Таємничий острів

           ThiswasasailornamedPencroft,amanofaboutthirty-fiveorfortyyearsofage,stronglybuilt,verysunburnt,andpossessedofapairofbrightsparklingeyesandaremarkablygoodphysiognomy.PencroftwasanAmericanfromtheNorth,whohadsailedalltheoceanover,andwhohadgonethrougheverypossibleandalmostimpossibleadventurethatabeingwithtwofeetandnowingswouldencounter.Itisneedlesstosaythathewasabold,dashingfellow,readytodareanythingandwasastonishedatnothing.PencroftatthebeginningoftheyearhadgonetoRichmondonbusiness,withayoungboyoffifteenfromNewJersey,sonofaformercaptain,anorphan,whomhelovedasifhehadbeenhisownchild.Nothavingbeenabletoleavethetownbeforethefirstoperationsofthesiege,hefoundhimselfshutup,tohisgreatdisgust;but,notaccustomedtosuccumbtodifficulties,heresolvedtoescapebysomemeansorother.Heknewtheengineer-officerbyreputation;heknewwithwhatimpatiencethatdeterminedmanchafedunderhisrestraint.Onthisdayhedidnot,therefore,hesitatetoaccosthim,saying,withoutcircumlocution,"HaveyouhadenoughofRichmond,captain?"

           Theengineerlookedfixedlyatthemanwhospoke,andwhoadded,inalowvoice,—

           "CaptainHarding,willyoutrytoescape?"

           "When?"askedtheengineerquickly,anditwasevidentthatthisquestionwasutteredwithoutconsideration,forhehadnotyetexaminedthestrangerwhoaddressedhim.Butafterhavingwithapenetratingeyeobservedtheopenfaceofthesailor,hewasconvincedthathehadbeforehimanhonestman.

           "Whoareyou?"heaskedbriefly.