Таємничий острів

           "Ihaveyourpromise,gentlemen?"addedCaptainNemo.

           "Youhave,captain,"repliedtheengineer.

           Thecaptainthankedthecolonistsbyasign,andrequestedthemtoleavehimforsomehours.GideonSpilettwishedtoremainnearhim,intheeventofacrisiscomingon,butthedyingmanrefused,saying,"Ishallliveuntilto-morrow,sir."

           Allleftthesaloon,passedthroughthelibraryandthedining-room,andarrivedforward,inthemachine-roomwheretheelectricalapparatuswasestablished,whichsuppliednotonlyheatandlight,butthemechanicalpowerofthe"Nautilus."

           The"Nautilus"wasamasterpiececontainingmasterpieceswithitself,andtheengineerwasstruckwithastonishment.

           Thecolonistsmountedtheplatform,whichrosesevenoreightfeetabovethewater.Theretheybeheldathickglasslenticularcovering,whichprotectedakindoflargeeye,fromwhichflashedforthlight.Behindthiseyewasapparentlyacabincontainingthewheelsoftherudder,andinwhichwasstationedthehelmsman,whenhenavigatedthe"Nautilus"overthebedoftheocean,whichtheelectricrayswouldevidentlylightuptoaconsiderabledistance.

           CyrusHardingandhiscompanionsremainedforatimesilent,fortheywerevividlyimpressedbywhattheyhadjustseenandheard,andtheirheartsweredeeplytouchedbythethoughtthathewhosearmhadsooftenaidedthem,theprotectorwhomtheyhadknownbutafewhours,wasatthepointofdeath.