20000 лье под водой

Chapter 16. Shortage of Air

           Justthenallthecrewcameonboard,andthedoubledoorofcommunicationwasshut.TheNautilusthenrestedonthebedofice,whichwasnotoneyardthick,andwhichthesoundingleadshadperforatedinathousandplaces.Thetapsofthereservoirswerethenopened,andahundredcubicyardsofwaterwasletin,increasingtheweightoftheNautilusto1,800tons.Wewaited,welistened,forgettingoursufferingsinhope.Oursafetydependedonthislastchance.Notwithstandingthebuzzinginmyhead,IsoonheardthehummingsoundunderthehulloftheNautilus.Theicecrackedwithasingularnoise,liketearingpaper,andtheNautilussank.

           "Weareoff!"murmuredConseilinmyear.

           Icouldnotanswerhim.Iseizedhishand,andpresseditconvulsively.Allatonce,carriedawaybyitsfrightfulovercharge,theNautilussanklikeabulletunderthewaters,thatistosay,itfellasifitwasinavacuum.Thenalltheelectricforcewasputonthepumps,thatsoonbegantoletthewateroutofthereservoirs.Aftersomeminutes,ourfallwasstopped.Soon,too,themanometerindicatedanascendingmovement.Thescrew,goingatfullspeed,madetheironhulltrembletoitsveryboltsanddrewustowardsthenorth.Butifthisfloatingundertheicebergistolastanotherdaybeforewereachtheopensea,Ishallbedeadfirst.

           Halfstretcheduponadivaninthelibrary,Iwassuffocating.Myfacewaspurple,mylipsblue,myfacultiessuspended.Ineithersawnorheard.Allnotionoftimehadgonefrommymind.Mymusclescouldnotcontract.Idonotknowhowmanyhourspassedthus,butIwasconsciousoftheagonythatwascomingoverme.IfeltasifIwasgoingtodie.SuddenlyIcameto.Somebreathsofairpenetratedmylungs.

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