precisely, Murphy will send the electric current into the gun-cotton. We have, therefore, twenty-six minutes more to remain on earth." "Twenty-six minutes and twenty seconds," observed Captain M'Nicholl, who always aimed at mathematical precision. "Twenty-six minutes!" cried Ardan, gaily. "An age, a cycle, according to the use you make of them. In twenty-six minutes how much can be done! The weightiest questions of warfare, politics, morality, can be discussed, even decided, in twenty-six minutes. Twenty-six minutes well spent are infinitely more valuable than twenty-six lifetimes wasted! A few seconds even, employed by a Pascal, or a Newton, or a Barbican, or any other profoundly intellectual being Whose thoughts wander through eternity—" "As mad as Marston! Every bit!" muttered the Captain, half audibly. "What do you conclude from this rigmarole of yours?" interrupted Barbican. "I conclude that we have twenty-six good minutes still left—" "Only twenty-four minutes, ten seconds," interrupted the Captain, watch in hand. "Well, twenty-four minutes, Captain," Ardan went on; "now even in twenty-four minutes, I maintain—" "Ardan," interrupted Barbican, "after a very little while we shall have plenty of time for philosophical disputations. Just now let us think of something far more pressing." "More pressing! what do you mean? are we not fully prepared?" "Yes, fully prepared, as far at least as we have been able to foresee. But we may still, I think, possibly increase the number of precautions to be taken against the terrible shock that we are so soon to experience." "What? Have you any doubts whatever of the effectiveness of your brilliant and extremely original idea? Don't you think that the layers of water, regularly disposed in easily-ruptured partitions beneath this floor, will afford us sufficient protection by their elasticity?" "I hope so, indeed, my dear friend, but I am by no means confident." "He hopes! He is by no means confident! Listen to that, Mac! Pretty time to tell us so!
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