Таинственный остров

           Thesea,indeed,formedanimmensecircularsheetofwaterallaroundthem!Perhaps,onclimbingagaintothesummitofthecone,CyrusHardinghadhadahopeofdiscoveringsomecoast,someislandshore,whichhehadnotbeenabletoperceiveinthedarktheeveningbefore.Butnothingappearedonthefarthestvergeofthehorizon,thatistosayoveraradiusofmorethanfiftymiles.Nolandinsight.Notasail.Overallthisimmensespacetheoceanalonewasvisible—theislandoccupiedthecenterofacircumferencewhichappearedtobeinfinite.

           Theengineerandhiscompanions,muteandmotionless,surveyedforsomeminuteseverypointoftheocean,examiningittoitsmostextremelimits.EvenPencroft,whopossessedamarvelouspowerofsight,sawnothing;andcertainlyiftherehadbeenlandatthehorizon,ifitappearedonlyasanindistinctvapor,thesailorwouldundoubtedlyhavefounditout,fornaturehadplacedregulartelescopesunderhiseyebrows.

           Fromtheoceantheirgazereturnedtotheislandwhichtheycommandedentirely,andthefirstquestionwasputbyGideonSpilettintheseterms:

           "Aboutwhatsizeisthisisland?"

           Truly,itdidnotappearlargeinthemidstoftheimmenseocean.

           CyrusHardingreflectedafewminutes;heattentivelyobservedtheperimeteroftheisland,takingintoconsiderationtheheightatwhichhewasplaced;then,—

           "Myfriends,"saidhe,"IdonotthinkIammistakeningivingtotheshoreoftheislandacircumferenceofmorethanahundredmiles."

           "Andconsequentlyanarea?"