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Earth to the Moon | Jules Verne | |
HOW A FRENCHMAN MANAGES AN AFFAIR |
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"Hush!" said he, "there is some one down there!" "Some one?" repeated Michel Ardan. "Yes; a man! He seems motionless. His rifle is not in his hands. What can he be doing?" "But can you recognize him?" asked Ardan, whose short sight was of little use to him in such circumstances. "Yes! yes! He is turning toward us," answered Maston. "And it is?" "Captain Nicholl!" "Nicholl?" cried Michel Ardan, feeling a terrible pang of grief. "Nicholl unarmed! He has, then, no longer any fear of his adversary!" "Let us go to him," said Michel Ardan, "and find out the truth." But he and his companion had barely taken fifty steps, when they paused to examine the captain more attentively. They expected to find a bloodthirsty man, happy in his revenge. On seeing him, they remained stupefied. A net, composed of very fine meshes, hung between two enormous tulip-trees, and in the midst of this snare, with its wings entangled, was a poor little bird, uttering pitiful cries, while it vainly struggled to escape. The bird-catcher who had laid this snare was no human being, but a venomous spider, peculiar to that country, as large as a pigeon's egg, and armed with enormous claws. The hideous creature, instead of rushing on its prey, had beaten a sudden retreat and taken refuge in the upper branches of the tulip-tree, for a formidable enemy menaced its stronghold. Here, then, was Nicholl, his gun on the ground, forgetful of danger, trying if possible to save the victim from its cobweb prison. At last it was accomplished, and the little bird flew joyfully away and disappeared. |
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Earth to the Moon Jules Verne |
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