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WhenIcametomyself,Iwasstretchedinhalfdarkness,coveredwiththickcoatsandblankets.
Myunclewaswatchingoverme,todiscovertheleastsignoflife.
Atmyfirstsighhetookmyhand;whenIopenedmyeyesheutteredacryofjoy.
"Helives!helives!"hecried.
"Yes,Iamstillalive,"Iansweredfeebly.
"Mydearnephew,"saidmyuncle,pressingmetohisbreast,"youaresaved."
Iwasdeeplytouchedwiththetendernessofhismannerasheutteredthesewords,andstillmorewiththecarewithwhichhewatchedoverme.
ButsuchtrialswerewantedtobringouttheProfessor'stendererqualities.
AtthismomentHanscame,hesawmyhandinmyuncle's,andImaysafelysaythattherewasjoyinhiscountenance.
"Goddag,"saidhe.
"Howdoyoudo,Hans?Howareyou?Andnow,uncle,tellmewhereweareatthepresentmoment?"
"To–morrow,Axel,to–morrow.Nowyouaretoofaintandweak.Ihavebandagedyourheadwithcompresseswhichmustnotbedisturbed.Sleepnow,andto–morrowIwilltellyouall."
"Butdotellmewhattimeitis,andwhatday."
"ItisSunday,the8thofAugust,anditistenatnight.Youmustaskmenomorequestionsuntilthe10th."
IntruthIwasveryweak,andmyeyesinvoluntarilyclosed.
Iwantedagoodnight'srest;andIthereforewentofftosleep,withtheknowledgethatIhadbeenfourlongdaysaloneintheheartoftheearth.
Nextmorning,onawakening,Ilookedroundme.
Mycouch,madeupofallourtravellinggear,wasinacharminggrotto,adornedwithsplendidstalactites,andthesoilofwhichwasafinesand.Itwashalflight.
Therewasnotorch,nolamp,yetcertainmysteriousglimpsesoflightcamefromwithoutthroughanarrowopeninginthegrotto.
Iheardtooavagueandindistinctnoise,somethinglikethemurmuringofwavesbreakinguponashinglyshore,andattimesIseemedtohearthewhistlingofwind.
IwonderedwhetherIwasawake,whetherIdreaming,whethermybrain,crazedbymyfall,wasnotaffectedbyimaginarynoises.Yetneithereyes,norearscouldbesoutterlydeceived.
Itisarayofdaylight,Ithought,slidinginthroughthiscleftintherock!Thatisindeedthemurmuringofwaves!Thatistherustlingnoiseofwind.
AmIquitemistaken,orhavewereturnedtothesurfaceoftheearth?
Hasmyunclegivenuptheexpedition,orisithappilyterminated?
IwasaskingmyselftheseunanswerablequestionswhentheProfessorentered.
"Goodmorning,Axel,"hecriedcheerily."Ifeelsureyouarebetter."
"Yes,Iamindeed,"saidI,sittinguponmycouch.
"Youcanhardlyfailtobebetter,foryouhavesleptquietly.HansandIwatchedyoubyturns,andwehavenoticedyouwereevidentlyrecovering."
"Indeed,Idofeelagreatdealbetter,andIwillgiveyouaproofofthatpresentlyifyouwillletmehavemybreakfast."
"Youshalleat,lad.Thefeverhasleftyou.
HansrubbedyourwoundswithsomeointmentorotherofwhichtheIcelanderskeepthesecret,andtheyhavehealedmarvellously.Ourhunterisasplendidfellow!"
Whilsthewentontalking,myunclepreparedafewprovisions,whichIdevouredeagerly,notwithstandinghisadvicetothecontrary.
AllthewhileIwasoverwhelminghimwithquestionswhichheansweredreadily.
Ithenlearntthatmyprovidentialfallhadbroughtmeexactlytotheextremityofanalmostperpendicularshaft;andasIhadlandedinthemidstofanaccompanyingtorrentofstones,theleastofwhichwouldhavebeenenoughtocrushme,theconclusionwasthatalooseportionoftherockhadcomedownwithme.
Thisfrightfulconveyancehadthuscarriedmeintothearmsofmyuncle,whereIfellbruised,bleeding,andinsensible.
"Trulyitiswonderfulthatyouhavenotbeenkilledahundredtimesover.But,fortheloveofGod,don'tletuseverseparateagain,orwemanyneverseeeachothermore."
"Notseparate!Isthejourneynotover,then?"Iopenedapairofastonishedeyes,whichimmediatelycalledforthequestion:
"Whatisthematter,Axel?"
"Ihaveaquestiontoaskyou.YousaythatIamsafeandsound?"
"Nodoubtyouare."
"Andallmylimbsunbroken?"
"Certainly."
"Andmyhead?"
"Yourhead,exceptforafewbruises,isallright;anditisonyourshoulders,whereitoughttobe."
"Well,Iamafraidmybrainisaffected."
"Yourmindaffected!"
"Yes,Ifearso.Areweagainonthesurfaceoftheglobe?"
"No,certainlynot."
"ThenImustbemad;fordon'tIseethelightofday,anddon'tIhearthewindblowing,andtheseabreakingontheshore?"
"Ah!isthatall?"
"Dotellmeallaboutit."
"Ican'texplaintheinexplicable,butyouwillsoonseeandunderstandthatgeologyhasnotyetlearntallithastolearn."
"Thenletusgo,"Iansweredquickly.
"No,Axel;theopenairmightbebadforyou."
"Openair?"
"Yes;thewindisratherstrong.Youmustnotexposeyourself."
"ButIassureyouIamperfectlywell."
"Alittlepatience,mynephew.Arelapsemightgetusintotrouble,andwehavenotimetolose,forthevoyagemaybealongone."
"Thevoyage!"
"Yes,restto–day,andto–morrowwewillsetsail."
"Setsail!"–andIalmostleapedup.
Whatdiditallmean?Hadweariver,alake,aseatodependupon?Wasthereashipatourdisposalinsomeundergroundharbour?
Mycuriositywashighlyexcited,myunclevainlytriedtorestrainme.Whenhesawthatmyimpatiencewasdoingmeharm,heyielded.
Idressedinhaste.ForgreatersafetyIwrappedmyselfinablanket,andcameoutofthegrotto.
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