Thewayhesaidthis,theunexpectednessofthisscene,firstthebiographyofthispatrioticship,thentheexcitementwithwhichthiseccentricindividualpronouncedtheselastwords—thenameAvengerwhosesignificancecouldnotescapeme—allthis,takentogether,hadaprofoundimpactonmymind.Myeyesneverleftthecaptain. Handsoutstretchedtowardthesea,hecontemplatedtheproudwreckwithblazingeyes. PerhapsIwouldneverlearnwhohewas,wherehecamefromorwherehewasheading,butmoreandmoreIcouldseeadistinctionbetweenthemanandthescientist. ItwasnoordinarymisanthropythatkeptCaptainNemoandhiscompanionssequesteredinsidetheNautilus'splating,butahatesomonstrousorsosublimethatthepassingyearscouldneverweakenit. Didthishatealsohungerforvengeance?Timewouldsoontell. MeanwhiletheNautilusroseslowlytothesurfaceofthesea,andIwatchedtheAvenger'smurkyshapedisappearinglittlebylittle.Soonagentlerollingtoldmethatwewereafloatintheopenair. Justthenahollowexplosionwasaudible.Ilookedatthecaptain.Thecaptaindidnotstir. Ilefthimandclimbedontotheplatform.ConseilandtheCanadianwerealreadythere. "Whatcausedthatexplosion?"Iasked. "Acannongoingoff,"NedLandreplied. IstaredinthedirectionoftheshipIhadspotted.ItwasheadingtowardtheNautilus,andyoucouldtellithadputonsteam.Sixmilesseparateditfromus. "Whatsortofcraftisit,Ned?" "Fromitsrigginganditslowmasts,"theCanadianreplied,"Ibetit'sawarship.Here'shopingitpullsupandsinksthisdamnedNautilus!" "Nedmyfriend,"Conseilreplied,"whatharmcoulditdotheNautilus?Willitattackusunderthewaves?Willitcannonadeusatthebottomofthesea?" "Tellme,Ned,"Iasked,"canyoumakeoutthenationalityofthatcraft?" Creasinghisbrow,loweringhislids,andpuckeringthecornersofhiseyes,theCanadianfocusedthefullpowerofhisgazeontheshipforashortwhile. "No,sir,"hereplied."Ican'tmakeoutwhatnationit'sfrom.It'sflyingnoflag.ButI'llswearit'sawarship,becausethere'salongpennantstreamingfromthepeakofitsmainmast." Foraquarterofanhour,wecontinuedtowatchthecraftbearingdownonus. ButitwasinconceivabletomethatithaddiscoveredtheNautilusatsuchadistance,stilllessthatitknewwhatthisunderwatermachinereallywas. SoontheCanadianannouncedthatthecraftwasabigbattleship,adouble–deckerironcladcompletewithram. Dark,densesmokeburstfromitstwofunnels. Itsfurledsailsmergedwiththelinesofitsyardarms. Thegaffofitsfore–and–aftsailflewnoflag. Itsdistancestillkeptusfromdistinguishingthecolorsofitspennant,whichwasflutteringlikeathinribbon. Itwascomingonfast.IfCaptainNemoletitapproach,achanceforsalvationmightbeavailabletous. "Sir,"NedLandtoldme,"ifthatboatgetswithinamileofus,I'mjumpingoverboard,andIsuggestyoufollowsuit." Ididn'treplytotheCanadian'spropositionbutkeptwatchingtheship,whichwasloominglargeronthehorizon. WhetheritwasEnglish,French,American,orRussian,itwouldsurelywelcomeusaboardifwecouldjustgettoit. "Mastermayrecall,"Conseilthensaid,"thatwehavesomeexperiencewithswimming.Hecanrelyonmetotowhimtothatvessel,ifhe'sagreeabletogoingwithourfriendNed." BeforeIcouldreply,whitesmokestreamedfromthebattleship'sbow. Then,afewsecondslater,thewaterssplashedasternoftheNautilus,disturbedbythefallofaheavyobject. Soonafter,anexplosionstruckmyears. "What'sthis?They'refiringatus!"Iexclaimed. "Goodlads!"theCanadianmuttered. "Thatmeanstheydon'tseeusascastawaysclingingtosomewreckage!" "WithallduerespecttoMaster—gracious!" Conseilputin,shakingoffthewaterthathadsprayedoverhimfromanothershell. "Withallduerespecttomaster,they'vediscoveredthenarwhaleandthey'recannonadingthesame." "Butitmustbecleartothem,"Iexclaimed,"thatthey'redealingwithhumanbeings." "Maybethat'swhy!"NedLandreplied,staringhardatme. Thefulltruthdawnedonme.Undoubtedlypeoplenowknewwheretheystoodontheexistenceofthisso–calledmonster. Undoubtedlythelatter'sencounterwiththeAbrahamLincoln,whentheCanadianhititwithhisharpoon,hadledCommanderFarraguttorecognizethenarwhaleasactuallyanunderwaterboat,moredangerousthananyunearthlycetacean! Yes,thishadtobethecase,andundoubtedlytheywerenowchasingthisdreadfulengineofdestructiononeverysea! Dreadfulindeed,if,aswecouldassume,CaptainNemohadbeenusingtheNautilusinworksofvengeance! ThatnightinthemiddleoftheIndianOcean,whenheimprisonedusinthecell,hadn'theattackedsomeship? Thatmannowburiedinthecoralcemetery,wasn'thethevictimofsomecollisioncausedbytheNautilus?Yes,Irepeat:thishadtobethecase. OnepartofCaptainNemo'ssecretlifehadbeenunveiled. Andnow,eventhoughhisidentitywasstillunknown,atleastthenationsalliedagainsthimknewtheywerenolongerhuntingsomefairy–talemonster,butamanwhohadswornanimplacablehatetowardthem! Thiswholefearsomesequenceofeventsappearedinmymind'seye.Insteadofencounteringfriendsonthisapproachingship,wewouldfindonlypitilessenemies. Meanwhileshellsfellaroundusinincreasingnumbers.Some,meetingtheliquidsurface,wouldricochetandvanishintotheseaatconsiderabledistances.ButnoneofthemreachedtheNautilus. Bythentheironcladwasnomorethanthreemilesoff. Despiteitsviolentcannonade,CaptainNemohadn'tappearedontheplatform. AndyetifoneofthoseconicalshellshadscoredaroutinehitontheNautilus'shull,itcouldhavebeenfataltohim. "Sir,we'vegottodoeverythingwecantogetoutofthisjam!Let'ssignalthem!Damnation!Maybethey'llrealizewe'redecentpeople!" NedLandpulledouthishandkerchieftowaveitintheair.Buthehadbarelyunfoldeditwhenhewasfelledbyanironfist,anddespitehisgreatstrength,hetumbledtothedeck. "Scum!"thecaptainshouted."DoyouwanttobenailedtotheNautilus'sspurbeforeitchargesthatship?" Dreadfultohear,CaptainNemowasevenmoredreadfultosee. Hisfacewaspalefromsomespasmofhisheart,whichmusthavestoppedbeatingforaninstant.Hispupilswerehideouslycontracted. Hisvoicewasnolongerspeaking,itwasbellowing. Bendingfromthewaist,heshooktheCanadianbytheshoulders. Then,droppingNedandturningtothebattleship,whoseshellswereshoweringaroundhim: "Oshipofanaccursednation,youknowwhoIam!"heshoutedinhispowerfulvoice."AndIdon'tneedyourcolorstorecognizeyou!Look!I'llshowyoumine!" Andinthebowoftheplatform,CaptainNemounfurledablackflag,liketheonehehadleftplantedattheSouthPole. JustthenashellhittheNautilus'shullobliquely,failedtobreachit,ricochetednearthecaptain,andvanishedintothesea. CaptainNemoshruggedhisshoulders.Then,addressingme: "Gobelow!"hetoldmeinacurttone."Youandyourcompanions,gobelow!" "Sir,"Iexclaimed,"areyougoingtoattackthisship?" "Iwill,"CaptainNemorepliedicily."You'reill–advisedtopassjudgmentonme,sir. Fatehasshownyouwhatyouweren'tmeanttosee.Theattackhascome.Ourreplywillbedreadful.Getbackinside!" "Fromwhatcountryisthatship?" "Youdon'tknow?Fine,somuchthebetter!Atleastitsnationalitywillremainasecrettoyou.Gobelow!" TheCanadian,Conseil,andIcouldonlyobey. SomefifteenoftheNautilus'sseamensurroundedtheircaptainandstaredwithafeelingofimplacablehateattheshipbearingdownonthem. Youcouldfeelthesamespiritofvengeanceenkindlingtheireverysoul. IwentbelowjustasanotherprojectilescrapedtheNautilus'shull,andIheardthecaptainexclaim: "Shoot,youdementedvessel!Showeryourfutileshells!Youwon'tescapetheNautilus'sspur! Butthisisn'ttheplacewhereyou'llperish! Idon'twantyourwreckageminglingwiththatoftheAvenger!" Irepairedtomystateroom.Thecaptainandhischiefofficerstayedontheplatform.Thepropellerwassetinmotion. TheNautilusswiftlyretreated,puttingusoutsidetherangeofthevessel'sshells. Butthechasecontinued,andCaptainNemowascontenttokeephisdistance. Nearfouro'clockintheafternoon,unabletocontroltheimpatienceanduneasinessdevouringme,Iwentbacktothecentralcompanionway.Thehatchwasopen.Iventuredontotheplatform. Thecaptainwasstillstrollingthere,hisstepsagitated. Hestaredattheship,whichstayedtohisleewardfiveorsixmilesoff. Hewascirclingitlikeawildbeast,drawingiteastward,lettingitchaseafterhim.Yethedidn'tattack.Washe,perhaps,stillundecided? Itriedtointerveneonelasttime.ButIhadbarelyqueriedCaptainNemowhenthelattersilencedme: "I'mthelaw,I'mthetribunal!I'mtheoppressed,andtherearemyoppressors! Thankstothem,I'vewitnessedthedestructionofeverythingIloved,cherished,andvenerated—homeland,wife,children,father,andmother!TherelieseverythingIhate!Notanotherwordoutofyou!" Itookalastlookatthebattleship,whichwasputtingonsteam.ThenIrejoinedNedandConseil. "We'llescape!"Iexclaimed. "Good,"Nedputin."Where'sthatshipfrom?" "I'venoidea.Butwhereverit'sfrom,itwillsinkbeforenightfall.Inanyevent,it'sbettertoperishwithitthanbeaccomplicesinsomeactofrevengewhosemeritswecan'tgauge." "That'smyfeeling,"NedLandrepliedcoolly."Let'swaitfornightfall." Nightfell.Aprofoundsilencereignedonboard. ThecompassindicatedthattheNautilushadn'tchangeddirection. Icouldhearthebeatofitspropeller,churningthewaveswithsteadyspeed. Stayingonthesurfaceofthewater,itrolledgently,sometimestooneside,sometimestotheother. MycompanionsandIhaddecidedtoescapeassoonasthevesselcamecloseenoughforustobeheard—orseen,becausethemoonwouldwaxfullinthreedaysandwasshiningbrightly. Oncewewereaboardthatship,ifwecouldn'twardofftheblowthatthreatenedit,atleastwecoulddoeverythingthatcircumstancespermitted. SeveraltimesIthoughttheNautiluswasabouttoattack. Butitwascontenttoletitsadversaryapproach,andthenitwouldquicklyresumeitsretreatingways. Partofthenightpassedwithoutincident. Wekeptwatchforanopportunitytotakeaction.Wetalkedlittle,beingtookeyedup.NedLandwasallforjumpingoverboard.Iforcedhimtowait. AsIsawit,theNautiluswouldattackthedouble–deckeronthesurfaceofthewaves,andthenitwouldbenotonlypossiblebuteasytoescape. Atthreeo'clockinthemorning,fullofuneasiness,Iclimbedontotheplatform.CaptainNemohadn'tleftit. Hestoodinthebownexttohisflag,whichamildbreezewasunfurlingabovehishead.Hiseyesneverleftthatvessel. Theextraordinaryintensityofhisgazeseemedtoattractit,beguileit,anddrawitmoresurelythanifhehaditintow! Themoonthenpasseditszenith.Jupiterwasrisingintheeast. Inthemidstofthisplacidnaturalsetting,skyandoceancompetedwitheachotherintranquility,andtheseaofferedtheorbofnighttheloveliestmirrorevertoreflectitsimage. AndwhenIcomparedthisdeepcalmoftheelementswithallthefuryseethinginsidetheplatingofthisbarelyperceptibleNautilus,Ishiveredallover. Thevesselwastwomilesoff.Itdrewnearer,alwaysmovingtowardthephosphorescentglowthatsignaledtheNautilus'spresence. Isawitsgreenandredrunninglights,plusthewhitelanternhangingfromthelargestayofitsforemast. Hazyflickeringswerereflectedonitsriggingandindicatedthatitsfurnaceswerepushedtothelimit. Showersofsparksandcindersofflamingcoalescapedfromitsfunnels,spanglingtheairwithstars. Istoodthereuntilsixo'clockinthemorning,CaptainNemoneverseemingtonoticeme. Thevessellayamileandahalfoff,andwiththefirstglimmersofdaylight,itresumeditscannonade. Thetimecouldn'tbefarawaywhentheNautiluswouldattackitsadversary,andmycompanionsandIwouldleaveforeverthismanIdarednotjudge. Iwasabouttogobelowtoalertthem,whenthechiefofficerclimbedontotheplatform.Severalseamenwerewithhim. CaptainNemodidn'tseethem,ordidn'twanttoseethem. Theycarriedoutcertainproceduresthat,ontheNautilus,youcouldcall"clearingthedecksforaction."Theywerequitesimple. Themanropesthatformedahandrailaroundtheplatformwerelowered. Likewisethepilothouseandthebeaconhousingwerewithdrawnintothehulluntiltheylayexactlyflushwithit. Thesurfaceofthislongsheet–ironcigarnolongerofferedasingleprotrusionthatcouldhamperitsmaneuvers. Ireturnedtothelounge.TheNautilusstillemergedabovethesurface. Afewmorninggleamsinfiltratedtheliquidstrata. Beneaththeundulationsofthebillows,thewindowswereenlivenedbytheblushingoftherisingsun.ThatdreadfuldayofJune2haddawned. Atseveno'clockthelogtoldmethattheNautilushadreducedspeed. Irealizedthatitwaslettingthewarshipapproach. Moreover,theexplosionsgrewmoreintenselyaudible. Shellsfurrowedthewateraroundus,drillingthroughitwithanoddhissingsound. "Myfriends,"Isaid,"it'stime.Let'sshakehands,andmayGodbewithus!" NedLandwasdetermined,Conseilcalm,Imyselfnervousandbarelyincontrol. Wewentintothelibrary.JustasIpushedopenthedoorleadingtothewellofthecentralcompanionway,Iheardthehatchclosesharplyoverhead. TheCanadianleapedupthesteps,butIstoppedhim. Awell–knownhissingtoldmethatwaterwasenteringtheship'sballasttanks. Indeed,inafewmomentstheNautilushadsubmergedsomemetersbelowthesurfaceofthewaves. Iunderstoodthismaneuver.Itwastoolatetotakeaction. TheNautiluswasn'tgoingtostrikethedouble–deckerwhereitwascladinimpenetrableironarmor,butbelowitswaterline,wherethemetalcarapacenolongerprotecteditsplanking. Wewereprisonersoncemore,unwillingspectatorsattheperformanceofthisgruesomedrama.Butwebarelyhadtimetothink. Takingrefugeinmystateroom,westaredateachotherwithoutpronouncingaword.Mymindwasinatotaldaze. Mymentalprocessescametoadeadstop. Ihoveredinthatpainfulstatethatpredominatesduringtheperiodofanticipationbeforesomefrightfulexplosion. Iwaited,Ilistened,Ilivedonlythroughmysenseofhearing! MeanwhiletheNautilus'sspeedhadincreasedappreciably.Soitwasgatheringmomentum.Itsentirehullwasvibrating. SuddenlyIletoutayell.Therehadbeenacollision,butitwascomparativelymild. Icouldfeelthepenetratingforceofthesteelspur.Icouldhearscratchingsandscrapings. Carriedawaywithitsdrivingpower,theNautilushadpassedthroughthevessel'smasslikeasailmaker'sneedlethroughcanvas! Icouldn'tholdstill.Frantic,goinginsane,Ileapedoutofmystateroomandrushedintothelounge. CaptainNemowasthere.Mute,gloomy,implacable,hewasstaringthroughtheportpanel. Anenormousmasswassinkingbeneaththewaters,andtheNautilus,missingnoneofitsdeaththroes,wasdescendingintothedepthswithit. Tenmetersaway,Icouldseeitsgapinghull,intowhichwaterwasrushingwithasoundofthunder,thenitsdoublerowsofcannonsandrailings. Itsdeckwascoveredwithdark,quiveringshadows. Thewaterwasrising.Thosepoormenleapedupintotheshrouds,clungtothemasts,writhedbeneaththewaters.Itwasahumananthillthataninvadingseahadcaughtbysurprise! Paralyzed,rigidwithanguish,myhairstandingonend,myeyespoppingoutofmyhead,shortofbreath,suffocating,speechless,Istared—Itoo!Iwasgluedtothewindowbyanirresistibleallure! Theenormousvesselsettledslowly.Followingitdown,theNautiluskeptwatchonitseverymovement.Suddenlytherewasaneruption. Theaircompressedinsidethecraftsentitsdecksflying,asifthepowderstoreshadbeenignited. Thethrustofthewaterswassogreat,theNautilusswervedaway. Thepoorshipthensankmoreswiftly.Itsmastheadsappeared,ladenwithvictims,thenitscrosstreesbendingunderclustersofmen,finallythepeakofitsmainmast. Thenthedarkmassdisappeared,andwithitacrewofcorpsesdraggedunderbyfearsomeeddies.... IturnedtoCaptainNemo.Thisdreadfulexecutioner,thistruearchangelofhate,wasstillstaring. Whenitwasallover,CaptainNemoheadedtothedoorofhisstateroom,openedit,andentered.Ifollowedhimwithmyeyes. Ontherearpaneling,beneaththeportraitsofhisheroes,Isawtheportraitofastill–youthfulwomanwithtwolittlechildren. CaptainNemostaredatthemforafewmoments,stretchedouthisarmstothem,sanktohisknees,andmeltedintosobs. 
