"They are smoking there," muttered Ahmet, who was in advance of his companions. But no one was smoking.
Suddenly the postillion was heard calling out in front. Then the loud cracking of his whip succeeded. He could not manage the horses, which darted forward, and the chaise was dragged away at a tremendous pace.
The pedestrians halted in consternation. The whole plain presented a most terrifying aspect. In fact the flames had been communicated by one cone to another, and they exploded successively with great violence, like immense displays of fireworks.
Now the immense illumination quite filled the plain. In the weird light appeared hundreds of great cones vomiting fire, the gas from which burned in the midst of liquid ejected matter; some cones flared with the sinister gleams of petroleum, others were coloured diversely by the presence of sulphur, pyrites, or carbonate of iron.
All the time deep growling sounds were audible, and the travellers were afraid lest the earth should open, and form an immense crater under the pressure of so much eruptive matter.
There was indeed imminent danger. Instinctively Kéraban and his companions separated, so as to diminish the danger of a common destruction. But they did not stop—they passed on more rapidly: it was absolutely necessary to traverse the dangerous zone as quickly as possible. The way, well lighted, appeared practicable. So, winding in and out amongst the cones, they traversed the fiery steppe.
"Come on—come on," cried Ahmet.
The others did not answer him, but they complied. Each one hurried in the direction which the chaise had taken, but they could not perceive it. On the horizon night reigned darkly, and there it was evident the zone of fire terminated.
Suddenly a tremendous explosion burst out in the road itself. A jet of flame rose from a great heap, which erupted the ground in an instant.
Kéraban was knocked down, and his companions could perceive him struggling through the flame. What would become of him if they did not go to his assistance?
