Таємничий острів

           Didthecavernwhichthesettlerswerenowexploringextendtothecenteroftheisland?Foraquarterofanhourtheboathadbeenadvancing,makingdetours,indicatedtoPencroftbytheengineerinshortsentences,whenallatonce,—

           "Moretotheright!"hecommanded.

           Theboat,alteringitscourse,cameupalongsidetherightwall.Theengineerwishedtoseeifthewirestillranalongtheside.

           Thewirewastherefastenedtotherock.

           "Forward!"saidHarding.

           Andthetwooars,plungingintothedarkwaters,urgedtheboatonwards.

           Ontheywentforanotherquarterofanhour,andadistanceofhalf-a-milemusthavebeenclearedfromthemouthofthecave,whenHarding’svoicewasagainheard.

           "Stop!"saidhe.

           Theboatstopped,andthecolonistsperceivedabrightlightilluminatingthevastcavern,sodeeplyexcavatedinthebowelsoftheisland,ofwhichnothinghadeverledthemtosuspecttheexistence.

           Ataheightofahundredfeetrosethevaultedroof,supportedonbasaltshafts.Irregulararches,strangemoldings,appearedonthecolumnserectedbynatureinthousandsfromthefirstepochsoftheformationoftheglobe.Thebasaltpillars,fittedoneintotheother,measuredfromfortytofiftyfeetinheight,andthewater,calminspiteofthetumultoutside,washedtheirbase.Thebrilliantfocusoflight,pointedoutbytheengineer,touchedeverypointofrocks,andfloodedthewallswithlight.

           Byreflectionthewaterreproducedthebrilliantsparkles,sothattheboatappearedtobefloatingbetweentwoglitteringzones.