Таємничий острів

           "Whoknows?"answeredthesailor."Perhapstheremaybesomevaluablesubstanceinthisvolcano,whichitwillspoutforth,andwhichwemayturntogoodaccount!"

           CyrusHardingshookhisheadwiththeairofamanwhoaugurednogoodfromthephenomenonwhosedevelopmenthadbeensosudden.HedidnotregardsolightlyasPencrofttheresultsofaneruption.Ifthelava,inconsequenceofthepositionofthecrater,didnotdirectlymenacethewoodedandcultivatedpartsoftheisland,othercomplicationsmightpresentthemselves.Infact,eruptionsarenotunfrequentlyaccompaniedbyearthquakes;andanislandofthenatureofLincolnIsland,formedofsubstancessovaried,basaltononeside,graniteontheother,lavaonthenorth,richsoilonthesouth,substanceswhichconsequentlycouldnotbefirmlyattachedtoeachother,wouldbeexposedtotheriskofdisintegration.Although,therefore,thespreadingofthevolcanicmattermightnotconstituteaseriousdanger,anymovementoftheterrestrialstructurewhichshouldshaketheislandmightentailthegravestconsequences.

           "Itseemstome,"saidAyrton,whohadreclinedsoastoplacehiseartotheground,"itseemstomethatIcanhearadull,rumblingsound,likethatofawagonloadedwithbarsofiron."

           Thecolonistslistenedwiththegreatestattention,andwereconvincedthatAyrtonwasnotmistaken.Therumblingwasmingledwithasubterraneanroar,whichformedasortofrinforzando,anddiedslowlyaway,asifsomeviolentstormhadpassedthroughtheprofunditiesoftheglobe.