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Home -> Jules Verne -> 20,000 Leagues under the Sea -> Chapter 22

20,000 Leagues under the Sea - Chapter 22

1. Part I Chapter 1

2. Chapter 2

3. Chapter 3

4. Chapter 4

5. Chapter 5

6. Chapter 6

7. Chapter 7

8. Chapter 8

9. Chapter 9

10. Chapter 10

11. Chapter 11

12. Chapter 12

13. Chapter 13

14. Chapter 14

15. Chapter 15

16. Chapter 16

17. Chapter 17

18. Chapter 18

19. Chapter 19

20. Chapter 20

21. Chapter 21

22. Chapter 22

23. Chapter 23

24. Part II Chapter 1

25. Chapter 2

26. Chapter 3

27. Chapter 4

28. Chapter 5

29. Chapter 6

30. Chapter 7

31. Chapter 8

32. Chapter 9

33. Chapter 10

34. Chapter 11

35. Chapter 12

36. Chapter 13

37. Chapter 14

38. Chapter 15

39. Chapter 16

40. Chapter 17

41. Chapter 18

42. Chapter 19

43. Chapter 20

44. Chapter 21

45. Chapter 22

46. Chapter 23







CHAPTER XXII

"AEGRI SOMNIA"

The following day 10th January, the Nautilus continued her
course between two seas, but with such remarkable speed that I
could not estimate it at less than thirty-five miles an hour.
The rapidity of her screw was such that I could neither follow
nor count its revolutions. When I reflected that this marvellous
electric agent, after having afforded motion, heat, and light
to the Nautilus, still protected her from outward attack,
and transformed her into an ark of safety which no profane
hand might touch without being thunderstricken, my admiration
was unbounded, and from the structure it extended to the engineer
who had called it into existence.

Our course was directed to the west, and on the 11th of January we doubled
Cape Wessel, situation in 135@ long. and 10@ S. lat., which forms
the east point of the Gulf of Carpentaria. The reefs were still numerous,
but more equalised, and marked on the chart with extreme precision.
The Nautilus easily avoided the breakers of Money to port and the Victoria
reefs to starboard, placed at 130@ long. and on the 10th parallel,
which we strictly followed.

On the 13th of January, Captain Nemo arrived in the Sea of Timor,
and recognised the island of that name in 122@ long.

From this point the direction of the Nautilus inclined towards
the south-west. Her head was set for the Indian Ocean.
Where would the fancy of Captain Nemo carry us next?
Would he return to the coast of Asia or would he approach
again the shores of Europe? Improbable conjectures both,
to a man who fled from inhabited continents. Then would
he descend to the south? Was he going to double the Cape
of Good Hope, then Cape Horn, and finally go as far as the
Antarctic pole? Would he come back at last to the Pacific,
where his Nautilus could sail free and independently?
Time would show.

After having skirted the sands of Cartier, of Hibernia, Seringapatam,
and Scott, last efforts of the solid against the liquid element,
on the 14th of January we lost sight of land altogether.
The speed of the Nautilus was considerably abated, and with
irregular course she sometimes swam in the bosom of the waters,
sometimes floated on their surface.

During this period of the voyage, Captain Nemo made some interesting
experiments on the varied temperature of the sea, in different beds.
Under ordinary conditions these observations are made by means of
rather complicated instruments, and with somewhat doubtful results,
by means of thermometrical sounding-leads, the glasses often breaking
under the pressure of the water, or an apparatus grounded on
the variations of the resistance of metals to the electric currents.
Results so obtained could not be correctly calculated. On the contrary,
Captain Nemo went himself to test the temperature in the depths of the sea,
and his thermometer, placed in communication with the different sheets
of water, gave him the required degree immediately and accurately.

It was thus that, either by overloading her reservoirs or by descending
obliquely by means of her inclined planes, the Nautilus successively attained
the depth of three, four, five, seven, nine, and ten thousand yards,
and the definite result of this experience was that the sea preserved
an average temperature of four degrees and a half at a depth of five
thousand fathoms under all latitudes.

On the 16th of January, the Nautilus seemed becalmed
only a few yards beneath the surface of the waves.
Her electric apparatus remained inactive and her motionless
screw left her to drift at the mercy of the currents.
I supposed that the crew was occupied with interior repairs,
rendered necessary by the violence of the mechanical movements
of the machine.

My companions and I then witnessed a curious spectacle.
The hatches of the saloon were open, and, as the beacon light
of the Nautilus was not in action, a dim obscurity reigned
in the midst of the waters. I observed the state of the sea,
under these conditions, and the largest fish appeared to me
no more than scarcely defined shadows, when the Nautilus
found herself suddenly transported into full light.
I thought at first that the beacon had been lighted,
and was casting its electric radiance into the liquid mass.
I was mistaken, and after a rapid survey perceived my error.

The Nautilus floated in the midst of a phosphorescent bed which,
in this obscurity, became quite dazzling. It was produced
by myriads of luminous animalculae, whose brilliancy was
increased as they glided over the metallic hull of the vessel.
I was surprised by lightning in the midst of these luminous sheets,
as though they bad been rivulets of lead melted in an ardent
furnace or metallic masses brought to a white heat, so that,
by force of contrast, certain portions of light appeared to cast
a shade in the midst of the general ignition, from which all
shade seemed banished. No; this was not the calm irradiation
of our ordinary lightning. There was unusual life and vigour:
this was truly living light!

In reality, it was an infinite agglomeration of coloured infusoria,
of veritable globules of jelly, provided with a threadlike tentacle,
and of which as many as twenty-five thousand have been counted in less
than two cubic half-inches of water.

During several hours the Nautilus floated in these brilliant waves,
and our admiration increased as we watched the marine monsters
disporting themselves like salamanders. I saw there in the midst
of this fire that burns not the swift and elegant porpoise
(the indefatigable clown of the ocean), and some swordfish
ten feet long, those prophetic heralds of the hurricane whose
formidable sword would now and then strike the glass of the saloon.
Then appeared the smaller fish, the balista, the leaping mackerel,
wolf-thorn-tails, and a hundred others which striped the luminous
atmosphere as they swam. This dazzling spectacle was enchanting!
Perhaps some atmospheric condition increased the intensity of
this phenomenon. Perhaps some storm agitated the surface of the waves.
But at this depth of some yards, the Nautilus was unmoved by its fury
and reposed peacefully in still water.

So we progressed, incessantly charmed by some new marvel.
The days passed rapidly away, and I took no account of them.
Ned, according to habit, tried to vary the diet on board.
Like snails, we were fixed to our shells, and I declare it is easy
to lead a snail's life.

Thus this life seemed easy and natural, and we thought no longer
of the life we led on land; but something happened to recall us
to the strangeness of our situation.

On the 18th of January, the Nautilus was in 105@ long.
and 15@ S. lat. The weather was threatening, the sea rough
and rolling. There was a strong east wind. The barometer,
which had been going down for some days, foreboded a coming storm.
I went up on to the platform just as the second lieutenant
was taking the measure of the horary angles, and waited,
according to habit till the daily phrase was said. But on this day
it was exchanged for another phrase not less incomprehensible.
Almost directly, I saw Captain Nemo appear with a glass, looking
towards the horizon.

For some minutes he was immovable, without taking his eye off
the point of observation. Then he lowered his glass and exchanged
a few words with his lieutenant. The latter seemed to be
a victim to some emotion that he tried in vain to repress.
Captain Nemo, having more command over himself, was cool.
He seemed, too, to be making some objections to which the lieutenant
replied by formal assurances. At least I concluded so by the
difference of their tones and gestures. For myself, I had looked
carefully in the direction indicated without seeing anything.
The sky and water were lost in the clear line of the horizon.

However, Captain Nemo walked from one end of the platform
to the other, without looking at me, perhaps without seeing me.
His step was firm, but less regular than usual.
He stopped sometimes, crossed his arms, and observed the sea.
What could he be looking for on that immense expanse?

The Nautilus was then some hundreds of miles from the nearest coast.

The lieutenant had taken up the glass and examined the horizon steadfastly,
going and coming, stamping his foot and showing more nervous agitation than
his superior officer. Besides, this mystery must necessarily be solved,
and before long; for, upon an order from Captain Nemo, the engine,
increasing its propelling power, made the screw turn more rapidly.

Just then the lieutenant drew the Captain's attention again.
The latter stopped walking and directed his glass towards
the place indicated. He looked long. I felt very much puzzled,
and descended to the drawing-room, and took out an excellent
telescope that I generally used. Then, leaning on the cage
of the watch-light that jutted out from the front of the platform,
set myself to look over all the line of the sky and sea.

But my eye was no sooner applied to the glass than it was quickly
snatched out of my hands.

I turned round. Captain Nemo was before me, but I did not know him.
His face was transfigured. His eyes flashed sullenly; his teeth were set;
his stiff body, clenched fists, and head shrunk between his shoulders,
betrayed the violent agitation that pervaded his whole frame.
He did not move. My glass, fallen from his hands, had rolled at his feet.

Had I unwittingly provoked this fit of anger? Did this incomprehensible
person imagine that I had discovered some forbidden secret?
No; I was not the object of this hatred, for he was not looking at me;
his eye was steadily fixed upon the impenetrable point of the horizon.
At last Captain Nemo recovered himself. His agitation subsided.
He addressed some words in a foreign language to his lieutenant,
then turned to me. "M. Aronnax," he said, in rather an imperious tone,
"I require you to keep one of the conditions that bind you to me."

"What is it, Captain?"

"You must be confined, with your companions, until I think fit
to release you."

"You are the master," I replied, looking steadily at him.
"But may I ask you one question?"

"None, sir."

There was no resisting this imperious command, it would have been useless.
I went down to the cabin occupied by Ned Land and Conseil, and told them
the Captain's determination. You may judge how this communication was
received by the Canadian.

But there was not time for altercation. Four of the crew waited
at the door, and conducted us to that cell where we had passed
our first night on board the Nautilus.

Ned Land would have remonstrated, but the door was shut upon him.

"Will master tell me what this means?" asked Conseil.

I told my companions what had passed. They were as much astonished as I,
and equally at a loss how to account for it.

Meanwhile, I was absorbed in my own reflections, and could think
of nothing but the strange fear depicted in the Captain's countenance.
I was utterly at a loss to account for it, when my cogitations were
disturbed by these words from Ned Land:

"Hallo! breakfast is ready."

And indeed the table was laid. Evidently Captain Nemo had given this order
at the same time that he had hastened the speed of the Nautilus.

"Will master permit me to make a recommendation?" asked Conseil.

"Yes, my boy."

"Well, it is that master breakfasts. It is prudent, for we do not know
what may happen."

"You are right, Conseil."

"Unfortunately," said Ned Land, "they have only given us the ship's fare."

"Friend Ned," asked Conseil, "what would you have said if the breakfast
had been entirely forgotten?"

This argument cut short the harpooner's recriminations.

We sat down to table. The meal was eaten in silence.

Just then the luminous globe that lighted the cell went out, and left us
in total darkness. Ned Land was soon asleep, and what astonished me was
that Conseil went off into a heavy slumber. I was thinking what could have
caused his irresistible drowsiness, when I felt my brain becoming stupefied.
In spite of my efforts to keep my eyes open, they would close.
A painful suspicion seized me. Evidently soporific substances had been
mixed with the food we had just taken. Imprisonment was not enough
to conceal Captain Nemo's projects from us, sleep was more necessary.
I then heard the panels shut. The undulations of the sea, which caused
a slight rolling motion, ceased. Had the Nautilus quitted the surface
of the ocean? Had it gone back to the motionless bed of water?
I tried to resist sleep. It was impossible. My breathing grew weak.
I felt a mortal cold freeze my stiffened and half-paralysed limbs.
My eye lids, like leaden caps, fell over my eyes. I could not raise them;
a morbid sleep, full of hallucinations, bereft me of my being.
Then the visions disappeared, and left me in complete insensibility.




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