Exciting Discussions About an Unprecedented Venture

At these words a cold shiver ran through me. Yet I controlled myself; I even resolved to put a good face upon it. Scientific arguments alone could have any weight with Professor Liedenbrock. Now there were good ones against the practicability of such a journey. Penetrate to the centre of the earth! What nonsense! But I kept my dialectic battery in reserve for a suitable opportunity, and I interested myself in the prospect of my dinner, which was not yet forthcoming.

At these words, a cold shiver ran through me. Yet I controlled myself and even resolved to put on a brave face. Only scientific arguments would carry any weight with Professor Liedenbrock. And there were good scientific arguments against the possibility of such a journey. Travel to the center of the earth! What nonsense! But I saved my arguments for a suitable moment and turned my attention to the prospect of dinner, which had yet to arrive.

It is no use to tell of the rage and imprecations of my uncle before the empty table. Explanations were given, Martha was set at liberty, ran off to the market, and did her part so well that in an hour afterwards my hunger was appeased, and I was able to return to the contemplation of the gravity of the situation.

There is no point describing my uncle’s rage and curses when he saw the empty table. After everything was explained, Martha was set free and rushed to the market. She did her part so well that an hour later, my hunger was satisfied. I could once again consider the seriousness of the situation.

During all dinner time my uncle was almost merry; he indulged in some of those learned jokes which never do anybody any harm. Dessert over, he beckoned me into his study.

Throughout dinner, my uncle was almost cheerful. He made some of those scholarly jokes that never hurt anyone. After dessert, he beckoned me into his study.

I obeyed; he sat at one end of his table, I at the other.

I obeyed. He sat at one end of his table, and I sat at the other.

"Axel," said he very mildly; "you are a very ingenious young man, you have done me a splendid service, at a moment when, wearied out with the struggle, I was going to abandon the contest. Where should I have lost myself? None can tell. Never, my lad, shall I forget it; and you shall have your share in the glory to which your discovery will lead."

"Axel," he said very gently, "you are a very clever young man. You have done me a great service. I was exhausted by the struggle and about to give up. Where might I have lost my way? No one can say. I will never forget what you did, my boy. And you will share in the glory your discovery brings."

"Oh, come!" thought I, "he is in a good way. Now is the time for discussing that same glory."

"Oh, come on!" I thought. "He's doing well. Now is the time to discuss that glory."

"Before all things," my uncle resumed, "I enjoin you to preserve the most inviolable secrecy: you understand? There are not a few in the scientific world who envy my success, and many would be ready to undertake this enterprise, to whom our return should be the first news of it."

"Above all," my uncle continued, "I insist that you keep this completely secret. Do you understand? Quite a few people in the scientific world envy my success. Many would be ready to undertake this expedition themselves. They should hear nothing about it until we return."

"Do you really think there are many people bold enough?" said I.

"Do you really think many people are bold enough?" I asked.

"Certainly; who would hesitate to acquire such renown? If that document were divulged, a whole army of geologists would be ready to rush into the footsteps of Arne Saknussemm."

“Certainly. Who would hesitate to gain such fame? If that document were made public, an entire army of geologists would be ready to follow in Arne Saknussemm’s footsteps.”

"I don't feel so very sure of that, uncle," I replied; "for we have no proof of the authenticity of this document."

"I'm not so sure about that, uncle," I replied. "We have no proof that this document is authentic."

"What! not of the book, inside which we have discovered it?"

"What! Not the book we found it in?"

"Granted. I admit that Saknussemm may have written these lines. But does it follow that he has really accomplished such a journey? And may it not be that this old parchment is intended to mislead?"

“Fine. I admit that Saknussemm may have written these lines. But does that mean he really made such a journey? Could this old parchment have been meant to mislead us?”

I almost regretted having uttered this last word, which dropped from me in an unguarded moment. The Professor bent his shaggy brows, and I feared I had seriously compromised my own safety. Happily no great harm came of it. A smile flitted across the lip of my severe companion, and he answered:

I almost regretted saying that last word. It had slipped out before I could stop myself. The Professor frowned beneath his shaggy eyebrows, and I feared I had seriously endangered my own safety. Luckily, no great harm came of it. A smile flickered across my stern companion’s lips, and he answered:

"That is what we shall see."

"That's what we'll see."

"Ah!" said I, rather put out. "But do let me exhaust all the possible objections against this document."

"Ah!" I said, a little annoyed. "But please let me go through all the possible objections to this document."

"Speak, my boy, don't be afraid. You are quite at liberty to express your opinions. You are no longer my nephew only, but my colleague. Pray go on."

"Speak, my boy, don't be afraid. You're free to express your opinions. You're not just my nephew anymore, but my colleague too. Please go on."

"Nothing easier. I received not long ago a map from my friend, Augustus Petermann, at Liepzig. Nothing could be more apropos. Take down the third atlas in the second shelf in the large bookcase, series Z, plate 4."

“Nothing could be easier. Not long ago, I received a map from my friend Augustus Petermann in Liepzig. It could not have come at a better time. Take down the third atlas on the second shelf of the large bookcase, series Z, plate 4.”

I rose, and with the help of such precise instructions could not fail to find the required atlas. My uncle opened it and said:

I got up, and with such precise instructions, I had no trouble finding the atlas. My uncle opened it and said:

"Here is one of the best maps of Iceland, that of Handersen, and I believe this will solve the worst of our difficulties."

"Here is Handersen's map, one of the best maps of Iceland. I believe it will solve the worst of our problems."

I bent over the map.

I bent over the map.

"You see this volcanic island," said the Professor; "observe that all the volcanoes are called jokuls, a word which means glacier in Icelandic, and under the high latitude of Iceland nearly all the active volcanoes discharge through beds of ice. Hence this term of jokul is applied to all the eruptive mountains in Iceland."

"You see this volcanic island," said the Professor. "Notice that all the volcanoes are called jokuls. The word means glacier in Icelandic. Because Iceland is so far north, nearly all its active volcanoes erupt through beds of ice. That is why all the eruptive mountains in Iceland are called jokuls."

"Very good," said I; "but what of Sneffels?"

"All right," I said. "But what about Sneffels?"

I was hoping that this question would be unanswerable; but I was mistaken. My uncle replied:

I hoped the question could not be answered, but I was wrong. My uncle replied:

"Follow my finger along the west coast of Iceland. Do you see Rejkiavik, the capital? You do. Well; ascend the innumerable fiords that indent those sea-beaten shores, and stop at the sixty-fifth degree of latitude. What do you see there?"

"Follow my finger along the west coast of Iceland. Do you see Rejkiavik, the capital? You do. Now, follow the countless fjords along that wave-battered coast north to the sixty-fifth degree of latitude. What do you see there?"

"I see a peninsula looking like a thigh bone with the knee bone at the end of it."

"I see a peninsula that looks like a thigh bone with a kneecap at the end."

"A very fair comparison, my lad. Now do you see anything upon that knee bone?"

"That's a very good comparison, my boy. Now, do you see anything on that knee bone?"

"Yes; a mountain rising out of the sea."

"Yes, a mountain rising out of the sea."

"Right. That is Snæfell."

"Right. That is Snæfell."

"That Snæfell?"

"That Snæfell?"

"It is. It is a mountain five thousand feet high, one of the most remarkable in the world, if its crater leads down to the centre of the earth."

"It is. The mountain is five thousand feet high. It is one of the most remarkable in the world if its crater leads down to the center of the earth."

"But that is impossible," I said shrugging my shoulders, and disgusted at such a ridiculous supposition.

"But that's impossible," I said, shrugging. I was disgusted by such a ridiculous idea.

"Impossible?" said the Professor severely; "and why, pray?"

"Impossible?" the Professor said sternly. "And why is that?"

"Because this crater is evidently filled with lava and burning rocks, and therefore—"

"Because this crater is clearly filled with lava and burning rocks, and so..."

"But suppose it is an extinct volcano?"

"But what if it is an extinct volcano?"

"Extinct?"

"Extinct?"

"Yes; the number of active volcanoes on the surface of the globe is at the present time only about three hundred. But there is a very much larger number of extinct ones. Now, Snæfell is one of these. Since historic times there has been but one eruption of this mountain, that of 1219; from that time it has quieted down more and more, and now it is no longer reckoned among active volcanoes."

“Yes. There are currently only about three hundred active volcanoes on Earth. But there are far more extinct ones, and Snæfell is one of them. Since recorded history began, the mountain has erupted only once, in 1219. Since then, it has become quieter and quieter. It is no longer counted among the active volcanoes.”

To such positive statements I could make no reply. I therefore took refuge in other dark passages of the document.

I had no answer to such confident statements. So I took refuge in other obscure passages of the document.

"What is the meaning of this word Scartaris, and what have the kalends of July to do with it?"

"What does the word Scartaris mean, and what does the first of July have to do with it?"

My uncle took a few minutes to consider. For one short moment I felt a ray of hope, speedily to be extinguished. For he soon answered thus:

My uncle took a few minutes to think. For a brief moment, I felt a glimmer of hope, but it was quickly extinguished. He soon answered:

"What is darkness to you is light to me. This proves the ingenious care with which Saknussemm guarded and defined his discovery. Sneffels, or Snæfell, has several craters. It was therefore necessary to point out which of these leads to the centre of the globe. What did the Icelandic sage do? He observed that at the approach of the kalends of July, that is to say in the last days of June, one of the peaks, called Scartaris, flung its shadow down the mouth of that particular crater, and he committed that fact to his document. Could there possibly have been a more exact guide? As soon as we have arrived at the summit of Snæfell we shall have no hesitation as to the proper road to take."

"What is darkness to you is light to me. This shows how cleverly Saknussemm protected his discovery and marked its location. Sneffels, or Snæfell, has several craters. He therefore needed to show which one leads to the center of the earth. What did the wise Icelander do? He noticed that in the last days of June, a peak called Scartaris cast its shadow into that particular crater. He recorded this fact in his document. Could there possibly have been a more precise guide? Once we reach the summit of Snæfell, we will have no doubt which path to take."

Decidedly, my uncle had answered every one of my objections. I saw that his position on the old parchment was impregnable. I therefore ceased to press him upon that part of the subject, and as above all things he must be convinced, I passed on to scientific objections, which in my opinion were far more serious.

Clearly, my uncle had answered every one of my objections. I saw that his position on the old parchment was unassailable. So I stopped pressing him on that point. Above all, I had to convince him, so I turned to scientific objections. In my opinion, those were far more serious.

"Well, then," I said, "I am forced to admit that Saknussemm's sentence is clear, and leaves no room for doubt. I will even allow that the document bears every mark and evidence of authenticity. That learned philosopher did get to the bottom of Sneffels, he has seen the shadow of Scartaris touch the edge of the crater before the kalends of July; he may even have heard the legendary stories told in his day about that crater reaching to the centre of the world; but as for reaching it himself, as for performing the journey, and returning, if he ever went, I say no—he never, never did that."

"Well, then," I said, "I have to admit that Saknussemm's statement is clear and leaves no room for doubt. I will even admit that the document shows every sign of being authentic. That learned philosopher did reach the bottom of Sneffels. He saw the shadow of Scartaris touch the edge of the crater before the first of July. He may even have heard the legends told in his day about the crater reaching the centre of the world. But did he reach the centre himself? Did he make the journey and return, if he ever went at all? I say no. He never, never did that."

"Now for your reason?" said my uncle ironically.

"Now, what's your reason?" my uncle asked ironically.

"All the theories of science demonstrate such a feat to be impracticable."

"All scientific theories show that such a feat is impossible."

"The theories say that, do they?" replied the Professor in the tone of a meek disciple. "Oh! unpleasant theories! How the theories will hinder us, won't they?"

"The theories say that, do they?" replied the Professor, sounding like an obedient student. "Oh, what troublesome theories! They’ll really hold us back, won’t they?"

I saw that he was only laughing at me; but I went on all the same.

I could see he was just laughing at me, but I went on anyway.

"Yes; it is perfectly well known that the internal temperature rises one degree for every 70 feet in depth; now, admitting this proportion to be constant, and the radius of the earth being fifteen hundred leagues, there must be a temperature of 360,032 degrees at the centre of the earth. Therefore, all the substances that compose the body of this earth must exist there in a state of incandescent gas; for the metals that most resist the action of heat, gold, and platinum, and the hardest rocks, can never be either solid or liquid under such a temperature. I have therefore good reason for asking if it is possible to penetrate through such a medium."

“Yes, it is well known that the temperature rises one degree for every 70 feet of depth. Assume this rate stays constant, and the earth’s radius is fifteen hundred leagues. Then the temperature at the earth’s center must be 360,032 degrees. Therefore, all the substances that make up the earth must exist there as glowing gas. Even gold, platinum, and the hardest rocks cannot be solid or liquid at that temperature. Gold and platinum are the metals most resistant to heat. So I have good reason to ask whether it is possible to penetrate such a medium.”

"So, Axel, it is the heat that troubles you?"

“So, Axel, is it the heat that's bothering you?”

"Of course it is. Were we to reach a depth of thirty miles we should have arrived at the limit of the terrestrial crust, for there the temperature will be more than 2372 degrees."

“Of course it is. If we reached a depth of thirty miles, we would be at the edge of the Earth’s crust. The temperature there would be more than 2372 degrees.”

"Are you afraid of being put into a state of fusion?"

"Are you afraid of being melted?"

"I will leave you to decide that question," I answered rather sullenly. "This is my decision," replied Professor Liedenbrock, putting on one of his grandest airs. "Neither you nor anybody else knows with any certainty what is going on in the interior of this globe, since not the twelve thousandth part of its radius is known; science is eminently perfectible; and every new theory is soon routed by a newer. Was it not always believed until Fourier that the temperature of the interplanetary spaces decreased perpetually? and is it not known at the present time that the greatest cold of the ethereal regions is never lower than 40 degrees below zero Fahr.? Why should it not be the same with the internal heat? Why should it not, at a certain depth, attain an impassable limit, instead of rising to such a point as to fuse the most infusible metals?"

"I'll leave you to decide that question," I answered rather sullenly. "Here is my decision," replied Professor Liedenbrock, putting on one of his grandest airs. "Neither you nor anyone else knows for certain what is happening inside this globe. We know less than one twelve-thousandth of its radius. Science can always be improved, and every new theory is soon overturned by a newer one. Until Fourier, wasn't it always believed that the temperature of interplanetary space kept falling? And don't we now know that the coldest temperature in space is never lower than 40 degrees below zero Fahrenheit? Why shouldn't the same be true of the heat inside the globe? Why shouldn't it reach a limit at a certain depth that it cannot pass? Why must it keep rising until it melts even the most heat-resistant metals?"

As my uncle was now taking his stand upon hypotheses, of course, there was nothing to be said.

Since my uncle was now relying on theories, of course, there was nothing to say.

"Well, I will tell you that true savants, amongst them Poisson, have demonstrated that if a heat of 360,000 degrees⁴ existed in the interior of the globe, the fiery gases arising from the fused matter would acquire an elastic force which the crust of the earth would be unable to resist, and that it would explode like the plates of a bursting boiler."

“Well, I will tell you that true scientists, including Poisson, have demonstrated this. If the temperature inside the earth reached 360,000 degrees⁴, fiery gases would rise from the molten matter. These gases would build up pressure that the earth’s crust could not withstand. The crust would explode like the plates of a bursting boiler.”

"That is Poisson's opinion, my uncle, nothing more."

"That's just Poisson's opinion, Uncle. Nothing more."

"Granted. But it is likewise the creed adopted by other distinguished geologists, that the interior of the globe is neither gas nor water, nor any of the heaviest minerals known, for in none of these cases would the earth weigh what it does."

“Agreed. But other distinguished geologists also believe that the earth’s interior is neither gas, water, nor any of the heaviest known minerals. If it were any of these, the earth would not weigh what it does.”

"Oh, with figures you may prove anything!"

"Oh, you can prove anything with numbers!"

"But is it the same with facts! Is it not known that the number of volcanoes has diminished since the first days of creation? and if there is central heat may we not thence conclude that it is in process of diminution?"

"But do the facts support that? Isn't it known that the number of volcanoes has decreased since the first days of creation? And if there is heat at the center of the Earth, may we not conclude that it is decreasing?"

"My good uncle, if you will enter into the legion of speculation, I can discuss the matter no longer."

"My dear uncle, if you want to speculate, I can't discuss the matter any longer."

"But I have to tell you that the highest names have come to the support of my views. Do you remember a visit paid to me by the celebrated chemist, Humphry Davy, in 1825?"

"But I must tell you that the most respected people have supported my views. Do you remember the visit I received from the famous chemist Humphry Davy in 1825?"

"Not at all, for I was not born until nineteen years afterwards."

"Not at all, because I wasn't born until nineteen years later."

"Well, Humphry Davy did call upon me on his way through Hamburg. We were long engaged in discussing, amongst other problems, the hypothesis of the liquid structure of the terrestrial nucleus. We were agreed that it could not be in a liquid state, for a reason which science has never been able to confute."

"Well, Humphry Davy did visit me while passing through Hamburg. We spent a long time discussing several questions, including the theory that the Earth's core is liquid. We agreed that it could not be liquid, for a reason science has never been able to disprove."

"What is that reason?" I said, rather astonished.

“What is that reason?” I said, somewhat surprised.

"Because this liquid mass would be subject, like the ocean, to the lunar attraction, and therefore twice every day there would be internal tides, which, upheaving the terrestrial crust, would cause periodical earthquakes!"

"Because the moon would pull on this liquid mass, just as it pulls on the ocean. So there would be tides inside the earth twice a day. These tides would push up the earth's crust and cause periodic earthquakes!"

"Yet it is evident that the surface of the globe has been subject to the action of fire," I replied, "and it is quite reasonable to suppose that the external crust cooled down first, whilst the heat took refuge down to the centre."

"Yet it is clear that fire has acted on the Earth's surface," I replied. "It is quite reasonable to suppose that the outer crust cooled first, while the heat retreated toward the center."

"Quite a mistake," my uncle answered. "The earth has been heated by combustion on its surface, that is all. Its surface was composed of a great number of metals, such as potassium and sodium, which have the peculiar property of igniting at the mere contact with air and water; these metals kindled when the atmospheric vapours fell in rain upon the soil; and by and by, when the waters penetrated into the fissures of the crust of the earth, they broke out into fresh combustion with explosions and eruptions. Such was the cause of the numerous volcanoes at the origin of the earth."

"That's quite wrong," my uncle replied. "The earth was heated by burning on its surface, that's all. Its surface was made up of many metals, such as potassium and sodium. These metals have the unusual property of catching fire as soon as they touch air and water. They caught fire when moisture in the atmosphere fell as rain on the ground. Later, water seeped into cracks in the earth's crust and caused the metals to burn again, with explosions and eruptions. That was what caused the many volcanoes at the beginning of the earth."

"Upon my word, this is a very clever hypothesis," I exclaimed, in spite rather of myself.

"Honestly, that's a very clever theory," I exclaimed, despite myself.

"And which Humphry Davy demonstrated to me by a simple experiment. He formed a small ball of the metals which I have named, and which was a very fair representation of our globe; whenever he caused a fine dew of rain to fall upon its surface, it heaved up into little monticules, it became oxydized and formed miniature mountains; a crater broke open at one of its summits; the eruption took place, and communicated to the whole of the ball such a heat that it could not be held in the hand."

"And Humphry Davy demonstrated this to me with a simple experiment. He made a small ball from the metals I have named. It was a fairly accurate model of our globe. Whenever he let a fine mist of rain fall on its surface, the ball rose into little mounds. It oxidized and formed miniature mountains. A crater opened at the top of one mountain, and an eruption followed. The eruption heated the whole ball so much that it could not be held in the hand."

In truth, I was beginning to be shaken by the Professor's arguments, besides which he gave additional weight to them by his usual ardour and fervent enthusiasm.

I was beginning to be persuaded by the Professor's arguments. His usual passion and enthusiasm made them even more convincing.

"You see, Axel," he added, "the condition of the terrestrial nucleus has given rise to various hypotheses among geologists; there is no proof at all for this internal heat; my opinion is that there is no such thing, it cannot be; besides we shall see for ourselves, and, like Arne Saknussemm, we shall know exactly what to hold as truth concerning this grand question."

“You see, Axel,” he added, “geologists have proposed various theories about the condition of the Earth’s core. There is no proof at all that it is hot inside. In my opinion, there is no such heat. It cannot exist. Besides, we shall see for ourselves. Like Arne Saknussemm, we shall know exactly what to believe about this great question.”

"Very well, we shall see," I replied, feeling myself carried off by his contagious enthusiasm. "Yes, we shall see; that is, if it is possible to see anything there."

"All right, we'll see," I replied, caught up in his enthusiasm. "Yes, we'll see, if it's possible to see anything there."

"And why not? May we not depend upon electric phenomena to give us light? May we not even expect light from the atmosphere, the pressure of which may render it luminous as we approach the centre?"

“And why not? Can’t we rely on electrical phenomena to give us light? Might we even get light from the atmosphere? Its pressure may make it glow as we approach the center.”

"Yes, yes," said I; "that is possible, too."

"Yes, yes," I said. "That's possible, too."

"It is certain," exclaimed my uncle in a tone of triumph. "But silence, do you hear me? silence upon the whole subject; and let no one get before us in this design of discovering the centre of the earth."

"It is certain!" my uncle exclaimed triumphantly. "But keep quiet, do you hear me? Don't tell anyone about any of it. We must not let anyone discover the centre of the earth before us."