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           "Thatismyopiniontoo,"saidNedLand,coolly."Letuswaitfornight."

           Nightarrived.Deepsilencereignedonboard.ThecompassshowedthattheNautilushadnotaltereditscourse.Itwasonthesurface,rollingslightly.MycompanionsandIresolvedtoflywhenthevesselshouldbenearenougheithertohearusortoseeus;forthemoon,whichwouldbefullintwoorthreedays,shonebrightly.Onceonboardtheship,ifwecouldnotpreventtheblowwhichthreatenedit,wecould,atleastwewould,doallthatcircumstanceswouldallow.SeveraltimesIthoughttheNautiluswaspreparingforattack;butCaptainNemocontentedhimselfwithallowinghisadversarytoapproach,andthenfledoncemorebeforeit.

           Partofthenightpassedwithoutanyincident.Wewatchedtheopportunityforaction.Wespokelittle,forweweretoomuchmoved.NedLandwouldhavethrownhimselfintothesea,butIforcedhimtowait.Accordingtomyidea,theNautiluswouldattacktheshipatherwaterline,andthenitwouldnotonlybepossible,buteasytofly.

           Atthreeinthemorning,fullofuneasiness,Imountedtheplatform.CaptainNemohadnotleftit.Hewasstandingattheforepartnearhisflag,whichaslightbreezedisplayedabovehishead.Hedidnottakehiseyesfromthevessel.Theintensityofhislookseemedtoattract,andfascinate,anddrawitonwardmoresurelythanifhehadbeentowingit.Themoonwasthenpassingthemeridian.Jupiterwasrisingintheeast.Amidthispeacefulsceneofnature,skyandoceanrivalledeachotherintranquillity,theseaofferingtotheorbsofnightthefinestmirrortheycouldeverhaveinwhichtoreflecttheirimage.AsIthoughtofthedeepcalmoftheseelements,comparedwithallthosepassionsbroodingimperceptiblywithintheNautilus,Ishuddered.