20000 льє під водою

           resources,Iknewnotwhatparttotake,whenConseilsaid:

           "Ifmasterwillpermitme,IwillrelateitinGerman."

           Butinspiteoftheeleganttermsandgoodaccentofthenarrator,theGermanlanguagehadnosuccess.Atlast,nonplussed,Itriedtoremembermyfirstlessons,andtonarrateouradventuresinLatin,butwithnobettersuccess.Thislastattemptbeingofnoavail,thetwostrangersexchangedsomewordsintheirunknownlanguage,andretired.

           Thedoorshut.

           "Itisaninfamousshame,"criedNedLand,whobrokeoutforthetwentiethtime."WespeaktothoseroguesinFrench,English,German,andLatin,andnotoneofthemhasthepolitenesstoanswer!"

           "Calmyourself,"IsaidtotheimpetuousNed;"angerwilldonogood."

           "Butdoyousee,Professor,"repliedourirasciblecompanion,"thatweshallabsolutelydieofhungerinthisironcage?"

           "Bah!"saidConseil,philosophically;"wecanholdoutsometimeyet."

           "Myfriends,"Isaid,"wemustnotdespair.Wehavebeenworseoffthanthis.Domethefavourtowaitalittlebeforeforminganopinionuponthecommanderandcrewofthisboat."

           "Myopinionisformed,"repliedNedLand,sharply."Theyarerascals."

           "Good!andfromwhatcountry?"

           "Fromthelandofrogues!"

           "MybraveNed,thatcountryisnotclearlyindicatedonthemapoftheworld;