Таємничий острів

           Whocansay,thatatthisperiod,theequatorialregionswillnotbetoosmall,tocontainandnourishterrestrialhumanity?Now,maynotprovidentnature,soastogiverefugetoallthevegetableandanimalemigration,beatpresentlayingthefoundationofanewcontinentundertheEquator,andmayshenothaveentrustedtheseinsectswiththeconstructionofit?Ihaveoftenthoughtofallthesethings,myfriends,andIseriouslybelievethattheaspectofourglobewillsomedaybecompletelychanged;thatbytheraisingofnewcontinentstheseawillcovertheold,andthat,infutureages,aColumbuswillgotodiscovertheislandsofChimborazo,oftheHimalayas,orofMontBlanc,remainsofasubmergedAmerica,Asia,andEurope.Thenthesenewcontinentswillbecome,intheirturn,uninhabitable;heatwilldieaway,asdoestheheatfromabodywhenthesoulhasleftit;andlifewilldisappearfromtheglobe,ifnotforever,atleastforaperiod.Perhapsthen,ourspheroidwillrest—willbelefttodeath—torevivesomedayundersuperiorconditions!Butallthat,myfriends,isthesecretoftheAuthorofallthings;andbeginningbytheworkoftheinsects,Ihaveperhapsletmyselfbecarriedtoofar,ininvestigatingthesecretsofthefuture.

           "MydearCyrus,"repliedSpilett,"thesetheoriesarepropheciestome,andtheywillbeaccomplishedsomeday."

           "ThatisthesecretofGod,"saidtheengineer.