20000 льє під водою

           "Myfriends,"saidI,"themomentiscome.Onegraspofthehand,andmayGodprotectus!"

           NedLandwasresolute,Conseilcalm,myselfsonervousthatIknewnothowtocontainmyself.Weallpassedintothelibrary;butthemomentIpushedthedooropeningontothecentralstaircase,Iheardtheupperpanelclosesharply.TheCanadianrushedontothestairs,butIstoppedhim.Awell-knownhissingnoisetoldmethatthewaterwasrunningintothereservoirs,andinafewminutestheNautiluswassomeyardsbeneaththesurfaceofthewaves.Iunderstoodthemanoeuvre.Itwastoolatetoact.TheNautilusdidnotwishtostrikeattheimpenetrablecuirass,butbelowthewater-line,wherethemetalliccoveringnolongerprotectedit.

           Wewereagainimprisoned,unwillingwitnessesofthedreadfuldramathatwaspreparing.Wehadscarcelytimetoreflect;takingrefugeinmyroom,welookedateachotherwithoutspeaking.Adeepstuporhadtakenholdofmymind:thoughtseemedtostandstill.Iwasinthatpainfulstateofexpectationprecedingadreadfulreport.Iwaited,Ilistened,everysensewasmergedinthatofhearing!ThespeedoftheNautiluswasaccelerated.Itwaspreparingtorush.Thewholeshiptrembled.SuddenlyIscreamed.Ifelttheshock,butcomparativelylight.Ifeltthepenetratingpowerofthesteelspur.Iheardrattlingsandscrapings.ButtheNautilus,carriedalongbyitspropellingpower,passedthroughthemassofthevessellikeaneedlethroughsailcloth!

           Icouldstanditnolonger.Mad,outofmymind,Irushedfrommyroomintothesaloon.CaptainNemowasthere,mute,gloomy,implacable;hewaslookingthroughtheportpanel.Alargemasscastashadowonthewater;and,thatitmightlosenothingofheragony,theNautiluswasgoingdownintotheabysswithher.