But  if  the  instructive  conversation  of  the  husband  gave me  pleasure,  I  was  still  more  fascinated  by  the  society  of  the wife,  and  I  should,  perhaps,  have  never  left  their  subterranean palace,  had  not  some  scandal-mongers  lighted  the  fires  of  jealousy in  Vulcan's  heart.  One  morning,  without  a  word  of  notice,  he seized  me  by  the  collar,  whilst  conversing  with  the  lovely  goddess, and  led  me  into  a  room  that  I  had  not as  yet  seen.  Then  he  held  me  suspended over  a  sort  of  well,  of  vast  depth,  and said  to  me,  "Ungrateful  mortal !  return  to the  world  whence  thou  camest."
With  these  awful  words,  and  without giving  me  a  moment  to  urge  a  syllable  in my  defence,  he  hurled  me  into  the  abyss.

I  fell,  with  a  rapidity  that  increased every  instant,  until  terror  had  deprived  me of  all  consciousness.  But  on  a  sudden  I was  recovered  from  my  fainting  fit  by  feeling myself  plunged  into  an  immense  lake of  water  illuminated  by  the  rays  of  the  sun.  It  was  a  state  of paradise  and  repose,  compared  to  the  frightful  journey  I  had  just taken.

I  looked  around  me,  in  all  directions,  and  could  see  nothing but  water.  The  temperature  was  quite  different  from  what  I had  been  accustomed  to  in  Vulcan's  palace.  After  some  time  I caught  sight  of  an  object  at  some  distance  off,  looking  like  an enormous  rock,  and  apparently  advancing  towards  me.  I  soon saw  that  it  was  an  iceberg.

I  examined  it  for  some  time  before  I  could  find  a  nook  that I  could  perch  in.  At  last  I  succeeded,  and  managed  to  climb to  the  top.  It  was  with  a  feeling  of  despair  that  I  found  no  sign of  land.    At  last,  just  before  nightfall,  I  caught  sight  of  a  vessel sailing  in  my  direction.  As  soon  as  she  got  within  speaking  distance, I  hailed  her  at  the  top  of  my  voice.  I  was  answered  in Dutch.  I  flung  myself  into  the  sea,  and  swam  to  the  ship, where  I  was  soon  hauled  on  board.  My  first  words  were  to  ask where  we  were.  "In  the  South  Seas,"  they  replied.  This  fact explained  all  my  difficulties.  It  was  plain  that  I  had  traversed the  centre  of  the  earth,  and  fallen  through  Etna  into  the  South Sea — a  course  which  will  be  found  much  more  direct  than  to  go round  the  world.  No  one  before  me  had  ever  attempted  this passage  ;  and  should  I  ever  try  it  a  second  time,  I  promise  you I  will  bring  back  several  observations  of  the  deepest  interest.


- Chapter 17