Thenextday,March22,atsixo'clockinthemorning,preparationsfordeparturebegan. Thelastgleamsoftwilightweremeltingintonight.Thecoldwasbrisk. Theconstellationswereglitteringwithstartlingintensity. ThewonderfulSouthernCross,polarstaroftheAntarcticregions,twinkledatitszenith. Thethermometermarked–12°centigrade,andafreshbreezeleftasharpnipintheair. Icefloeswereincreasingovertheopenwater. Theseawasstartingtocongealeverywhere. Numerousblackishpatcheswerespreadingoveritssurface,announcingtheimminentformationoffreshice. Obviouslythissouthernmostbasinfrozeoverduringitssix–monthwinterandbecameutterlyinaccessible. Whathappenedtothewhalesduringthisperiod? NodoubttheywentbeneaththeIceBanktofindmorefeasibleseas. Asforsealsandwalruses,theywereaccustomedtolivingintheharshestclimatesandstayedonintheseicywaterways. Theseanimalsknowbyinstincthowtogougeholesintheicefieldsandkeepthemcontinuallyopen;theygototheseholestobreathe. Oncethebirdshavemigratednorthwardtoescapethecold,thesemarinemammalsremainassolelordsofthepolarcontinent. MeanwhiletheballasttanksfilledwithwaterandtheNautilussankslowly.Atadepthof1,000feet,itstopped. Itspropellerchurnedthewavesanditheadedduenorthataspeedoffifteenmilesperhour. NeartheafternoonitwasalreadycruisingundertheimmensefrozencarapaceoftheIceBank. Asaprecaution,thepanelsintheloungestayedclosed,becausetheNautilus'shullcouldrunafoulofsomesubmergedblockofice. SoIspentthedayputtingmynotesintofinalform. Mymindwascompletelywrappedupinmymemoriesofthepole. Wehadreachedthatinaccessiblespotwithoutfacingexhaustionordanger,asifourseagoingpassengercarriagehadglidedthereonrailroadtracks. Andnowwehadactuallystartedourreturnjourney. Diditstillhavecomparablesurprisesinstoreforme? Ifeltsureitdid,soinexhaustibleisthisseriesofunderwaterwonders! Asitwas,inthefiveandahalfmonthssincefatehadbroughtusonboard,wehadcleared14,000leagues,andoverthistracklongerthantheearth'sequator,somanyfascinatingorfrighteningincidentshadbeguiledourvoyage:thathuntingtripintheCrespoforests,ourrunningagroundintheTorresStrait,thecoralcemetery,thepearlfisheriesofCeylon,theArabictunnel,thefiresofSantorini,thosemillionsintheBayofVigo,Atlantis,theSouthPole! Duringthenightallthesememoriescrossedoverfromonedreamtothenext,notgivingmybrainamoment'srest. Atthreeo'clockinthemorning,Iwasawakenedbyaviolentcollision. Isatupinbed,listeninginthedarkness,andthenwassuddenlyhurledintothemiddleofmystateroom. ApparentlytheNautilushadgoneaground,thenheeledoversharply. Leaningagainstthewalls,Idraggedmyselfdownthegangwaystothelounge,whoseceilinglightswereon.Thefurniturehadbeenknockedover. Fortunatelytheglasscasesweresolidlysecuredatthebaseandhadstoodfast. Sincewewerenolongervertical,thestarboardpicturesweregluedtothetapestries,whilethosetoporthadtheirloweredgeshangingafootawayfromthewall. SotheNautiluswaslyingonitsstarboardside,completelystationarytoboot. InitsinteriorIheardthesoundoffootstepsandmuffledvoices.ButCaptainNemodidn'tappear.JustasIwasabouttoleavethelounge,NedLandandConseilentered. "Whathappened?"Iinstantlysaidtothem. "IcametoaskMasterthat,"Conseilreplied. "Damnation!"theCanadianexclaimed."Iknowfullwellwhathappened! TheNautilushasgoneaground,andjudgingfromthewayit'slisting,Idon'tthinkit'llpullthroughlikethatfirsttimeintheTorresStrait." "But,"Iasked,"areweatleastbackonthesurfaceofthesea?" "Wehavenoidea,"Conseilreplied. "It'seasytofindout,"Ianswered. Iconsultedthepressuregauge.Muchtomysurprise,itindicatedadepthof360meters. "What'sthemeaningofthis?"Iexclaimed. "WemustconferwithCaptainNemo,"Conseilsaid. "Butwheredowefindhim?"NedLandasked. "Followme,"Itoldmytwocompanions. Weleftthelounge.Nobodyinthelibrary. Nobodybythecentralcompanionwayorthecrew'squarters. IassumedthatCaptainNemowasstationedinthepilothouse.Besttowait.Thethreeofusreturnedtothelounge. I'llskipovertheCanadian'scomplaints.Hehadgoodgroundsforanoutburst.Ididn'tanswerhimback,lettinghimblowoffallthesteamhewanted. Wehadbeenlefttoourselvesfortwentyminutes,tryingtodetectthetiniestnoisesinsidetheNautilus,whenCaptainNemoentered.Hedidn'tseemtoseeus. Hisfacialfeatures,usuallysoemotionless,revealedacertainuneasiness. Hestudiedthecompassandpressuregaugeinsilence,thenwentandputhisfingerontheworldmapataspotinthesectordepictingthesouthernmostseas. Ihesitatedtointerrupthim.Butsomemomentslater,whenheturnedtome,IthrewbackathimaphrasehehadusedintheTorresStrait: "No,sir,"hereplied,"thistimeanaccident." "Isthereanyimmediatedanger?" "TheNautilushasrunaground?" "Andthisaccidentcameabout...?" "Throughnature'sunpredictabilitynotman'sincapacity. Noerrorswerecommittedinourmaneuvers. Nevertheless,wecan'tpreventalossofbalancefromtakingitstoll. Onemaydefyhumanlaws,butnoonecanwithstandthelawsofnature." CaptainNemohadpickedanoddtimetophilosophize.Allinall,thisreplytoldmenothing. "MayIlearn,sir,"Iaskedhim,"whatcausedthisaccident?" "Anenormousblockofice,anentiremountain,hastoppledover,"heansweredme. "Whenanicebergiserodedatthebasebywarmerwatersorbyrepeatedcollisions,itscenterofgravityrises. Thenitsomersaults,itturnscompletelyupsidedown.That'swhathappenedhere. Whenitoverturned,oneoftheseblockshittheNautilusasitwascruisingunderthewaters. Slidingunderourhull,thisblockthenraiseduswithirresistiblepower,liftingusintolesscongestedstratawherewenowlieonourside." "Butcan'twefloattheNautilusclearbyemptyingitsballasttanks,toregainourbalance?" "That,sir,isbeingdonerightnow.Youcanhearthepumpsworking. Lookattheneedleonthepressuregauge. ItindicatesthattheNautilusisrising,butthisblockoficeisrisingwithus,anduntilsomeobstaclehaltsitsupwardmovement,ourpositionwon'tchange." Indeed,theNautiluskeptthesameheeltostarboard. Nodoubtitwouldstraightenuponcetheblockcametoahalt. Butbeforethathappened,whoknewifwemightnothittheunderbellyoftheIceBankandbehideouslysqueezedbetweentwofrozensurfaces? Imusedonalltheconsequencesofthissituation. CaptainNemodidn'tstopstudyingthepressuregauge. Sincethetopplingofthisiceberg,theNautilushadrisenabout150feet,butitstillstayedatthesameangletotheperpendicular. Suddenlyaslightmovementcouldbefeltoverthehull. ObviouslytheNautiluswasstraighteningabit. Objectshangingintheloungewerevisiblyreturningtotheirnormalpositions. Thewallswereapproachingthevertical.Nobodysaidaword. Heartspounding,wecouldseeandfeeltheshiprightingitself. Thefloorwasbecominghorizontalbeneathourfeet.Tenminuteswentby. "Finally,we'reupright!"Iexclaimed. "Yes,"CaptainNemosaid,headingtotheloungedoor. "Butwillwefloatoff?"Iaskedhim. "Certainly,"hereplied,"sincetheballasttanksaren'tyetempty,andwhentheyare,theNautilusmustrisetothesurfaceofthesea." Thecaptainwentout,andsoonIsawthatathisorders,theNautilushadhalteditsupwardmovement. Infact,itsoonwouldhavehittheunderbellyoftheIceBank,butithadstoppedintimeandwasfloatinginmidwater. "Thatwasaclosecall!"Conseilthensaid. "Yes.Wecouldhavebeencrushedbetweenthesemassesofice,oratleastimprisonedbetweenthem.Andthen,withnowaytorenewourairsupply....Yes,thatwasaclosecall!" "Ifit'soverwith!"NedLandmuttered. IwasunwillingtogetintoapointlessargumentwiththeCanadiananddidn'treply.Moreover,thepanelsopenedjustthen,andtheoutsidelightburstthroughtheuncoveredwindows. Wewerefullyafloat,asIhavesaid;butonbothsidesoftheNautilus,abouttenmetersaway,thererosedazzlingwallsofice.Therealsowerewallsaboveandbelow. Above,becausetheIceBank'sunderbellyspreadoveruslikeanimmenseceiling. Below,becausethesomersaultingblock,shiftinglittlebylittle,hadfoundpointsofpurchaseonbothsidewallsandhadgottenjammedbetweenthem. TheNautiluswasimprisonedinagenuinetunneloficeabouttwentymeterswideandfilledwithquietwater. Sotheshipcouldeasilyexitbygoingeitheraheadorastern,sinkingafewhundredmetersdeeper,andthentakinganopenpassagewaybeneaththeIceBank. Theceilinglightswereoff,yettheloungewasstillbrightlylit. Thiswasduetothereflectingpowerofthewallsofice,whichthrewthebeamsofourbeaconrightbackatus. Wordscannotdescribetheeffectsproducedbyourgalvanicraysonthesehuge,whimsicallysculptedblocks,whoseeveryangle,ridge,andfacetgaveoffadifferentglowdependingonthenatureoftheveinsrunninginsidetheice. Itwasadazzlingmineofgems,inparticularsapphiresandemeralds,whosejetsofblueandgreencrisscrossed. Hereandthere,opalinehuesofinfinitesubtletyracedamongsparksoflightthatwerelikesomanyfierydiamonds,theirbrilliancemorethananyeyecouldstand. Thepowerofourbeaconwasincreasedahundredfold,likealampshiningthroughthebiconvexlensesofaworld–classlighthouse. "Howbeautiful!"Conseilexclaimed. "Yes,"Isaid,"it'sawonderfulsight!Isn'tit,Ned?" "Ohdamnation,yes!"NedLandshotback."It'ssuperb!I'mfuriousthatIhavetoadmitit.Nobodyhaseverseenthelike.Butthissightcouldcostusdearly. Andinallhonesty,Ithinkwe'relookingatthingsGodneverintendedforhumaneyes." Nedwasright.Itwastoobeautiful.AllatonceayellfromConseilmademeturnaround. "Mastermustclosehiseyes!Mastermustn'tlook!" Withthat,Conseilclappedhishandsoverhiseyes. "I'vebeendazzled,struckblind!" Involuntarilymyeyesflewtothewindow,butIcouldn'tstandthefiredevouringit. Irealizedwhathadhappened.TheNautilushadjuststartedoffatgreatspeed. Allthetranquilglimmersoftheicewallshadthenchangedintoblazingstreaks. Thesparklesfromthesemyriadsofdiamondsweremergingwitheachother. Sweptalongbyitspropeller,theNautiluswastravelingthroughasheathofflashinglight. Thenthepanelsintheloungeclosed.Wekeptourhandsoveroureyes,whichwereutterlysaturatedwiththoseconcentricgleamsthatswirlbeforetheretinawhensunlightstrikesittoointensely. Ittooksometimetocalmourtroubledvision. Finallyweloweredourhands. "Yegods,Ineverwouldhavebelievedit,"Conseilsaid. "AndIstilldon'tbelieveit!"theCanadianshotback. "Whenwereturntoshore,jadedfromallthesenaturalwonders,"Conseiladded,"thinkhowwe'lllookdownonthosepitifullandmasses,thosepunyworksofman! No,thecivilizedworldwon'tbegoodenoughforus!" SuchwordsfromthelipsofthisemotionlessFlemishboyshowedthatourenthusiasmwasneartheboilingpoint.ButtheCanadiandidn'tfailtothrowhisdramofcoldwateroverus. "Thecivilizedworld!"hesaid,shakinghishead."Don'tworry,Conseilmyfriend,we'renevergoingbacktothatworld!" Bythispointitwasfiveo'clockinthemorning. JustthentherewasacollisionintheNautilus'sbow. Irealizedthatitsspurhadjustbumpedablockofice. Itmusthavebeenafaultymaneuverbecausethisunderwatertunnelwasobstructedbysuchblocksanddidn'tmakeforeasynavigating. SoIhadassumedthatCaptainNemo,inadjustinghiscourse,wouldgoaroundeachobstacleorwouldhugthewallsandfollowthewindingsofthetunnel. Ineithercaseourforwardmotionwouldn'treceiveanabsolutecheck. Nevertheless,contrarytomyexpectations,theNautilusdefinitelybegantomovebackward. "We'regoingastern?"Conseilsaid. "Yes,"Ireplied."Apparentlythetunnelhasnowayoutatthisend." "So,"Isaid,"ourmaneuversarequitesimple.We'llreturninourtracksandgooutthesouthernopening.That'sall." AsIspoke,ItriedtosoundmoreconfidentthanIreallyfelt.MeanwhiletheNautilusaccelerateditsbackwardmovement,andrunningwithpropellerinreverse,itsweptusalongatgreatspeed. "This'llmeanadelay,"Nedsaid. "Whatareafewhoursmoreorless,solongaswegetout." "Yes,"NedLandrepeated,"solongaswegetout!" Istrolledforalittlewhilefromtheloungeintothelibrary. Mycompanionskepttheirseatsanddidn'tmove. SoonIthrewmyselfdownonacouchandpickedupabook,whichmyeyesskimmedmechanically. Aquarterofanhourlater,Conseilapproachedme,saying: "Isitdeeplyfascinating,thisvolumeMasterisreading?" "Tremendouslyfascinating,"Ireplied. "Ibelieveit.Masterisreadinghisownbook!" Indeed,myhandswereholdingmyownworkonthegreatoceandepths.Ihadn'tevensuspected.Iclosedthebookandresumedmystrolling.NedandConseilstooduptoleave. "Stayhere,myfriends,"Isaid,stoppingthem."Let'sstaytogetheruntilwe'reoutofthisblindalley." "AsMasterwishes,"Conseilreplied. Thehourspassed.Ioftenstudiedtheinstrumentshangingontheloungewall. ThepressuregaugeindicatedthattheNautilusstayedataconstantdepthof300meters,thecompassthatitkeptheadingsouth,thelogthatitwastravelingataspeedoftwentymilesperhour,anexcessivespeedinsuchacrampedarea. ButCaptainNemoknewthatbythispointtherewasnosuchthingastoofast,sinceminuteswerenowworthcenturies. At8:25asecondcollisiontookplace.Thistimeastern.Igrewpale.Mycompanionscameover.IclutchedConseil'shand. Oureyesquestionedeachother,andmoredirectlythanifourthoughtshadbeentranslatedintowords. Justthenthecaptainenteredthelounge.Iwenttohim. "Ourpathisbarredtothesouth?"Iaskedhim. "Yes,sir.Whenitoverturned,thaticebergclosedoffeveryexit." 
