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Chapter 8. “Mobilis in Mobili”

           Theotherrepliedbyashakeofthehead,andaddedtwoorthreeperfectlyincomprehensiblewords.Thenheseemedtoquestionmebyalook.

           IrepliedingoodFrenchthatIdidnotknowhislanguage;butheseemednottounderstandme,andmysituationbecamemoreembarrassing.

           "Ifmasterweretotellourstory,"saidConseil,"perhapsthesegentlemenmayunderstandsomewords."

           Ibegantotellouradventures,articulatingeachsyllableclearly,andwithoutomittingonesingledetail.Iannouncedournamesandrank,introducinginpersonProfessorAronnax,hisservantConseil,andmasterNedLand,theharpooner.

           Themanwiththesoftcalmeyeslistenedtomequietly,evenpolitely,andwithextremeattention;butnothinginhiscountenanceindicatedthathehadunderstoodmystory.WhenIfinished,hesaidnotaword.

           Thereremainedoneresource,tospeakEnglish.Perhapstheywouldknowthisalmostuniversallanguage.IknewitaswellastheGermanlanguagewellenoughtoreaditfluently,butnottospeakitcorrectly.But,anyhow,wemustmakeourselvesunderstood.

           "Gooninyourturn,"Isaidtotheharpooner;"speakyourbestAnglo-Saxon,andtrytodobetterthanI."

           Neddidnotbegoff,andrecommencedourstory.

           Tohisgreatdisgust,theharpoonerdidnotseemtohavemadehimselfmoreintelligiblethanIhad.Ourvisitorsdidnotstir.TheyevidentlyunderstoodneitherthelanguageofEnglandnorofFrance.

           Verymuchembarrassed,afterhavingvainlyexhaustedourspeaking

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