20000 льє під водою

           There,abouttenmenwithboarding-hatchetswerereadyfortheattack.ConseilandItooktwohatchets;NedLandseizedaharpoon.TheNautilushadthenrisentothesurface.Oneofthesailors,postedonthetopladderstep,unscrewedtheboltsofthepanels.Buthardlywerethescrewsloosed,whenthepanelrosewithgreatviolence,evidentlydrawnbythesuckersofapoulp’sarm.Immediatelyoneofthesearmsslidlikeaserpentdowntheopeningandtwentyotherswereabove.Withoneblowoftheaxe,CaptainNemocutthisformidabletentacle,thatslidwrigglingdowntheladder.Justaswewerepressingoneontheothertoreachtheplatform,twootherarms,lashingtheair,camedownontheseamanplacedbeforeCaptainNemo,andliftedhimupwithirresistiblepower.CaptainNemoutteredacry,andrushedout.Wehurriedafterhim.

           Whatascene!Theunhappyman,seizedbythetentacleandfixedtothesuckers,wasbalancedintheairatthecapriceofthisenormoustrunk.Herattledinhisthroat,hewasstifled,hecried,"Help!help!"Thesewords,spokeninFrench,startledme!Ihadafellow-countrymanonboard,perhapsseveral!Thatheart-rendingcry!Ishallhearitallmylife.Theunfortunatemanwaslost.Whocouldrescuehimfromthatpowerfulpressure?However,CaptainNemohadrushedtothepoulp,andwithoneblowoftheaxehadcutthroughonearm.HislieutenantstruggledfuriouslyagainstothermonstersthatcreptontheflanksoftheNautilus.Thecrewfoughtwiththeiraxes.TheCanadian,Conseil,andIburiedourweaponsinthefleshymasses;astrongsmellofmuskpenetratedtheatmosphere.Itwashorrible!

           Foroneinstant,Ithoughttheunhappyman,entangledwiththepoulp,wouldbetornfromitspowerfulsuction.Sevenoftheeightarmshadbeencutoff.Oneonlywriggledintheair,brandishingthevictimlikeafeather.