П’ятнадцятирічний капітан

The Diving-Bell

           

           Aminuteafterthebeginningoftheoperation,theramrodwentfreelythroughthewall.Atoncearatherdullnoisewasproduced,resemblingthatmadebyglobulesofairescapingthroughacolumnofwater.Theairescaped,and,atthesamemoment,thelevelofthewaterroseinthecone,andstoppedattheheightofthehole.Thisprovedthattheyhadpiercedtoolowthatistosay,belowtheliquidmass.

           "Beginagain,"theyoungnovicesaid,coolly,afterrapidlystoppingtheholewithahandfulofclay.

           Thewaterwasagainstationaryinthecone,butthereservedspacehaddiminishedmorethaneightinches.Respirationbecamedifficult,fortheoxygenwasbeginningtofail.Theysawitalsobythelantern’slight,whichreddenedandlostapartofitsbrightness.

           Onefootabovethefirsthole,DickSandbeganatoncetopierceasecondbythesameprocess.Iftheexperimentfailed,thewaterwouldrisestillhigherinsidetheconebutthatriskmustberun.

           WhileDickSandwasworkinghisauger,theyheardCousinBenedictcryout,suddenly:

           "Mercy!looklooklookwhy!"

           HerculesraisedhislanternandthrewitslightonCousinBenedict,whosefaceexpressedthemostperfectsatisfaction.

           "Yes,"repeatedhe,"lookwhythoseintelligenttermiteshaveabandonedtheant-hill!Theyhadfelttheinundationbeforehand.Ah!instinct,myfriends,instinct.Thetermitesarewiserthanweare,muchwiser."

           AndthatwasallthemoralCousinBenedictdrewfromthesituation.

           AtthatmomentDickSanddrewouttheramrod,whichhadpenetratedthewall.Ahissingwasproduced.

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Roboto Lora
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