Таємничий острів

           "No,"repliedNeb,"onlyabovehigh-watermark,fortheothersmusthavebeenwashedoutbythetide."

           "Goon,Neb,"saidSpilett.

           "IwenthalfcrazywhenIsawthesefootprints.Theywereveryclearandwenttowardsthedowns.Ifollowedthemforaquarterofamile,running,buttakingcarenottodestroythem.Fiveminutesafter,asitwasgettingdark,Iheardthebarkingofadog.ItwasTop,andTopbroughtmehere,tomymaster!"

           Nebendedhisaccountbysayingwhathadbeenhisgriefatfindingtheinanimatebody,inwhichhevainlysoughtfortheleastsignoflife.Nowthathehadfoundhimdeadhelongedforhimtobealive.Allhiseffortswereuseless!Nothingremainedtobedonebuttorenderthelastdutiestotheonewhomhehadlovedsomuch!Nebthenthoughtofhiscompanions.They,nodoubt,wouldwishtoseetheunfortunatemanagain.Topwasthere.Couldhenotrelyonthesagacityofthefaithfulanimal?Nebseveraltimespronouncedthenameofthereporter,theoneamonghiscompanionswhomTopknewbest.

           Thenhepointedtothesouth,andthedogboundedoffinthedirectionindicatedtohim.

           Wehaveheardhow,guidedbyaninstinctwhichmightbelookeduponalmostassupernatural,Tophadfoundthem.

           Neb’scompanionshadlistenedwithgreatattentiontothisaccount.

           ItwasunaccountabletothemhowCyrusHarding,aftertheeffortswhichhemusthavemadetoescapefromthewavesbycrossingtherocks,hadnotreceivedevenascratch.Andwhatcouldnotbeexplainedeitherwashowtheengineerhadmanagedtogettothiscaveinthedowns,morethanamilefromtheshore.

           "So,Neb,"saidthereporter,"itwasnotyouwhobroughtyourmastertothisplace."

           "No,itwasnotI,"repliedtheNegro.

           "It’sveryclearthatthecaptaincameherebyhimself,"saidPencroft.

           "Itisclearinreality,"observedSpilett,"butitisnotcredible!"

           Theexplanationofthisfactcouldonlybeproducedfromtheengineer’sownlips,andtheymustwaitforthattillspeechreturned.Rubbinghadre-establishedthecirculationoftheblood.CyrusHardingmovedhisarmagain,thenhishead,andafewincomprehensiblewordsescapedhim.

           Neb,whowasbendingoverhim,spoke,buttheengineerdidnotappeartohear,andhiseyesremainedclosed.Lifewasonlyexhibitedinhimbymovement,hissenseshadnotasyetbeenrestored.

           Pencroftmuchregrettednothavingeitherfire,orthemeansofprocuringit,forhehad,unfortunately,forgottentobringtheburntlinen,whichwouldeasilyhaveignitedfromthesparksproducedbystrikingtogethertwoflints.Astotheengineer’spockets,theywereentirelyempty,exceptthatofhiswaistcoat,whichcontainedhiswatch.ItwasnecessarytocarryHardingtotheChimneys,andthatassoonaspossible.Thiswastheopinionofall.

           Meanwhile,thecarewhichwaslavishedontheengineerbroughthimbacktoconsciousnesssoonerthantheycouldhaveexpected.Thewaterwithwhichtheywettedhislipsrevivedhimgradually.Pencroftalsothoughtofmixingwiththewatersomemoisturefromthetitra’sfleshwhichhehadbrought.Herbertrantothebeachandreturnedwithtwolargebivalveshells.Thesailorconcoctedsomethingwhichheintroducedbetweenthelipsoftheengineer,whoeagerlydrinkingitopenedhiseyes.

           Nebandthereporterwereleaningoverhim.

           "Mymaster!mymaster!"criedNeb.

           Theengineerheardhim.HerecognizedNebandSpilett,thenhisothertwocompanions,andhishandslightlypressedtheirs.

           Afewwordsagainescapedhim,whichshowedwhatthoughtswere,eventhen,troublinghisbrain.Thistimehewasunderstood.Undoubtedlytheywerethesamewordshehadbeforeattemptedtoutter.

           "Islandorcontinent?"hemurmured.

           "Botherthecontinent,"criedPencrofthastily;"thereistimeenoughtoseeaboutthat,captain!wedon’tcareforanything,providedyouareliving."

           Theengineernoddedfaintly,andthenappeasedtosleep.

           Theyrespectedthissleep,andthereporterbeganimmediatelytomakearrangementsfortransportingHardingtoamorecomfortableplace.Neb,Herbert,andPencroftleftthecaveanddirectedtheirstepstowardsahighmoundcrownedwithafewdistortedtrees.Onthewaythesailorcouldnothelprepeating,—

           "Islandorcontinent!Tothinkofthat,whenatone’slastgasp!Whataman!"

           Arrivedatthesummitofthemound,Pencroftandhistwocompanionssettowork,withnoothertoolsthantheirhands,todespoilofitsprincipalbranchesarathersicklytree,asortofmarinefir;withthesebranchestheymadealitter,onwhich,coveredwithgrassandleaves,theycouldcarrytheengineer.

           Thisoccupiedthemnearlyfortyminutes,anditwasteno’clockwhentheyreturnedtoCyrusHardingwhomSpiletthadnotleft.

           Theengineerwasjustawakingfromthesleep,orratherfromthedrowsiness,inwhichtheyhadfoundhim.Thecolorwasreturningtohischeeks,whichtillnowhadbeenaspaleasdeath.Heraisedhimselfalittle,lookedaroundhim,andappearedtoaskwherehewas.

           "Canyoulistentomewithoutfatigue,Cyrus?"askedthereporter.

           "Yes,"repliedtheengineer.

           "It’smyopinion,"saidthesailor,"thatCaptainHardingwillbeabletolistentoyoustillbetter,ifhewillhavesomemoregrousejelly,—forwehavegrouse,captain,"addedhe,presentinghimwithalittleofthisjelly,towhichhethistimeaddedsomeoftheflesh.

           CyrusHardingatealittleofthegrouse,andtherestwasdividedamonghiscompanions,whofounditbutameagerbreakfast,fortheyweresufferingextremelyfromhunger.

           "Well!"saidthesailor,"thereisplentyoffoodattheChimneys,foryoumustknow,captain,thatdownthere,inthesouth,wehaveahouse,withrooms,beds,andfireplace,andinthepantry,severaldozenofbirds,whichourHerbertcallscouroucous.Yourlitterisready,andassoonasyoufeelstrongenoughwewillcarryyouhome."

           "Thanks,myfriend,"repliedtheengineer;"waitanotherhourortwo,andthenwewillsetout.Andnowspeak,Spilett."

           Thereporterthentoldhimallthathadoccurred.HerecountedalltheeventswithwhichCyruswasunacquainted,thelastfalloftheballoon,thelandingonthisunknownland,whichappearedadesert(whateveritwas,whetherislandorcontinent),thediscoveryoftheChimneys,thesearchforhim,notforgettingofcourseNeb’sdevotion,theintelligenceexhibitedbythefaithfulTop,aswellasmanyothermatters.

           "But,"askedHarding,inastillfeeblevoice,"youdidnot,then,pickmeuponthebeach?"

           "No,"repliedthereporter.

           "Anddidyounotbringmetothiscave?"

           "No."

           "Atwhatdistanceisthiscavefromthesea?"

           "Aboutamile,"repliedPencroft;"andifyouareastonished,captain,wearenotlesssurprisedourselvesatseeingyouinthisplace!"

           "Indeed,"saidtheengineer,whowasrecoveringgradually,andwhotookgreatinterestinthesedetails,"indeeditisverysingular!"

           "But,"resumedthesailor,"canyoutelluswhathappenedafteryouwerecarriedoffbythesea?"

           CyrusHardingconsidered.Heknewverylittle.Thewavehadtornhimfromtheballoonnet.Hesankatfirstseveralfathoms.Onreturningtothesurface,inthehalflight,hefeltalivingcreaturestrugglingnearhim.ItwasTop,whohadsprungtohishelp.Hesawnothingoftheballoon,which,lightenedbothofhisweightandthatofthedog,haddartedawaylikeanarrow.

           Therehewas,inthemidstoftheangrysea,atadistancewhichcouldnotbelessthanhalfamilefromtheshore.Heattemptedtostruggleagainstthebillowsbyswimmingvigorously.Topheldhimupbyhisclothes;butastrongcurrentseizedhimanddrovehimtowardsthenorth,andafterhalfanhourofexertion,hesank,draggingTopwithhimintothedepths.Fromthatmomenttothemomentinwhichherecoveredtofindhimselfinthearmsofhisfriendsherememberednothing.

           "However,"remarkedPencroft,"youmusthavebeenthrownontothebeach,andyoumusthavehadstrengthtowalkhere,sinceNebfoundyourfootmarks!"

           "Yes...ofcourserepliedtheengineer,thoughtfully;"andyoufoundnotracesofhumanbeingsonthiscoast?"

           "Notatrace,"repliedthereporter;"besides,ifbychanceyouhadmetwithsomedelivererthere,justinthenickoftime,whyshouldhehaveabandonedyouafterhavingsavedyoufromthewaves?"

           "Youareright,mydearSpilett.Tellme,Neb,"addedtheengineer,turningtohisservant,"itwasnotyouwho...youcan’thavehadamomentofunconsciousness...duringwhichno,that’sabsurd....Doanyofthefootstepsstillremain?"askedHarding.

           "Yes,master,repliedNeb;"here,attheentrance,atthebackofthemound,inaplaceshelteredfromtherainandwind.Thestormhasdestroyedtheothers."

           "Pencroft,"saidCyrusHarding,"willyoutakemyshoeandseeifitfitsexactlytothefootprints?"

           Thesailordidastheengineerrequested.WhileheandHerbert,guidedbyNeb,wenttotheplacewherethefootprintsweretobefound,Cyrusremarkedtothereporter,—

           "Itisamostextraordinarything!"

           "Perfectlyinexplicable!"repliedGideonSpilett.

           "Butdonotdwelluponitjustnow,mydearSpilett,wewilltalkaboutitby-and-by."

           Amomentaftertheothersentered.

           Therewasnodoubtaboutit.Theengineer’sshoefittedexactlytothefootmarks.ItwasthereforeCyrusHardingwhohadleftthemonthesand.

           "Come,"saidhe,"ImusthaveexperiencedthisunconsciousnesswhichIattributedtoNeb.Imusthavewalkedlikeasomnambulist,withoutanyknowledgeofmysteps,andTopmusthaveguidedmehere,afterhavingdraggedmefromthewaves...Come,Top!Come,olddog!"

           Themagnificentanimalboundedbarkingtohismaster,andcaresseswerelavishedonhim.ItwasagreedthattherewasnootherwayofaccountingfortherescueofCyrusHarding,andthatTopdeservedallthehonoroftheaffair.

           Towardstwelveo’clock,Pencrofthavingaskedtheengineeriftheycouldnowremovehim,Harding,insteadofreplying,andbyaneffortwhichexhibitedthemostenergeticwill,gotup.Buthewasobligedtoleanonthesailor,orhewouldhavefallen.

           "Welldone!"criedPencroft;"bringthecaptain’slitter."

           Thelitterwasbrought;thetransversebrancheshadbeencoveredwithleavesandlonggrass.Hardingwaslaidonit,andPencroft,havingtakenhisplaceatoneendandNebattheother,theystartedtowardsthecoast.Therewasadistanceofeightmilestobeaccomplished;but,astheycouldnotgofast,anditwouldperhapsbenecessarytostopfrequently,theyreckonedthatitwouldtakeatleastsixhourstoreachtheChimneys.Thewindwasstillstrong,butfortunatelyitdidnotrain.Althoughlyingdown,theengineer,leaningonhiselbow,observedthecoast,particularlyinland.Hedidnotspeak,buthegazed;and,nodoubt,theappearanceofthecountry,withitsinequalitiesofground,itsforests,itsvariousproductions,wereimpressedonhismind.However,aftertravelingfortwohours,fatigueovercamehim,andheslept.

           Athalf-pastfivethelittlebandarrivedattheprecipice,andashorttimeafterattheChimneys.

           Theystopped,andthelitterwasplacedonthesand;CyrusHardingwassleepingprofoundly,anddidnotawake.

           Pencroft,tohisextremesurprise,foundthattheterriblestormhadquitealteredtheaspectoftheplace.Importantchangeshadoccurred;greatblocksofstonelayonthebeach,whichwasalsocoveredwithathickcarpetofsea-weed,algae,andwrack.Evidentlythesea,passingovertheislet,hadbeencarriedrightuptothefootoftheenormouscurtainofgranite.Thesoilinfrontofthecavehadbeentornawaybytheviolenceofthewaves.AhorridpresentimentflashedacrossPencroft’smind.Herushedintothepassage,butreturnedalmostimmediately,andstoodmotionless,staringathiscompanions....Thefirewasout;thedrownedcinderswerenothingbutmud;theburntlinen,whichwastohaveservedastinder,haddisappeared!Theseahadpenetratedtotheendofthepassages,andeverythingwasoverthrownanddestroyedintheinterioroftheChimneys!