t growing louder. It sounded as if in the distance
water was pouring from an open sluice.

At first the machine was worked at only half its strength. After half
an hour or so there mingled with the rushing sound a great tumult, as
if many bells were vibrating in the air. The noise did not die away;
on the contrary, the vibration grew every moment stronger.

The earth was in labor; the ground heaved and trembled, and those who
felt its throes trembled also. The earth's sufferings were shared by
her children. Only one man was calm; the master-spirit was not afraid.

With close attention Ivan watched the pendulum and the thermometer of
the machine; he marked the variations in the condition of the
barometer, the ozonometer, and electrometer, writing his observations
in his note-book. After another hour he made a sign to the man working
the machine to put on more pressure.

Thereupon arose from below a terrible uproar; it was the battle of the
Cyclops. The bowels of the earth sent up a dull roar like the rolling
of thunder; occasionally came a shock as of an earthquake. The houses
began to rock, the tops of the tall trees and the cross upon the tower
tottered, and its fall added to the anxiety felt by the entire valley.
The underground fight grew every moment fiercer; the giants joined
issue with their foes. They howled in rage; they put their gigantic
shoulders together and tried to upset the earth. To their cries was
added the bellowing of the hurricane confined in the cave, and the
tumult was indescribable.

The listeners to this fearful scene looked with a stony stare of
horror; they were speechless, but their look seemed to say, "What rash
act have you done? Are you inciting the spirits who dwell under the
earth to war against one another?"

Ivan answered with another look of calm superiority. "Fear nothing; I
have my foot upon the head of the giant."

The underground battle had lasted three hours. The people were beside
themselves with fright; they turned upon Ivan and cursed him.

"Do you think you are a God," they cried, "and can create an
earthquake?"

Ivan paid no attention either to their fears or their curses; he gave
another signal to the men at the machine--

"With the whole power!"

The machine, the outcome of the wonderful inventive genius of man,
stormed the very gates of hell itself. The underground tremblings
followed one another rapidly, growing stronger and stronger; the deep
groaning rose