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Chapter 3. A Pearl Worth Ten Million

           NedLand,faithfultohisinstinct,hastenedtofillanetwhichhecarriedbyhissidewithsomeofthefinestspecimens.Butwecouldnotstop.WemustfollowtheCaptain,whoseemedtoguidehimselfbypathsknownonlytohimself.Thegroundwassensiblyrising,andsometimes,onholdingupmyarm,itwasabovethesurfaceofthesea.Thenthelevelofthebankwouldsinkcapriciously.Oftenweroundedhighrocksscarpedintopyramids.Intheirdarkfractureshugecrustacea,perchedupontheirhighclawslikesomewar-machine,watcheduswithfixedeyes,andunderourfeetcrawledvariouskindsofannelides.

           Atthismomentthereopenedbeforeusalargegrottoduginapicturesqueheapofrocksandcarpetedwithallthethickwarpofthesubmarineflora.Atfirstitseemedverydarktome.Thesolarraysseemedtobeextinguishedbysuccessivegradations,untilitsvaguetransparencybecamenothingmorethandrownedlight.CaptainNemoentered;wefollowed.Myeyessoonaccustomedthemselvestothisrelativestateofdarkness.Icoulddistinguishthearchesspringingcapriciouslyfromnaturalpillars,standingbroadupontheirgranitebase,liketheheavycolumnsofTuscanarchitecture.Whyhadourincomprehensibleguideledustothebottomofthissubmarinecrypt?Iwassoontoknow.Afterdescendingarathersharpdeclivity,ourfeettrodthebottomofakindofcircularpit.ThereCaptainNemostopped,andwithhishandindicatedanobjectIhadnotyetperceived.Itwasanoysterofextraordinarydimensions,agigantictridacne,agobletwhichcouldhavecontainedawholelakeofholy-water,abasinthebreadthofwhichwasmorethantwoyardsandahalf,andconsequentlylargerthanthatornamentingthesaloonoftheNautilus.Iapproachedthisextraordinarymollusc.

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