I lay in a stupor1, a half dream, during which I saw visions of astounding2 character. Monsters of the deep were side by side with the mighty3 elephantine shepherd. Gigantic fish and animals seemed to form strange conjunctions.
The raft took a sudden turn, whirled round, entered another tunnel—this time illumined in a most singular manner. The roof was formed of porous5 stalactite, through which a moonlit vapor6 appeared to pass, casting its brilliant light upon our gaunt and haggard figures. The light increased as we advanced, while the roof ascended7; until at last, we were once more in a kind of water cavern8, the lofty dome9 of which disappeared in a luminous10 cloud!
My uncle and the guide moved as men in a dream. I was afraid to waken them, knowing the danger of such a sudden start. I seated myself beside them to watch.
As I did so, I became aware of something moving in the distance, which at once fascinated my eyes. It was floating, apparently12, upon the surface of the water, advancing by means of what at first appeared paddles. I looked with glaring eyes. One glance told me that it was something monstrous13.
But what?
It was the great "shark-crocodile" of the early writers on geology. About the size of an ordinary whale, with hideous14 jaws15 and two gigantic eyes, it advanced. Its eyes fixed16 on me with terrible sternness. Some indefinite warning told me that it had marked me for its own.
I attempted to rise—to escape, no matter where, but my knees shook under me; my limbs trembled violently; I almost lost my senses. And still the mighty monster advanced. My uncle and the guide made no effort to save themselves.
With a strange noise, like none other I had ever heard, the beast came on. His jaws were at least seven feet apart, and his distended17 mouth looked large enough to have swallowed a boatful of men.
We were about ten feet distant when I discovered that much as his body resembled that of a crocodile, his mouth was wholly that of a shark.
His twofold nature now became apparent. To snatch us up at a mouthful it was necessary for him to turn on his back, which motion necessarily caused his legs to kick up helplessly in the air.
I actually laughed even in the very jaws of death!
But next minute, with a wild cry, I darted18 away into the interior of the cave, leaving my unhappy comrades to their fate! This cavern was deep and dreary19. After about a hundred yards, I paused and looked around.
The whole floor, composed of sand and malachite, was strewn with bones, freshly gnawed20 bones of reptiles21 and fish, with a mixture of mammalia. My very soul grew sick as my body shuddered22 with horror. I had truly, according to the old proverb, fallen out of the frying pan into the fire. Some beast larger and more ferocious23 even than the shark-crocodile inhabited this den4.
What could I do? The mouth of the cave was guarded by one ferocious monster, the interior was inhabited by something too hideous to contemplate24. Flight was impossible!
Only one resource remained, and that was to find some small hiding place to which the fearful denizens25 of the cavern could not penetrate26. I gazed wildly around, and at last discovered a fissure27 in the rock, to which I rushed in the hope of recovering my scattered28 senses.
Crouching29 down, I waited shivering as in an ague fit. No man is brave in presence of an earthquake, or a bursting boiler30, or an exploding torpedo31. I could not be expected to feel much courage in presence of the fearful fate that appeared to await me.
What was the fate of my unhappy companions? It was impossible for me to pause to inquire. My own wretched existence was all I could think of.
Suddenly a groaning33, as of fifty bears in a fight, fell upon my ears—hisses, spitting, moaning, hideous to hear—and then I saw—
Never, were ages to pass over my head, shall I forget the horrible apparition34.
It was the Ape Gigans!
Fourteen feet high, covered with coarse hair, of a blackish brown, the hair on the arms, from the shoulder to the elbow joints35, pointing downwards36, while that from the wrist to the elbow pointed37 upwards38, it advanced. Its arms were as long as its body, while its legs were prodigious39. It had thick, long, and sharply pointed teeth—like a mammoth40 saw.
It struck its breast as it came on smelling and sniffing41, reminding me of the stories we read in our early childhood of giants who ate the Flesh of men and little boys!
Suddenly it stopped. My heart beat wildly, for I was conscious that, somehow or other, the fearful monster had smelled me out and was peering about with his hideous eyes to try and discover my whereabouts.
My reading, which as a rule is a blessing42, but which on this occasion, seemed momentarily to prove a curse, told me the real truth. It was the Ape Gigans, the antediluvian43 gorilla44.
Yes! This awful monster, confined by good fortune to the interior of the earth, was the progenitor45 of the hideous monster of Africa.
He glared wildly about, seeking something—doubtless myself. I gave myself up for lost. No hope of safety or escape seemed to remain.
At this moment, just as my eyes appeared to close in death, there came a strange noise from the entrance of the cave; and turning, the gorilla evidently recognized some enemy more worthy46 his prodigious size and strength. It was the huge shark-crocodile, which perhaps having disposed of my friends, was coming in search of further prey47.
The gorilla placed himself on the defensive48, and clutching a bone some seven or eight feet in length, a perfect club, aimed a deadly blow at the hideous beast, which reared upwards and fell with all its weight upon its adversary49.
A terrible combat, the details of which it is impossible to give, now ensued. The struggle was awful and ferocious, I, however, did not wait to witness the result. Regarding myself as the object of contention50, I determined51 to remove from the presence of the victor. I slid down from my hiding place, reached the ground, and gliding52 against the wall, strove to gain the open mouth of the cavern.
But I had not taken many steps when the fearful clamor ceased, to be followed by a mumbling53 and groaning which appeared to be indicative of victory.
I looked back and saw the huge ape, gory54 with blood, coming after me with glaring eyes, with dilated55 nostrils56 that gave forth57 two columns of heated vapor. I could feel his hot and fetid breath on my neck; and with a horrid58 jump—awoke from my nightmare sleep.
Yes—it was all a dream. I was still on the raft with my uncle and the guide.
The relief was not instantaneous, for under the influence of the hideous nightmare my senses had become numbed59. After a while, however, my feelings were tranquilized. The first of my perceptions which returned in full force was that of hearing. I listened with acute and attentive60 ears. All was still as death. All I comprehended was silence. To the roaring of the waters, which had filled the gallery with awful reverberations, succeeded perfect peace.
After some little time my uncle spoke61, in a low and scarcely audible tone: "Harry62, boy, where are you?"
"I am here," was my faint rejoinder.
"Well, don't you see what has happened? We are going upwards."
"My dear uncle, what can you mean?" was my half-delirious reply.
I held out my hand, and, after some little difficulty, succeeded in touching64 the wall. My hand was in an instant covered with blood. The skin was torn from the flesh. We were ascending with extraordinary rapidity.
"The torch—the torch!" cried the Professor, wildly; "it must be lighted."
Hans, the guide, after many vain efforts, at last succeeded in lighting65 it, and the flame, having now nothing to prevent its burning, shed a tolerably clear light. We were enabled to form an approximate idea of the truth.
"It is just as I thought," said my uncle, after a moment or two of silent attention. "We are in a narrow well about four fathoms66 square. The waters of the great inland sea, having reached the bottom of the gulf67 are now forcing themselves up the mighty shaft68. As a natural consequence, we are being cast upon the summit of the waters."
"That I can see," was my lugubrious69 reply; "but where will this shaft end, and to what fall are we likely to be exposed?"
"Of that I am as ignorant as yourself. All I know is, that we should be prepared for the worst. We are going up at a fearfully rapid rate. As far as I can judge, we are ascending at the rate of two fathoms a second, of a hundred and twenty fathoms a minute, or rather more than three and a half leagues an hour. At this rate, our fate will soon be a matter of certainty."
"No doubt of it," was my reply. "The great concern I have now, however, is to know whether this shaft has any issue. It may end in a granite71 roof—in which case we shall be suffocated72 by compressed air, or dashed to atoms against the top. I fancy, already, that the air is beginning to be close and condensed. I have a difficulty in breathing."
This might be fancy, or it might be the effect of our rapid motion, but I certainly felt a great oppression of the chest.
"Henry," said the Professor, "I do believe that the situation is to a certain extent desperate. There remain, however, many chances of ultimate safety, and I have, in my own mind, been revolving73 them over, during your heavy but agitated74 sleep. I have come to this logical conclusion—whereas we may at any moment perish, so at any moment we may be saved! We need, therefore, prepare ourselves for whatever may turn up in the great chapter of accidents."
"No! While there is life there is hope. At all events, there is one thing we can do—eat, and thus obtain strength to face victory or death."
As he spoke, I looked at my uncle with a haggard glance. I had put off the fatal communication as long as possible. It was now forced upon me, and I must tell him the truth.
Still I hesitated.
"Eat," I said, in a deprecating tone as if there were no hurry.
"Yes, and at once. I feel like a starving prisoner," he said, rubbing his yellow and shivering hands together.
And, turning round to the guide, he spoke some hearty76, cheering words, as I judged from his tone, in Danish. Hans shook his head in a terribly significant manner. I tried to look unconcerned.
"What!" cried the Professor, "you do not mean to say that all our provisions are lost?"
"Yes," was my lowly spoken reply, as I held out something in my hand, "this morsel77 of dried meat is all that remains78 for us three."
My uncle gazed at me as if he could not fully70 appreciate the meaning of my words. The blow seemed to stun79 him by its severity. I allowed him to reflect for some moments.
"Well," said I, after a short pause, "what do you think now? Is there any chance of our escaping from our horrible subterranean80 dangers? Are we not doomed81 to perish in the great hollows of the centre of the earth?"
But my pertinent82 questions brought no answer. My uncle either heard me not, or appeared not to do so.
And in this way a whole hour passed. Neither of us cared to speak. For myself, I began to feel the most fearful and devouring83 hunger. My companions, doubtless, felt the same horrible tortures, but neither of them would touch the wretched morsel of meat that remained. It lay there, a last remnant of all our great preparations for the mad and senseless journey!
I looked back, with wonderment, to my own folly84. Fully was I aware that, despite his enthusiasm, and the ever-to-be-hated scroll85 of Saknussemm, my uncle should never have started on his perilous86 voyage. What memories of the happy past, what previsions of the horrible future, now filled my brain!
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1
stupor
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| v.昏迷；不省人事 | |
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astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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porous
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| adj.可渗透的，多孔的 | |
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vapor
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| n.蒸汽，雾气 | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8
cavern
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| n.洞穴，大山洞 | |
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dome
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| n.圆屋顶，拱顶 | |
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luminous
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| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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distended
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| v.（使）膨胀，肿胀( distend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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gnawed
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| 咬( gnaw的过去式和过去分词 )； （长时间） 折磨某人； （使）苦恼； （长时间）危害某事物 | |
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reptiles
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| n.爬行动物，爬虫( reptile的名词复数 ) | |
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shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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contemplate
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| vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视 | |
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denizens
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| n.居民，住户( denizen的名词复数 ) | |
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penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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fissure
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| n.裂缝；裂伤 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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boiler
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| n.锅炉；煮器(壶，锅等) | |
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torpedo
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| n.水雷，地雷；v.用鱼雷破坏 | |
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rumbling
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| n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词 | |
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33
groaning
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| adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式 | |
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apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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downwards
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| adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地） | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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mammoth
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| n.长毛象；adj.长毛象似的，巨大的 | |
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sniffing
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| n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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antediluvian
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| adj.史前的，陈旧的 | |
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gorilla
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| n.大猩猩，暴徒，打手 | |
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progenitor
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| n.祖先，先驱 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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defensive
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| adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的 | |
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adversary
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| adj.敌手，对手 | |
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contention
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| n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张 | |
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51
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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52
gliding
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| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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53
mumbling
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的现在分词 ) | |
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gory
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| adj.流血的；残酷的 | |
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dilated
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| adj.加宽的，扩大的v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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56
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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numbed
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| v.使麻木，使麻痹( numb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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fathoms
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| 英寻( fathom的名词复数 ) | |
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gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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lugubrious
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| adj.悲哀的，忧郁的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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granite
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| adj.花岗岩，花岗石 | |
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suffocated
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| （使某人）窒息而死( suffocate的过去式和过去分词 )； （将某人）闷死； 让人感觉闷热； 憋气 | |
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revolving
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| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
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agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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morsel
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| n.一口，一点点 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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stun
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| vt.打昏，使昏迷，使震惊，使惊叹 | |
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subterranean
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| adj.地下的，地表下的 | |
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81
doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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82
pertinent
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| adj.恰当的；贴切的；中肯的；有关的；相干的 | |
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devouring
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| 吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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84
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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85
scroll
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| n.卷轴，纸卷；(石刻上的)漩涡 | |
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86
perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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