Nextdaywestartedearly.Wehadtohastenforward.Itwasathreedays'marchtothecrossroads. Iwillnotspeakofthesufferingsweenduredinourreturn. Myuncleborethemwiththeangryimpatienceofamanobligedtoownhisweakness;Hanswiththeresignationofhispassivenature;I,Iconfess,withcomplaintsandexpressionsofdespair. Ihadnospirittoopposethisillfortune. AsIhadforetold,thewaterfailedentirelybytheendofthefirstday'sretrogrademarch. Ourfluidalimentwasnownothingbutgin;butthisinfernalfluidburnedmythroat,andIcouldnotevenendurethesightofit. Ifoundthetemperatureandtheairstifling.Fatigueparalysedmylimbs. MorethanonceIdroppeddownmotionless. Thentherewasahalt;andmyuncleandtheIcelanderdidtheirbesttorestoreme. ButIsawthattheformerwasstrugglingpainfullyagainstexcessivefatigueandthetorturesofthirst. Atlast,onTuesday,July8,wearrivedonourhandsandknees,andhalfdead,atthejunctionofthetworoads. ThereIdroppedlikealifelesslump,extendedonthelavasoil.Itwasteninthemorning. Hansandmyuncle,clingingtothewall,triedtonibbleafewbitsofbiscuit.Longmoansescapedfrommyswollenlips. Aftersometimemyuncleapproachedmeandraisedmeinhisarms. "Poorboy!"saidhe,ingenuinetonesofcompassion. Iwastouchedwiththesewords,notbeingaccustomedtoseetheexcitableProfessorinasoftenedmood.Igraspedhistremblinghandsinmine.Heletmeholdthemandlookedatme.Hiseyesweremoistened. ThenIsawhimtaketheflaskthatwashangingathisside.Tomyamazementheplaceditonmylips. HadIheardhim?Wasmyunclebesidehimself?Istaredat,himstupidly,andfeltasifIcouldnotunderstandhim. Andraisinghisflaskheemptiediteverydropbetweenmylips. Oh!infinitepleasure!aslendersipofwatercametomoistenmyburningmouth.Itwasbutonesipbutitwasenoughtorecallmyebbinglife. Ithankedmyunclewithclaspedhands. "Yes,"hesaid,"adraughtofwater;butitistheverylast–youhear!–thelast. Ihadkeptitasaprecioustreasureatthebottomofmyflask. Twentytimes,nay,ahundredtimes,haveIfoughtagainstafrightfulimpulsetodrinkitoff.Butno,Axel,Ikeptitforyou." "Mydearuncle,"Isaid,whilsthottearstrickleddownmyface. "Yes,mypoorboy,Iknewthatassoonasyouarrivedatthesecrossroadsyouwoulddrophalfdead,andIkeptmylastdropofwatertoreanimateyou." "Thankyou,thankyou,"Isaid.Althoughmythirstwasonlypartiallyquenched,yetsomestrengthhadreturned. Themusclesofmythroat,untilthencontracted,nowrelaxedagain;andtheinflammationofmylipsabatedsomewhat;andIwasnowabletospeak.. "Letussee,"Isaid,"wehavenowbutonethingtodo.Wehavenowater;wemustgoback." WhileIspokemyuncleavoidedlookingatme;hehunghisheaddown;hiseyesavoidedmine. "Wemustreturn,"Iexclaimedvehemently;"wemustgobackonourwaytoSnaefell.MayGodgiveusstrengthtoclimbupthecrateragain!" "Return!"saidmyuncle,asifhewasratheransweringhimselfthanme. "Yes,return,withoutthelossofaminute." "Sothen,Axel,"repliedtheProfessorironically,"youhavefoundnocourageorenergyinthesefewdropsofwater?" "Iseeyoujustasfeeble–mindedasyouwerebefore,andstillexpressingonlydespair!" WhatsortofamanwasthisIhadtodowith,andwhatschemeswashenowrevolvinginhisfearlessmind? "ShouldIrenouncethisexpeditionjustwhenwehavethefairestchanceofsuccess!Never!" "Thenmustweresignourselvestodestruction?" "No,Axel,no;goback.Hanswillgowithyou.Leavemetomyself!" "Leaveme,Itellyou.Ihaveundertakenthisexpedition.Iwillcarryitouttotheend,andIwillnotreturn.Go,Axel,go!" Myunclewasinhighstateofexcitement. Hisvoice,whichhadforamomentbeentenderandgentle,hadnowbecomehardandthreatening. Hewasstrugglingwithgloomyresolutionsagainstimpossibilities. Iwouldnotleavehiminthisbottomlessabyss,andontheotherhandtheinstinctofself–preservationpromptedmetofly. Theguidewatchedthisscenewithhisusualphlegmaticunconcern. Yetheunderstoodperfectlywellwhatwasgoingonbetweenhistwocompanions. Thegesturesthemselvesweresufficienttoshowthatwewereeachbentontakingadifferentroad;butHansseemedtotakenopartinaquestionuponwhichdependedhislife. Hewasreadytostartatagivensignal,ortostay,ifhismastersowilledit. HowIwishedatthismomentIcouldhavemadehimunderstandme. Mywords,mycomplaints,mysorrowwouldhavehadsomeinfluenceoverthatfrigidnature. ThosedangerswhichourguidecouldnotunderstandIcouldhavedemonstratedandprovedtohim. Togetherwemighthaveover–ruledtheobstinateProfessor;ifitwereneeded,wemightperhapshavecompelledhimtoregaintheheightsofSnaefell. IdrewneartoHans.Iplacedmyhanduponhis.Hemadenomovement.Mypartedlipssufficientlyrevealedmysufferings.TheIcelanderslowlymovedhishead,andcalmlypointingtomyunclesaid: "Master!"Ishouted;"youmadman!no,heisnotthemasterofourlife;wemustfly,wemustdraghim.Doyouhearme?Doyouunderstand?" IhadseizedHansbythearm.Iwishedtoobligehimtorise.Istrovewithhim.Myuncleinterposed. "Becalm,Axel!youwillgetnothingfromthatimmovableservant.Therefore,listentomyproposal." Icrossedmyarms,andconfrontedmyuncleboldly. "Thewantofwater,"hesaid,"istheonlyobstacleinourway. Inthiseasterngallerymadeupoflavas,schists,andcoal,wehavenotmetwithasingleparticleofmoisture. Perhapsweshallbemorefortunateifwefollowthewesterntunnel." Ishookmyheadincredulously. "Hearmetotheend,"theProfessorwentonwithafirmvoice. "Whilstyouwerelyingtheremotionless,Iwenttoexaminetheconformationofthatgallery. Itpenetratesdirectlydownward,andinafewhoursitwillbringustothegraniterocks. Therewemustmeetwithabundantsprings. Thenatureoftherockassuresmeofthis,andinstinctagreeswithlogictosupportmyconviction.Now,thisismyproposal. WhenColumbusaskedofhisships'crewsforthreedaysmoretodiscoveranewworld,thosecrews,disheartenedandsickastheywere,recognisedthejusticeoftheclaim,andhediscoveredAmerica. IamtheColumbusofthisnetherworld,andIonlyaskforonemoreday. IfinasingledayIhavenotmetwiththewaterthatwewant,Isweartoyouwewillreturntothesurfaceoftheearth." InspiteofmyirritationIwasmovedwiththesewords,aswellaswiththeviolencemyunclewasdoingtohisownwishesinmakingsohazardousaproposal. "Well,"Isaid,"doasyouwill,andGodrewardyoursuperhumanenergy.Youhavenowbutafewhourstotemptfortune.Letusstart!" 
