Таємничий острів

           "Pencroft,"saidHarding,takingthesailor’sarm,"thatisawickedideaofyours,andyouwilldistressmemuchifyoupersistinspeakingthus.IwillanswerforAyrton’sfidelity."

           "AndIalso,"addedthereporterquickly.

           "Yes,yes,captain,Iwaswrong,"repliedPencroft;"itwasawickedideaindeedthatIhad,andnothingjustifiesit.ButwhatcanIdo?I’mnotinmysenses.Thisimprisonmentinthecorralweariesmehorribly,andIhaveneverfeltsoexcitedasIdonow.

           "Bepatient,Pencroft,"repliedtheengineer."Howlongwillitbe,mydearSpilett,beforeyouthinkHerbertmaybecarriedtoGraniteHouse?"

           "Thatisdifficulttosay,Cyrus,"answeredthereporter,"foranyimprudencemightinvolveterribleconsequences.Buthisconvalescenceisprogressing,andifhecontinuestogainstrength,ineightdaysfromnow—well,weshallsee."

           Eightdays!ThatwouldputoffthereturntoGraniteHouseuntilthefirstdaysofDecember.Atthistimetwomonthsofspringhadalreadypassed.Theweatherwasfine,andtheheatbegantobegreat.Theforestsoftheislandwereinfullleaf,andthetimewasapproachingwhentheusualcropsoughttobegathered.ThereturntotheplateauofProspectHeightswould,therefore,befollowedbyextensiveagriculturallabors,interruptedonlybytheprojectedexpeditionthroughtheisland.

           Itcan,therefore,bewellunderstoodhowinjuriousthisseclusioninthecorralmusthavebeentothecolonists.