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Consequently,above,below,andaroundtheNautilus,therewereimpenetrablefrozenwalls.WeweretheIceBank'sprisoners!
TheCanadianbangedatablewithhisfearsomefist.Conseilkeptstill.Istaredatthecaptain.
Hisfacehadresumeditsusualemotionlessness.Hecrossedhisarms.Hepondered.TheNautilusdidnotstir.
Thecaptainthenbrokeintospeech:
"Gentlemen,"hesaidinacalmvoice,"therearetwowaysofdyingundertheconditionsinwhichwe'replaced."
Thisinexplicableindividualactedlikeamathematicsprofessorworkingoutaproblemforhispupils.
"Thefirstway,"hewenton,"isdeathbycrushing.Thesecondisdeathbyasphyxiation.
Idon'tmentionthepossibilityofdeathbystarvationbecausetheNautilus'sprovisionswillcertainlylastlongerthanwewill.
Therefore,let'sconcentrateonourchancesofbeingcrushedorasphyxiated."
"Asforasphyxiation,Captain,"Ireplied,"thatisn'tacauseforalarm,becausetheairtanksarefull."
"True,"CaptainNemowenton,"butthey'llsupplyairforonlytwodays.
Nowthen,we'vebeenburiedbeneaththewatersforthirty–sixhours,andtheNautilus'sheavyatmospherealreadyneedsrenewing.
Inanotherforty–eighthours,ourreserveairwillbeusedup."
"Wellthen,Captain,let'sfreeourselveswithinforty–eighthours!"
"We'lltrytoatleast,bycuttingthroughoneofthesewallssurroundingus."
"Whichone?"Iasked.
"Boringswilltellusthat.I'mgoingtogroundtheNautilusonthelowershelf,thenmymenwillputontheirdivingsuitsandattackthethinnestoftheseicewalls."
"Canthepanelsintheloungebeleftopen?"
"Withoutilleffect.We'renolongerinmotion."
CaptainNemowentout.Hissingsoundssoontoldmethatwaterwasbeingadmittedintotheballasttanks.
TheNautilusslowlysettledandrestedontheicybottomatadepthof350meters,thedepthatwhichthelowershelfoficelaysubmerged.
"Myfriends,"Isaid,"we'reinaseriouspredicament,butI'mcountingonyourcourageandenergy."
"Sir,"theCanadianreplied,"thisisnotimetoboreyouwithmycomplaints.I'mreadytodoanythingIcanforthecommongood."
"Excellent,Ned,"Isaid,extendingmyhandtotheCanadian.
"Imightadd,"hewenton,"thatI'mashandywithapickasaharpoon.IfIcanbehelpfultothecaptain,hecanusemeanywayhewants."
"Hewon'tturndownyourassistance.Comealong,Ned."
IledtheCanadiantotheroomwheretheNautilus'smenwereputtingontheirdivingsuits.
IinformedthecaptainofNed'sproposition,whichwaspromptlyaccepted.
TheCanadiangotintohisunderwatercostumeandwasreadyassoonashisfellowworkers.
EachofthemcarriedonhisbackaRouquayroldevicethattheairtankshadsuppliedwithagenerousallowanceoffreshoxygen.
AconsiderablebutnecessarydrainontheNautilus'sreserves.
AsfortheRuhmkorfflamps,theywereunnecessaryinthemidstofthesebrilliantwaterssaturatedwithourelectricrays.
AfterNedwasdressed,Ireenteredthelounge,whosewindowshadbeenuncovered;stationednexttoConseil,IexaminedthestratasurroundingandsupportingtheNautilus.
Somemomentslater,wesawadozencrewmensetfootontheshelfofice,amongthemNedLand,easilyrecognizedbyhistallfigure.CaptainNemowaswiththem.
Beforediggingintotheice,thecaptainhadtoobtainborings,toinsureworkinginthebestdirection.
Longboresweredrivenintothesidewalls;butafterfifteenmeters,theinstrumentswerestillimpededbythethicknessofthosewalls.
ItwasfutiletoattacktheceilingsincethatsurfacewastheIceBankitself,morethan400metershigh.
CaptainNemothenboredintothelowersurface.
Therewewereseparatedfromtheseabyaten–meterbarrier.That'showthicktheicebergwas.
Fromthispointon,itwasanissueofcuttingoutapieceequalinsurfaceareatotheNautilus'swaterline.
Thismeantdetachingabout6,500cubicmeters,todigaholethroughwhichtheshipcoulddescendbelowthistractofice.
Workbeganimmediatelyandwascarriedonwithtirelesstenacity.
InsteadofdiggingallaroundtheNautilus,whichwouldhaveentailedevengreaterdifficulties,CaptainNemohadanimmensetrenchoutlinedontheice,eightmetersfromourportquarter.
Thenhismensimultaneouslystakeditoffatseveralpointsarounditscircumference.
Soontheirpickswerevigorouslyattackingthiscompactmatter,andhugechunkswereloosenedfromitsmass.
Thesechunksweighedlessthanthewater,andbyanunusualeffectofspecificgravity,eachchunktookwing,asitwere,totheroofofthetunnel,whichthickenedabovebyasmuchasitdiminishedbelow.
Butthishardlymatteredsolongasthelowersurfacekeptgrowingthinner.
Aftertwohoursofenergeticwork,NedLandreentered,exhausted.Heandhiscompanionswerereplacedbynewworkmen,includingConseilandme.TheNautilus'schiefofficersupervisedus.
Thewaterstruckmeasunusuallycold,butIwarmeduppromptlywhilewieldingmypick.Mymovementswerequitefree,althoughtheywereexecutedunderapressureofthirtyatmospheres.
Aftertwohoursofwork,reenteringtosnatchsomefoodandrest,IfoundanoticeabledifferencebetweenthecleanelasticfluidsuppliedmebytheRouquayroldeviceandtheNautilus'satmosphere,whichwasalreadychargedwithcarbondioxide.
Theairhadn'tbeenrenewedinforty–eighthours,anditslife–givingqualitieswereconsiderablyweakened.
Meanwhile,aftertwelvehourshadgoneby,wehadremovedfromtheoutlinedsurfaceareaasliceoficeonlyonemeterthick,henceabout600cubicmeters.
Assumingthesameworkwouldbeaccomplishedeverytwelvehours,itwouldstilltakefivenightsandfourdaystoseetheundertakingthroughtocompletion.
"Fivenightsandfourdays!"Itoldmycompanions."Andwehaveoxygenintheairtanksforonlytwodays."
"Withouttakingintoaccount,"Nedanswered,"thatoncewe'reoutofthisdamnedprison,we'llstillbecoopedupbeneaththeIceBank,withoutanypossiblecontactwiththeopenair!"
Anaptremark.Forwhocouldpredicttheminimumtimewewouldneedtofreeourselves?
BeforetheNautiluscouldreturntothesurfaceofthewaves,couldn'twealldieofasphyxiation?
Werethisshipandeveryoneonboarddoomedtoperishinthistombofice?Itwasadreadfulstateofaffairs.
Butwefacedithead–on,eachoneofusdeterminedtodohisdutytotheend.
Duringthenight,inlinewithmyforecasts,anewone–meterslicewasremovedfromthisimmensesocket.
Butinthemorning,wearingmydivingsuit,Iwascrossingthroughtheliquidmassinatemperatureof–6°to–7°centigrade,whenInotedthatlittlebylittlethesidewallswereclosinginoneachother.
Theliquidstratafarthestfromthetrench,notwarmedbythemovementsofworkmenandtools,wereshowingatendencytosolidify.
Inthefaceofthisimminentnewdanger,whatwouldhappentoourchancesforsalvation,andhowcouldwepreventthisliquidmediumfromsolidifying,thencrackingtheNautilus'shulllikeglass?
Ididn'ttellmytwocompanionsaboutthisnewdanger.
Therewasnopointindampeningtheenergytheywereputtingintoourarduousrescuework.
ButwhenIreturnedonboard,ImentionedthisseriouscomplicationtoCaptainNemo.
"Iknow,"hetoldmeinthatcalmtonethemostdreadfuloutlookcouldn'tchange.
"It'sonemoredanger,butIdon'tknowanywayofwardingitoff.
Oursolechanceforsalvationistoworkfasterthanthewatersolidifies.
We'vegottogettherefirst,that'sall."
Gettherefirst!BythenIshouldhavebeenusedtothistypeoftalk!
Forseveralhoursthatday,Iwieldedmypickdoggedly.Theworkkeptmegoing.
Besides,workingmeantleavingtheNautilus,whichmeantbreathingthecleanoxygendrawnfromtheairtanksandsuppliedbyourequipment,whichmeantleavingthethin,foulairbehind.
Neareveningonemoremeterhadbeendugfromthetrench.
WhenIreturnedonboard,Iwaswellnighasphyxiatedbythecarbondioxidesaturatingtheair.
Oh,ifonlywehadthechemicalmethodsthatwouldenableustodriveoutthisnoxiousgas!Therewasnolackofoxygen.
Allthiswatercontainedaconsiderableamount,andafteritwasdecomposedbyourpowerfulbatteries,thislife–givingelasticfluidcouldhavebeenrestoredtous.
Ihadthoughtitallout,buttonoavailbecausethecarbondioxideproducedbyourbreathingpermeatedeverypartoftheship.
Toabsorbit,wewouldneedtofillcontainerswithpotassiumhydroxideandshakethemcontinually.
Butthissubstancewasmissingonboardandnothingelsecouldreplaceit.
ThateveningCaptainNemowasforcedtoopenthespigotsofhisairtanksandshootafewspoutsoffreshoxygenthroughtheNautilus'sinterior.
Withoutthisprecautionwewouldn'thaveawakenedthefollowingmorning.
Thenextday,March26,Ireturnedtomyminer'strade,workingtoremovethefifthmeter.
TheIceBank'ssidewallsandunderbellyhadvisiblythickened.
ObviouslytheywouldcometogetherbeforetheNautiluscouldbreakfree.
ForaninstantIwasgrippedbydespair.Mypicknearlyslippedfrommyhands.
WhatwasthepointofthisdiggingifIwastodiesmotheredandcrushedbythiswaterturningtostone,atortureundreamedofbyeventhewildestsavages!
IfeltlikeIwaslyinginthejawsofafearsomemonster,jawsirresistiblyclosing.
Supervisingourwork,workinghimself,CaptainNemopassednearmejustthen.
Itouchedhimwithmyhandandpointedtothewallsofourprison.
ThestarboardwallhadmovedforwardtoapointlessthanfourmetersfromtheNautilus'shull.
Thecaptainunderstoodandgavemeasignaltofollowhim.Wereturnedonboard.Mydivingsuitremoved,Iwentwithhimtothelounge.
"ProfessorAronnax,"hetoldme,"thiscallsforheroicmeasures,orwe'llbesealedupinthissolidifiedwaterasifitwerecement."
"Yes!"Isaid."Butwhatcanwedo?"
"Oh,"heexclaimed,"ifonlymyNautiluswerestrongenoughtostandthatmuchpressurewithoutbeingcrushed!"
"Well?"Iasked,notcatchingthecaptain'smeaning.
"Don'tyouunderstand,"hewenton,"thatthecongealingofthiswatercouldcometoourrescue?
Don'tyouseethatbysolidifying,itcouldburstthesetractsoficeimprisoningus,justasitsfreezingcanburstthehardeststones?
Aren'tyouawarethatthisforcecouldbetheinstrumentofoursalvationratherthanourdestruction?"
"Yes,Captain,maybeso.ButwhateverresistancetocrushingtheNautilusmayhave,itstillcouldn'tstandsuchdreadfulpressures,anditwouldbesquashedasflatasapieceofsheetiron."
"Iknowit,sir.Sowecan'trelyonnaturetorescueus,onlyourownefforts.Wemustcounteractthissolidification.Wemustholditincheck.
Notonlyarethesidewallsclosingin,buttherearen'ttenfeetofwateraheadorasternoftheNautilus.
Allaroundus,thisfreezeisgainingfast."
"Howlong,"Iasked,"willtheoxygenintheairtanksenableustobreatheonboard?"
Thecaptainlookedmestraightintheeye.
"Aftertomorrow,"hesaid,"theairtankswillbeempty!"
Ibrokeoutinacoldsweat.ButwhyshouldIhavebeenstartledbythisreply?
OnMarch22theNautilushaddivedundertheopenwatersatthepole.Itwasnowthe26th.
Wehadlivedofftheship'sstoresforfivedays!
Andallremainingbreathableairhadtobesavedfortheworkmen.
EventodayasIwritetheselines,mysensationsaresointensethataninvoluntaryterrorsweepsoverme,andmylungsstillseemshortofair!
Meanwhile,motionlessandsilent,CaptainNemostoodlostinthought.Anideavisiblycrossedhismind.Butheseemedtobrushitaside.Hetoldhimselfno.Atlastthesewordsescapedhislips:
"Boilingwater!"hemuttered.
"Boilingwater?"Iexclaimed.
"Yes,sir.We'reshutupinarelativelyconfinedarea.
IftheNautilus'spumpscontinuallyinjectedstreamsofboilingwaterintothisspace,wouldn'tthatraiseitstemperatureanddelayitsfreezing?"
"It'sworthtrying!"Isaidresolutely.
"Solet'stryit,Professor."
Bythenthethermometergave–7°centigradeoutside.
CaptainNemoledmetothegalleywhereahugedistillingmechanismwasatwork,supplyingdrinkingwaterviaevaporation.
Themechanismwasloadedwithwater,andthefullelectricheatofourbatterieswasthrownintocoilsawashinliquid.
Inafewminutesthewaterreached100°centigrade.
Itwassenttothepumpswhilenewwaterreplaceditintheprocess.
Theheatgeneratedbyourbatterieswassointensethataftersimplygoingthroughthemechanism,waterdrawncoldfromtheseaarrivedboilinghotatthebodyofthepump.
Thesteamingwaterwasinjectedintotheicywateroutside,andafterthreehourshadpassed,thethermometergavetheexteriortemperatureas–6°centigrade.Thatwasonedegreegained.
Twohourslaterthethermometergaveonly–4°.
AfterImonitoredtheoperation'sprogress,double–checkingitwithmanyinspections,Itoldthecaptain,"It'sworking."
"Ithinkso,"heansweredme."We'veescapedbeingcrushed.Nowwehaveonlyasphyxiationtofear."
Duringthenightthewatertemperatureroseto–1°centigrade.
Theinjectionscouldn'tgetittogoasingledegreehigher.
Butsincesaltwaterfreezesonlyat–2°,Iwasfinallyassuredthattherewasnodangerofitsolidifying.
Bythenextday,March27,sixmetersoficehadbeentornfromthesocket.
Onlyfourmeterswerelefttoberemoved.
Thatstillmeantforty–eighthoursofwork.
Theaircouldn'tberenewedintheNautilus'sinterior.
Accordingly,thatdayitkeptgettingworse.
Anunbearableheavinessweighedmedown.
Nearthreeo'clockintheafternoon,thisagonizingsensationaffectedmetoanintensedegree.Yawnsdislocatedmyjaws.
Mylungsweregaspingintheirquestforthatenkindlingelasticfluidrequiredforbreathing,nowgrowingscarcerandscarcer.Mymindwasinadaze.
Ilayoutstretched,strengthgone,nearlyunconscious.
MygallantConseilfeltthesamesymptoms,sufferedthesamesufferings,yetneverleftmyside.
Heheldmyhand,hekeptencouragingme,andIevenheardhimmutter:
"Oh,ifonlyIdidn'thavetobreathe,toleavemoreairforMaster!"
Itbroughttearstomyeyestohearhimsaythesewords.
Sinceconditionsinsidewereuniversallyunbearable,howeagerly,howhappily,weputonourdivingsuitstotakeourturnsworking!Picksrangoutonthatbedofice.
Armsgrewweary,handswererubbedraw,butwhocaredaboutexhaustion,whatdifferencewerewounds?Life–sustainingairreachedourlungs!Wecouldbreathe!Wecouldbreathe!
Andyetnobodyprolongedhisunderwaterworkbeyondthetimeallottedhim.
Hisshiftover,eachmansurrenderedtoagaspingcompaniontheairtankthatwouldrevivehim.
CaptainNemosettheexampleandwasforemostinsubmittingtothisstrictdiscipline.
Whenhistimewasup,heyieldedhisequipmenttoanotherandreenteredthefoulaironboard,alwayscalm,unflinching,anduncomplaining.
Thatdaytheusualworkwasaccomplishedwithevengreaterenergy.
Overthewholesurfacearea,onlytwometerswerelefttoberemoved.
Onlytwometersseparatedusfromtheopensea.
Buttheship'sairtankswerenearlyempty.
Thelittleairthatremainedhadtobesavedfortheworkmen.NotanatomfortheNautilus!
WhenIreturnedonboard,Ifelthalfsuffocated.Whatanight!I'munabletodepictit.Suchsufferingsareindescribable.ThenextdayIwasshort–winded.
Headachesandstaggeringfitsofdizzinessmademereellikeadrunk.
Mycompanionswereexperiencingthesamesymptoms.Somecrewmenwereattheirlastgasp.
Thatday,thesixthofourimprisonment,CaptainNemoconcludedthatpicksandmattocksweretooslowtodealwiththeicelayerstillseparatingusfromopenwater—andhedecidedtocrushthislayer.
Themanhadkepthisenergyandcomposure.
Hehadsubduedphysicalpainwithmoralstrength.Hecouldstillthink,plan,andact.
Athisordersthecraftwaseasedoff,inotherwords,itwasraisedfromitsicybedbyachangeinitsspecificgravity.
Whenitwasafloat,thecrewtowedit,leadingitrightabovetheimmensetrenchoutlinedtomatchtheship'swaterline.
Nexttheballasttanksfilledwithwater,theboatsank,andwasfittedintoitssocket.
Justthenthewholecrewreturnedonboard,andthedoubleoutsidedoorwasclosed.
BythispointtheNautiluswasrestingonabedoficeonlyonemeterthickanddrilledbyboresinathousandplaces.
Thestopcocksoftheballasttankswerethenopenedwide,and100cubicmetersofwaterrushedin,increasingtheNautilus'sweightby100,000kilograms.
Wewaited,welistened,weforgotoursufferings,wehopedoncemore.Wehadstakedoursalvationonthisonelastgamble.
Despitethebuzzinginmyhead,IsooncouldhearvibrationsundertheNautilus'shull.Wetilted.
Theicecrackedwithanoddrippingsound,likepapertearing,andtheNautilusbegansettlingdownward.
"We'regoingthrough!"Conseilmutteredinmyear.
Icouldn'tanswerhim.Iclutchedhishand.Isqueezeditinaninvoluntaryconvulsion.
Allatonce,carriedawaybyitsfrightfulexcessload,theNautilussankintothewaterslikeacannonball,inotherwords,droppingasifinavacuum!
Ourfullelectricpowerwasthenputonthepumps,whichinstantlybegantoexpelwaterfromtheballasttanks.
Afterafewminuteswehadcheckedourfall.
Thepressuregaugesoonindicatedanascendingmovement.
Broughttofullspeed,thepropellermadethesheet–ironhulltrembledowntoitsrivets,andwespednorthward.
ButhowlongwouldittaketonavigateundertheIceBanktotheopensea?Anotherday?Iwouldbedeadfirst!
Halflyingonacouchinthelibrary,Iwassuffocating.
Myfacewaspurple,mylipsblue,myfacultiesinabeyance.Icouldnolongerseeorhear.Ihadlostallsenseoftime.Mymuscleshadnopowertocontract.
I'munabletoestimatethehoursthatpassedinthisway.ButIwasawarethatmydeaththroeshadbegun.IrealizedthatIwasabouttodie...
SuddenlyIregainedconsciousness.Afewwhiffsofairhadenteredmylungs.Hadwerisentothesurfaceofthewaves?HadweclearedtheIceBank?
No!NedandConseil,mytwogallantfriends,weresacrificingthemselvestosaveme.
AfewatomsofairwerestillleftinthedepthsofoneRouquayroldevice.
Insteadofbreathingitthemselves,theyhadsaveditforme,andwhiletheyweresuffocating,theypouredlifeintomedropbydrop!Itriedtopushthedeviceaway.
Theyheldmyhands,andforafewmomentsIcouldbreatheluxuriously.
Myeyesflewtowardtheclock.Itwaseleveninthemorning.IthadtobeMarch28.TheNautiluswastravelingatthefrightfulspeedoffortymilesperhour.Itwaswrithinginthewaters.
WherewasCaptainNemo?Hadheperished?Hadhiscompanionsdiedwithhim?
Justthenthepressuregaugeindicatedwewerenomorethantwentyfeetfromthesurface.Separatingusfromtheopenairwasameretractofice.Couldwebreakthroughit?
Perhaps!InanyeventtheNautiluswasgoingtotry.
Infact,Icouldfeelitassuminganobliqueposition,loweringitssternandraisingitsspur.
Theadmissionofadditionalwaterwasenoughtoshiftitsbalance.
Then,drivenbyitspowerfulpropeller,itattackedthisicefieldfrombelowlikeafearsomebatteringram.
Itsplitthebarrierlittlebylittle,backingup,thenputtingonfullspeedagainstthepuncturedtractofice;andfinally,carriedawaybyitssuprememomentum,itlungedthroughandontothisfrozensurface,crushingtheicebeneathitsweight.
Thehatcheswereopened—ortornoff,ifyouprefer—andwavesofcleanairwereadmittedintoeverypartoftheNautilus.
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