Page:Twenty Thousand Verne Frith 1876.pdf/503

 244 spur.

A HECATOMB. I heard a scraping noise.

But the Wawtrlus, carried

onward by her immense power of propulsion, passed through the vessel like a needle through canvas. I rushed madly out I could contain myself no longer. Captain Nemo was there, of my room into the saloon.

silent, gloomy, and implacable; he was looking through An enormous mass overshadowed the the port panel. water, and, so as to lose nothing of the death agony, the Nautilus slowly sank to the abyss beside the ironclad. Ten yards off was the wounded vessel, into which the waves were pouring like a sluice, and beyond a double tier

of guns and nettings. black shadows.

‘The deck was covered with moving

The unhappy victims crowded The water rose higher. into the shrouds, ascended the masts, or struggled in the Paralysed with anguish, my hair grew stiff pitiless water. with terror, my eyes dilated, I could not breathe ; and there, breathless, voiceless, I was glued to the spot, and gazed at

the sight in horror. The Wawttlus folThe enormous vessel sank slowly. lowing, watched aJl her movements. Suddenly an explosion The confined air had blown up the decks as if occurred. The agitation of the water heeled the by gunpowder. Nautilus over. Her topThen the ill-fated vessel sank more rapidly. masts, covered with victims, appeared before us; then the yards, bending beneath the weight of the crew; at length the main-topgallant-mast came in sight. Then the dark mass disappeared, and with it the drowned ship’s company, dragged underneath by the powerful eddy. That terrible executioner, I turned to Captain Nemo.

a true archangel of hate, kept steadily regarding his handi-