Таємничий острів

           Afewdayslater,onthe3rdofNovember,thestranger,workingontheplateau,hadstopped,lettinghisspadedroptotheground,andHarding,whowasobservinghimfromalittledistance,sawthattearswereagainflowingfromhiseyes.Asortofirresistiblepityledhimtowardstheunfortunateman,andhetouchedhisarmlightly.

           "Myfriend!"saidhe.

           Thestrangertriedtoavoidhislook,andCyrusHardinghavingendeavoredtotakehishand,hedrewbackquickly.

           "Myfriend,"saidHardinginafirmervoice,"lookatme,Iwishit!"

           Thestrangerlookedattheengineer,andseemedtobeunderhispower,asasubjectundertheinfluenceofamesmerist.Hewishedtorunaway.Butthenhiscountenancesuddenlyunderwentatransformation.Hiseyesflashed.Wordsstruggledtoescapefromhislips.Hecouldnolongercontainhimself!Atlasthefoldedhisarms;then,inahollowvoice,—"Whoareyou?"heaskedCyrusHarding.

           "Castaways,likeyou,"repliedtheengineer,whoseemotionwasdeep."Wehavebroughtyouhere,amongyourfellow-men."

           "Myfellow-men!....Ihavenone!"

           "Youareinthemidstoffriends."

           "Friends!—forme!friends!"exclaimedthestranger,hidinghisfaceinhishands."No—never—leaveme!leaveme!"

           Thenherushedtothesideoftheplateauwhichoverlookedthesea,andremainedtherealongtimemotionless.

           Hardingrejoinedhiscompanionsandrelatedtothemwhathadjusthappened.