At that moment, night was closing in, and what could be thought on board the destroyers but that the "Terror" had been engulfed in the abyss of the cataract?
It was scarce possible that our machine had been seen when, amid the shades of night, it rose above the Horseshoe Falls, or when it winged its way high above the mountains on its route to the Great Eyrie.
With regard to my own fate, should I resolve to question Robur?
Would he consent even to appear to hear me?
Was he not content with having hurled at me his name?
Would not that name seem to him to answer everything?
That day wore away without bringing the least change to the situation.

Robur and his men continued actively at work upon the machine, which apparently needed considerable repair.

I concluded that they meant to start forth again very shortly, and to take me with them.

It would, however, have been quite possible to leave me at the bottom of the Eyrie.

There would have been no way by which I could have escaped, and there were provisions at hand sufficient to keep me alive for many days.
What I studied particularly during this period was the mental state of Robur.