November 3, 2023 • 21 mins
"20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" is a classic science fiction adventure novel written by the French author Jules Verne. First published in 1870, the novel is set in the 19th century and follows the thrilling journey of Captain Nemo and his remarkable submarine, the Nautilus.The story is narrated by Professor Pierre Aronnax, a renowned marine biologist who, along with his loyal servant Conseil and harpoonist Ned Land, is taken aboard the Nautilus after their ship is attacked and sunk by an enigmatic and reclusive captain known as Captain Nemo. Nemo is a mysterious and enigmatic character who shuns contact with the outside world and chooses to live beneath the sea, exploring its depths in his advanced and technologically advanced submarine.As the protagonists join Nemo on his undersea adventures, they discover a breathtaking and fantastical world beneath the waves. They encounter a wide variety of marine life, explore hidden underwater landscapes, and even witness the lost city of Atlantis. The novel explores themes of exploration, the wonders of the natural world, and the consequences of unchecked technology."20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" is not only an exciting adventure story but also a reflection on the relationship between humanity and nature, as well as the ethical dilemmas posed by scientific and technological progress. Jules Verne's vivid descriptions of the undersea world and the captivating character of Captain Nemo have made this novel a timeless classic in the genre of science fiction and adventure literature. It continues to captivate readers with its sense of wonder and imagination, as well as its exploration of the mysteries of the deep sea.
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(00:02):
This is a LibriVox recording. AllLibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer,please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by
Kevin Laverne. Twenty thousand Leagues underthe Seas by Jules Verne, second part,
(00:25):
Chapter twenty one, a mass execution. The way he said this,
the unexpectedness of this scene. First, the biography of this patriotic ship.
Then the excitement with which this eccentricindividual pronounced these last words, the name
Avenger, whose significance could not escapeme. All this, taken together,
(00:50):
had a profound impact on my mind. My eyes never left the captain,
hands outstretched toward the sea, hecontemplate the proud wreck with blazing eyes.
Perhaps I would never learn who hewas, where he came from, or
where he was heading, But moreand more I could see a distinction between
(01:11):
the man and the scientist. Itwas no ordinary misanthropy that kept Captain Nemo
and his companions sequestered inside the Nautilus'splating, but a hate so monstrous or
so sublime, that the passing yearscould never weaken it. Did this hate
(01:32):
also hunger for vengeance. Time wouldsoon tell Meanwhile, the Nautilus rose slowly
to the surface of the sea,and I watched the Avenger's murky shape disappearing
little by little. Soon, agentle rolling told me that we were afloat
in the open air. Just then, a hollow explosion was audible. I
(01:57):
looked at the captain. The captaindid not stir. Captain, I said,
he didn't reply. I left himand climbed onto the platform. Conseil
and the Canadian were already there.What caused that explosion, I asked,
A cannon going off? Ned Landreplied, I stared in the direction of
(02:23):
the ship. I had spotted.It was heading toward the Nautilus, and
you could tell it had put onsteam. Six miles separated it from us.
What sort of craft is it?Ned from its rigging and its low
masts, the Canadian replied, Ibet it's a warship. Here's hoping it
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pulls up and sinks this damned Nautilus, ned My friend Conseil replied, what
harm could it do the Nautilus?Will it attack us under the waves?
Will it cannonade us at the bottomof the sea? Tell me, Ned,
I asked, can you make outthe nationality of that craft. Creasing
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his brow, lowering his lids,and puckering the corners of his eyes,
the Canadian focused the full power ofhis gaze on the ship for a short
while. No, sir, hereplied, I can't make out what nation
it's from. It's flying no flag, but I'll swear it's a warship because
there's a long pennant streaming from thepeak of its main mast. For a
(03:30):
quarter of an hour, we continuedto watch the craft bearing down on us,
but it was inconceivable to me thatit had discovered the Nautilus at such
a distance, still less that itknew what this underwater machine really was.
Soon the Canadian announced that the craftwas a big battleship, a double decker,
(03:51):
ironclad complete with ram Dark dense smokeburst from its two funnels. Its
furled sails merged with the lines ofits yard arms. The gaff of its
fore and aft sail flew no flag. Its distance still kept us from distinguishing
the colors of its pennant, whichwas fluttering like a thin ribbon. It
(04:14):
was coming on fast. If CaptainNemo let it approach, a chance for
salvation might be available to us.Sir ned Land told me, if that
boat gets within a mile of us, I'm jumping overboard, and I suggest
you follow suit. I didn't replyto the Canadian's proposition, but kept watching
the ship, which was looming largeron the horizon. Whether it was English,
(04:39):
French, American or Russian, itwould surely welcome us aboard if we
could just get to it. Mastermay recall Conseil then said that we have
some experience with swimming. He canrely on me to tow him to that
vessel if he's agreeable to going withour friend ned Before I could reply,
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white smoke streamed from the battleship's bow. Then a few seconds later, the
waters splashed astern of the Nautilus,disturbed by the fall of a heavy object.
Soon after, an explosion struck myears. What's this they're firing at
us, I exclaimed, Good lads, The Canadian muttered that means they don't
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see us as castaways clinging to somewreckage. With all due respect to Master,
gracious Conseil put in, shaking offthe water that had sprayed over him
from another shell. With all duerespect to Master, they've discovered the narwhale
and their cannoning the same. Butit must be clear to them, I
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exclaimed, that they're dealing with humanbeings. Maybe that's why ned Land replied,
staring hard at me. The fulltruth dawned on me. Undoubtedly people
now knew where they stood on theexistence of this so called monster. Undoubt
the latter's encounter with the Abraham Lincolnwhen the Canadian hit it with his harpoon,
(06:05):
had led Commander Farragut to recognize thenarwhale as actually an underwater boat more
dangerous than any unearthly cetacean. Yes, this had to be the case,
And undoubtedly they were now chasing thisdreadful engine of destruction on every sea.
Dreadful indeed, if, as wecould imagine, Captain Nemo had been using
(06:28):
the Nautilus in works of vengeance thatnight in the middle of the Indian Ocean
when he imprisoned us in the cell. Hadn't he attacked some ship That man
now buried in the coral cemetery.Wasn't he the victim of some collision caused
by the Nautilus? Yes, Irepeat, this had to be the case.
One part of Captain Nemo's secret lifehad been unveiled. And now,
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even though his identity was still unknown, at least the nation's allied against him
knew they were no longer hunting somefairy tale monster, but a man who
had sworn an implacable hate toward them. This whole fearsome sequence of events appeared
in my mind's eye. Instead ofencountering friends on this approaching ship, we
(07:15):
would find only pitiless enemies. Meanwhile, shells fell around us in increasing numbers.
Some meeting the liquid surface would ricochetand vanish into the sea at considerable
distances, but none of them reachedthe Nautilus. By then, the Ironclad
was no more than three miles off. Despite its violent cannonade, Captain Nemo
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hadn't appeared on the platform, andyet if one of those conical shells had
scored a routine hit on the Nautilus'shull, it could have been fatal to
him. The Canadian then told me, sir, we've got to do everything
we can to get out of thisjam. Let's signal them, damn it,
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maybe they'll realize we're decent people.Ned Land pulled out his handkerchief to
wave it in the air, buthe had barely unfolded it when he was
felled by an iron fist, anddespite his great strength, he tumbled to
the deck scum. The captain shouted, do you want to be nailed to
the Nautilus's spur before it charges?That ship? Dreadful to hear, Captain
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Nemo was even more dreadful to see. His face was pale from some spasm
of his heart, which must havestopped beating for an instant. His pupils
were hideously contracted. His voice wasno longer speaking, it was bellowing.
Bending from the waist, he shookthe Canadian by the shoulders, then dropping
ned and turning to the battleship,whose shells were showering around him. Oh,
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ship of an accursed nation. Youknow who I am, he shouted
in his powerful voice. And Idon't need your colors to recognize you.
Look, I'll show you mine.And in the bow of the platform,
Captain Nemo unfurled a black flag,like the one he had left planted at
the south pole. Just then,a shell hit the Nautilus's hull, obliquely
(09:13):
failed to breach, it, ricochetednear the captain and vanished into the sea.
Captain Nemo shrugged his shoulders, thenaddressing me, go below, he
told me in a curt tone,you and your companions go below, sir,
I exclaimed, Are you going toattack this ship? Sir, I'm
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going to sink it. You wouldn'tI will? Captain Nemo replied icily,
you're ill advised to pass judgment onme, sir. Fate has shown you
what you weren't meant to see.The attack has come. Our reply will
be dreadful. Get back inside.From what country is that ship? You
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don't know? F so much thebetter. At least its nationality will remain
a secret to you. Go below. The Canadian conseil and I could only
obey. Some fifteen of the Nautilus'sseamen surrounded their captain and stared with a
feeling of implacable hate at the shipbearing down on them. You could feel
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the same spirit of vengeance enkindling theirevery soul. I went below just as
another projectile scraped the Nautilus's hull,and I heard the captain exclaim, shoot
you, demented vessel. Shower youfutile shells. You won't escape the Nautilus's
spur, But this isn't the placewhere you'll perish. I don't want your
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wreckage mingling with that of the Avenger. I repaired to my stateroom. The
captain and his chief officer stayed onthe platform. The propeller was set in
motion. The Nautilus swiftly retreated,putting us outside the range of the vessel's
shells. But the chase continued,and Captain Nemo was content to keep his
distance. Near four o'clock in theafternoon, unable to control the impatience and
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uneasiness devouring me, I went backto the central companionway. The hatch was
open. I ventured onto the platform. The captain was still strolling there,
his steps agitated. He stared atthe ship, which stayed to his leeward,
five or six miles off. Hewas circling it like a wild beast,
drawing it eastward, letting it chaseafter him. Yet he didn't attack.
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Was he perhaps still undecided? Itried to intervene one last time,
but I had barely queried Captain Nemowhen the latter silenced me. I'm the
law, I'm the tribunal. I'mthe oppressed, and there are my oppressors.
Thanks to them, I've witnessed thedestruction of everything I loved, cherished
(11:56):
and venerated homeland, wife, children, father and mother. There lies everything
I hate. Not another word outof you. I took a last look
at the battleship, which was puttingon steam. Then I rejoined Ned and
concile. We'll escape, I exclaimed. Good. Ned put in where's that
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ship from. I've no idea,but wherever it's from, it will sink
before nightfall. In any event,it's better to perish with it than be
accomplices in some act of revenge whosemerits we can't gauge. That's my feeling,
ned Land replied coolly. Let's waitfor nightfall. Night fell, A
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profound silence reigned on board the compassindicated that the Nautilus hadn't changed direction.
I could hear the beat of itspropeller, churning the waves with steady speed.
Staying on the surface of the water, it rolled gently, sometimes to
one side, sometimes to the other. My companions and I had decided to
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escape as soon as the vessel cameclose enough for us to be heard or
seen, because the moon would waxfull in three days and was shining brightly.
Once we were aboard that ship.If we couldn't ward off the blow
that threatened it, at least wecould do everything that circumstances permitted. Several
times I thought the Nautilus was aboutto attack, but it was content to
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let its adversary approach, and thenit would quickly resume its retreating ways.
Part of the night passed without incident. We kept watch for an opportunity to
take action. We talked little beingtoo keyed up. Ned Land was all
for jumping overboard. I forced himto wait. As I saw it,
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the Nautilus would attack the double deckeron the surface of the waves, and
then it would be not only possible, but easy to escape. At three
o'clock in the morning, full ofuneasiness, I climbed onto the platform.
Captain Nemo hadn't left it. Hestood in the bow next to his flag,
which a mild breeze was unfurling abovehis head. His eyes never left
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that vessel. The extraordinary intensity ofhis gaze seemed to attract it, beguile
it, and draw it more surelythan if he had it in tow.
The moon had then passed its zenith. Jupiter was rising in the east.
In the midst of this placid,natural setting, sky and ocean competed with
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each other in tranquility, and thesea offered the orb of night, the
loveliest mirror ever to reflect its image. And when I compared this deep calm
of the elements with all the furyseething inside the plating of this barely perceptible
Nautilus, I shivered all over.The vessel was two miles off. It
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drew nearer, always moving toward thephosphorescent glow that signaled the Nautilus's presence.
I saw it. Its green andred running lights plused the white lantern hanging
from the large stay of its foremast. Hazy flickerings were reflected on its rigging
and indicated that its furnaces were pushedto the limit. Showers of sparks and
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cinders of flaming call escaped from itsfunnels, spangling the air with stars.
I stood there until six o'clock inthe morning, Captain Nemo, never seeming
to notice me. The vessel laya mile and a half off, and
with the first glimmers of daylight,it resumed its cannonade. The time couldn't
be far away when the Nautilus wouldattack its adversary, and my companions and
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I would leave forever This man,I dared not judge. I was about
to go below to alert them whenthe chief officer climbed onto the platform.
Several seamen were with him. CaptainNemo didn't see them, or didn't want
to see them. They carried outcertain procedures that on the Nautilus you could
call clearing the decks for action.They were quite simple. The man ropes
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that formed a handrail around the platformwere lowered. Likewise, the pilot house
and the beacon housing were withdrawn intothe hole until they lay exactly flushed with
it. The surface of this longsheet iron cigar no longer offered a single
protrusion that could hamper its maneuvers.I returned to the lounge. The Nautilus
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still emerged above the surface. Afew morning gleams infiltrated the liquid strata beneath
the undulations of the billows. Thewindows were enlivened by the blushing of the
rising sun. That dreadful day ofJune two had dawned at seven o'clock.
The log told me that the Nautilushad reduced speed. I realized that it
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was letting the warship approach. Moreover, the explosions grew more intensely. Audible
shells furrowed the water around us,drilling through it with an odd hissing sound.
My friends, I said, it'stime. Let's shake hands and may
God be with us. Ned Landwas determined. Concile calm. I myself
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nervous and barely in control. Wewent into the library. Just as I
pushed open the door leading to thewell of the central companionway, I heard
the hatch close sharply overhead. TheCanadian leaped up the steps, but I
stopped him. A well known hissingtold me that water was entering the ship's
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ballast tanks. Indeed, in afew moments, the Nautilus had submerged some
meters below the surface of the waves. I understood this maneuver. It was
too late to take action. TheNautilus wasn't going to strike the double decker,
where it was clad in impenetrable ironarmor, but below its water line,
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where the metal carapace no longer protectedits planking. We were prisoners,
once more, unwilling spectators at theperformance of this gruesome drama. But we
barely had time to think. Takingrefuge in my stateroom, we stared at
each other without pronouncing a word.My mind was in a total daze.
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My mental processes came to a deadstop. I hovered in that painful state
that predominates during the period of anticipationbefore some frightful explosion. I waited,
I listened. I lived only throughmy sense of hearing. Meanwhile, the
Nautilus's speed had increased appreciably, soit was gathering momentum. Its entire hull
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was vibrating. Suddenly, I letout a yell. There had been a
collision, but it was comparatively mild. I could feel the penetrating force of
the steel spur. I could hearscratchings and scrapings carried away with its driving
power. The Nautilus had passed throughthe vessel's masts like a sail maker's needle
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through canvas. I couldn't hold still. Frantic, going insane, I leaped
out of my stateroom and rushed intothe lounge. Captain Nemo was there,
mute, gloomy, implacable. Hewas staring through the port panel. An
enormous mass was sinking beneath the waters, and the Nautilus, missing none of
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its death throes, was descending intothe depths with it ten meters away.
I could see its gaping hull,into which water was rushing with a sound
of thunder, then its double rowsof cannons and railings. Its deck was
covered with dark, quivering shadows.The water was rising. Those poor men
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leaped up into the shrouds, clungto the masts, writhed beneath the waters.
It was a human ant hill thatan invading sea had caught by surprise,
paralyzed, rigid with anguish, myhair standing on end, my eyes
popping out of my head, shortof breath, suffocating, sp beachless.
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I stared, I too, Iwas glued to the window by an irresistible
allure. The enormous vessel settled slowly, following it down. The Nautilus kept
watch on its every movement. Suddenlythere was an eruption. The air compressed
inside the craft sent its decks flying, as if the powder stores had been
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ignited. The thrust of the waterswas so great the Nautilus swerved away.
The poor ship then sank more swiftly. Its mast heads appeared laden with victims,
then its cross trees bending under clustersof men. Finally the peak of
its mainmast. Then the dark mastdisappeared, and with it a crew of
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corpses, dragged under by fearsome eddies. I turned to Captain Nemo, this
dreadful executioner, this true archangel ofhate, was still staring. When it
was all over, Captain Nemo headedto the door of his stateroom, opened
it and entered. I followed him. With my eyes on the rear paneling,
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beneath the portraits of his heroes,I saw the portrait of a still
youthful woman with two little children.Captain Nemo stared at them for a few
moments, stretched out his arms tothem, sank to his knees, and
melted into sobs. End of Chaptertwenty one. Recording by Kevin Laverne.
This is a LibriVox recording. AllLibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer,please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by
Kevin Laverne. Twenty thousand Leagues underthe Seas by Jules Verne, second part,
(00:25):
Chapter twenty one, a mass execution. The way he said this,
the unexpectedness of this scene. First, the biography of this patriotic ship.
Then the excitement with which this eccentricindividual pronounced these last words, the name
Avenger, whose significance could not escapeme. All this, taken together,
(00:50):
had a profound impact on my mind. My eyes never left the captain,
hands outstretched toward the sea, hecontemplate the proud wreck with blazing eyes.
Perhaps I would never learn who hewas, where he came from, or
where he was heading, But moreand more I could see a distinction between
(01:11):
the man and the scientist. Itwas no ordinary misanthropy that kept Captain Nemo
and his companions sequestered inside the Nautilus'splating, but a hate so monstrous or
so sublime, that the passing yearscould never weaken it. Did this hate
(01:32):
also hunger for vengeance. Time wouldsoon tell Meanwhile, the Nautilus rose slowly
to the surface of the sea,and I watched the Avenger's murky shape disappearing
little by little. Soon, agentle rolling told me that we were afloat
in the open air. Just then, a hollow explosion was audible. I
(01:57):
looked at the captain. The captaindid not stir. Captain, I said,
he didn't reply. I left himand climbed onto the platform. Conseil
and the Canadian were already there.What caused that explosion, I asked,
A cannon going off? Ned Landreplied, I stared in the direction of
(02:23):
the ship. I had spotted.It was heading toward the Nautilus, and
you could tell it had put onsteam. Six miles separated it from us.
What sort of craft is it?Ned from its rigging and its low
masts, the Canadian replied, Ibet it's a warship. Here's hoping it
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pulls up and sinks this damned Nautilus, ned My friend Conseil replied, what
harm could it do the Nautilus?Will it attack us under the waves?
Will it cannonade us at the bottomof the sea? Tell me, Ned,
I asked, can you make outthe nationality of that craft. Creasing
(03:05):
his brow, lowering his lids,and puckering the corners of his eyes,
the Canadian focused the full power ofhis gaze on the ship for a short
while. No, sir, hereplied, I can't make out what nation
it's from. It's flying no flag, but I'll swear it's a warship because
there's a long pennant streaming from thepeak of its main mast. For a
(03:30):
quarter of an hour, we continuedto watch the craft bearing down on us,
but it was inconceivable to me thatit had discovered the Nautilus at such
a distance, still less that itknew what this underwater machine really was.
Soon the Canadian announced that the craftwas a big battleship, a double decker,
(03:51):
ironclad complete with ram Dark dense smokeburst from its two funnels. Its
furled sails merged with the lines ofits yard arms. The gaff of its
fore and aft sail flew no flag. Its distance still kept us from distinguishing
the colors of its pennant, whichwas fluttering like a thin ribbon. It
(04:14):
was coming on fast. If CaptainNemo let it approach, a chance for
salvation might be available to us.Sir ned Land told me, if that
boat gets within a mile of us, I'm jumping overboard, and I suggest
you follow suit. I didn't replyto the Canadian's proposition, but kept watching
the ship, which was looming largeron the horizon. Whether it was English,
(04:39):
French, American or Russian, itwould surely welcome us aboard if we
could just get to it. Mastermay recall Conseil then said that we have
some experience with swimming. He canrely on me to tow him to that
vessel if he's agreeable to going withour friend ned Before I could reply,
(05:00):
white smoke streamed from the battleship's bow. Then a few seconds later, the
waters splashed astern of the Nautilus,disturbed by the fall of a heavy object.
Soon after, an explosion struck myears. What's this they're firing at
us, I exclaimed, Good lads, The Canadian muttered that means they don't
(05:21):
see us as castaways clinging to somewreckage. With all due respect to Master,
gracious Conseil put in, shaking offthe water that had sprayed over him
from another shell. With all duerespect to Master, they've discovered the narwhale
and their cannoning the same. Butit must be clear to them, I
(05:42):
exclaimed, that they're dealing with humanbeings. Maybe that's why ned Land replied,
staring hard at me. The fulltruth dawned on me. Undoubtedly people
now knew where they stood on theexistence of this so called monster. Undoubt
the latter's encounter with the Abraham Lincolnwhen the Canadian hit it with his harpoon,
(06:05):
had led Commander Farragut to recognize thenarwhale as actually an underwater boat more
dangerous than any unearthly cetacean. Yes, this had to be the case,
And undoubtedly they were now chasing thisdreadful engine of destruction on every sea.
Dreadful indeed, if, as wecould imagine, Captain Nemo had been using
(06:28):
the Nautilus in works of vengeance thatnight in the middle of the Indian Ocean
when he imprisoned us in the cell. Hadn't he attacked some ship That man
now buried in the coral cemetery.Wasn't he the victim of some collision caused
by the Nautilus? Yes, Irepeat, this had to be the case.
One part of Captain Nemo's secret lifehad been unveiled. And now,
(06:54):
even though his identity was still unknown, at least the nation's allied against him
knew they were no longer hunting somefairy tale monster, but a man who
had sworn an implacable hate toward them. This whole fearsome sequence of events appeared
in my mind's eye. Instead ofencountering friends on this approaching ship, we
(07:15):
would find only pitiless enemies. Meanwhile, shells fell around us in increasing numbers.
Some meeting the liquid surface would ricochetand vanish into the sea at considerable
distances, but none of them reachedthe Nautilus. By then, the Ironclad
was no more than three miles off. Despite its violent cannonade, Captain Nemo
(07:40):
hadn't appeared on the platform, andyet if one of those conical shells had
scored a routine hit on the Nautilus'shull, it could have been fatal to
him. The Canadian then told me, sir, we've got to do everything
we can to get out of thisjam. Let's signal them, damn it,
(08:00):
maybe they'll realize we're decent people.Ned Land pulled out his handkerchief to
wave it in the air, buthe had barely unfolded it when he was
felled by an iron fist, anddespite his great strength, he tumbled to
the deck scum. The captain shouted, do you want to be nailed to
the Nautilus's spur before it charges?That ship? Dreadful to hear, Captain
(08:24):
Nemo was even more dreadful to see. His face was pale from some spasm
of his heart, which must havestopped beating for an instant. His pupils
were hideously contracted. His voice wasno longer speaking, it was bellowing.
Bending from the waist, he shookthe Canadian by the shoulders, then dropping
ned and turning to the battleship,whose shells were showering around him. Oh,
(08:48):
ship of an accursed nation. Youknow who I am, he shouted
in his powerful voice. And Idon't need your colors to recognize you.
Look, I'll show you mine.And in the bow of the platform,
Captain Nemo unfurled a black flag,like the one he had left planted at
the south pole. Just then,a shell hit the Nautilus's hull, obliquely
(09:13):
failed to breach, it, ricochetednear the captain and vanished into the sea.
Captain Nemo shrugged his shoulders, thenaddressing me, go below, he
told me in a curt tone,you and your companions go below, sir,
I exclaimed, Are you going toattack this ship? Sir, I'm
(09:35):
going to sink it. You wouldn'tI will? Captain Nemo replied icily,
you're ill advised to pass judgment onme, sir. Fate has shown you
what you weren't meant to see.The attack has come. Our reply will
be dreadful. Get back inside.From what country is that ship? You
(09:58):
don't know? F so much thebetter. At least its nationality will remain
a secret to you. Go below. The Canadian conseil and I could only
obey. Some fifteen of the Nautilus'sseamen surrounded their captain and stared with a
feeling of implacable hate at the shipbearing down on them. You could feel
(10:20):
the same spirit of vengeance enkindling theirevery soul. I went below just as
another projectile scraped the Nautilus's hull,and I heard the captain exclaim, shoot
you, demented vessel. Shower youfutile shells. You won't escape the Nautilus's
spur, But this isn't the placewhere you'll perish. I don't want your
(10:41):
wreckage mingling with that of the Avenger. I repaired to my stateroom. The
captain and his chief officer stayed onthe platform. The propeller was set in
motion. The Nautilus swiftly retreated,putting us outside the range of the vessel's
shells. But the chase continued,and Captain Nemo was content to keep his
distance. Near four o'clock in theafternoon, unable to control the impatience and
(11:07):
uneasiness devouring me, I went backto the central companionway. The hatch was
open. I ventured onto the platform. The captain was still strolling there,
his steps agitated. He stared atthe ship, which stayed to his leeward,
five or six miles off. Hewas circling it like a wild beast,
drawing it eastward, letting it chaseafter him. Yet he didn't attack.
(11:31):
Was he perhaps still undecided? Itried to intervene one last time,
but I had barely queried Captain Nemowhen the latter silenced me. I'm the
law, I'm the tribunal. I'mthe oppressed, and there are my oppressors.
Thanks to them, I've witnessed thedestruction of everything I loved, cherished
(11:56):
and venerated homeland, wife, children, father and mother. There lies everything
I hate. Not another word outof you. I took a last look
at the battleship, which was puttingon steam. Then I rejoined Ned and
concile. We'll escape, I exclaimed. Good. Ned put in where's that
(12:18):
ship from. I've no idea,but wherever it's from, it will sink
before nightfall. In any event,it's better to perish with it than be
accomplices in some act of revenge whosemerits we can't gauge. That's my feeling,
ned Land replied coolly. Let's waitfor nightfall. Night fell, A
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profound silence reigned on board the compassindicated that the Nautilus hadn't changed direction.
I could hear the beat of itspropeller, churning the waves with steady speed.
Staying on the surface of the water, it rolled gently, sometimes to
one side, sometimes to the other. My companions and I had decided to
(13:01):
escape as soon as the vessel cameclose enough for us to be heard or
seen, because the moon would waxfull in three days and was shining brightly.
Once we were aboard that ship.If we couldn't ward off the blow
that threatened it, at least wecould do everything that circumstances permitted. Several
times I thought the Nautilus was aboutto attack, but it was content to
(13:22):
let its adversary approach, and thenit would quickly resume its retreating ways.
Part of the night passed without incident. We kept watch for an opportunity to
take action. We talked little beingtoo keyed up. Ned Land was all
for jumping overboard. I forced himto wait. As I saw it,
(13:46):
the Nautilus would attack the double deckeron the surface of the waves, and
then it would be not only possible, but easy to escape. At three
o'clock in the morning, full ofuneasiness, I climbed onto the platform.
Captain Nemo hadn't left it. Hestood in the bow next to his flag,
which a mild breeze was unfurling abovehis head. His eyes never left
(14:09):
that vessel. The extraordinary intensity ofhis gaze seemed to attract it, beguile
it, and draw it more surelythan if he had it in tow.
The moon had then passed its zenith. Jupiter was rising in the east.
In the midst of this placid,natural setting, sky and ocean competed with
(14:31):
each other in tranquility, and thesea offered the orb of night, the
loveliest mirror ever to reflect its image. And when I compared this deep calm
of the elements with all the furyseething inside the plating of this barely perceptible
Nautilus, I shivered all over.The vessel was two miles off. It
(14:52):
drew nearer, always moving toward thephosphorescent glow that signaled the Nautilus's presence.
I saw it. Its green andred running lights plused the white lantern hanging
from the large stay of its foremast. Hazy flickerings were reflected on its rigging
and indicated that its furnaces were pushedto the limit. Showers of sparks and
(15:13):
cinders of flaming call escaped from itsfunnels, spangling the air with stars.
I stood there until six o'clock inthe morning, Captain Nemo, never seeming
to notice me. The vessel laya mile and a half off, and
with the first glimmers of daylight,it resumed its cannonade. The time couldn't
be far away when the Nautilus wouldattack its adversary, and my companions and
(15:35):
I would leave forever This man,I dared not judge. I was about
to go below to alert them whenthe chief officer climbed onto the platform.
Several seamen were with him. CaptainNemo didn't see them, or didn't want
to see them. They carried outcertain procedures that on the Nautilus you could
call clearing the decks for action.They were quite simple. The man ropes
(16:00):
that formed a handrail around the platformwere lowered. Likewise, the pilot house
and the beacon housing were withdrawn intothe hole until they lay exactly flushed with
it. The surface of this longsheet iron cigar no longer offered a single
protrusion that could hamper its maneuvers.I returned to the lounge. The Nautilus
(16:22):
still emerged above the surface. Afew morning gleams infiltrated the liquid strata beneath
the undulations of the billows. Thewindows were enlivened by the blushing of the
rising sun. That dreadful day ofJune two had dawned at seven o'clock.
The log told me that the Nautilushad reduced speed. I realized that it
(16:45):
was letting the warship approach. Moreover, the explosions grew more intensely. Audible
shells furrowed the water around us,drilling through it with an odd hissing sound.
My friends, I said, it'stime. Let's shake hands and may
God be with us. Ned Landwas determined. Concile calm. I myself
(17:07):
nervous and barely in control. Wewent into the library. Just as I
pushed open the door leading to thewell of the central companionway, I heard
the hatch close sharply overhead. TheCanadian leaped up the steps, but I
stopped him. A well known hissingtold me that water was entering the ship's
(17:27):
ballast tanks. Indeed, in afew moments, the Nautilus had submerged some
meters below the surface of the waves. I understood this maneuver. It was
too late to take action. TheNautilus wasn't going to strike the double decker,
where it was clad in impenetrable ironarmor, but below its water line,
(17:48):
where the metal carapace no longer protectedits planking. We were prisoners,
once more, unwilling spectators at theperformance of this gruesome drama. But we
barely had time to think. Takingrefuge in my stateroom, we stared at
each other without pronouncing a word.My mind was in a total daze.
(18:10):
My mental processes came to a deadstop. I hovered in that painful state
that predominates during the period of anticipationbefore some frightful explosion. I waited,
I listened. I lived only throughmy sense of hearing. Meanwhile, the
Nautilus's speed had increased appreciably, soit was gathering momentum. Its entire hull
(18:33):
was vibrating. Suddenly, I letout a yell. There had been a
collision, but it was comparatively mild. I could feel the penetrating force of
the steel spur. I could hearscratchings and scrapings carried away with its driving
power. The Nautilus had passed throughthe vessel's masts like a sail maker's needle
(18:56):
through canvas. I couldn't hold still. Frantic, going insane, I leaped
out of my stateroom and rushed intothe lounge. Captain Nemo was there,
mute, gloomy, implacable. Hewas staring through the port panel. An
enormous mass was sinking beneath the waters, and the Nautilus, missing none of
(19:17):
its death throes, was descending intothe depths with it ten meters away.
I could see its gaping hull,into which water was rushing with a sound
of thunder, then its double rowsof cannons and railings. Its deck was
covered with dark, quivering shadows.The water was rising. Those poor men
(19:37):
leaped up into the shrouds, clungto the masts, writhed beneath the waters.
It was a human ant hill thatan invading sea had caught by surprise,
paralyzed, rigid with anguish, myhair standing on end, my eyes
popping out of my head, shortof breath, suffocating, sp beachless.
(20:00):
I stared, I too, Iwas glued to the window by an irresistible
allure. The enormous vessel settled slowly, following it down. The Nautilus kept
watch on its every movement. Suddenlythere was an eruption. The air compressed
inside the craft sent its decks flying, as if the powder stores had been
(20:23):
ignited. The thrust of the waterswas so great the Nautilus swerved away.
The poor ship then sank more swiftly. Its mast heads appeared laden with victims,
then its cross trees bending under clustersof men. Finally the peak of
its mainmast. Then the dark mastdisappeared, and with it a crew of
(20:47):
corpses, dragged under by fearsome eddies. I turned to Captain Nemo, this
dreadful executioner, this true archangel ofhate, was still staring. When it
was all over, Captain Nemo headedto the door of his stateroom, opened
it and entered. I followed him. With my eyes on the rear paneling,
(21:11):
beneath the portraits of his heroes,I saw the portrait of a still
youthful woman with two little children.Captain Nemo stared at them for a few
moments, stretched out his arms tothem, sank to his knees, and
melted into sobs. End of Chaptertwenty one. Recording by Kevin Laverne.
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