Michel Ardan examined everything, and declared himself satisfied with his installation
"It is a prison," said he, "but a traveling prison; and,with the right of putting my nose to the window, I could well stand a lease of a hundred years. You smile,Barbicane. Have you any arriere-pensee? Do you say to yourself, 'This prison may be our tomb?' Tomb,perhaps; still I would not change it for Mahomet's,which floats in space but never advances an inch!
While Michel Ardan was speaking, Barbicane and Nicholl were making their last preparations.