English
Thenextday,November9,Iwokeuponlyafteralong,twelve–hourslumber.
Conseil,acreatureofhabit,cametoask"howmaster'snightwent,"andtoofferhisservices.
HehadlefthisCanadianfriendsleepinglikeamanwhohadneverdoneanythingelse.
Iletthegallantladbabbleashepleased,withoutgivinghimmuchinthewayofareply.
IwasconcernedaboutCaptainNemo'sabsenceduringoursessionthepreviousafternoon,andIhopedtoseehimagaintoday.
SoonIhadputonmyclothes,whichwerewovenfromstrandsofseashelltissue.
MorethanoncetheircompositionprovokedcommentsfromConseil.
Iinformedhimthattheyweremadefromthesmooth,silkenfilamentswithwhichthefanmussel,atypeofseashellquiteabundantalongMediterraneanbeaches,attachesitselftorocks.
Inoldentimes,finefabrics,stockings,andglovesweremadefromsuchfilaments,becausetheywerebothverysoftandverywarm.
SotheNautilus'screwcoulddressthemselvesatlittlecost,withoutneedingathingfromcottongrowers,sheep,orsilkwormsonshore.
AssoonasIwasdressed,Imademywaytothemainlounge.Itwasdeserted.
Idoveintostudyingtheconchologicaltreasuresamassedinsidetheglasscases.
Ialsoinvestigatedthehugeplantalbumsthatwerefilledwiththerarestmarineherbs,which,althoughtheywerepressedanddried,stillkepttheirwonderfulcolors.
Amongthesevaluablewaterplants,Inotedvariousseaweed:someCladostephusverticillatus,peacock'stails,fig–leafedcaulerpa,grain–bearingbeautybushes,delicaterosetangletintedscarlet,seacolanderarrangedintofanshapes,mermaid'scupsthatlookedlikethecapsofsquatmushroomsandforyearshadbeenclassifiedamongthezoophytes;inshort,acompleteseriesofalgae.
TheentiredaypassedwithoutmybeinghonoredbyavisitfromCaptainNemo.Thepanelsintheloungedidn'topen.Perhapstheydidn'twantustogettiredofthesebeautifulthings.
TheNautiluskepttoaneast–northeasterlyheading,aspeedoftwelvemilesperhour,andadepthbetweenfiftyandsixtymeters.
Nextday,November10:thesameneglect,thesamesolitude.Ididn'tseeasoulfromthecrew.
NedandConseilspentthebetterpartofthedaywithme.
Theywereastonishedatthecaptain'sinexplicableabsence.Wasthiseccentricmanill?
Didhewanttochangehisplansconcerningus?
Butafterall,asConseilnoted,weenjoyedcompletefreedom,weweredaintilyandabundantlyfed.
Ourhosthadkepttothetermsofhisagreement.
Wecouldn'tcomplain,andmoreovertheveryuniquenessofoursituationhadsuchgenerousrewardsinstoreforus,wehadnogroundsforcriticism.
ThatdayIstartedmydiaryoftheseadventures,whichhasenabledmetonarratethemwiththemostscrupulousaccuracy;andoneodddetail:Iwroteitonpapermanufacturedfrommarineeelgrass.
EarlyinthemorningonNovember11,freshairpouredthroughtheNautilus'sinterior,informingmethatwehadreturnedtothesurfaceoftheoceantorenewouroxygensupply.
Iheadedforthecentralcompanionwayandclimbedontotheplatform.
Itwassixo'clock.Ifoundtheweatherovercast,theseagraybutcalm.Hardlyabillow.
IhopedtoencounterCaptainNemothere—wouldhecome?
Isawonlythehelmsmanimprisonedinhisglass–windowedpilothouse.
Seatedontheledgefurnishedbythehulloftheskiff,Iinhaledthesea'ssaltyaromawithgreatpleasure.
Littlebylittle,themistsweredispersedundertheactionofthesun'srays.
Theradiantorbclearedtheeasternhorizon.
Underitsgaze,theseacaughtonfirelikeatrailofgunpowder.
Scatteredonhigh,thecloudswerecoloredinbright,wonderfullyshadedhues,andnumerous"ladyfingers"*warnedofdaylongwinds.
*Author'sNote:"Ladyfingers"aresmall,thin,whitecloudswithraggededges.
ButwhatweremerewindstothisNautilus,whichnostormscouldintimidate!
SoIwasmarvelingatthisdelightfulsunrise,solife–givingandcheerful,whenIheardsomeoneclimbingontotheplatform.
IwaspreparedtogreetCaptainNemo,butitwashischiefofficerwhoappeared—whomIhadalreadymetduringourfirstvisitwiththecaptain.
Headvancedovertheplatform,notseemingtonoticemypresence.
Apowerfulspyglasstohiseye,hescrutinizedeverypointofthehorizonwiththeutmostcare.
Then,hisexaminationover,heapproachedthehatchandpronouncedaphrasewhoseexactwordingfollowsbelow.
Irememberitbecause,everymorning,itwasrepeatedunderthesamecircumstances.Itranlikethis:
"Nautronrespoclornivirch."
WhatitmeantIwasunabletosay.
Thesewordspronounced,thechiefofficerwentbelowagain.
IthoughttheNautiluswasabouttoresumeitsunderwaternavigating.
SoIwentdownthehatchandbackthroughthegangwaystomystateroom.
Fivedayspassedinthiswaywithnochangeinoursituation.EverymorningIclimbedontotheplatform.Thesamephrasewaspronouncedbythesameindividual.CaptainNemodidnotappear.
Iwaspursuingthepolicythatwehadseenthelastofhim,whenonNovember16,whilereenteringmystateroomwithNedandConseil,Ifoundanoteaddressedtomeonthetable.
Iopeneditimpatiently.Itwaswritteninascriptthatwasclearandneatbutabit"OldEnglish"instyle,itscharactersremindingmeofGermancalligraphy.
Thenotewaswordedasfollows:
ProfessorAronnax
AboardtheNautilus
November16,1867
CaptainNemoinvitesProfessorAronnaxonahuntingtripthatwilltakeplacetomorrowmorninginhisCrespoIslandforests.
Hehopesnothingwillpreventtheprofessorfromattending,andhelooksforwardwithpleasuretotheprofessor'scompanionsjoininghim.
CAPTAINNEMO,
CommanderoftheNautilus.
"Ahuntingtrip!"Nedexclaimed.
"AndinhisforestsonCrespoIsland!"Conseiladded.
"Butdoesthismeantheoldboygoesashore?"NedLandwenton.
"Thatseemstobethegistofit,"Isaid,rereadingtheletter.
"Well,we'vegottoaccept!"theCanadiananswered."Oncewe'reonsolidground,we'llfigureoutacourseofaction.Besides,itwouldn'tpainmetoeatacoupleslicesoffreshvenison!"
WithouttryingtoreconcilethecontradictionsbetweenCaptainNemo'sprofessedhorrorofcontinentsorislandsandhisinvitationtogohuntinginaforest,Iwascontenttoreply:
"Firstlet'slookintothisCrespoIsland."
Iconsultedtheworldmap;andinlatitude32°40'northandlongitude167°50'west,Ifoundanisletthathadbeendiscoveredin1801byCaptainCrespo,whicholdSpanishchartscalledRoccadelaPlata,inotherwords,"SilverRock."
Sowewereabout1,800milesfromourstartingpoint,andbyaslightchangeofheading,theNautiluswasbringingusbacktowardthesoutheast.
Ishowedmycompanionsthissmall,strayrockinthemiddleofthenorthPacific.
"IfCaptainNemodoessometimesgoashore,"Itoldthem,"atleastheonlypicksdesertislands!"
NedLandshookhisheadwithoutreplying;thenheandConseilleftme.Aftersupperwasservedmebythemuteandemotionlesssteward,Ifellasleep;butnotwithoutsomeanxieties.
WhenIwokeupthenextday,November17,IsensedthattheNautiluswascompletelymotionless.Idressedhurriedlyandenteredthemainlounge.
CaptainNemowastherewaitingforme.Hestoodup,bowed,andaskedifitsuitedmetocomealong.
Sincehemadenoallusiontohisabsencethepasteightdays,Ialsorefrainedfrommentioningit,andIsimplyansweredthatmycompanionsandIwerereadytogowithhim.
"Only,sir,"Iadded,"I'lltakethelibertyofaddressingaquestiontoyou."
"Addressaway,ProfessorAronnax,andifI'mabletoanswer,Iwill."
"Wellthen,Captain,howisitthatyou'veseveredalltieswiththeshore,yetyouownforestsonCrespoIsland?"
"Professor,"thecaptainansweredme,"theseforestsofminedon'tbaskintheheatandlightofthesun.
Theyaren'tfrequentedbylions,tigers,panthers,orotherquadrupeds.They'reknownonlytome.Theygrowonlyforme.
Theseforestsaren'tonland,they'reactualunderwaterforests."
"Underwaterforests!"Iexclaimed.
"Yes,professor."
"Andyou'reofferingtotakemetothem?"
"Precisely."
"Onfoot?"
"Withoutgettingyourfeetwet."
"Whilehunting?"
"Whilehunting."
"Riflesinhand?"
"Riflesinhand."
IstaredattheNautilus'scommanderwithanairanythingbutflatteringtotheman.
"Assuredly,"Isaidtomyself,"he'scontractedsomementalillness.He'shadafitthat'slastedeightdaysandisn'toverevenyet.Whatashame!Ilikedhimbettereccentricthaninsane!"
Thesethoughtswereclearlyreadableonmyface;butCaptainNemoremainedcontentwithinvitingmetofollowhim,andIdidsolikeamanresignedtotheworst.
Wearrivedatthediningroom,wherewefoundbreakfastserved.
"ProfessorAronnax,"thecaptaintoldme,"Ibegyoutosharemybreakfastwithoutformality.Wecanchatwhileweeat.
Because,althoughIpromisedyouastrollinmyforests,Imadenopledgetoarrangeforyourencounteringarestaurantthere.
Accordingly,eatyourbreakfastlikeamanwho'llprobablyeatdinneronlywhenit'sextremelylate."
Ididjusticetothismeal.Itwasmadeupofvariousfishandsomeslicesofseacucumber,thatpraiseworthyzoophyte,allgarnishedwithsuchhighlyappetizingseaweedasthePorphyralaciniataandtheLaurenciaprimafetida.
Ourbeverageconsistedofclearwatertowhich,followingthecaptain'sexample,IaddedsomedropsofafermentedliquorextractedbytheKamchatkaprocessfromtheseaweedknownbynameasRhodymeniapalmata.
AtfirstCaptainNemoatewithoutpronouncingasingleword.Thenhetoldme:
"Professor,whenIproposedthatyougohuntinginmyCrespoforests,youthoughtIwascontradictingmyself.
WhenIinformedyouthatitwasanissueofunderwaterforests,youthoughtI'dgoneinsane.
Professor,youmustnevermakesnapjudgmentsaboutyourfellowman."
"But,Captain,believeme—"
"Kindlylistentome,andyou'llseeifyouhavegroundsforaccusingmeofinsanityorself–contradiction."
"I'mallattention."
"Professor,youknowaswellasIdothatamancanliveunderwatersolongashecarrieswithhimhisownsupplyofbreathableair.
Forunderwaterworkprojects,theworkmanwearsawaterproofsuitwithhisheadimprisonedinametalcapsule,whilehereceivesairfromabovebymeansofforcepumpsandflowregulators."
"That'sthestandardequipmentforadivingsuit,"Isaid.
"Correct,butundersuchconditionsthemanhasnofreedom.
He'sattachedtoapumpthatsendshimairthroughanindia–rubberhose;it'sanactualchainthatfettershimtotheshore,andifweweretobeboundinthiswaytotheNautilus,wecouldn'tgofareither."
"Thenhowdoyoubreakfree?"Iasked.
"WeusetheRouquayrol–Denayrouzedevice,inventedbytwoofyourfellowcountrymenbutrefinedbymeformyownspecialuses,therebyenablingyoutoriskthesenewphysiologicalconditionswithoutsufferinganyorganicdisorders.
ItconsistsofatankbuiltfromheavysheetironinwhichIstoreairunderapressureoffiftyatmospheres.
Thistankisfastenedtothebackbymeansofstraps,likeasoldier'sknapsack.
Itstoppartformsaboxwheretheairisregulatedbyabellowsmechanismandcanbereleasedonlyatitspropertension.
IntheRouquayroldevicethathasbeeningeneraluse,twoindia–rubberhosesleavethisboxandfeedtoakindoftentthatimprisonstheoperator'snoseandmouth;onehoseisfortheentranceofairtobeinhaled,theotherfortheexitofairtobeexhaled,andthetongueclosesofftheformerorthelatterdependingonthebreather'sneeds.
Butinmycase,sinceIfaceconsiderablepressuresatthebottomofthesea,Ineededtoenclosemyheadinacoppersphere,likethosefoundonstandarddivingsuits,andthetwohosesforinhalationandexhalationnowfeedtothatsphere."
"That'sperfect,CaptainNemo,buttheairyoucarrymustbequicklydepleted;andonceitcontainsnomorethan15%oxygen,itbecomesunfitforbreathing."
"Surely,butasItoldyou,ProfessorAronnax,theNautilus'spumpsenablemetostoreairunderconsiderablepressure,andgiventhiscircumstance,thetankonmydivingequipmentcansupplybreathableairfornineortenhours."
"I'venomoreobjectionstoraise,"Ireplied."I'llonlyaskyou,Captain:howcanyoulightyourwayatthebottomoftheocean?"
"WiththeRuhmkorffdevice,ProfessorAronnax.
Ifthefirstiscarriedontheback,thesecondisfastenedtothebelt.
ItconsistsofaBunsenbatterythatIactivatenotwithpotassiumdichromatebutwithsodium.
Aninductioncoilgatherstheelectricitygeneratedanddirectsittoaspeciallydesignedlantern.
Inthislanternonefindsaglassspiralthatcontainsonlyaresidueofcarbondioxidegas.
Whenthedeviceisoperating,thisgasbecomesluminousandgivesoffacontinuouswhitishlight.
Thusprovidedfor,IbreatheandIsee."
"CaptainNemo,tomyeveryobjectionyougivesuchcrushinganswers,I'mafraidtoentertainasingledoubt.
However,thoughIhavenochoicebuttoacceptboththeRouquayrolandRuhmkorffdevices,I'dliketoregistersomereservationsabouttheriflewithwhichyou'llequipme."
"Butitisn'tariflethatusesgunpowder,"thecaptainreplied.
"Thenit'sanairgun?"
"Surely.HowcanImakegunpowderonmyshipwhenIhavenosaltpeter,sulfur,orcharcoal?"
"Evenso,"Ireplied,"tofireunderwaterinamediumthat's855timesdenserthanair,you'dhavetoovercomeconsiderableresistance."
"Thatdoesn'tnecessarilyfollow.TherearecertainFulton–stylegunsperfectedbytheEnglishmenPhilippe–ColesandBurley,theFrenchmanFurcy,andtheItalianLandi;they'reequippedwithaspecialsystemofairtightfasteningsandcanfireinunderwaterconditions.
ButIrepeat:havingnogunpowder,I'vereplaceditwithairathighpressure,whichisabundantlysuppliedmebytheNautilus'spumps."
"Butthisairmustbeswiftlydepleted."
"Well,inapinchcan'tmyRouquayroltanksupplymewithmore?
AllIhavetodoisdrawitfromanadhocspigot.
*Besides,ProfessorAronnax,you'llseeforyourselfthatduringtheseunderwaterhuntingtrips,wemakenogreatexpenditureofeitherairorbullets."
*Latin:aspigot"justforthatpurpose."Ed.
"Butitseemstomethatinthissemidarkness,amidthisliquidthat'ssodenseincomparisontotheatmosphere,agunshotcouldn'tcarryfarandwouldprovefatalonlywithdifficulty!"
"Onthecontrary,sir,withthisrifleeveryshotisfatal;andassoonastheanimalishit,nomatterhowlightly,itfallsasifstruckbylightning."
"Why?"
"Becausethisrifledoesn'tshootordinarybulletsbutlittleglasscapsulesinventedbytheAustrianchemistLeniebroek,andIhaveaconsiderablesupplyofthem.
Theseglasscapsulesarecoveredwithastripofsteelandweightedwithaleadbase;they'regenuinelittleLeydenjarschargedwithhigh–voltageelectricity.
Theygooffattheslightestimpact,andtheanimal,nomatterhowstrong,dropsdead.
Imightaddthatthesecapsulesarenobiggerthannumber4shot,andthechamberofanyordinaryriflecouldholdtenofthem."
"I'llquitdebating,"Ireplied,gettingupfromthetable."Andallthat'sleftisformetoshouldermyrifle.Sowhereyougo,I'llgo."
CaptainNemoledmetotheNautilus'sstern,andpassingbyNedandConseil'scabin,Isummonedmytwocompanions,whoinstantlyfollowedus.
Thenwearrivedatacelllocatedwithineasyaccessoftheengineroom;inthiscellweweretogetdressedforourstroll.
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