20000 льє під водою

Chapter 16. Shortage of Air

           Justthenallthecrewcameonboard,andthedoubledoorofcommunicationwasshut.TheNautilusthenrestedonthebedofice,whichwasnotoneyardthick,andwhichthesoundingleadshadperforatedinathousandplaces.Thetapsofthereservoirswerethenopened,andahundredcubicyardsofwaterwasletin,increasingtheweightoftheNautilusto1,800tons.Wewaited,welistened,forgettingoursufferingsinhope.Oursafetydependedonthislastchance.Notwithstandingthebuzzinginmyhead,IsoonheardthehummingsoundunderthehulloftheNautilus.Theicecrackedwithasingularnoise,liketearingpaper,andtheNautilussank.

           "Weareoff!"murmuredConseilinmyear.

           Icouldnotanswerhim.Iseizedhishand,andpresseditconvulsively.Allatonce,carriedawaybyitsfrightfulovercharge,theNautilussanklikeabulletunderthewaters,thatistosay,itfellasifitwasinavacuum.Thenalltheelectricforcewasputonthepumps,thatsoonbegantoletthewateroutofthereservoirs.Aftersomeminutes,ourfallwasstopped.Soon,too,themanometerindicatedanascendingmovement.Thescrew,goingatfullspeed,madetheironhulltrembletoitsveryboltsanddrewustowardsthenorth.Butifthisfloatingundertheicebergistolastanotherdaybeforewereachtheopensea,Ishallbedeadfirst.

           Halfstretcheduponadivaninthelibrary,Iwassuffocating.Myfacewaspurple,mylipsblue,myfacultiessuspended.Ineithersawnorheard.Allnotionoftimehadgonefrommymind.Mymusclescouldnotcontract.Idonotknowhowmanyhourspassedthus,butIwasconsciousoftheagonythatwascomingoverme.IfeltasifIwasgoingtodie.SuddenlyIcameto.Somebreathsofairpenetratedmylungs.

Налаштування
Фон сторінки
Розмір шрифту
Міжрядковий інтервал
Фразові дієслова
Показати / Приховати меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Сторінка 333 з 384