Chapter III. Submerged

           Thechamberwhichwasdestinedtobethesceneofourunforgettableexperiencewasacharminglyfemininesitting-room,somefourteenorsixteenfeetsquare.Attheendofit,dividedbyacurtainofredvelvet,wasasmallapartmentwhichformedtheProfessor’sdressing-room.Thisinturnopenedintoalargebedroom.Thecurtainwasstillhanging,buttheboudoiranddressing-roomcouldbetakenasonechamberforthepurposesofourexperiment.Onedoorandthewindowframehadbeenplasteredroundwithvarnishedpapersoastobepracticallysealed.Abovetheotherdoor,whichopenedontothelanding,therehungafanlightwhichcouldbedrawnbyacordwhensomeventilationbecameabsolutelynecessary.Alargeshrubinatubstoodineachcorner.

           "Howtogetridofourexcessivecarbondioxidewithoutundulywastingouroxygenisadelicateandvitalquestion,"saidChallenger,lookingroundhimafterthefiveirontubeshadbeenlaidsidebysideagainstthewall."WithlongertimeforpreparationIcouldhavebroughtthewholeconcentratedforceofmyintelligencetobearmorefullyupontheproblem,butasitiswemustdowhatwecan.Theshrubswillbeofsomesmallservice.Twooftheoxygentubesarereadytobeturnedonataninstant’snotice,sothatwecannotbetakenunawares.Atthesametime,itwouldbewellnottogofarfromtheroom,asthecrisismaybeasuddenandurgentone."

           Therewasabroad,lowwindowopeningoutuponabalcony.Theviewbeyondwasthesameasthatwhichwehadalreadyadmiredfromthestudy.Lookingout,Icouldseenosignofdisorderanywhere.