English
ThenextdayIwokeupwithmyheadunusuallyclear.
Muchtomysurprise,Iwasinmystateroom.
NodoubtmycompanionshadbeenputbackintheircabinwithoutnoticingitanymorethanIhad.
Likeme,theywouldhavenoideawhattookplaceduringthenight,andtounravelthismysteryIcouldcountonlyonsomefuturehappenstance.
Ithenconsideredleavingmystateroom.WasIfreeorstillaprisoner?Perfectlyfree.
Iopenedmydoor,headeddownthegangways,andclimbedthecentralcompanionway.
Hatchesthathadbeenclosedthedaybeforewerenowopen.Iarrivedontheplatform.
NedLandandConseilweretherewaitingforme.Iquestionedthem.Theyknewnothing.Lostinaheavysleepofwhichtheyhadnomemory,theywerequitestartledtobebackintheircabin.
AsfortheNautilus,itseemedastranquilandmysteriousasever.Itwascruisingonthesurfaceofthewavesatamoderatespeed.Nothingseemedtohavechangedonboard.
NedLandobservedtheseawithhispenetratingeyes.Itwasdeserted.
TheCanadiansightednothingnewonthehorizon,neithersailnorshore.
Abreezewasblowingnoisilyfromthewest,anddisheveledbythewind,longbillowsmadethesubmersiblerollverynoticeably.
Afterrenewingitsair,theNautilusstayedatanaveragedepthoffifteenmeters,enablingittoreturnquicklytothesurfaceofthewaves.
And,contrarytocustom,itexecutedsuchamaneuverseveraltimesduringthatdayofJanuary19.
Thechiefofficerwouldthenclimbontotheplatform,andhisusualphrasewouldringthroughtheship'sinterior.
AsforCaptainNemo,hedidn'tappear.Oftheothermenonboard,Isawonlymyemotionlesssteward,whoservedmewithhisusualmuteefficiency.
Neartwoo'clockIwasbusyorganizingmynotesinthelounge,whenthecaptainopenedthedoorandappeared.Ibowedtohim.
Hegavemeanalmostimperceptiblebowinreturn,withoutsayingawordtome.
Iresumedmywork,hopinghemightgivemesomeexplanationofthepreviousafternoon'sevents.Hedidnothingofthesort.Istaredathim.
Hisfacelookedexhausted;hisreddenedeyeshadn'tbeenrefreshedbysleep;hisfacialfeaturesexpressedprofoundsadness,realchagrin.
Hewalkedupanddown,satandstood,pickedupabookatrandom,discardeditimmediately,consultedhisinstrumentswithouttakinghiscustomarynotes,andseemedunabletoresteasyforaninstant.
Finallyhecameovertomeandsaid:
"Areyouaphysician,ProfessorAronnax?"
ThisinquirywassounexpectedthatIstaredathimagoodwhilewithoutreplying.
"Areyouaphysician?"herepeated."Severalofyourscientificcolleaguestooktheirdegreesinmedicine,suchasGratiolet,Moquin–Tandon,andothers."
"That'sright,"Isaid,"Iamadoctor,Iusedtobeoncallatthehospitals.Iwasinpracticeforseveralyearsbeforejoiningthemuseum."
"Excellent,sir."
MyreplyobviouslypleasedCaptainNemo.Butnotknowingwhathewasdrivingat,Iwaitedforfurtherquestions,readytoreplyascircumstancesdictated.
"ProfessorAronnax,"thecaptainsaidtome,"wouldyouconsenttogiveyourmedicalattentionstooneofmymen?"
"Someoneissick?"
"Yes."
"I'mreadytogowithyou."
"Come."
Iadmitthatmyheartwaspounding.Lordknowswhy,butIsawadefiniteconnectionbetweenthissickcrewmanandyesterday'shappenings,andthemysteryofthoseeventsconcernedmeatleastasmuchastheman'ssickness.
CaptainNemoledmetotheNautilus'ssternandinvitedmeintoacabinlocatednexttothesailors'quarters.
Onabedtherelayamansomefortyyearsold,withstronglymoldedfeatures,theveryimageofanAnglo–Saxon.
Ibentoverhim.Notonlywashesick,hewaswounded.
Swathedinblood–soakedlinen,hisheadwasrestingonafoldedpillow.
Iundidthelinenbandages,whilethewoundedmangazedwithgreatstaringeyesandletmeproceedwithoutmakingasinglecomplaint.
Itwasahorriblewound.Thecraniumhadbeensmashedopenbysomebluntinstrument,leavingthenakedbrainsexposed,andthecerebralmatterhadsuffereddeepabrasions.
Bloodclotshadformedinthisdissolvingmass,takingonthecolorofwinedregs.
Bothcontusionandconcussionofthebrainhadoccurred.
Thesickman'sbreathingwaslabored,andmusclespasmsquiveredinhisface.
Cerebralinflammationwascompleteandhadbroughtonaparalysisofmovementandsensation.
Itookthewoundedman'spulse.Itwasintermittent.
Thebody'sextremitieswerealreadygrowingcold,andIsawthatdeathwasapproachingwithoutanypossibilityofmyholdingitincheck.
Afterdressingthepoorman'swound,Iredidthelinenbandagesaroundhishead,andIturnedtoCaptainNemo.
"Howdidhegetthiswound?"Iaskedhim.
"That'snotimportant,"thecaptainrepliedevasively.
"TheNautilussufferedacollisionthatcrackedoneoftheenginelevers,anditstruckthisman.
Mychiefofficerwasstandingbesidehim.
Thismanleapedforwardtointercepttheblow.
Abrotherlaysdownhislifeforhisbrother,afriendforhisfriend,whatcouldbesimpler?
That'sthelawforeveryoneonboardtheNautilus.
Butwhat'syourdiagnosisofhiscondition?"
Ihesitatedtospeakmymind.
"Youmaytalkfreely,"thecaptaintoldme."Thismandoesn'tunderstandFrench."
Itookalastlookatthewoundedman,thenIreplied:
"Thismanwillbedeadintwohours."
"Nothingcansavehim?"
"Nothing."
CaptainNemoclenchedhisfists,andtearsslidfromhiseyes,whichIhadthoughtincapableofweeping.
ForafewmomentsmoreIobservedthedyingman,whoselifewasebbinglittlebylittle.
Hegrewstillmorepaleundertheelectriclightthatbathedhisdeathbed.
Ilookedathisintelligenthead,furrowedwithprematurewrinklesthatmisfortune,perhapsmisery,hadetchedlongbefore.
Iwashopingtodetectthesecretofhislifeinthelastwordsthatmightescapefromhislips!
"Youmaygo,ProfessorAronnax,"CaptainNemotoldme.
Ileftthecaptaininthedyingman'scabinandIrepairedtomystateroom,verymovedbythisscene.
AlldaylongIwasaquiverwithgruesomeforebodings.
ThatnightIsleptpoorly,andbetweenmyfitfuldreams,IthoughtIheardadistantmoaning,likeafuneraldirge.
Wasitaprayerforthedead,murmuredinthatlanguageIcouldn'tunderstand?
ThenextmorningIclimbedondeck.CaptainNemowasalreadythere.Assoonashesawme,hecameover.
"Professor,"hesaidtome,"woulditbeconvenientforyoutomakeanunderwaterexcursiontoday?"
"Withmycompanions?"Iasked.
"Ifthey'reagreeable."
"We'reyourstocommand,Captain."
"Thenkindlyputonyourdivingsuits."
Asforthedeadordyingman,hehadn'tcomeintothepicture.IrejoinedNedLandandConseil.
IinformedthemofCaptainNemo'sproposition.
Conseilwaseagertoaccept,andthistimetheCanadianprovedperfectlyamenabletogoingwithus.
Itwaseighto'clockinthemorning.By8:30weweresuitedupforthisnewstrollandequippedwithourtwodevicesforlightingandbreathing.
Thedoubledooropened,andaccompaniedbyCaptainNemowithadozencrewmenfollowing,wesetfootonthefirmseafloorwheretheNautiluswasresting,tenmetersdown.
Agentleslopegravitatedtoanunevenbottomwhosedepthwasaboutfifteenfathoms.
ThisbottomwascompletelydifferentfromtheoneIhadvisitedduringmyfirstexcursionunderthewatersofthePacificOcean.
HereIsawnofine–grainedsand,nounderwaterprairies,notoneopen–seaforest.
IimmediatelyrecognizedthewondrousregioninwhichCaptainNemodidthehonorsthatday.Itwasthecoralrealm.
Inthezoophytebranch,classAlcyonaria,onefindstheorderGorgonaria,whichcontainsthreegroups:seafans,isidianpolyps,andcoralpolyps.
It'sinthislastthatpreciouscoralbelongs,anunusualsubstancethat,atdifferenttimes,hasbeenclassifiedinthemineral,vegetable,andanimalkingdoms.
Medicinetotheancients,jewelrytothemoderns,itwasn'tdecisivelyplacedintheanimalkingdomuntil1694,byPeysonnelofMarseilles.
Acoralisaunitoftinyanimalsassembledoverapolyparythat'sbrittleandstonyinnature.
Thesepolypshaveauniquegeneratingmechanismthatreproducesthemviathebuddingprocess,andtheyhaveanindividualexistencewhilealsoparticipatinginacommunallife.
Hencetheyembodyasortofnaturalsocialism.
Iwasfamiliarwiththelatestresearchonthisbizarrezoophyte—whichturnstostonewhiletakingonatreeform,assomenaturalistshaveveryaptlyobserved—andnothingcouldhavebeenmorefascinatingtomethantovisitoneofthesepetrifiedforeststhatnaturehasplantedonthebottomofthesea.
WeturnedonourRuhmkorffdevicesandwentalongacoralshoalintheprocessofforming,which,giventime,willsomedaycloseoffthiswholepartoftheIndianOcean.
Ourpathwasborderedbyhopelesslytangledbushes,formedfromsnarlsofshrubsallcoveredwithlittlestar–shaped,white–streakedflowers.
Only,contrarytoplantsonshore,thesetreeformsbecomeattachedtorocksontheseafloorbyheadingfromtoptobottom.
Ourlightsproducedathousanddelightfuleffectswhileplayingoverthesebrightlycoloredboughs.
IfanciedIsawthesecylindrical,membrane–filledtubestremblingbeneaththewater'sundulations.
Iwastemptedtogathertheirfreshpetals,whichwereadornedwithdelicatetentacles,somenewlyinbloom,othersbarelyopened,whilenimblefishwithflutteringfinsbrushedpastthemlikeflocksofbirds.
Butifmyhandscamenearthemovingflowersofthesesensitive,livelycreatures,analarmwouldinstantlysoundthroughoutthecolony.
Thewhitepetalsretractedintotheirredsheaths,theflowersvanishedbeforemyeyes,andthebushchangedintoachunkofstonynipples.
Sheerchancehadplacedmeinthepresenceofthemostvaluablespecimensofthiszoophyte.
ThiscoralwastheequalofthosefishedupfromtheMediterraneanofftheBarbaryCoastortheshoresofFranceandItaly.
Withitsbrightcolors,itliveduptothosepoeticnamesofbloodflowerandbloodfoamthattheindustryconfersonitsfinestexhibits.
Coralsellsforasmuchas₣500perkilogram,andinthislocalitytheliquidstratahidenoughtomakethefortunesofawholehostofcoralfishermen.
Thisvaluablesubstanceoftenmergeswithotherpolyparies,formingcompact,hopelesslytangledunitsknownas"macciota,"andInotedsomewonderfulpinksamplesofthiscoral.
Butasthebushesshrank,thetreeformsmagnified.
Actualpetrifiedthicketsandlongalcovesfromsomefantasticschoolofarchitecturekeptopeningupbeforeoursteps.
CaptainNemoenteredbeneathadarkgallerywhosegentleslopetookustoadepthof100meters.
Thelightfromourglasscoilsproducedmagicaleffectsattimes,lingeringonthewrinkledroughnessofsomenaturalarch,orsomeoverhangsuspendedlikeachandelier,whichourlampsfleckedwithfierysparks.
Amidtheseshrubsofpreciouscoral,Iobservedotherpolypsnolessunusual:melitacoral,rainbowcoralwithjointedoutgrowths,thenafewtuftsofgenusCorallina,somegreenandothersred,actuallyatypeofseaweedencrustedwithlimestonesalts,which,afterlongdisputes,naturalistshavefinallyplacedinthevegetablekingdom.
Butasoneintellectualhasremarked,"Here,perhaps,istheactualpointwhereliferiseshumblyoutofslumberingstone,butwithoutbreakingawayfromitscrudestartingpoint."
Finally,aftertwohoursofwalking,wereachedadepthofabout300meters,inotherwords,thelowermostlimitatwhichcoralcanbegintoform.
Buthereitwasnolongersomeisolatedbushoramodestgroveoflowtimber.
Itwasanimmenseforest,hugemineralvegetation,enormouspetrifiedtreeslinkedbygarlandsofeleganthydrasfromthegenusPlumularia,thosetropicalcreepersofthesea,alldeckedoutinshadesandgleams.
Wepassedfreelyundertheirloftyboughs,lostupintheshadowsofthewaves,whileatourfeetorgan–pipecoral,stonycoral,starcoral,funguscoral,andseaanemonefromthegenusCaryophyliaformedacarpetofflowersallstrewnwithdazzlinggems.
Whatanindescribablesight!Oh,ifonlywecouldshareourfeelings!
Whywereweimprisonedbehindthesemasksofmetalandglass!
Whywereweforbiddentotalkwitheachother!
Atleastletusleadthelivesofthefishthatpopulatethisliquidelement,orbetteryet,thelivesofamphibians,whichcanspendlonghourseitheratseaoronshore,travelingthroughtheirdoubledomainastheirwhimsdictate!
MeanwhileCaptainNemohadcalledahalt.
MycompanionsandIstoppedwalking,andturningaround,Isawthecrewmenformasemicirclearoundtheirleader.
Lookingwithgreatercare,Iobservedthatfourofthemwerecarryingontheirshouldersanobjectthatwasoblonginshape.
Atthislocalitywestoodinthecenterofahugeclearingsurroundedbythetalltreeformsofthisunderwaterforest.
Ourlampscastasortofbrillianttwilightoverthearea,makinginordinatelylongshadowsontheseafloor.
Pasttheboundariesoftheclearing,thedarknessdeepenedagain,relievedonlybylittlesparklesgivenoffbythesharpcrestsofcoral.
NedLandandConseilstoodnexttome.Westared,anditdawnedonmethatIwasabouttowitnessastrangescene.
Observingtheseafloor,Isawthatitswelledatcertainpointsfromlowbulgesthatwereencrustedwithlimestonedepositsandarrangedwithasymmetrythatbetrayedthehandofman.
Inthemiddleoftheclearing,onapedestalofroughlypiledrocks,therestoodacrossofcoral,extendinglongarmsyouwouldhavethoughtweremadeofpetrifiedblood.
AtasignalfromCaptainNemo,oneofhismensteppedforwardand,afewfeetfromthiscross,detachedamattockfromhisbeltandbegantodigahole.
Ifinallyunderstood!Thisclearingwasacemetery,thisholeagrave,thatoblongobjectthebodyofthemanwhomusthavediedduringthenight!
CaptainNemoandhismenhadcometoburytheircompanioninthiscommunalrestingplaceontheinaccessibleoceanfloor!
No!Mymindwasreelingasneverbefore!Neverhadideasofsuchimpactracedthroughmybrain!Ididn'twanttoseewhatmyeyessaw!
Meanwhilethegravediggingwentslowly.
Fishfledhereandthereastheirretreatwasdisturbed.
Iheardthepickringingonthelimestonesoil,itsirontipsometimesgivingoffsparkswhenithitastraypieceofflintontheseabottom.
Theholegrewlonger,wider,andsoonwasdeepenoughtoreceivethebody.
Thenthepallbearersapproached.Wrappedinwhitefabricmadefromfilamentsofthefanmussel,thebodywasloweredintoitswaterygrave.
CaptainNemo,armscrossedoverhischest,kneltinapostureofprayer,asdidallthefriendsofhimwhohadlovedthem....MytwocompanionsandIbowedreverently.
Thegravewasthencoveredoverwiththerubbledugfromtheseafloor,anditformedalowmound.
Whenthiswasdone,CaptainNemoandhismenstoodup;thentheyallapproachedthegrave,sankagainonbendedknee,andextendedtheirhandsinasignoffinalfarewell....
ThenthefuneralpartywentbackupthepathtotheNautilus,returningbeneaththearchesoftheforest,throughthethickets,alongthecoralbushes,goingsteadilyhigher.
Finallytheship'sraysappeared.TheirluminoustrailguidedustotheNautilus.Byoneo'clockwehadreturned.
Afterchangingclothes,Iclimbedontotheplatform,andinthegripofdreadfullyobsessivethoughts,Isatnexttothebeacon.
CaptainNemorejoinedme.Istoodupandsaidtohim:
"So,asIpredicted,thatmandiedduringthenight?"
"Yes,ProfessorAronnax,"CaptainNemoreplied.
"Andnowherestsbesidehiscompanionsinthatcoralcemetery?"
"Yes,forgottenbytheworldbutnotbyus!Wedigthegraves,thenentrustthepolypswithsealingawayourdeadforeternity!"
Andwithasuddengesture,thecaptainhidhisfaceinhisclenchedfists,vainlytryingtoholdbackasob.Thenheadded:
"Thereliesourpeacefulcemetery,hundredsoffeetbeneaththesurfaceofthewaves!"
"Atleast,captain,yourdeadcansleepserenelythere,outofthereachofsharks!"
"Yes,sir,"CaptainNemorepliedsolemnly,"ofsharksandmen!"
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