d the striking character of the portrait at the time; the
square shoulders; the back like a regular trapezoid, its longer side
formed by that geometrical shoulder line; the robust neck; the
enormous spheroidal head. The eyes at the least emotion, burned with
fire, while above them were the heavy, permanently contracted brows,
which signified such energy. The hair was short and crisp, with a
glitter as of metal in its lights. The huge breast rose and fell like
a blacksmith's forge; and the thighs, the arms and hands, were worthy
of the mighty body. The narrow beard was the same also, with the
smooth shaven cheeks which showed the powerful muscles of the jaw.

And this was Robur the Conqueror, who now stood before me, who
revealed himself to me, hurling forth his name like a threat, within
his own impenetrable fortress!

Let me recall briefly the facts which had previously drawn upon Robur
the Conqueror the attention of the entire world. The Weldon Institute
was a club devoted to aeronautics under the presidency of one of the
chief personages of Philadelphia, commonly called Uncle Prudent. Its
secretary was Mr. Phillip Evans. The members of the Institute were
devoted to the theory of the "lighter than air" machine; and under
their two leaders were constructing an enormous dirigible balloon,
the "Go-Ahead."

At a meeting in which they were discussing the details of the
construction of their balloon, this unknown Robur had suddenly
appeared and, ridiculing all their plans, had insisted that the only
true solution of flight lay with the heavier than air machines, and
that he had proven this by constructing one.

He was in this turn doubted and ridiculed by the members of the club,
who called him in mockery Robur the Conqueror. In the tumult that
followed, revolver shots were fired; and the intruder disappeared.

That same night he had by force abducted the president and the
secretary of the club, and had taken them, much against their will
upon a voyage in the wonderful air-ship, the "Albatross," which he
had constructed. He meant thus to prove to them beyond argument the
correctness of his assertions. This ship, a hundred feet long, was
upheld in the air by a large number of horizontal screws and was
driven forward by vertical screws at its bow and stern. It was
managed by a crew of at least half a dozen men, who seemed absolutely
devoted to their leader, Robur.

After a voyage almost completely around the world, Mr.