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Chapter 16. Shortage of Air

           Allthistimenooneprolongedhisvoluntarytaskbeyondtheprescribedtime.Histaskaccomplished,eachonehandedinturntohispantingcompanionstheapparatusthatsuppliedhimwithlife.CaptainNemosettheexample,andsubmittedfirsttothisseverediscipline.Whenthetimecame,hegaveuphisapparatustoanotherandreturnedtothevitiatedaironboard,calm,unflinching,unmurmuring.

           Onthatdaytheordinaryworkwasaccomplishedwithunusualvigour.Onlytwoyardsremainedtoberaisedfromthesurface.Twoyardsonlyseparatedusfromtheopensea.Butthereservoirswerenearlyemptiedofair.Thelittlethatremainedoughttobekeptfortheworkers;notaparticlefortheNautilus.WhenIwentbackonboard,Iwashalfsuffocated.Whatanight!Iknownothowtodescribeit.Thenextdaymybreathingwasoppressed.Dizzinessaccompaniedthepaininmyheadandmademelikeadrunkenman.Mycompanionsshowedthesamesymptoms.Someofthecrewhadrattlinginthethroat.

           Onthatday,thesixthofourimprisonment,CaptainNemo,findingthepickaxesworktooslowly,resolvedtocrushtheice-bedthatstillseparatedusfromtheliquidsheet.Thisman’scoolnessandenergyneverforsookhim.Hesubduedhisphysicalpainsbymoralforce.

           Byhisordersthevesselwaslightened,thatistosay,raisedfromtheice-bedbyachangeofspecificgravity.Whenitfloatedtheytoweditsoastobringitabovetheimmensetrenchmadeonthelevelofthewater-line.Then,fillinghisreservoirsofwater,hedescendedandshuthimselfupinthehole.

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