Таємничий острів

           Thetempestswhicharefrequentduringtheseasonsoftheequinox,andwhicharesoprolificincatastrophes,areaboveallterribleoverthisimmenseocean,whichopposesnoobstacletotheirfury.Nodescriptioncangiveanideaoftheterrificviolenceofthegaleasitbeatupontheunprotectedcoast.

           HappilythepileofrockswhichformedtheChimneyswassolid.Itwascomposedofenormousblocksofgranite,afewofwhich,insecurelybalanced,seemedtotrembleontheirfoundations,andPencroftcouldfeelrapidquiveringsunderhisheadasitrestedontherock.Butherepeatedtohimself,andrightly,thattherewasnothingtofear,andthattheirretreatwouldnotgiveway.Howeverheheardthenoiseofstonestornfromthesummitoftheplateaubythewind,fallingdownontothebeach.AfewevenrolledontotheupperpartoftheChimneys,orflewoffinfragmentswhentheywereprojectedperpendicularly.Twicethesailorroseandintrenchedhimselfattheopeningofthepassage,soastotakealookinsafetyattheoutside.Buttherewasnothingtobefearedfromtheseshowers,whichwerenotconsiderable,andhereturnedtohiscouchbeforethefireplace,wheretheembersglowedbeneaththeashes.

           Notwithstandingthefuryofthehurricane,theuproarofthetempest,thethunder,andthetumult,Herbertsleptprofoundly.SleepatlasttookpossessionofPencroft,whomaseafaringlifehadhabituatedtoanything.GideonSpilettalonewaskeptawakebyanxiety.HereproachedhimselfwithnothavingaccompaniedNeb.Itwasevidentthathehadnotabandonedallhope.ThepresentimentswhichhadtroubledHerbertdidnotceasetoagitatehimalso.HisthoughtswereconcentratedonNeb.WhyhadNebnotreturned?Hetossedaboutonhissandycouch,scarcelygivingathoughttothestruggleoftheelements.Nowandthen,hiseyes,heavywithfatigue,closedforaninstant,butsomesuddenthoughtreopenedthemalmostimmediately.