Таємничий острів

           "Myfriend,"repliedHarding,"Ithinkthatinanypressingemergencyweneednothesitatetotrustourselvestothe‘Bonadventure’evenforalongervoyage;butyouknowIshouldseeyousetofftoTaborIslandwithgreatuneasiness,sincenothingobligesyoutogothere."

           "Onelikestoknowone’sneighbors,"returnedthesailor,whowasobstinateinhisidea."TaborIslandisourneighbor,andtheonlyone!Politenessrequiresustogoatleasttopayavisit."

           "ByJove,"saidSpilett,"ourfriendPencrofthasbecomeveryparticularabouttheproprietiesallatonce!"

           "Iamnotparticularaboutanythingatall,"retortedthesailor,whowasrathervexedbytheengineer’sopposition,butwhodidnotwishtocausehimanxiety.

           "Consider,Pencroft,"resumedHarding,"youcannotgoalonetoTaborIsland."

           "Onecompanionwillbeenoughforme."

           "Evenso,"repliedtheengineer,"youwillriskdeprivingthecolonyofLincolnIslandoftwosettlersoutoffive."

           "Outofsix,"answeredPencroft;"youforgetJup."

           "Outofseven,"addedNeb;"Topisquiteworthanother."

           "Thereisnoriskatallinit,captain,"repliedPencroft.

           "Thatispossible,Pencroft;butIrepeatitistoexposeourselvesuselessly."

           Theobstinatesailordidnotreply,andlettheconversationdrop,quitedeterminedtoresumeitagain.Buthedidnotsuspectthatanincidentwouldcometohisaidandchangeintoanactofhumanitythatwhichwasatfirstonlyadoubtfulwhim