Itmustbeconfessedthathithertothingshadnotgoneonsobadly,andthatIhadsmallreasontocomplain. Ifourdifficultiesbecamenoworse,wemighthopetoreachourend. Andtowhataheightofscientificgloryweshouldthenattain! IhadbecomequiteaLiedenbrockinmyreasonings;seriouslyIhad. Butwouldthisstateofthingslastinthestrangeplacewehadcometo?Perhapsitmight. Forseveraldayssteeperinclines,someevenfrightfullyneartotheperpendicular,broughtusdeeperanddeeperintothemassoftheinterioroftheearth. Somedaysweadvancednearertothecentrebyaleagueandahalf,ornearlytwoleagues. Thesewereperilousdescents,inwhichtheskillandmarvellouscoolnessofHanswereinvaluabletous. ThatunimpassionedIcelanderdevotedhimselfwithincomprehensibledeliberation;and,thankstohim,wecrossedmanyadangerousspotwhichweshouldneverhaveclearedalone. Buthishabitofsilencegaineduponhimdaybyday,andwasinfectingus. Externalobjectsproducedecidedeffectsuponthebrain. Amanshutupbetweenfourwallssoonlosesthepowertoassociatewordsandideastogether. Howmanyprisonersinsolitaryconfinementbecomeidiots,ifnotmad,forwantofexerciseforthethinkingfaculty! Duringthefortnightfollowingourlastconversation,noincidentoccurredworthyofbeingrecorded. ButIhavegoodreasonforrememberingoneveryseriouseventwhichtookplaceatthistime,andofwhichIcouldscarcelynowforgetthesmallestdetails. Bythe7thofAugustoursuccessivedescentshadbroughtustoadepthofthirtyleagues;thatis,thatforaspaceofthirtyleaguestherewereoverourheadssolidbedsofrock,ocean,continents,andtowns. WemusthavebeentwohundredleaguesfromIceland. Onthatdaythetunnelwentdownagentleslope.Iwasaheadoftheothers.MyunclewascarryingoneofRuhmkorff'slampsandIthe.other.Iwasexaminingthebedsofgranite. SuddenlyturningroundIobservedthatIwasalone. Well,well,Ithought;Ihavebeengoingtoofast,orHansandmyunclehavestoppedontheway.Come,thiswon'tdo;Imustjointhem.Fortunatelythereisnotmuchofanascent. Iretracedmysteps.Iwalkedforaquarterofanhour.Igazedintothedarkness.Ishouted.Noreply:myvoicewaslostinthemidstofthecavernousechoeswhichalonerepliedtomycall. Ibegantofeeluneasy.Ashudderranthroughme. "Calmly!"Isaidaloudtomyself,"Iamsuretofindmycompanionsagain.Therearenottworoads.Iwastoofarahead.Iwillreturn!" ForhalfanhourIclimbedup.Ilistenedforacall,andinthatdenseatmosphereavoicecouldreachveryfar. Buttherewasadrearysilenceinallthatlonggallery.Istopped.IcouldnotbelievethatIwaslost. Iwasonlybewilderedforatime,notlost.IwassureIshouldfindmywayagain. "Come,"Irepeated,"sincethereisbutoneroad,andtheyareonit,Imustfindthemagain.Ihavebuttoascendstill. Unless,indeed,missingme,andsupposingmetobebehind,theytooshouldhavegoneback. ButeveninthiscaseIhaveonlytomakethegreaterhaste.Ishallfindthem,Iamsure." Irepeatedthesewordsinthefaintertonesofahalf–convincedman.Besides,toassociateevensuchsimpleideaswithwords,andreasonwiththem,wasaworkoftime. Adoubtthenseizeduponme.WasIindeedinadvancewhenwebecameseparated?Yes,tobesureIwas.Hanswasafterme,precedingmyuncle. Hehadevenstoppedforawhiletostraphisbaggagebetteroverhisshoulders.Icouldrememberthislittleincident. ItwasatthatverymomentthatImusthavegoneon. Besides,Ithought,havenotIaguaranteethatIshallnotlosemyway,aclueinthelabyrinth,thatcannotbebroken,myfaithfulstream?Ihavebuttotraceitback,andImustcomeuponthem. Thisconclusionrevivedmyspirits,andIresolvedtoresumemymarchwithoutlossoftime. HowIthenblessedmyuncle'sforesightinpreventingthehunterfromstoppinguptheholeinthegranite. Thisbeneficentspring,afterhavingsatisfiedourthirstontheroad,wouldnowbemyguideamongthewindingsoftheterrestrialcrust. BeforestartingafreshIthoughtawashwoulddomegood.IstoopedtobathemyfaceintheHansbach. Tomystupefactionandutterdismaymyfeettrodonly–theroughdrygranite.Thestreamwasnolongeratmyfeet. 
