20000 льє під водою

           Itadheredbyitsfilamentstoatableofgranite,andthere,isolated,itdevelopeditselfinthecalmwatersofthegrotto.Iestimatedtheweightofthistridacneat600lb.Suchanoysterwouldcontain30lb.ofmeat;andonemusthavethestomachofaGargantuatodemolishsomedozensofthem.

           CaptainNemowasevidentlyacquaintedwiththeexistenceofthisbivalve,andseemedtohaveaparticularmotiveinverifyingtheactualstateofthistridacne.Theshellswerealittleopen;theCaptaincamenearandputhisdaggerbetweentopreventthemfromclosing;thenwithhishandheraisedthemembranewithitsfringededges,whichformedacloakforthecreature.There,betweenthefoldedplaits,Isawaloosepearl,whosesizeequalledthatofacoco-nut.Itsglobularshape,perfectclearness,andadmirablelustremadeitaltogetherajewelofinestimablevalue.Carriedawaybymycuriosity,Istretchedoutmyhandtoseizeit,weighit,andtouchit;buttheCaptainstoppedme,madeasignofrefusal,andquicklywithdrewhisdagger,andthetwoshellsclosedsuddenly.IthenunderstoodCaptainNemo’sintention.Inleavingthispearlhiddeninthemantleofthetridacnehewasallowingittogrowslowly.Eachyearthesecretionsofthemolluscwouldaddnewconcentriccircles.IestimateditsvalueatL500,000atleast.

           AftertenminutesCaptainNemostoppedsuddenly.Ithoughthehadhaltedpreviouslytoreturning.No;byagesturehebadeuscrouchbesidehiminadeepfractureoftherock,hishandpointedtoonepartoftheliquidmass,whichIwatchedattentively.

           Aboutfiveyardsfrommeashadowappeared,andsanktotheground.Thedisquietingideaofsharksshotthroughmymind,butIwasmistaken;andonceagainitwasnotamonsteroftheoceanthatwehadanythingtodowith.