Таємничий острів

           "Unlessthelavaopenedanewwayforitselftowardsthefertilepartsoftheisland!"

           "Andwhy,mydearSpilett,"answeredCyrusHarding,"shoulditnotfollowtheroadnaturallytracedoutforit?"

           "Well,volcanoesarecapricious,"returnedthereporter.

           "Notice,"answeredtheengineer,"thattheinclinationofMountFranklinfavorstheflowofwatertowardsthevalleyswhichweareexploringjustnow.Toturnasidethisflow,anearthquakewouldbenecessarytochangethemountain’scenterofgravity."

           "Butanearthquakeisalwaystobefearedatthesetimes,"observedGideonSpilett.

           "Always,"repliedtheengineer,"especiallywhenthesubterraneanforcesbegintoawake,astheyriskmeetingwithsomeobstruction,afteralongrest.Thus,mydearSpilett,aneruptionwouldbeaseriousthingforus,anditwouldbebetterthatthevolcanoshouldnothavetheslightestdesiretowakeup.Butwecouldnotpreventit,couldwe?Atanyrate,evenifitshouldoccur,IdonotthinkProspectHeightswouldheseriouslythreatened.Betweenthemandthemountain,thegroundisconsiderablydepressed,andifthelavashouldevertakeacoursetowardsthelake,itwouldbecastonthedownsandtheneighboringpartsofSharkGulf."

           "Wehavenotyetseenanysmokeatthetopofthemountain,toindicateanapproachingeruption,"saidGideonSpilett.

           "No,"answeredHarding,"notavaporescapesfromthecrater,foritwasonlyyesterdaythatIattentivelysurveyedthesummit.