Таємничий острів

           Adeathlikesilencereignedunderthevaultedroof,oratleastintheanteriorportion,forsoonCyrusHardingdistinctlyheardtherumblingwhichproceededfromthebowelsofthemountain.

           "Thatcomesfromthevolcano,"hesaid.

           Besidesthesesounds,thepresenceofchemicalcombinationswassoonbetrayedbytheirpowerfulodor,andtheengineerandhiscompanionwerealmostsuffocatedbysulphurousvapors.

           "ThisiswhatCaptainNemofeared,"murmuredCyrusHarding,changingcountenance."Wemustgototheend,notwithstanding."

           "Forward!"repliedAyrton,bendingtohisoarsanddirectingtheboattowardstheheadofthecavern.

           Twenty-fiveminutesafterenteringthemouthofthegrottotheboatreachedtheextremeend.

           CyrusHardingthen,standingup,castthelightofthelampuponthewallsofthecavernwhichseparateditfromthecentralshaftofthevolcano.Whatwasthethicknessofthiswall?Itmightbetenfeetorahundredfeet—itwasimpossibletosay.Butthesubterraneansoundsweretooperceptibletoallowofthesuppositionthatitwasofanygreatthickness.

           Theengineer,afterhavingexploredthewallatacertainheighthorizontally,fastenedthelamptotheendofanoar,andagainsurveyedthebasalticwallatagreaterelevation.

           There,throughscarcelyvisiblecleftsandjoinings,escapedapungentvapor,whichinfectedtheatmosphereofthecavern.Thewallwasbrokenbylargecracks,someofwhichextendedtowithintwoorthreefeetofthewater’sedge.

           CyrusHardingthoughtforabriefspace