English
Atthesewordsacoldshiverranthroughme.
YetIcontrolledmyself;Ievenresolvedtoputagoodfaceuponit.
ScientificargumentsalonecouldhaveanyweightwithProfessorLiedenbrock.
Nowthereweregoodonesagainstthepracticabilityofsuchajourney.Penetratetothecentreoftheearth!Whatnonsense!
ButIkeptmydialecticbatteryinreserveforasuitableopportunity,andIinterestedmyselfintheprospectofmydinner,whichwasnotyetforthcoming.
Itisnousetotelloftherageandimprecationsofmyunclebeforetheemptytable.
Explanationsweregiven,Marthawassetatliberty,ranofftothemarket,anddidherpartsowellthatinanhourafterwardsmyhungerwasappeased,andIwasabletoreturntothecontemplationofthegravityofthesituation.
Duringalldinnertimemyunclewasalmostmerry;heindulgedinsomeofthoselearnedjokeswhichneverdoanybodyanyharm.Dessertover,hebeckonedmeintohisstudy.
Iobeyed;hesatatoneendofhistable,Iattheother.
"Axel,"saidheverymildly;"youareaveryingeniousyoungman,youhavedonemeasplendidservice,atamomentwhen,weariedoutwiththestruggle,Iwasgoingtoabandonthecontest.WhereshouldIhavelostmyself?Nonecantell.
Never,mylad,shallIforgetit;andyoushallhaveyourshareintheglorytowhichyourdiscoverywilllead."
"Oh,come!"thoughtI,"heisinagoodway.Nowisthetimefordiscussingthatsameglory."
"Beforeallthings,"myuncleresumed,"Ienjoinyoutopreservethemostinviolablesecrecy:youunderstand?
Therearenotafewinthescientificworldwhoenvymysuccess,andmanywouldbereadytoundertakethisenterprise,towhomourreturnshouldbethefirstnewsofit."
"Doyoureallythinktherearemanypeopleboldenough?"saidI.
"Certainly;whowouldhesitatetoacquiresuchrenown?Ifthatdocumentweredivulged,awholearmyofgeologistswouldbereadytorushintothefootstepsofArneSaknussemm."
"Idon'tfeelsoverysureofthat,uncle,"Ireplied;"forwehavenoproofoftheauthenticityofthisdocument."
"What!notofthebook,insidewhichwehavediscoveredit?"
"Granted.IadmitthatSaknussemmmayhavewrittentheselines.Butdoesitfollowthathehasreallyaccomplishedsuchajourney?Andmayitnotbethatthisoldparchmentisintendedtomislead?"
Ialmostregrettedhavingutteredthislastword,whichdroppedfrommeinanunguardedmoment.
TheProfessorbenthisshaggybrows,andIfearedIhadseriouslycompromisedmyownsafety.Happilynogreatharmcameofit.
Asmileflittedacrossthelipofmyseverecompanion,andheanswered:
"Thatiswhatweshallsee."
"Ah!"saidI,ratherputout."Butdoletmeexhaustallthepossibleobjectionsagainstthisdocument."
"Speak,myboy,don'tbeafraid.Youarequiteatlibertytoexpressyouropinions.Youarenolongermynephewonly,butmycolleague.Praygoon."
"Well,inthefirstplace,IwishtoaskwhatarethisJokul,thisSneffels,andthisScartaris,nameswhichIhaveneverheardbefore?"
"Nothingeasier.Ireceivednotlongagoamapfrommyfriend,AugustusPetermann,atLiepzig.Nothingcouldbemoreapropos.
Takedownthethirdatlasinthesecondshelfinthelargebookcase,seriesZ,plate4."
Irose,andwiththehelpofsuchpreciseinstructionscouldnotfailtofindtherequiredatlas.Myuncleopeneditandsaid:
"HereisoneofthebestmapsofIceland,thatofHandersen,andIbelievethiswillsolvetheworstofourdifficulties."
Ibentoverthemap.
"Youseethisvolcanicisland,"saidtheProfessor;"observethatallthevolcanoesarecalledjokuls,awordwhichmeansglacierinIcelandic,andunderthehighlatitudeofIcelandnearlyalltheactivevolcanoesdischargethroughbedsofice.
HencethistermofjokulisappliedtoalltheeruptivemountainsinIceland."
"Verygood,"saidI;"butwhatofSneffels?"
Iwashopingthatthisquestionwouldbeunanswerable;butIwasmistaken.Myunclereplied:
"FollowmyfingeralongthewestcoastofIceland.DoyouseeRejkiavik,thecapital?Youdo.
Well;ascendtheinnumerablefiordsthatindentthosesea–beatenshores,andstopatthesixty–fifthdegreeoflatitude.Whatdoyouseethere?"
"Iseeapeninsulalookinglikeathighbonewiththekneeboneattheendofit."
"Averyfaircomparison,mylad.Nowdoyouseeanythinguponthatkneebone?"
"Yes;amountainrisingoutofthesea."
"Right.ThatisSnaefell."
"ThatSnaefell?"
"Itis.Itisamountainfivethousandfeethigh,oneofthemostremarkableintheworld,ifitscraterleadsdowntothecentreoftheearth."
"Butthatisimpossible,"Isaidshruggingmyshoulders,anddisgustedatsucharidiculoussupposition.
"Impossible?"saidtheProfessorseverely;"andwhy,pray?"
"Becausethiscraterisevidentlyfilledwithlavaandburningrocks,andtherefore–"
"Butsupposeitisanextinctvolcano?"
"Extinct?"
"Yes;thenumberofactivevolcanoesonthesurfaceoftheglobeisatthepresenttimeonlyaboutthreehundred.
Butthereisaverymuchlargernumberofextinctones.Now,Snaefellisoneofthese.
Sincehistorictimestherehasbeenbutoneeruptionofthismountain,thatof1219;fromthattimeithasquieteddownmoreand.
more,andnowitisnolongerreckonedamongactivevolcanoes."
TosuchpositivestatementsIcouldmakenoreply.Ithereforetookrefugeinotherdarkpassagesofthedocument.
"WhatisthemeaningofthiswordScartaris,andwhathavethekalendsofJulytodowithit?"
Myuncletookafewminutestoconsider.ForoneshortmomentIfeltarayofhope,speedilytobeextinguished.Forhesoonansweredthus:
"Whatisdarknesstoyouislighttome.
ThisprovestheingeniouscarewithwhichSaknussemmguardedanddefinedhisdiscovery.
Sneffels,orSnaefell,hasseveralcraters.
Itwasthereforenecessarytopointoutwhichoftheseleadstothecentreoftheglobe.WhatdidtheIcelandicsagedo?
HeobservedthatattheapproachofthekalendsofJuly,thatistosayinthelastdaysofJune,oneofthepeaks,calledScartaris,flungitsshadowdownthemouthofthatparticularcrater,andhecommittedthatfacttohisdocument.
Couldtherepossiblyhavebeenamoreexactguide?
AssoonaswehavearrivedatthesummitofSnaefellweshallhavenohesitationastotheproperroadtotake."
Decidedly,myunclehadansweredeveryoneofmyobjections.
Isawthathispositionontheoldparchmentwasimpregnable.
Ithereforeceasedtopresshimuponthatpartofthesubject,andasaboveallthingshemustbeconvinced,Ipassedontoscientificobjections,whichinmyopinionwerefarmoreserious.
"Well,then,"Isaid,"IamforcedtoadmitthatSaknussemm'ssentenceisclear,andleavesnoroomfordoubt.
Iwillevenallowthatthedocumentbearseverymarkandevidenceofauthenticity.
ThatlearnedphilosopherdidgettothebottomofSneffels,hehasseentheshadowofScartaristouchtheedgeofthecraterbeforethekalendsofJuly;hemayevenhaveheardthelegendarystoriestoldinhisdayaboutthatcraterreachingtothecentreoftheworld;butasforreachingithimself,asforperformingthejourney,andreturning,ifheeverwent,Isayno–henever,neverdidthat."
"Nowforyourreason?"saidmyuncleironically.
"Allthetheoriesofsciencedemonstratesuchafeattobeimpracticable."
"Thetheoriessaythat,dothey?"repliedtheProfessorinthetoneofameekdisciple."Oh!unpleasanttheories!Howthetheorieswillhinder.us,won'tthey?"
Isawthathewasonlylaughingatme;butIwentonallthesame.
"Yes;itisperfectlywellknownthattheinternaltemperaturerisesonedegreeforevery70feetindepth;now,admittingthisproportiontobeconstant,andtheradiusoftheearthbeingfifteenhundredleagues,theremustbeatemperatureof360,032degreesatthecentreoftheearth.
Therefore,allthesubstancesthatcomposethebodyofthisearthmustexistthereinastateofincandescentgas;forthemetalsthatmostresisttheactionofheat,gold,andplatinum,andthehardestrocks,canneverbeeithersolidorliquidundersuchatemperature.
Ihavethereforegoodreasonforaskingifitispossibletopenetratethroughsuchamedium."
"So,Axel,itistheheatthattroublesyou?"
"Ofcourseitis.Werewetoreachadepthofthirtymilesweshouldhavearrivedatthelimitoftheterrestrialcrust,fortherethetemperaturewillbemorethan2372degrees."
"Areyouafraidofbeingputintoastateoffusion?"
"Iwillleaveyoutodecidethatquestion,"Iansweredrathersullenly.
"Thisismydecision,"repliedProfessorLiedenbrock,puttingononeofhisgrandestairs.
"Neitheryounoranybodyelseknowswithanycertaintywhatisgoingonintheinteriorofthisglobe,sincenotthetwelvethousandthpartofitsradiusisknown;scienceiseminentlyperfectible;andeverynewtheoryissoonroutedbyanewer.
WasitnotalwaysbelieveduntilFourierthatthetemperatureoftheinterplanetaryspacesdecreasedperpetually?
andisitnotknownatthepresenttimethatthegreatestcoldoftheetherealregionsisneverlowerthan40degreesbelowzeroFahr.?
Whyshoulditnotbethesamewiththeinternalheat?
Whyshoulditnot,atacertaindepth,attainanimpassablelimit,insteadofrisingtosuchapointastofusethemostinfusiblemetals?"
Asmyunclewasnowtakinghisstanduponhypotheses,ofcourse,therewasnothingtobesaid.
"Well,Iwilltellyouthattruesavants,amongstthemPoisson,havedemonstratedthatifaheatof360,000degrees[1]existedintheinterioroftheglobe,thefierygasesarisingfromthefusedmatterwouldacquireanelasticforcewhichthecrustoftheearthwouldbeunabletoresist,andthatitwouldexplodeliketheplatesofaburstingboiler."
"ThatisPoisson'sopinion,myuncle,nothingmore."
"Granted.Butitislikewisethecreedadoptedbyotherdistinguishedgeologists,thattheinterioroftheglobeisneithergasnorwater,noranyoftheheaviestmineralsknown,forinnoneofthesecaseswouldtheearthweighwhatitdoes."
"Oh,withfiguresyoumayproveanything!"
"Butisitthesamewithfacts!Isitnotknownthatthenumberofvolcanoeshasdiminishedsincethefirstdaysofcreation?
andifthereiscentralheatmaywenotthenceconcludethatitisinprocessofdiminution?"
"Mygooduncle,ifyouwillenterintothelegionofspeculation,Icandiscussthematternolonger."
"ButIhavetotellyouthatthehighestnameshavecometothesupportofmyviews.Doyourememberavisitpaidtomebythecelebratedchemist,HumphryDavy,in1825?"
"Notatall,forIwasnotbornuntilnineteenyearsafterwards."
"Well,HumphryDavydidcalluponmeonhiswaythroughHamburg.
Wewerelongengagedindiscussing,amongstotherproblems,thehypothesisoftheliquidstructureoftheterrestrialnucleus.
Wewereagreedthatitcouldnotbeinaliquidstate,forareasonwhichsciencehasneverbeenabletoconfute."
[1]ThedegreesoftemperaturearegivenbyJulesVerneaccordingtothecentigradesystem,forwhichwewillineachcasesubstitutetheFahrenheitmeasurement.(Tr.)
"Whatisthatreason?"Isaid,ratherastonished.
"Becausethisliquidmasswouldbesubject,liketheocean,tothelunarattraction,andthereforetwiceeverydaytherewouldbeinternaltides,which,upheavingtheterrestrialcrust,wouldcauseperiodicalearthquakes!"
"Yetitisevidentthatthesurfaceoftheglobehasbeensubjecttotheactionoffire,"Ireplied,"anditisquitereasonabletosupposethattheexternalcrustcooleddownfirst,whilsttheheattookrefugedowntothecentre."
"Quiteamistake,"myuncleanswered."Theearthhasbeenheatedbycombustiononitssurface,thatisall.
Itssurfacewascomposedofagreatnumberofmetals,suchaspotassiumandsodium,whichhavethepeculiarpropertyofignitingatthemerecontactwithairandwater;thesemetalskindledwhentheatmosphericvapoursfellinrainuponthesoil;andbyandby,whenthewaterspenetratedintothefissuresofthecrustoftheearth,theybrokeoutintofreshcombustionwithexplosionsanderuptions.
Suchwasthecauseofthenumerousvolcanoesattheoriginoftheearth."
"Uponmyword,thisisaverycleverhypothesis,"Iexclaimed,inspiteratherofmyself.
"AndwhichHumphryDavydemonstratedtomebyasimpleexperiment.
HeformedasmallballofthemetalswhichIhavenamed,andwhichwasaveryfairrepresentationofourglobe;wheneverhecausedafinedewofraintofalluponitssurface,itheavedupintolittlemonticules,itbecameoxydizedandformedminiaturemountains;acraterbrokeopenatoneofitssummits;theeruptiontookplace,andcommunicatedtothewholeoftheballsuchaheatthatitcouldnotbeheldinthehand."
Intruth,IwasbeginningtobeshakenbytheProfessor'sarguments,besideswhichhegaveadditionalweighttothembyhisusualardourandfervententhusiasm.
"Yousee,Axel,"headded,"theconditionoftheterrestrialnucleushasgivenrisetovarioushypothesesamonggeologists;thereisnoproofatallforthisinternalheat;myopinionisthatthereisnosuchthing,itcannotbe;besidesweshallseeforourselves,and,likeArneSaknussemm,weshallknowexactlywhattoholdastruthconcerningthisgrandquestion."
"Verywell,weshallsee,"Ireplied,feelingmyselfcarriedoffbyhiscontagiousenthusiasm."Yes,weshallsee;thatis,ifitispossibletoseeanythingthere."
"Andwhynot?Maywenotdependuponelectricphenomenatogiveuslight?Maywenotevenexpectlightfromtheatmosphere,thepressureofwhichmayrenderitluminousasweapproachthecentre?"
"Yes,yes,"saidI;"thatispossible,too."
"Itiscertain,"exclaimedmyuncleinatoneoftriumph."Butsilence,doyouhearme?
silenceuponthewholesubject;andletnoonegetbeforeusinthisdesignofdiscoveringthecentreoftheearth."
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