English
SuchistheconclusionofahistorywhichIcannotexpecteverybodytobelieve,forsomepeoplewillbelievenothingagainstthetestimonyoftheirownexperience.
However,Iamindifferenttotheirincredulity,andtheymaybelieveasmuchoraslittleastheyplease.
TheStromboliotesreceiveduskindlyasshipwreckedmariners.Theygaveusfoodandclothing.
Afterwaitingforty–eighthours,onthe31stofAugust,asmallcrafttookustoMessina,whereafewdays'restcompletelyremovedtheeffectofourfatigues.
OnFriday,Septemberthe4th,weembarkedonthesteamerVolturno,employedbytheFrenchMessageriesImperiales,andinthreedaysmorewewereatMarseilles,havingnocareonourmindsexceptthatabominabledeceitfulcompass,whichwehadmislaidsomewhereandcouldnotnowexamine;butitsinexplicablebehaviourexercisedmymindfearfully.
Onthe9thofSeptember,intheevening,wearrivedatHamburg.
IcannotdescribetoyoutheastonishmentofMarthaorthejoyofGräuben.
"Nowyouareahero,Axel,"saidtomemyblushingfiancèe,mybetrothed,"youwillnotleavemeagain!"
Ilookedtenderlyuponher,andshesmiledthroughhertears.
HowcanIdescribetheextraordinarysensationproducedbythereturnofProfessorLiedenbrock?
ThankstoMartha'sineradicabletattling,thenewsthattheProfessorhadgonetodiscoverawaytothecentreoftheearthhadspreadoverthewholecivilisedworld.
Peoplerefusedtobelieveit,andwhentheysawhimtheywouldnotbelievehimanythemore.
Still,theappearanceofHans,andsundrypiecesofintelligencederivedfromIceland,tendedtoshaketheconfidenceoftheunbelievers.
Thenmyunclebecameagreatman,andIwasnowthenephewofagreatman–whichisnotaprivilegetobedespised.
Hamburggaveagrandfeteinourhonour.
ApublicaudiencewasgiventotheProfessorattheJohannaeum,atwhichhetoldallaboutourexpedition,withonlyoneomission,theunexplainedandinexplicablebehaviourofourcompass.
Onthesameday,withmuchstate,hedepositedinthearchivesofthecitythenowfamousdocumentofSaknussemm,andexpressedhisregretthatcircumstancesoverwhichhehadnocontrolhadpreventedhimfromfollowingtotheverycentreoftheearththetrackofthelearnedIcelander.
Hewasmodestnotwithstandinghisglory,andhewasallthemorefamousforhishumility.
Somuchhonourcouldnotbutexciteenvy.
Therewerethosewhoenviedhimhisfame;andashistheories,restinguponknownfacts,wereinoppositiontothesystemsofscienceuponthequestionofthecentralfire,hesustainedwithhispenandbyhisvoiceremarkablediscussionswiththelearnedofeverycountry.
FormypartIcannotagreewithhistheoryofgradualcooling:inspiteofwhatIhaveseenandfelt,Ibelieve,andalwaysshallbelieve,inthecentralheat.
ButIadmitthatcertaincircumstancesnotyetsufficientlyunderstoodmaytendtomodifyinplacestheactionofnaturalphenomena.
Whilethesequestionswerebeingdebatedwithgreatanimation,myunclemetwitharealsorrow.
OurfaithfulHans,inspiteofourentreaties,hadleftHamburg;themantowhomweowedalloursuccessandourlivestoowouldnotsufferustorewardhimaswecouldhavewished.
Hewasseizedwiththemaldepays,acomplaintforwhichwehavenotevenanameinEnglish.
"Farval,"saidheoneday;andwiththatsimplewordheleftusandsailedforRejkiavik,whichhereachedinsafety.
Wewerestronglyattachedtoourbraveeider–downhunter;thoughfarawayintheremotestnorth,hewillneverbeforgottenbythosewhoselivesheprotected,andcertainlyIshallnotfailtoendeavourtoseehimoncemorebeforeIdie.
Toconclude,Ihavetoaddthatthis'JourneyintotheInterioroftheEarth'createdawonderfulsensationintheworld.
Itwastranslatedintoallcivilisedlanguages.
Theleadingnewspapersextractedthemostinterestingpassages,whichwerecommentedupon,pickedtopieces,discussed,attacked,anddefendedwithequalenthusiasmanddetermination,bothbybelieversandsceptics.Rareprivilege!
myuncleenjoyedduringhislifetimethegloryhehaddeservedlywon;andhemayevenboastthedistinguishedhonourofanofferfromMr.Barnum,toexhibithimonmostadvantageoustermsinalltheprincipalcitiesintheUnitedStates!
Buttherewasone'deadfly'amidstallthisgloryandhonour;onefact,oneincident,ofthejourneyremainedamystery.
Nowtoamaneminentforhislearning,anunexplainedphenomenonisanunbearablehardship.Well!
itwasyetreservedformyuncletobecompletelyhappy.
Oneday,whilearrangingacollectionofmineralsinhiscabinet,Inoticedinacornerthisunhappycompass,whichwehadlonglostsightof;Iopenedit,andbegantowatchit.
Ithadbeeninthatcornerforsixmonths,littlemindfulofthetroubleitwasgiving.
Suddenly,tomyintenseastonishment,Inoticedastrangefact,andIutteredacryofsurprise.
"Whatisthematter?"myuncleasked.
"Thatcompass!"
"Well?"
"See,itspolesarereversed!"
"Reversed?"
"Yes,theypointthewrongway."
Myunclelooked,hecompared,andthehouseshookwithhistriumphantleapofexultation.
Alightbrokeinuponhisspiritandmine.
"Seethere,"hecried,assoonashewasabletospeak."AfterourarrivalatCapeSaknussemmthenorthpoleoftheneedleofthisconfoundedcompassbegantopointsouthinsteadofnorth."
"Evidently!"
"Here,then,istheexplanationofourmistake.Butwhatphenomenoncouldhavecausedthisreversalofthepoles?"
"Thereasonisevident,uncle."
"Tellme,then,Axel."
"DuringtheelectricstormontheLiedenbrocksea,thatballoffire,whichmagnetisedalltheirononboard,reversedthepolesofourmagnet!"
"Aha!aha!"shoutedtheProfessorwithaloudlaugh."Soitwasjustanelectricjoke!"
FromthatdayforththeProfessorwasthemostgloriousofsavants,andIwasthehappiestofmen;formyprettyVirlandaise,resigningherplaceasward,tookherpositionintheoldhouseontheKönigstrasseinthedoublecapacityofniecetomyuncleandwifetoacertainhappyyouth.
WhatistheneedofaddingthattheillustriousOttoLiedenbrock,correspondingmemberofallthescientific,geographical,andmineralogicalsocietiesofallthecivilisedworld,wasnowheruncleandmine?
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