Moving Within the Moving

This forcible abduction, so roughly carried out, was accomplished with the rapidity of lightning. I shivered all over. Whom had we to deal with? No doubt some new sort of pirates, who explored the sea in their own way.

We were forcibly abducted, roughly and with lightning speed. I shivered all over. Who were we dealing with? No doubt some new kind of pirates, who explored the sea in their own way.

Hardly had the narrow panel closed upon me, when I was enveloped in darkness. My eyes, dazzled with the outer light, could distinguish nothing. I felt my naked feet cling to the rungs of an iron ladder. Ned Land and Conseil, firmly seized, followed me. At the bottom of the ladder, a door opened, and shut after us immediately with a bang.

As soon as the narrow panel closed behind me, I was surrounded by darkness. My eyes were dazzled by the light outside, and I could see nothing. I felt my bare feet grip the rungs of an iron ladder. Ned Land and Conseil followed me, held firmly by their captors. At the bottom of the ladder, a door opened and immediately slammed shut behind us.

We were alone. Where, I could not say, hardly imagine. All was black, and such a dense black that, after some minutes, my eyes had not been able to discern even the faintest glimmer.

We were alone. I could not say where we were. I could hardly even imagine it. Everything was black. The darkness was so dense that, after several minutes, my eyes could not make out even the faintest glimmer.

Meanwhile, Ned Land, furious at these proceedings, gave free vent to his indignation.

Meanwhile, Ned Land was furious at what was happening and freely expressed his outrage.

“Confound it!” cried he, “here are people who come up to the Scotch for hospitality. They only just miss being cannibals. I should not be surprised at it, but I declare that they shall not eat me without my protesting.”

“Damn it!” he cried. “These people are as hospitable as the Scotch. They are only just short of being cannibals. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were, but I declare they won’t eat me without a protest.”

“Calm yourself, friend Ned, calm yourself,” replied Conseil, quietly. “Do not cry out before you are hurt. We are not quite done for yet.”

“Calm down, Ned, my friend. Calm down,” Conseil replied quietly. “Don’t cry out before you’re hurt. We’re not finished yet.”

“Not quite,” sharply replied the Canadian, “but pretty near, at all events. Things look black. Happily, my bowie knife I have still, and I can always see well enough to use it. The first of these pirates who lays a hand on me——”

“Not quite,” the Canadian replied sharply, “but pretty close, anyway. Things look grim. Luckily, I still have my bowie knife, and I can always see well enough to use it. The first of these pirates who lays a hand on me...”

“Do not excite yourself, Ned,” I said to the harpooner, “and do not compromise us by useless violence. Who knows that they will not listen to us? Let us rather try to find out where we are.”

“Don’t get worked up, Ned,” I said to the harpooner. “Don’t put us at risk with pointless violence. Who knows? They might listen to us. Let’s try to find out where we are instead.”

I groped about. In five steps I came to an iron wall, made of plates bolted together. Then turning back I struck against a wooden table, near which were ranged several stools. The boards of this prison were concealed under a thick mat of phormium, which deadened the noise of the feet. The bare walls revealed no trace of window or door. Conseil, going round the reverse way, met me, and we went back to the middle of the cabin, which measured about twenty feet by ten. As to its height, Ned Land, in spite of his own great height, could not measure it.

I felt my way around. After five steps, I reached an iron wall made of plates bolted together. I turned back and bumped into a wooden table with several stools arranged near it. A thick phormium mat covered the floorboards of this prison, muffling the sound of footsteps. The bare walls showed no sign of a window or door. Conseil had gone around the other way and met me. We returned to the middle of the cabin, which measured about twenty feet by ten. Even Ned Land, tall as he was, could not measure its height.

Half an hour had already passed without our situation being bettered, when the dense darkness suddenly gave way to extreme light. Our prison was suddenly lighted—that is to say, it became filled with a luminous matter, so strong that I could not bear it at first. In its whiteness and intensity I recognised that electric light which played round the submarine boat like a magnificent phenomenon of phosphorescence. After shutting my eyes involuntarily, I opened them, and saw that this luminous agent came from a half globe, unpolished, placed in the roof of the cabin.

Half an hour had passed without any improvement in our situation when the dense darkness suddenly gave way to brilliant light. Our prison was lit up. It filled with a light so strong that I could not bear it at first. From its whiteness and intensity, I recognized the electric light that shone around the submarine boat like a magnificent display of phosphorescence. I closed my eyes involuntarily. When I opened them, I saw that the light came from a frosted half globe set in the cabin ceiling.

“At last one can see,” cried Ned Land, who, knife in hand, stood on the defensive.

“At last, we can see!” cried Ned Land, standing ready to defend himself with a knife in his hand.

“Yes,” said I; “but we are still in the dark about ourselves.”

“Yes,” I said, “but we still don't know what's going to happen to us.”

“Let master have patience,” said the imperturbable Conseil.

“Please be patient, master,” said Conseil, unflustered.

The sudden lighting of the cabin enabled me to examine it minutely. It only contained a table and five stools. The invisible door might be hermetically sealed. No noise was heard. All seemed dead in the interior of this boat. Did it move, did it float on the surface of the ocean, or did it dive into its depths? I could not guess.

The cabin suddenly lit up, allowing me to examine it closely. It contained only a table and five stools. The hidden door might have been airtight. I heard no noise. Everything inside the boat seemed dead. Was it moving, floating on the ocean’s surface, or diving into the depths? I could not tell.

A noise of bolts was now heard, the door opened, and two men appeared.

Bolts rattled, the door opened, and two men appeared.

One was short, very muscular, broad-shouldered, with robust limbs, strong head, an abundance of black hair, thick moustache, a quick penetrating look, and the vivacity which characterises the population of Southern France.

One was short and very muscular, with broad shoulders, strong limbs, and a strong head. He had thick black hair, a thick mustache, and a quick, penetrating gaze. He had the lively manner typical of people from Southern France.

The second stranger merits a more detailed description. A disciple of Gratiolet or Engel would have read his face like an open book. I made out his prevailing qualities directly:—self-confidence,—because his head was well set on his shoulders, and his black eyes looked around with cold assurance; calmness,—for his skin, rather pale, showed his coolness of blood; energy,—evinced by the rapid contraction of his lofty brows; and courage,—because his deep breathing denoted great power of lungs.

The second stranger deserves a more detailed description. A student of Gratiolet or Engel would have read his face like an open book. I immediately recognized his main qualities. He was self-confident, because his head sat firmly on his shoulders and his black eyes looked around with cold assurance. He was calm, because his rather pale skin showed how cool-blooded he was. He was energetic, as the quick movement of his high brows showed. And he was courageous, because his deep breathing revealed powerful lungs.

Whether this person was thirty-five or fifty years of age, I could not say. He was tall, had a large forehead, straight nose, a clearly cut mouth, beautiful teeth, with fine taper hands, indicative of a highly nervous temperament. This man was certainly the most admirable specimen I had ever met. One particular feature was his eyes, rather far from each other, and which could take in nearly a quarter of the horizon at once.

I could not tell whether he was thirty-five or fifty. He was tall, with a broad forehead, a straight nose, a well-defined mouth, and beautiful teeth. His hands were slender and tapered, suggesting a highly nervous temperament. He was certainly the most admirable specimen of a man I had ever met. One striking feature was his eyes. They were set rather far apart and could take in nearly a quarter of the horizon at once.

This faculty—(I verified it later)—gave him a range of vision far superior to Ned Land’s. When this stranger fixed upon an object, his eyebrows met, his large eyelids closed around so as to contract the range of his vision, and he looked as if he magnified the objects lessened by distance, as if he pierced those sheets of water so opaque to our eyes, and as if he read the very depths of the seas.

I confirmed later that this ability gave him far better vision than Ned Land’s. When the stranger focused on an object, his eyebrows drew together, and his large eyelids narrowed his field of vision. He seemed to magnify objects made smaller by distance. He seemed to see through layers of water that were opaque to our eyes and to read the very depths of the seas.

The two strangers, with caps made from the fur of the sea otter, and shod with sea boots of seal’s skin, were dressed in clothes of a particular texture, which allowed free movement of the limbs. The taller of the two, evidently the chief on board, examined us with great attention, without saying a word; then turning to his companion, talked with him in an unknown tongue. It was a sonorous, harmonious, and flexible dialect, the vowels seeming to admit of very varied accentuation.

The two strangers wore caps made of sea otter fur and sea boots made of seal skin. Their clothes were made of a distinctive material that allowed them to move freely. The taller of the two was evidently in command on board. He studied us closely without saying a word. Then he turned to his companion and spoke to him in an unfamiliar language. It was a rich, harmonious, flexible dialect, with vowels that seemed capable of a wide range of accents.

The other replied by a shake of the head, and added two or three perfectly incomprehensible words. Then he seemed to question me by a look.

The other man shook his head and said two or three words I could not understand at all. Then he seemed to ask me a question with a look.

I replied in good French that I did not know his language; but he seemed not to understand me, and my situation became more embarrassing.

I replied in good French that I didn't know his language. But he didn't seem to understand me, and I grew more embarrassed.

“If master were to tell our story,” said Conseil, “perhaps these gentlemen may understand some words.”

“If master told our story,” said Conseil, “perhaps these gentlemen might understand some words.”

I began to tell our adventures, articulating each syllable clearly, and without omitting one single detail. I announced our names and rank, introducing in person Professor Aronnax, his servant Conseil, and master Ned Land, the harpooner.

I began telling our adventures, speaking each syllable clearly and leaving out no detail. I gave our names and positions, introducing Professor Aronnax, his servant Conseil, and master Ned Land, the harpooner.

The man with the soft calm eyes listened to me quietly, even politely, and with extreme attention; but nothing in his countenance indicated that he had understood my story. When I finished, he said not a word. There remained one resource, to speak English. Perhaps they would know this almost universal language. I knew it, as well as the German language,—well enough to read it fluently, but not to speak it correctly. But, anyhow, we must make ourselves understood.

The man with the gentle, calm eyes listened quietly, even politely, and with great attention. But nothing in his expression showed that he had understood my story. When I finished, he said nothing. There was one option left: to speak English. Perhaps they would know this almost universal language. I knew English, as well as German, well enough to read it fluently, but not to speak it correctly. But somehow, we had to make ourselves understood.

“Go on in your turn,” I said to the harpooner; “speak your best Anglo-Saxon, and try to do better than I.”

“Now it’s your turn,” I said to the harpooner. “Speak your best English, and try to do better than I did.”

Ned did not beg off, and recommenced our story.

Ned did not refuse, and he resumed our story.

To his great disgust, the harpooner did not seem to have made himself more intelligible than I had. Our visitors did not stir. They evidently understood neither the language of Arago nor of Faraday.

To his great disgust, the harpooner seemed to have made himself no more understandable than I had. Our visitors did not move. They clearly understood neither the language of Arago nor that of Faraday.

Very much embarrassed, after having vainly exhausted our speaking resources, I knew not what part to take, when Conseil said—

We had tried every way we could think of to communicate, but in vain. I was very embarrassed and didn’t know what to do when Conseil spoke:

“If master will permit me, I will relate it in German.”

“If master will allow me, I’ll tell it in German.”

But in spite of the elegant terms and good accent of the narrator, the German language had no success. At last, nonplussed, I tried to remember my first lessons, and to narrate our adventures in Latin, but with no better success. This last attempt being of no avail, the two strangers exchanged some words in their unknown language, and retired.

But despite the narrator’s elegant words and good accent, German was no more successful. At last, at a loss, I tried to remember my first Latin lessons and tell our adventures in Latin. That was no more successful. After this last attempt failed, the two strangers exchanged a few words in their unknown language and left.

The door shut.

The door shut.

“It is an infamous shame,” cried Ned Land, who broke out for the twentieth time. “We speak to those rogues in French, English, German, and Latin, and not one of them has the politeness to answer!”

“This is a disgrace!” cried Ned Land, bursting out for the twentieth time. “We speak to those scoundrels in French, English, German, and Latin. Not one of them has the courtesy to answer!”

“Calm yourself,” I said to the impetuous Ned, “anger will do no good.”

“Calm down,” I said to the impulsive Ned. “Anger won't help.”

“But do you see, Professor,” replied our irascible companion, “that we shall absolutely die of hunger in this iron cage?”

“But don’t you see, Professor,” our bad-tempered companion replied, “that we’ll certainly starve in this iron cage?”

“Bah!” said Conseil, philosophically; “we can hold out some time yet.”

“Bah!” said Conseil calmly. “We can hold out for a while yet.”

“My friends,” I said, “we must not despair. We have been worse off than this. Do me the favour to wait a little before forming an opinion upon the commander and crew of this boat.”

“My friends,” I said, “we must not lose hope. We have been in worse situations than this. Please wait a little before judging the commander and crew of this boat.”

“My opinion is formed,” replied Ned Land, sharply. “They are rascals.”

“I've made up my mind,” Ned Land replied sharply. “They're scoundrels.”

“Good! and from what country?”

“Good! And what country are you from?”

“From the land of rogues!”

“From the land of crooks!”

“My brave Ned, that country is not clearly indicated on the map of the world; but I admit that the nationality of the two strangers is hard to determine. Neither English, French, nor German, that is quite certain. However, I am inclined to think that the commander and his companion were born in low latitudes. There is southern blood in them. But I cannot decide by their appearance whether they are Spaniards, Turks, Arabians, or Indians. As to their language, it is quite incomprehensible.”

“My brave Ned, that country is not clearly marked on the world map. But I admit that it is hard to tell where the two strangers are from. They are certainly not English, French, or German. However, I am inclined to think that the commander and his companion were born in low latitudes. They have southern blood. But I cannot tell from their appearance whether they are Spaniards, Turks, Arabians, or Indians. As for their language, I cannot understand it at all.”

“There is the disadvantage of not knowing all languages,” said Conseil, “or the disadvantage of not having one universal language.”

“That’s the problem with not knowing every language,” said Conseil, “or with not having one universal language.”

As he said these words, the door opened. A steward entered. He brought us clothes, coats and trousers, made of a stuff I did not know. I hastened to dress myself, and my companions followed my example. During that time, the steward—dumb, perhaps deaf—had arranged the table, and laid three plates.

As he spoke, the door opened. A steward entered. He brought us coats and trousers made of a material I did not recognize. I quickly dressed, and my companions did the same. Meanwhile, the steward set the table and laid out three plates. He could not speak, and perhaps he could not hear.

“This is something like,” said Conseil.

“This is more like it,” said Conseil.

“Bah!” said the rancorous harpooner, “what do you suppose they eat here? Tortoise liver, filleted shark, and beefsteaks from sea-dogs.”

“Bah!” said the bitter harpooner. “What do you think they eat here? Turtle liver, shark fillets, and seal steaks.”

“We shall see,” said Conseil.

“We’ll see,” said Conseil.

The dishes, of bell metal, were placed on the table, and we took our places. Undoubtedly we had to do with civilised people, and, had it not been for the electric light which flooded us, I could have fancied I was in the dining-room of the Adelphi Hotel at Liverpool, or at the Grand Hotel in Paris. I must say, however, that there was neither bread nor wine. The water was fresh and clear, but it was water, and did not suit Ned Land’s taste. Amongst the dishes which were brought to us, I recognised several fish delicately dressed; but of some, although excellent, I could give no opinion, neither could I tell to what kingdom they belonged, whether animal or vegetable. As to the dinner service, it was elegant, and in perfect taste. Each utensil, spoon, fork, knife, plate, had a letter engraved on it, with a motto above it, of which this is an exact facsimile:—

The bell metal dishes were placed on the table, and we took our seats. We were undoubtedly among civilized people. If not for the electric light flooding the room, I could have imagined myself in the dining room of the Adelphi Hotel at Liverpool or the Grand Hotel in Paris. I must say, however, that there was neither bread nor wine. The water was fresh and clear, but it was still water, and it did not suit Ned Land’s taste. Among the dishes brought to us, I recognized several delicately prepared fish. Others were excellent, but I could not say what they were. I could not even tell whether they were animal or vegetable. The dinner service was elegant and in perfect taste. Each utensil, spoon, fork, knife, and plate had a letter engraved on it, with a motto above it. This is an exact reproduction:

The letter N was no doubt the initial of the name of the enigmatical person, who commanded at the bottom of the sea.

The letter N was no doubt the first initial of the mysterious person who commanded beneath the sea.

Ned and Conseil did not reflect much. They devoured the food, and I did likewise. I was, besides, reassured as to our fate; and it seemed evident that our hosts would not let us die of want.

Ned and Conseil did not think much about it. They devoured the food, and I did the same. Besides, I felt reassured about our fate. It seemed clear that our hosts would not let us starve.

However, everything has an end, everything passes away, even the hunger of people who have not eaten for fifteen hours. Our appetites satisfied, we felt overcome with sleep.

But everything comes to an end. Even people who have not eaten for fifteen hours eventually stop feeling hungry. Once we had eaten enough, we felt overwhelmed by sleep.

“Faith! I shall sleep well,” said Conseil.

“I'll sleep well, that's for sure,” said Conseil.

“So shall I,” replied Ned Land.

“So will I,” replied Ned Land.

My two companions stretched themselves on the cabin carpet, and were soon sound asleep. For my own part, too many thoughts crowded my brain, too many insoluble questions pressed upon me, too many fancies kept my eyes half open. Where were we? What strange power carried us on? I felt—or rather fancied I felt—the machine sinking down to the lowest beds of the sea. Dreadful nightmares beset me; I saw in these mysterious asylums a world of unknown animals, amongst which this submarine boat seemed to be of the same kind, living, moving, and formidable as they. Then my brain grew calmer, my imagination wandered into vague unconsciousness, and I soon fell into a deep sleep.

My two companions stretched out on the cabin carpet and soon fell sound asleep. But my mind was crowded with thoughts and questions I could not answer. Too many strange imaginings kept my eyes half open. Where were we? What strange power was carrying us along? I felt, or imagined I felt, the machine sinking to the very bottom of the sea. Terrible nightmares haunted me. In those mysterious depths, I saw a world of unknown animals. The submarine seemed to be one of them, alive, moving, and formidable. Then my mind grew calmer, my imagination drifted into vague unconsciousness, and I soon fell into a deep sleep.