Таємничий острів

           CyrusHardingremainedbutafewminutesalonewithCaptainNemo,andsoonrecalledhiscompanions;buthesaidnothingtothemoftheprivatematterswhichthedyingmanhadconfidedtohim.

           GideonSpilettnowwatchedthecaptainwithextremecare.Itwasevidentthathewasnolongersustainedbyhismoralenergy,whichhadlostthepowerofreactionagainsthisphysicalweakness.

           Thedayclosedwithoutchange.Thecolonistsdidnotquitthe"Nautilus"foramoment.Nightarrived,althoughitwasimpossibletodistinguishitfromdayinthecavern.

           CaptainNemosufferednopain,buthewasvisiblysinking.Hisnoblefeatures,paledbytheapproachofdeath,wereperfectlycalm.Inaudiblewordsescapedatintervalsfromhislips,bearinguponvariousincidentsofhischeckeredcareer.Lifewasevidentlyebbingslowlyandhisextremitieswerealreadycold.

           Onceortwicemorehespoketothecolonistswhostoodaroundhim,andsmiledonthemwiththatlastsmilewhichcontinuesafterdeath.

           Atlength,shortlyaftermidnight,CaptainNemobyasupremeeffortsucceededinfoldinghisarmsacrosshisbreast,asifwishinginthatattitudetocomposehimselffordeath.

           Byoneo’clockhisglancealoneshowedsignsoflife.Adyinglightgleamedinthoseeyesoncesobrilliant.Then,murmuringthewords,"Godandmycountry!"hequietlyexpired.

           CyrusHarding,bendinglowclosedtheeyesofhimwhohadoncebeenthePrinceDakkar,andwasnownotevenCaptainNemo.

           HerbertandPencroftsobbedaloud.TearsfellfromAyrton’seyes