第14章 THE GRECIANAR CHIPELAGO(1)

The next day,the 12th of February,at the dawn of day,the Nautilus rose to the surface.I hastened on to the platform.

Three miles to the south the dim outline of Pelusium was to be seen.

Atorrent had carried us from one sea to another.

About seven o'clock Ned and Conseil joined me.

"Well,Sir Naturalist,"said the Canadian,in a slightly jovial tone,"and the Mediterranean?""We are floating on its surface,friend Ned.""What!"said Conseil,"this very night."

"Yes,this very night;in a few minutes we have passed this impassable isthmus.""I do not believe it,"replied the Canadian.

"Then you are wrong,Master Land,"I continued;"this low coast which rounds off to the south is the Egyptian coast.

And you who have such good eyes,Ned,you can see the jetty of Port Said stretching into the sea."The Canadian looked attentively.

"Certainly you are right,sir,and your Captain is a first-rate man.

We are in the Mediterranean.Good!Now,if you please,let us talk of our own little affair,but so that no one hears us."I saw what the Canadian wanted,and,in any case,I thought it better to let him talk,as he wished it;so we all three went and sat down near the lantern,where we were less exposed to the spray of the blades.

"Now,Ned,we listen;what have you to tell us?""What I have to tell you is very simple.We are in Europe;and before Captain Nemo's caprices drag us once more to the bottom of the Polar Seas,or lead us into Oceania,I ask to leave the Nautilus."I wished in no way to shackle the liberty of my companions,but I certainly felt no desire to leave Captain Nemo.

Thanks to him,and thanks to his apparatus,I was each day nearer the completion of my submarine studies;and I was rewriting my book of submarine depths in its very element.

Should I ever again have such an opportunity of observing the wonders of the ocean?No,certainly not!And I could not bring myself to the idea of abandoning the Nautilus before the cycle of investigation was accomplished.

"Friend Ned,answer me frankly,are you tired of being on board?

Are you sorry that destiny has thrown us into Captain Nemo's hands?"The Canadian remained some moments without answering.

Then,crossing his arms,he said:

"Frankly,I do not regret this journey under the seas.I shall be glad to have made it;but,now that it is made,let us have done with it.

That is my idea."

"It will come to an end,Ned."

"Where and when?"

"Where I do not know--when I cannot say;or,rather,I suppose it will end when these seas have nothing more to teach us.""Then what do you hope for?"demanded the Canadian.

"That circumstances may occur as well six months hence as now by which we may and ought to profit.""Oh!"said Ned Land,"and where shall we be in six months,if you please,Sir Naturalist?""Perhaps in China;you know the Nautilus is a rapid traveller.

It goes through water as swallows through the air,or as an express on the land.I t does not fear frequented seas;who can say that it may not beat the coasts of France,England,or America,on which flight may be attempted as advantageously as here.""M.Aronnax,"replied the Canadian,"your arguments are rotten at the foundation.You speak in the future,`We shall be there!

we shall be here!'I speak in the present,`We are here,and we must profit by it.'"Ned Land's logic pressed me hard,and I felt myself beaten on that ground.

I knew not what argument would now tell in my favour.

"Sir,"continued Ned,"let us suppose an impossibility:

if Captain Nemo should this day offer you your liberty;would you accept it?"

"I do not know,"I answered.

"And if,"he added,"the offer made you this day was never to be renewed,would you accept it?""Friend Ned,this is my answer.Your reasoning is against me.

We must not rely on Captain Nemo's good-will.Common prudence forbids him to set us at liberty.On the other side,prudence bids us profit by the first opportunity to leave the Nautilus.""Well,M.Aronnax,that is wisely said."

"Only one observation--just one.The occasion must be serious,and our first attempt must succeed;if it fails,we shall never find another,and Captain Nemo will never forgive us.""All that is true,"replied the Canadian."But your observation applies equally to all attempts at flight,whether in two years'

time,or in two days'.But the question is still this:

If a favourable opportunity presents itself,it must be seized.""Agreed!And now,Ned,will you tell me what you mean by a favourable opportunity?""I t will be that which,on a dark night,will bring the Nautilus a short distance from some European coast.""And you will try and save yourself by swimming?""Yes,if we were near enough to the bank,and if the vessel was floating at the time.Not if the bank was far away,and the boat was under the water.""And in that case?"

"In that case,I should seek to make myself master of the pinnace.

I know how it is worked.We must get inside,and the bolts once drawn,we shall come to the surface of the water,without even the pilot,who is in the bows,perceiving our flight.""Well,Ned,watch for the opportunity;but do not forget that a hitch will ruin us.""I will not forget,sir."

"And now,Ned,would you like to know what I think of your project?""Certainly,M.Aronnax."

"Well,I think--I do not say I hope--I think that this favourable opportunity will never present itself.""Why not?"

"Because Captain Nemo cannot hide from himself that we have not given up all hope of regaining our liberty,and he will be on his guard,above all,in the seas and in the sight of European coasts.""We shall see,"replied Ned Land,shaking his head determinedly.

"And now,Ned Land,"I added,"let us stop here.

Not another word on the subject.The day that you are ready,come and let us know,and we will follow you.

I rely entirely upon you."

Thus ended a conversation which,at no very distant time,led to such grave results.I must say here that facts seemed to confirm my foresight,to the Canadian's great despair.