English
Thisbrutallyexecutedcapturewascarriedoutwithlightningspeed.
MycompanionsandIhadnotimetocollectourselves.
Idon'tknowhowtheyfeltaboutbeingshovedinsidethisaquaticprison,butasforme,Iwasshiveringallover.Withwhomwerewedealing?
Surelywithsomenewbreedofpirates,exploitingtheseaaftertheirownfashion.
ThenarrowhatchhadbarelyclosedovermewhenIwassurroundedbyprofounddarkness.
Saturatedwiththeoutsidelight,myeyescouldn'tmakeoutathing.
Ifeltmynakedfeetclingingtothestepsofanironladder.
Forciblyseized,NedLandandConseilwerebehindme.
Atthefootoftheladder,adooropenedandinstantlyclosedbehinduswithaloudclang.
Wewerealone.Where?
Icouldn'tsay,couldbarelyevenimagine.
Allwasdarkness,butsuchutterdarknessthatafterseveralminutes,myeyeswerestillunabletocatchasingleoneofthosehazygleamsthatdriftthrougheventheblackestnights.
Meanwhile,furiousatthesegoingson,NedLandgavefreereintohisindignation.
"Damnation!"heexclaimed.
"ThesepeopleareaboutashospitableasthesavagesofNewCaledonia!
Allthat'slackingisforthemtobecannibals!
Iwouldn'tbesurprisediftheywere,butbelieveyoume,theywon'teatmewithoutmykickingupaprotest!"
"Calmyourself,Nedmyfriend,"Conseilrepliedserenely."Don'tflareupsoquickly!Wearen'tinakettleyet!"
"Inakettle,no,"theCanadianshotback,"butinanovenforsure.It'sdarkenoughforone.
LuckilymyBowieknifehasn'tleftme,andIcanstillseewellenoughtoputittouse.
*Thefirstoneofthesebanditswholaysahandonme—"
*Author'sNote:ABowieknifeisawide–bladeddaggerthatAmericansareforevercarryingaround.
"Don'tbesoirritable,Ned,"Ithentoldtheharpooner,"anddon'truinthingsforuswithpointlessviolence.
Whoknowswhethertheymightbelisteningtous?
Instead,let'strytofindoutwhereweare!"
Istartedmoving,gropingmyway.AfterfivestepsIencounteredanironwallmadeofrivetedboilerplate.
Then,turningaround,Ibumpedintoawoodentablenexttowhichseveralstoolshadbeenset.
Thefloorofthisprisonlayhiddenbeneaththick,hempenmattingthatdeadenedthesoundoffootsteps.
Itsnakedwallsdidn'trevealanytraceofadoororwindow.
Goingaroundtheoppositeway,Conseilmetupwithme,andwereturnedtothemiddleofthiscabin,whichhadtobetwentyfeetlongbytenwide.
Asforitsheight,notevenNedLand,withhisgreatstature,wasabletodetermineit.
Halfanhourhadalreadygonebywithoutoursituationchanging,whenoureyesweresuddenlyspiritedfromutterdarknessintoblindinglight.
Ourprisonlitupallatonce;inotherwords,itfilledwithluminescentmattersointensethatatfirstIcouldn'tstandthebrightnessofit.
Fromitsglareandwhiteness,Irecognizedtheelectricglowthathadplayedaroundthisunderwaterboatlikesomemagnificentphosphorescentphenomenon.
Afterinvoluntarilyclosingmyeyes,Ireopenedthemandsawthatthisluminousforcecamefromafrostedhalfglobecurvingoutofthecabin'sceiling.
"Finally!It'slightenoughtosee!"NedLandexclaimed,knifeinhand,stayingonthedefensive.
"Yes,"Ireplied,thenventuredtheoppositeview."Butasforoursituation,we'restillinthedark."
"Mastermustlearnpatience,"saidtheemotionlessConseil.
Thissuddenilluminationofourcabinenabledmetoexamineitstiniestdetails.
Itcontainedonlyatableandfivestools.
Itsinvisibledoormusthavebeenhermeticallysealed.Notasoundreachedourears.
Everythingseemeddeadinsidethisboat.
Wasitinmotion,orstationaryonthesurfaceoftheocean,orsinkingintothedepths?Icouldn'ttell.
Butthisluminousglobehadn'tbeenturnedonwithoutgoodreason.
Consequently,Ihopedthatsomecrewmenwouldsoonmakeanappearance.
Ifyouwanttoconsignpeopletooblivion,youdon'tlightuptheirdungeons.
Iwasnotmistaken.Unlockingnoisesbecameaudible,adooropened,andtwomenappeared.
Onewasshortandstocky,powerfullymuscled,broadshouldered,robustoflimbs,theheadsquat,thehairblackandluxuriant,themustacheheavy,theeyesbrightandpenetrating,andhiswholepersonalitystampedwiththatsouthern–bloodedzestthat,inFrance,typifiesthepeopleofProvence.
ThephilosopherDiderothasveryaptlyclaimedthataman'sbearingisthecluetohischaracter,andthisstockylittlemanwascertainlyalivingproofofthisclaim.
Youcouldsensethathiseverydayconversationmusthavebeenpackedwithsuchvividfiguresofspeechaspersonification,symbolism,andmisplacedmodifiers.
ButIwasneverinapositiontoverifythisbecause,aroundme,heusedonlyanoddandutterlyincomprehensibledialect.
Thesecondstrangerdeservesamoredetaileddescription.
Adiscipleofsuchcharacter–judginganatomistsasGratioletorEngelcouldhavereadthisman'sfeatureslikeanopenbook.
Withouthesitation,Iidentifiedhisdominantqualities—self–confidence,sincehisheadrearedlikeanobleman'sabovethearcformedbythelinesofhisshoulders,andhisblackeyesgazedwithicyassurance;calmness,sincehisskin,paleratherthanruddy,indicatedtranquilityofblood;energy,shownbytheswiftlyknittingmusclesofhisbrow;andfinallycourage,sincehisdeepbreathingdenotedtremendousreservesofvitality.
Imightaddthatthiswasamanofgreatpride,thathiscalm,firmgazeseemedtoreflectthinkingonanelevatedplane,andthattheharmonyofhisfacialexpressionsandbodilymovementsresultedinanoveralleffectofunquestionablecandor—accordingtothefindingsofphysiognomists,thoseanalystsoffacialcharacter.
Ifelt"involuntarilyreassured"inhispresence,andthisbodedwellforourinterview.
Whetherthisindividualwasthirty–fiveorfiftyyearsofage,Icouldnotpreciselystate.
Hewastall,hisforeheadbroad,hisnosestraight,hismouthclearlyetched,histeethmagnificent,hishandsrefined,tapered,andtouseawordfrompalmistry,highly"psychic,"inotherwords,worthyofservingaloftyandpassionatespirit.
ThismanwascertainlythemostwonderfulphysicalspecimenIhadeverencountered.
Oneunusualdetail:hiseyeswerespacedalittlefarfromeachotherandcouldinstantlytakeinnearlyaquarterofthehorizon.
Thisability—asIlaterverified—wasstrengthenedbyarangeofvisionevengreaterthanNedLand's.
Whenthisstrangerfocusedhisgazeonanobject,hiseyebrowlinesgatheredintoafrown,hisheavyeyelidsclosedaroundhispupilstocontracthishugefieldofvision,andhelooked!
Whatalook—asifhecouldmagnifyobjectsshrinkingintothedistance;asifhecouldprobeyourverysoul;asifhecouldpiercethosesheetsofwatersoopaquetooureyesandscanthedeepestseas...!
Wearingcapsmadeofsea–otterfur,andshodinsealskinfishingboots,thesetwostrangersweredressedinclothingmadefromsomeuniquefabricthatflatteredthefigureandallowedgreatfreedomofmovement.
Thetallerofthetwo—apparentlytheleaderonboard—examineduswiththegreatestcarebutwithoutpronouncingaword.
Then,turningtohiscompanion,heconversedwithhiminalanguageIdidn'trecognize.
Itwasasonorous,harmonious,flexibledialectwhosevowelsseemedtoundergoahighlyvariedaccentuation.
Theotherrepliedwithashakeoftheheadandaddedtwoorthreeutterlyincomprehensiblewords.Thenheseemedtoquestionmedirectlywithalongstare.
IrepliedinclearFrenchthatIwasn'tfamiliarwithhislanguage;buthedidn'tseemtounderstandme,andthesituationgrewratherbaffling.
"Still,mastershouldtellourstory,"Conseilsaidtome."Perhapsthesegentlemenwillgraspafewwordsofit!"
Itriedagain,tellingthetaleofouradventures,clearlyarticulatingmyeverysyllable,andnotleavingoutasingledetail.
Istatedournamesandtitles;then,inorder,IintroducedProfessorAronnax,hismanservantConseil,andMr.NedLand,harpooner.
Themanwithcalm,gentleeyeslistenedtomeserenely,evencourteously,andpaidremarkableattention.
Butnothinginhisfacialexpressionindicatedthatheunderstoodmystory.
WhenIfinished,hedidn'tpronounceasingleword.
OneresourcestillleftwastospeakEnglish.
Perhapstheywouldbefamiliarwiththisnearlyuniversallanguage.
ButIonlyknewit,asIdidtheGermanlanguage,wellenoughtoreaditfluently,notwellenoughtospeakitcorrectly.
Here,however,ouroverridingneedwastomakeourselvesunderstood.
"Comeon,it'syourturn,"Itoldtheharpooner."Overtoyou,Mr.Land.PulloutofyourbagoftricksthebestEnglisheverspokenbyanAnglo–Saxon,andtryforamorefavorableresultthanmine."
Nedneedednopersuadingandstartedourstoryalloveragain,mostofwhichIcouldfollow.
Itscontentwasthesame,buttheformdiffered.
Carriedawaybyhisvolatiletemperament,theCanadianputgreatanimationintoit.
Hecomplainedvehementlyaboutbeingimprisonedindefianceofhiscivilrights,askedbyvirtueofwhichlawhewasherebydetained,invokedwritsofhabeascorpus,threatenedtopresschargesagainstanyoneholdinghiminillegalcustody,ranted,gesticulated,shouted,andfinallyconveyedbyanexpressivegesturethatweweredyingofhunger.
Thiswasperfectlytrue,butwehadnearlyforgottenthefact.
Muchtohisamazement,theharpoonerseemednomoreintelligiblethanIhadbeen.Ourvisitorsdidn'tbataneye.
ApparentlytheywereengineerswhounderstoodthelanguagesofneithertheFrenchphysicistAragonortheEnglishphysicistFaraday.
Thoroughlybaffledaftervainlyexhaustingourphilologicalresources,Inolongerknewwhattactictopursue,whenConseiltoldme:
"Ifmasterwillauthorizeme,I'lltellthewholebusinessinGerman."
"What!YouknowGerman?"Iexclaimed.
"LikemostFlemishpeople,withallduerespecttomaster."
"Onthecontrary,myrespectisdueyou.Gotoit,myboy."
AndConseil,inhisserenevoice,describedforthethirdtimethevariousvicissitudesofourstory.
Butdespiteournarrator'sfineaccentandstylishturnsofphrase,theGermanlanguagemetwithnosuccess.
Finally,asalastresort,IhauledouteverythingIcouldrememberfrommyearlyschooldays,andItriedtonarrateouradventuresinLatin.
Cicerowouldhavepluggedhisearsandsentmetothescullery,butsomehowImanagedtopullthrough.Withthesamenegativeresult.
Thislastattemptultimatelymisfiring,thetwostrangersexchangedafewwordsintheirincomprehensiblelanguageandwithdrew,notevenfavoringuswithoneofthoseencouraginggesturesthatareusedineverycountryintheworld.Thedoorclosedagain.
"Thisisoutrageous!"NedLandshouted,explodingforthetwentiethtime."Iaskyou!
WespeakFrench,English,German,andLatintotheserogues,andneitherofthemhasthedecencytoevenanswerback!"
"Calmdown,Ned,"Itoldtheseethingharpooner."Angerwon'tgetusanywhere."
"Butprofessor,"ourirasciblecompanionwenton,"can'tyouseethatwecoulddieofhungerinthisironcage?"
"Bah!"Conseilputinphilosophically."Wecanholdoutagoodwhileyet!"
"Myfriends,"Isaid,"wemustn'tdespair.We'vegottenoutoftighterspots.Sopleasedomethefavorofwaitingabitbeforeyouformyourviewsonthecommanderandcrewofthisboat."
"Myviewsarefullyformed,"NedLandshotback."They'rerogues!"
"Ohgood!Andfromwhatcountry?"
"Roguedom!"
"MygallantNed,asyetthatcountryisn'tclearlymarkedonmapsoftheworld,butIadmitthatthenationalityofthesetwostrangersishardtomakeout!
NeitherEnglish,French,norGerman,that'sallwecansay.
ButI'mtemptedtothinkthatthecommanderandhischiefofficerwereborninthelowlatitudes.Theremustbesouthernbloodinthem.
Butastowhetherthey'reSpaniards,Turks,Arabs,orEastIndians,theirphysicalcharacteristicsdon'tgivemeenoughtogoon.
Andasfortheirspeech,it'sutterlyincomprehensible."
"That'sthenuisanceinnotknowingeverylanguage,"Conseilreplied,"orthedrawbackinnothavingoneuniversallanguage!"
"Whichwouldallgooutthewindow!"NedLandreplied.
"Don'tyousee,thesepeoplehavealanguagealltothemselves,alanguagethey'veinventedjusttocausedespairindecentpeoplewhoaskforalittledinner!
Why,ineverycountryonearth,whenyouopenyourmouth,snapyourjaws,smackyourlipsandteeth,isn'tthattheworld'smostunderstandablemessage?
FromQuebectotheTuamotuIslands,fromParistotheAntipodes,doesn'titmean:I'mhungry,givemeabitetoeat!"
"Oh,"Conseilputin,"therearesomepeoplesounintelligentbynature..."
Ashewassayingthesewords,thedooropened.Astewardentered.
*Hebroughtussomeclothes,jacketsandsailor'spants,madeoutofafabricwhosenatureIdidn'trecognize.
Ihurriedtochangeintothem,andmycompanionsfollowedsuit.
*Author'sNote:Astewardisawaiteronboardasteamer.
Meanwhileoursilentsteward,perhapsadeaf–mute,setthetableandlaidthreeplacesettings.
"There'ssomethingseriousafoot,"Conseilsaid,"anditbodeswell."
"Bah!"repliedtherancorousharpooner."Whatthedevildoyousupposetheyeataroundhere?Turtlelivers,loinofshark,dogfishsteaks?"
"We'llsoonfindout!"Conseilsaid.
Overlaidwithsilverdishcovers,variousplattershadbeenneatlypositionedonthetablecloth,andwesatdowntoeat.
Assuredly,weweredealingwithcivilizedpeople,andifithadn'tbeenforthiselectriclightfloodingoverus,IwouldhavethoughtwewereinthediningroomoftheHotelAdelphiinLiverpool,ortheGrandHotelinParis.
However,Ifeelcompelledtomentionthatbreadandwineweretotallyabsent.
Thewaterwasfreshandclear,butitwasstillwater—whichwasn'twhatNedLandhadinmind.
Amongthefoodswewereserved,Iwasabletoidentifyvariousdaintilydressedfish;butIcouldn'tmakeupmymindaboutcertainotherwiseexcellentdishes,andIcouldn'teventellwhethertheircontentsbelongedtothevegetableortheanimalkingdom.
Asforthetableware,itwaselegantandinperfecttaste.
Eachutensil,spoon,fork,knife,andplate,boreonitsreversealetterencircledbyaLatinmotto,andhereisitsexactduplicate:
MOBILISINMOBILI
N
Movingwithinthemovingelement!Itwasahighlyappropriatemottoforthisunderwatermachine,solongastheprepositioninistranslatedaswithinandnotupon.
Theletter"N"wasnodoubttheinitialofthenameofthatmystifyingindividualincommandbeneaththeseas!
NedandConseilhadnotimeforsuchmusings.
Theywerewolfingdowntheirfood,andwithoutfurtheradoIdidthesame.
BynowIfeltreassuredaboutourfate,anditseemedobviousthatourhostsdidn'tintendtoletusdieofstarvation.
Butallearthlythingscometoanend,allthingsmustpass,eventhehungerofpeoplewhohaven'teatenforfifteenhours.
Ourappetitesappeased,wefeltanurgentneedforsleep.
Anaturalreactionafterthatinterminablenightoffightingforourlives.
"Yegods,I'llsleepsoundly,"Conseilsaid.
"Me,I'moutlikealight!"NedLandreplied.
Mytwocompanionslaydownonthecabin'scarpetingandweresoondeepinslumber.
Asforme,Igaveinlessreadilytothisintenseneedforsleep.
Toomanythoughtshadpiledupinmymind,toomanyinsolublequestionshadarisen,toomanyimageswerekeepingmyeyelidsopen!Wherewerewe?
Whatstrangepowerwascarryingusalong?
Ifelt—oratleastIthoughtIdid—thesubmersiblesinkingtowardthesea'slowerstrata.Intensenightmaresbesiegedme.
Inthesemysteriousmarinesanctuaries,Ienvisionedhostsofunknownanimals,andthisunderwaterboatseemedtobeabloodrelationoftheirs:living,breathing,justasfearsome...!
Thenmymindgrewcalmer,myimaginationmeltedintohazydrowsiness,andIsoonfellintoanuneasyslumber.
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