All's Well That Ends Well

Such is the conclusion of a history which I cannot expect everybody to believe, for some people will believe nothing against the testimony of their own experience. However, I am indifferent to their incredulity, and they may believe as much or as little as they please.

That is the end of my story, though I cannot expect everyone to believe it. Some people will believe only what they have experienced themselves. But I don’t care if they doubt me. They can believe as much or as little as they like.

The Stromboliotes received us kindly as shipwrecked mariners. They gave us food and clothing. After waiting forty-eight hours, on the 31st of August, a small craft took us to Messina, where a few days' rest completely removed the effect of our fatigues.

The Stromboliotes welcomed us kindly as shipwrecked sailors. They gave us food and clothing. After we had waited forty-eight hours, a small boat took us to Messina on August 31. A few days of rest there completely restored us from our exhaustion.

On Friday, September the 4th, we embarked on the steamer Volturno, employed by the French Messageries Imperiales, and in three days more we were at Marseilles, having no care on our minds except that abominable deceitful compass, which we had mislaid somewhere and could not now examine; but its inexplicable behaviour exercised my mind fearfully. On the 9th of September, in the evening, we arrived at Hamburg.

On Friday, September 4th, we boarded the steamer Volturno, operated by the French Messageries Imperiales. Three days later, we were in Marseilles. We had no worries except that terrible, deceptive compass. We had mislaid it somewhere and could not examine it now. But its inexplicable behavior troubled me terribly. On the evening of September 9th, we arrived in Hamburg.

"Now you are a hero, Axel," said to me my blushing fiancée, my betrothed, "you will not leave me again!"

"Now you're a hero, Axel," my blushing fiancée, my betrothed, said to me. "You won't leave me again!"

I looked tenderly upon her, and she smiled through her tears.

I looked at her tenderly, and she smiled through her tears.

How can I describe the extraordinary sensation produced by the return of Professor Liedenbrock? Thanks to Martha's ineradicable tattling, the news that the Professor had gone to discover a way to the centre of the earth had spread over the whole civilised world. People refused to believe it, and when they saw him they would not believe him any the more. Still, the appearance of Hans, and sundry pieces of intelligence derived from Iceland, tended to shake the confidence of the unbelievers.

How can I describe the extraordinary sensation caused by Professor Liedenbrock's return? Martha could never stop gossiping, and thanks to her, the news had spread throughout the civilized world. Everyone knew that the Professor had gone to find a way to the centre of the earth. People refused to believe it, and seeing him did not make them believe him any more. Still, the appearance of Hans and various reports from Iceland began to shake the skeptics' confidence.

Then my uncle became a great man, and I was now the nephew of a great man—which is not a privilege to be despised.

Then my uncle became a great man, and I became the nephew of a great man. That was no privilege to look down on.

Hamburg gave a grand fete in our honour. A public audience was given to the Professor at the Johannæum, at which he told all about our expedition, with only one omission, the unexplained and inexplicable behaviour of our compass. On the same day, with much state, he deposited in the archives of the city the now famous document of Saknussemm, and expressed his regret that circumstances over which he had no control had prevented him from following to the very centre of the earth the track of the learned Icelander. He was modest notwithstanding his glory, and he was all the more famous for his humility.

Hamburg held a grand celebration in our honor. The Professor gave a public talk at the Johannæum, where he told the whole story of our expedition. He left out only one thing: the unexplained and inexplicable behavior of our compass. On the same day, he ceremonially placed Saknussemm’s now famous document in the city archives. He expressed regret that circumstances beyond his control had prevented him from following the learned Icelander’s path to the very center of the earth. Despite his glory, he was modest, and his humility made him even more famous.

So much honour could not but excite envy. There were those who envied him his fame; and as his theories, resting upon known facts, were in opposition to the systems of science upon the question of the central fire, he sustained with his pen and by his voice remarkable discussions with the learned of every country.

So much honor was bound to stir envy. Some people envied his fame. His theories were based on known facts, but they opposed accepted scientific views about the fire at the earth’s center. As a result, he engaged in remarkable debates, both in writing and in speech, with scholars from every country.

For my part I cannot agree with his theory of gradual cooling: in spite of what I have seen and felt, I believe, and always shall believe, in the central heat. But I admit that certain circumstances not yet sufficiently understood may tend to modify in places the action of natural phenomena.

For my part, I cannot agree with his theory of gradual cooling. Despite what I have seen and felt, I believe in the earth’s central heat, and I always will. But I admit that circumstances we do not yet fully understand may change how natural phenomena act in some places.

While these questions were being debated with great animation, my uncle met with a real sorrow. Our faithful Hans, in spite of our entreaties, had left Hamburg; the man to whom we owed all our success and our lives too would not suffer us to reward him as we could have wished. He was seized with the mal de pays, a complaint for which we have not even a name in English.

While these questions were being hotly debated, my uncle suffered a real sorrow. Despite our pleas, our faithful Hans had left Hamburg. We owed him all our success and even our lives, but he would not let us reward him as we wished. He had been seized by mal de pays, an affliction for which we do not even have a name in English.

"Farval," said he one day; and with that simple word he left us and sailed for Rejkiavik, which he reached in safety.

"Farval," he said one day. With that simple word, he left us and sailed safely to Rejkiavik.

We were strongly attached to our brave eider-down hunter; though far away in the remotest north, he will never be forgotten by those whose lives he protected, and certainly I shall not fail to endeavour to see him once more before I die.

We were deeply attached to our brave eiderdown hunter. Though he is far away in the remote north, those whose lives he protected will never forget him. I will certainly try to see him once more before I die.

To conclude, I have to add that this 'Journey into the Interior of the Earth' created a wonderful sensation in the world. It was translated into all civilised languages. The leading newspapers extracted the most interesting passages, which were commented upon, picked to pieces, discussed, attacked, and defended with equal enthusiasm and determination, both by believers and sceptics. Rare privilege! my uncle enjoyed during his lifetime the glory he had deservedly won; and he may even boast the distinguished honour of an offer from Mr. Barnum, to exhibit him on most advantageous terms in all the principal cities in the United States!

To conclude, I must add that this 'Journey into the Interior of the Earth' caused a great sensation around the world. It was translated into all civilized languages. The leading newspapers printed the most interesting passages. Believers and skeptics alike commented on, dissected, discussed, attacked, and defended them with equal enthusiasm and determination. What a rare privilege! My uncle enjoyed the fame he had deservedly earned during his lifetime. He could even boast of a distinguished honor: Mr. Barnum offered him very favorable terms to exhibit him in all the major cities of the United States!

But there was one 'dead fly' amidst all this glory and honour; one fact, one incident, of the journey remained a mystery. Now to a man eminent for his learning, an unexplained phenomenon is an unbearable hardship. Well! it was yet reserved for my uncle to be completely happy.

But there was one 'dead fly' amid all this glory and honor. One incident from the journey remained a mystery. For a man famous for his learning, an unexplained phenomenon is unbearable. Well! My uncle was yet to be completely happy.

One day, while arranging a collection of minerals in his cabinet, I noticed in a corner this unhappy compass, which we had long lost sight of; I opened it, and began to watch it.

One day, while arranging a collection of minerals in his cabinet, I noticed the unfortunate compass in a corner. We had long since lost sight of it. I opened it and began to watch it.

It had been in that corner for six months, little mindful of the trouble it was giving.

It had been in that corner for six months, unaware of the trouble it was causing.

Suddenly, to my intense astonishment, I noticed a strange fact, and I uttered a cry of surprise.

Suddenly, I noticed something strange. I was amazed and cried out in surprise.

"What is the matter?" my uncle asked.

"What's wrong?" my uncle asked.

"That compass!"

"That compass!"

"Well?"

"Well?"

"See, its poles are reversed!"

"Look, its poles are reversed!"

"Reversed?"

"Reversed?"

"Yes, they point the wrong way."

"Yes, they point the wrong way."

My uncle looked, he compared, and the house shook with his triumphant leap of exultation.

My uncle looked and compared, then jumped for joy so triumphantly that the house shook.

A light broke in upon his spirit and mine.

We both suddenly understood.

"See there," he cried, as soon as he was able to speak. "After our arrival at Cape Saknussemm the north pole of the needle of this confounded compass began to point south instead of north."

"Look," he cried as soon as he could speak. "After we arrived at Cape Saknussemm, the north end of this damned compass needle began pointing south instead of north."

"Evidently!"

"Apparently!"

"Here, then, is the explanation of our mistake. But what phenomenon could have caused this reversal of the poles?"

"So that explains our mistake. But what could have caused the poles to reverse?"

"The reason is evident, uncle."

"The reason is clear, uncle."

"Tell me, then, Axel."

"Then tell me, Axel."

"During the electric storm on the Liedenbrock sea, that ball of fire, which magnetised all the iron on board, reversed the poles of our magnet!"

"During the electrical storm on the Liedenbrock sea, that ball of fire magnetized all the iron on board. It also reversed the poles of our magnet!"

"Aha! aha!" shouted the Professor with a loud laugh. "So it was just an electric joke!"

"Aha! Aha!" shouted the Professor, laughing loudly. "So it was just an electric joke!"

From that day forth the Professor was the most glorious of savants, and I was the happiest of men; for my pretty Virlandaise, resigning her place as ward, took her position in the old house on the Königstrasse in the double capacity of niece to my uncle and wife to a certain happy youth. What is the need of adding that the illustrious Otto Liedenbrock, corresponding member of all the scientific, geographical, and mineralogical societies of all the civilised world, was now her uncle and mine?

From that day on, the Professor was the most celebrated of scholars, and I was the happiest of men. For my pretty Virlandaise was no longer his ward. She took her place in the old house on Königstrasse as my uncle's niece and as the wife of a certain happy young man. Need I add that the illustrious Otto Liedenbrock was now both her uncle and mine? He was a corresponding member of all the scientific, geographical, and mineralogical societies in the civilized world.