Page:Twenty Thousand Verne Frith 1876.pdf/471

 aperture, and twenty others were moving above. With a single blow Captain Nemo cut off this formidable tentacle, which slid writhing down the ladder.

As we were pressing forward together to reach the platform, two other arms, circling in the air, fell upon a sailor who was in front of Captain Nemo, and raised him up with irresistible power.

Captain Nemo uttered a shout, and rushed in front; we followed.

What a sight it was! The unhappy sailor, seized by the tentacle and fixed upon the sucker, was balanced in the air by this enormous “trunk.” He gasped; he was almost stifled; and cried out “Help, help!” These words, pronounced in French, astonished me greatly. I had a fellow-countryman on board—several perhaps. I shall hear that heart-rending appeal all my life.

The poor fellow was lost! Who could tear him from such a grasp as that? Nevertheless Captain Nemo threw himself upon the octopus, and cut off one arm at a blow. The mate waged a terrible fight with others, which were assailing the sides of the Nautilus. The ship’s company fought with hatchets. The Canadian, Conseil, and I wearied our arms hacking at these fleshy masses. A strong odour of musk pervaded the air. The scene was horrible.

For a moment I hoped that the unfortunate sailor seized by the octopus would be released. Seven of the eight arms had been cut off. Only one, now brandishing like a feather, twined aloft. But as Captain Nemo and his mate both rushed at the animal it ejected a column of black liquid, secreted in a bag near the abdomen, at them. They were blinded, and when they recovered the octopus had disappeared with our unfortunate friend.

Enraged against the monsters, we rushed pell-mell