Таємничий острів

           Hetooktheengineeraside.

           "Itisamalignantfever,"saidhe.

           "Amalignantfever!"criedHarding."Youaremistaken,Spilett.Amalignantfeverdoesnotdeclareitselfspontaneously;itsgermmustpreviouslyhaveexisted."

           "Iamnotmistaken,"repliedthereporter."Herbertnodoubtcontractedthegermofthisfeverinthemarshesoftheisland.Hehasalreadyhadoneattack;shouldasecondcomeonandshouldwenotbeabletopreventathird,heislost."

           "Butthewillowbark?"

           "Thatisinsufficient,"answeredthereporter,"andthethirdattackofamalignantfever,whichisnotarrestedbymeansofquinine,isalwaysfatal."

           Fortunately,Pencroftheardnothingofthisconversationorhewouldhavegonemad.

           Itmaybeimaginedwhatanxietytheengineerandthereportersufferedduringthedayofthe7thofDecemberandthefollowingnight.

           Towardsthemiddleofthedaythesecondattackcameon.Thecrisiswasterrible.Herbertfelthimselfsinking.HestretchedhisarmstowardsCyrusHarding,towardsSpilett,towardsPencroft.Hewassoyoungtodie!Thescenewasheart-rending.TheywereobligedtosendPencroftaway.

           Thefitlastedfivehours.ItwasevidentthatHerbertcouldnotsurviveathird.

           Thenightwasfrightful.InhisdeliriumHerbertutteredwordswhichwenttotheheartsofhiscompanions.