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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