Отруєний пояс
Chapter III. Submerged
"Inpre-scientificdays,"saidhe,"theyusedtokeepawhitemouseineverysubmarine,asitsmoredelicateorganizationgavesignsofaviciousatmospherebeforeitwasperceivedbythesailors.You,mydear,willbeourwhitemouse.Ihavenowincreasedthesupplyandyouarebetter."
"Yes,Iambetter."
"Possiblywehavehituponthecorrectmixture.Whenwehaveascertainedexactlyhowlittlewillserveweshallbeabletocomputehowlongweshallbeabletoexist.Unfortunately,inresuscitatingourselveswehavealreadyconsumedaconsiderableproportionofthisfirsttube."
"Doesitmatter?"askedLordJohn,whowasstandingwithhishandsinhispocketsclosetothewindow."Ifwehavetogo,whatistheuseofholdin’on?Youdon’tsupposethere’sanychanceforus?"
Challengersmiledandshookhishead.
"Well,then,don’tyouthinkthereismoredignityintakin’thejumpandnotwaitin’tobepushedin?Ifitmustbeso,I’mforsayin’ourprayers,turnin’offthegas,andopenin’thewindow."
"Whynot?"saidtheladybravely."Surely,George,LordJohnisrightanditisbetterso."
"Imoststronglyobject,"criedSummerleeinaquerulousvoice."Whenwemustdieletusbyallmeansdie,buttodeliberatelyanticipatedeathseemstometobeafoolishandunjustifiableaction."
"Whatdoesouryoungfriendsaytoit?"askedChallenger.
"Ithinkweshouldseeittotheend."
"AndIamstronglyofthesameopinion,"saidhe.
"Then,George,ifyousayso,Ithinksotoo,"criedthelady.
"Well,well,I’monlyputtin’itasanargument,"saidLordJohn.
