatmosphere."Trueenough!Whocouldthenforeseetheminimumoftimenecessaryforourdeliverance?WemightbesuffocatedbeforetheNautiluscouldregainthesurfaceofthewaves?Wasitdestinedtoperishinthisice-tomb,withallthoseitenclosed?Thesituationwasterrible.Buteveryonehadlookedthedangerintheface,andeachwasdeterminedtodohisdutytothelast.

           AsIexpected,duringthenightanewblockayardsquarewascarriedaway,andstillfurthersanktheimmensehollow.Butinthemorningwhen,dressedinmycork-jacket,Itraversedtheslushymassatatemperatureofsixorsevendegreesbelowzero,Iremarkedthatthesidewallsweregraduallyclosingin.Thebedsofwaterfarthestfromthetrench,thatwerenotwarmedbythemen’swork,showedatendencytosolidification.Inpresenceofthisnewandimminentdanger,whatwouldbecomeofourchancesofsafety,andhowhinderthesolidificationofthisliquidmedium,thatwouldburstthepartitionsoftheNautiluslikeglass?

           Ididnottellmycompanionsofthisnewdanger.Whatwasthegoodofdampingtheenergytheydisplayedinthepainfulworkofescape?ButwhenIwentonboardagain,ItoldCaptainNemoofthisgravecomplication.

           "Iknowit,"hesaid,inthatcalmtonewhichcouldcounteractthemostterribleapprehensions."Itisonedangermore;butIseenowayofescapingit;theonlychanceofsafetyistogoquickerthansolidification.Wemustbebeforehandwithit,thatisall."

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