"01 - At the Earth's Core" - читать интересную книгу автора (Burroughs Edgar Rice)

the handrails of our swinging seats. Then Perry glanced
at the thermometer.

"Gad!" he cried, "it cannot be possible--quick! What does
the distance meter read?"

That and the speedometer were both on my side of the cabin,
and as I turned to take a reading from the former I could
see Perry muttering.

"Ten degrees rise--it cannot be possible!" and then I
saw him tug frantically upon the steering wheel.

As I finally found the tiny needle in the dim light I
translated Perry's evident excitement, and my heart
sank within me. But when I spoke I hid the fear which
haunted me. "It will be seven hundred feet, Perry," I said,
"by the time you can turn her into the horizontal."

"You'd better lend me a hand then, my boy," he replied,
"for I cannot budge her out of the vertical alone.
God give that our combined strength may be equal to the task,
for else we are lost."

I wormed my way to the old man's side with never a doubt
but that the great wheel would yield on the instant
to the power of my young and vigorous muscles. Nor was
my belief mere vanity, for always had my physique been
the envy and despair of my fellows. And for that very
reason it had waxed even greater than nature had intended,
since my natural pride in my great strength had led me
to care for and develop my body and my muscles by every
means within my power. What with boxing, football,
and baseball, I had been in training since childhood.

And so it was with the utmost confidence that I laid hold
of the huge iron rim; but though I threw every ounce of my
strength into it, my best effort was as unavailing as Perry's
had been--the thing would not budge--the grim, insensate,
horrible thing that was holding us upon the straight
road to death!

At length I gave up the useless struggle, and without a word
returned to my seat. There was no need for words--at least
none that I could imagine, unless Perry desired to pray.
And I was quite sure that he would, for he never left an
opportunity neglected where he might sandwich in a prayer.
He prayed when he arose in the morning, he prayed
before he ate, he prayed when he had finished eating,
and before he went to bed at night he prayed again.