Compassion Melts the Professor's Heart

Next day we started early. We had to hasten forward. It was a three days' march to the cross roads.

The next day we started early. We had to hurry. It was a three-day march to the crossroads.

I will not speak of the sufferings we endured in our return. My uncle bore them with the angry impatience of a man obliged to own his weakness; Hans with the resignation of his passive nature; I, I confess, with complaints and expressions of despair. I had no spirit to oppose this ill fortune.

I will not speak of the suffering we endured on our return. My uncle endured it with the angry impatience of a man forced to admit his own weakness. Hans accepted it with the resignation of his passive nature. I confess that I complained and expressed despair. I had no spirit left to fight against our misfortune.

As I had foretold, the water failed entirely by the end of the first day's retrograde march. Our fluid aliment was now nothing but gin; but this infernal fluid burned my throat, and I could not even endure the sight of it. I found the temperature and the air stifling. Fatigue paralysed my limbs. More than once I dropped down motionless. Then there was a halt; and my uncle and the Icelander did their best to restore me. But I saw that the former was struggling painfully against excessive fatigue and the tortures of thirst.

As I had predicted, our water ran out completely by the end of our first day of marching back. Now we had nothing to drink but gin. But that infernal liquid burned my throat, and I could not even bear to look at it. The heat and the air were stifling. Exhaustion paralyzed my limbs. More than once, I collapsed and lay motionless. Each time, we stopped, and my uncle and the Icelander did their best to revive me. But I could see that my uncle was struggling painfully against extreme exhaustion and the torment of thirst.

At last, on Tuesday, July 8, we arrived on our hands and knees, and half dead, at the junction of the two roads. There I dropped like a lifeless lump, extended on the lava soil. It was ten in the morning.

At last, on Tuesday, July 8, we reached the junction of the two roads on our hands and knees, half dead. There I collapsed onto the lava ground like a lifeless lump. It was ten in the morning.

Hans and my uncle, clinging to the wall, tried to nibble a few bits of biscuit. Long moans escaped from my swollen lips.

Hans and my uncle clung to the wall and tried to nibble a few bits of biscuit. Long moans came from my swollen lips.

After some time my uncle approached me and raised me in his arms.

After a while, my uncle came over and lifted me into his arms.

"Poor boy!" said he, in genuine tones of compassion.

"Poor boy!" he said with genuine compassion.

I was touched with these words, not being accustomed to see the excitable Professor in a softened mood. I grasped his trembling hands in mine. He let me hold them and looked at me. His eyes were moistened.

His words touched me because I was not used to seeing the excitable Professor in such a gentle mood. I took his trembling hands in mine. He let me hold them and looked at me. His eyes were moist.

Then I saw him take the flask that was hanging at his side. To my amazement he placed it on my lips.

Then I saw him take the flask hanging at his side. To my amazement, he put it to my lips.

"Drink!" said he.

"Drink!" he said.

Had I heard him? Was my uncle beside himself? I stared at, him stupidly, and felt as if I could not understand him.

Had I heard him correctly? Had my uncle lost his mind? I stared at him blankly, feeling as if I couldn't understand him.

"Drink!" he said again.

"Drink!" he said again.

And raising his flask he emptied it every drop between my lips.

He raised his flask and poured every drop into my mouth.

Oh! infinite pleasure! a slender sip of water came to moisten my burning mouth. It was but one sip but it was enough to recall my ebbing life.

Oh, what infinite pleasure! A small sip of water moistened my burning mouth. It was only one sip, but it was enough to bring me back to life.

I thanked my uncle with clasped hands.

I thanked my uncle with my hands clasped.

"Yes," he said, "a draught of water; but it is the very last—you hear!—the last. I had kept it as a precious treasure at the bottom of my flask. Twenty times, nay, a hundred times, have I fought against a frightful impulse to drink it off. But no, Axel, I kept it for you."

"Yes," he said, "a drink of water. But it's the very last. Do you hear? The last. I kept it like a precious treasure at the bottom of my flask. Twenty times, no, a hundred times, I fought a terrible urge to drink it all. But no, Axel, I kept it for you."

"My dear uncle," I said, whilst hot tears trickled down my face.

"My dear uncle," I said, as hot tears trickled down my face.

"Yes, my poor boy, I knew that as soon as you arrived at these cross roads you would drop half dead, and I kept my last drop of water to reanimate you."

"Yes, my poor boy, I knew you would collapse as soon as you reached this crossroads. So I saved my last drop of water to revive you."

"Thank you, thank you," I said. Although my thirst was only partially quenched, yet some strength had returned. The muscles of my throat, until then contracted, now relaxed again; and the inflammation of my lips abated somewhat; and I was now able to speak. .

"Thank you, thank you," I said. Although I was still thirsty, some strength had returned. My throat muscles, which had been tight until then, relaxed again. The swelling in my lips eased somewhat, and I could speak again.

"Let us see," I said, "we have now but one thing to do. We have no water; we must go back."

"Let's see," I said. "There's only one thing we can do now. We have no water. We have to go back."

While I spoke my uncle avoided looking at me; he hung his head down; his eyes avoided mine.

While I spoke, my uncle avoided looking at me. He hung his head and kept his eyes away from mine.

"We must return," I exclaimed vehemently; "we must go back on our way to Snæfell. May God give us strength to climb up the crater again!"

“We must turn back,” I exclaimed fiercely. “We must go back to Snæfell. May God give us the strength to climb back up the crater!”

"Return!" said my uncle, as if he was rather answering himself than me.

"Return!" said my uncle, as if he were answering himself rather than me.

"Yes, return, without the loss of a minute."

"Yes, go back without wasting a minute."

A long silence followed.

A long silence followed.

"So then, Axel," replied the Professor ironically, "you have found no courage or energy in these few drops of water?"

"So, Axel," the Professor replied ironically, "didn't those few drops of water give you any courage or energy?"

"Courage?"

"Courage?"

"I see you just as feeble-minded as you were before, and still expressing only despair!"

"I see you're just as weak-minded as before, and still expressing nothing but despair!"

What sort of a man was this I had to do with, and what schemes was he now revolving in his fearless mind?

What kind of man was I dealing with? What plans was he now turning over in his fearless mind?

"What! you won't go back?"

"What! You won't go back?"

"Should I renounce this expedition just when we have the fairest chance of success! Never!"

"Should I give up this expedition just when we have the best chance of success? Never!"

"Then must we resign ourselves to destruction?"

"Then must we accept that we will be destroyed?"

"No, Axel, no; go back. Hans will go with you. Leave me to myself!"

"No, Axel, no. Go back. Hans will go with you. Leave me alone!"

"Leave you here!"

"Leave you here!"

"Leave me, I tell you. I have undertaken this expedition. I will carry it out to the end, and I will not return. Go, Axel, go!"

"Leave me, I tell you. I started this expedition. I will see it through to the end, and I will not return. Go, Axel, go!"

My uncle was in high state of excitement. His voice, which had for a moment been tender and gentle, had now become hard and threatening. He was struggling with gloomy resolutions against impossibilities. I would not leave him in this bottomless abyss, and on the other hand the instinct of self-preservation prompted me to fly.

My uncle was extremely agitated. His voice had been tender and gentle for a moment, but it was now hard and threatening. He was grimly determined to overcome what was impossible. I would not leave him in that bottomless abyss, but my instinct for survival urged me to flee.

The guide watched this scene with his usual phlegmatic unconcern. Yet he understood perfectly well what was going on between his two companions. The gestures themselves were sufficient to show that we were each bent on taking a different road; but Hans seemed to take no part in a question upon which depended his life. He was ready to start at a given signal, or to stay, if his master so willed it.

The guide watched the scene with his usual calm indifference. Yet he understood perfectly well what was happening between his two companions. Our gestures alone showed that we were each determined to take a different road. But Hans seemed to take no part in a decision on which his life depended. He was ready to start at a signal, or to stay if his master wished.

How I wished at this moment I could have made him understand me. My words, my complaints, my sorrow would have had some influence over that frigid nature. Those dangers which our guide could not understand I could have demonstrated and proved to him. Together we might have over-ruled the obstinate Professor; if it were needed, we might perhaps have compelled him to regain the heights of Snæfell.

How I wished I could make him understand me at that moment. My words, my complaints, and my sorrow might have moved his cold nature. I could have explained and proved the dangers our guide did not understand. Together, we might have persuaded the stubborn Professor to change his mind. If necessary, we might perhaps have forced him to return to the heights of Snæfell.

I drew near to Hans. I placed my hand upon his. He made no movement. My parted lips sufficiently revealed my sufferings. The Icelander slowly moved his head, and calmly pointing to my uncle said:

I went over to Hans and placed my hand on his. He did not move. My parted lips clearly showed how much I was suffering. The Icelander slowly moved his head and calmly pointed to my uncle. Then he said:

"Master."

"Master."

"Master!" I shouted; "you madman! no, he is not the master of our life; we must fly, we must drag him. Do you hear me? Do you understand?"

"Master!" I shouted. "You madman! No, he doesn't control our lives. We must escape. We must drag him along. Do you hear me? Do you understand?"

I had seized Hans by the arm. I wished to oblige him to rise. I strove with him. My uncle interposed.

I grabbed Hans by the arm. I wanted to make him get up. I struggled with him. My uncle stepped in.

I crossed my arms, and confronted my uncle boldly.

I crossed my arms and boldly confronted my uncle.

"The want of water," he said, "is the only obstacle in our way. In this eastern gallery made up of lavas, schists, and coal, we have not met with a single particle of moisture. Perhaps we shall be more fortunate if we follow the western tunnel."

"The lack of water," he said, "is the only obstacle in our way. In this eastern passage, made of lava, schist, and coal, we haven't found a single trace of moisture. Perhaps we'll have better luck if we follow the western tunnel."

I shook my head incredulously.

I shook my head in disbelief.

"Hear me to the end," the Professor went on with a firm voice. "Whilst you were lying there motionless, I went to examine the conformation of that gallery. It penetrates directly downward, and in a few hours it will bring us to the granite rocks. There we must meet with abundant springs. The nature of the rock assures me of this, and instinct agrees with logic to support my conviction. Now, this is my proposal. When Columbus asked of his ships' crews for three days more to discover a new world, those crews, disheartened and sick as they were, recognised the justice of the claim, and he discovered America. I am the Columbus of this nether world, and I only ask for one more day. If in a single day I have not met with the water that we want, I swear to you we will return to the surface of the earth."

"Hear me out," the Professor continued firmly. "While you were lying there motionless, I examined the shape of that passage. It goes straight down and will bring us to the granite rocks in a few hours. There we are sure to find abundant springs. The nature of the rock assures me of this, and both instinct and logic support my conviction. Now, here is my proposal. Columbus asked his ships' crews for three more days to discover a new world. Though they were discouraged and sick, they recognized that his request was fair, and he discovered America. I am the Columbus of this underground world, and I ask for only one more day. If I haven't found the water we need within one day, I swear we will return to the earth's surface."

In spite of my irritation I was moved with these words, as well as with the violence my uncle was doing to his own wishes in making so hazardous a proposal.

Despite my irritation, his words moved me. I was also moved by how much my uncle was going against his own wishes in making such a risky proposal.

"Well," I said, "do as you will, and God reward your superhuman energy. You have now but a few hours to tempt fortune. Let us start!"

"Well," I said, "do as you wish, and may God reward your superhuman energy. You have only a few hours left to try your luck. Let's go!"