It
shakes me at once with laughter and recollected terror when I recall it.
"WELL, HELLO YOU!" he called out in a voice of such stentorian power that
we jumped as at a thunderclap. The effect on the strange brute was
electric. A film shot across the big eyes, he leaped into the air,
uttering a squeak that was ridiculous, coming from an animal of such size
and strength, and instantly disappeared, tumbling down the steps.
But we were as much frightened as the ugly monster himself. We stared at
Edmund, speechless in our amazement. Never could I have believed it
possible for such a voice to issue from the human throat. It was not the
voice of our friend, nor the voice of a man at all, but an indescribable
clangor; and the words I have quoted had been scarcely distinguishable,
so shattered were they by the crash of sound that whirled them into our
astonished ears. Edmund, seeing us gaping in speechless wonder, laughed
with such an appearance of hearty enjoyment as I had never known him to
exhibit--and his merriment produced another thunderous explosion that
shook the air.
Then the truth burst upon me, and I exclaimed:
"It's the atmosphere!"
I had not spoken very loudly, but the words seemed to reverberate in my
mouth, as if to testify to the correctness of my explanation.
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