20000 льє під водою

           Onewasshort,verymuscular,broad-shouldered,withrobustlimbs,stronghead,anabundanceofblackhair,thickmoustache,aquickpenetratinglook,andthevivacitywhichcharacterisesthepopulationofSouthernFrance.

           Thesecondstrangermeritsamoredetaileddescription.Imadeouthisprevailingqualitiesdirectly:self-confidence—becausehisheadwaswellsetonhisshoulders,andhisblackeyeslookedaroundwithcoldassurance;calmness—forhisskin,ratherpale,showedhiscoolnessofblood;energy—evincedbytherapidcontractionofhisloftybrows;andcourage—becausehisdeepbreathingdenotedgreatpoweroflungs.

           Whetherthispersonwasthirty-fiveorfiftyyearsofage,Icouldnotsay.Hewastall,hadalargeforehead,straightnose,aclearlycutmouth,beautifulteeth,withfinetaperhands,indicativeofahighlynervoustemperament.ThismanwascertainlythemostadmirablespecimenIhadevermet.Oneparticularfeaturewashiseyes,ratherfarfromeachother,andwhichcouldtakeinnearlyaquarterofthehorizonatonce.

           Thisfaculty—(Iverifieditlater)—gavehimarangeofvisionfarsuperiortoNedLand’s.Whenthisstrangerfixeduponanobject,hiseyebrowsmet,hislargeeyelidsclosedaroundsoastocontracttherangeofhisvision,andhelookedasifhemagnifiedtheobjectslessenedbydistance,asifhepiercedthosesheetsofwatersoopaquetooureyes,andasifhereadtheverydepthsoftheseas.

           Thetwostrangers,withcapsmadefromthefuroftheseaotter,andshodwithseabootsofseal’sskin,weredressedinclothesofaparticulartexture,whichallowedfreemovementofthelimbs.Thetallerofthetwo,evidentlythechiefonboard,examineduswithgreatattention,withoutsayingaword;then,turningtohiscompanion,talkedwithhiminanunknowntongue.Itwasasonorous,harmonious,andflexibledialect,thevowelsseemingtoadmitofveryvariedaccentuation.