Read this excerpt from Journey to the Center of the Earth. In fact, there were periods in his discourse when he would finally give up and swallow his discomfiture-in a glass of water. What is the meaning of "discomfiture"? Bad tempered or irritable Spread out over a wide number of people Having a feeling of uneasiness or embarrassment Knowing or using several languages

Answer: Having a feeling of uneasiness or embarrassment.

Explanation:

Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864) is a science fiction novel by Jules Verne. It is a story about a German professor, convinced that volcanic tubes are going towards the center of the earth.

In this particular excerpt, Harry is describing his uncle, professor Hardwigg. According to him, Hardwigg is a rather educated man, but it is sometimes very hard to understand what he is trying to say. Professor would often include complex adjectives or hardly pronounceable names in his speech, which would make him stammer. This would cause him to feel embarrassed, so he would give up speaking and have a glass of water.