10. Man waters
 
He was the commander on board who was well spoken.
At these words, suddenly he joined Ned Land. The steward, nearly strangled,
came out, staggering, a sign of his head; but such was the rule of the commander or
a gesture betrayed the resentment that had to be ani-mado against the man
Canadian.
Conseil, keenly interested despite his usual impasi-bility, and stupefied,
We expected quietly desen-lace scene.
The commander, leaning against the corner of the table, arms crossed, watching us with a
rapt attention. ¿Du-he faced whether to continue talking? Believe that the fit-mentaba
He is having uttered those words in French.
After a moment of silence that none of us dared to break, he said in a voice
quiet and penetrating:
Sirs, I speak the same French than English, the ale-man Latin. I could, therefore,
respond during our first interview, but I wanted to meet you first and
Shimmer-xionar later. His quad story, absolutely seme-jante in the background, I
He confirmed their identities, and so I knew that fate had put me in the presence of Mr.
Pierre Aronnax, Professor of Natural History at the Museum of Paris, in charge of a
scientific mission abroad; your pet, Conseil, and Ned Land, a Canadian and
harpooner on board the frigate Abraham Licoln of the navy of the United
States.
I bowed in sign of assent. There was no question in the words of
commander, and conso-nance required no response. He spoke with a facili-ty
perfect, no accent. His sentences were sharp; his words, precise; ease of
elocution remarkable. And yet, I could not "feel" him as a compatriot.
The man continued talking in these terms:
? It certainly must have seemed, sir, that I have taken from them-too much on second
visit. The truth is that, once known his identity, had to weigh carefully-mind
attitude to be taken with you. And I've du-given lot. The most annoying
circumstances have put them in the presence of a man who has broken with the
humanity. Have you come to disturb my existence ...
? Involuntarily? I said.
? Involuntarily? ? Said the stranger, raising his voice ?. Can it be said that the
Abraham Lincoln pursued me all the seas involuntarily? Do you Took
passage aboard the frigate involuntarily? Are involuntarily bounced on my
I ship the shells of their guns? Was it unintentionally as we harpooned Mr. Land?
There was a restrained irritation in the words uttered just-ba. But such
recrimination was a res-set natural, that is what I gave.
Sir, you certainly ignore the discussions which has its-quoted in America and Europe.
You may not know that di-verse accidents caused by the shock of your device
submarine, have excited public opinion in both continents. I never tire with
the story of the many hypotheses that have tried to find explanation
unexplained phenomenon whose secret only you knew. But you should know that
ma chase to the high-res Pacific, the Abraham Lincoln believed to pursue a
po-deroso sea monster that had to rid the ocean at all costs.
A faint smile played across the lips of the eat-dante, adding, in a tone more
Soft:
? Lord Aronnax, do you dare say that his ship had not pursued and shelled to
a submarine boat as a monster?
His question made me upset, because certainly the co-principal had not Farragut
hesitated to do so, believing his duty to destroy a device of this kind, at the same Titu-lo
a gigantic narwhal.
? You understand, then, sir, I have the right to treat them as enemies.
I did not answer, and rightly so. Why discuss such a proposition, when force may
destroying best ar-guments?
? What I hesitated a lot. Nothing forced me to give them my hospitality. Whether to
part with you, I had no interest in seeing you again. I would have sufficed
put-them back on the platform of this ship that served as a refuge, dive and
forget his existence. It was not that my right?
? It may be that the right of a savage? I said ?, but not a civilized man.
Professor Sir? Briskly replied the commander ?, I'm not what you call a
civilized man. I broke completely with society, for reasons I only
ten-go right to appreciate. I do not obey its rules, and to-swear to you that not
never invoked before me.
He had said in an energetic and sharp tone. A deste-ment of anger and disdain had
eyes on the un-known. I glimpsed a formidable man in the past. Not
only he has been put outside human laws, but he had done
independent, free in the strictest sense of the word, away from the
society. Who would dare chase to the bottom of the seas, because-to that in his
surface was able to escape all the snares that tended against him? What
resis-tir could ship the shock of his submarine monitor? What shell, by thick that
It was, it could withstand the blows of his spur? No one among men, he could ask
accountable for their actions. God, if you believe in Him; his conscience, if he had, were the
únicosjueces than he could rely.
Such were the thoughts that had caused rapid me the strange character who
silent, as if absorbed and re-folding itself. I looked at him with awe-filled
interest, as Oedipus had to watch the Sphinx.
After a long silence, the commander spoke again.
? So I was hesitant, but finally thought my inte-est could be reconciled with that pity
Natural to which every human being is entitled. You will remain on board as
fate has brought them here. you will be li-bres, and in exchange for that freedom, very relative
Moreover, I will not impose them more than one condition. Your word of honor
I submit to it enough.
? Say you, sir? I guess ?, replied that condi-tion is of a man
honest you can accept.
Yes, sir, is: is it possible that some unforeseen aconte-foundations me
force to lock them in their ca-marotes for a few hours or days, depending on the case.
Because my desire never to use violence, I expect from us-Tedes in such cases, even more
than any other, passive one obe-dience. In doing so, I cover their responsibility, they
I release completely, because I make them impossible to see what is not to be seen. Do you accept
you this condition?
There occurred thus unique things at least, they should not be seen by people not
located outside of social laws. Among the surprises in store for me the Porve-ne
should not be that one of the minors.
? Accept? I answered ?. But let me ask you a question, just one.
? Tell me.
? Have you to be free on board you said?
? Totally.
? I want to ask, then, what you mean by freedom.
? For freedom to come and go, to see, to observe everything that happens here? Except in some
les unexceptional circumstances ?, freedom, in short, that we enjoy here my
companions and me.
It was obvious that we did not understand.
Excuse me, sir, 'I went, but that freedom is none other than the prisoner who has everything
walking his cell, and may not suffice.
? Accurate be, however, that suffices them.
? What! Should we renounce forever to see our countries, our
friends and our families?
? Yes sir. But renouncing recover that unbearable yoke of the world that men
believe to be liberty is not perhaps so painful as you may believe.
? I never give my word? Intervened Ned Land? that I will not try to escape.
? I did not ask him his word, Mr. Land? Cold-mind replied the commander.
? Lord? I said angrily to my dismay you ?, abused their situation. This is called
cruelty.
No, sir, this is called mercy. Are you prisione-ros mine after a
combat. I kept with me, how-do could, with a single command, throw them into the abyss
Ocean. You have attacked me. They have come to surprise a secret that no
man in the world must know the secret of my existence. And do you think that
I will forward them to that world should ignore? Ever! The rete-nerles here is not to
you whom I keep, is myself.
This statement indicated in a decision against the commander could not prevail
no argument.
? So I said sir ?, you give us just to ele-gir between life and death, right?
? That's right, just.
? My friends? Told my teammates ?, before a cue-agement and raised, there is nothing
what to say. But no pro-table ties us to the commander on board.
? No, sir, 'said the stranger.
Then, in a softer voice, he added:
? Now, let me finish what I want to say. I will co-nozco, Professor Aronnax. Otherwise your
co, you, the me-we will not have much reason to complain of chance that has it
linked to my fate. Among the books that serve my favorites stu-dios you will find that
He has published on the deep sea. I read often. It has brought you your
He works as far as terrestrial science allowed. But you do not know everything, you have not seen
you everything. Let me tell you, professor, that you will not regret the time spent here
on board. You will you travel the Wonderland-Llas. The wonder and amazement
They will be his usual mood hereinafter. It is not easily tire of
It is-I incessantly spectacle offered to his eyes. I will see again, in a new twist to
Underwater World (which, who knows ?, perhaps the last), all I've been able to study
seabed tours many times, and you will be my classmate. A
Starting today you enter a new item, you will see that man has not yet seen
al-Guno (for I and mine do not already have), and our planet, thanks to me, will
give their last secrets.
I can not deny that the words of the commander cau-saron me a great impression. They had
reached as breach-ble of me, and so I could forget, for a moment, that the
sublime contemplation of these things could not be worth the loss li-dom. But as serious
matter was entrusted to the future, and I simply respond:
Sir, if you have broken with humanity, I believe it has not denied all
human feeling. So-we shipwrecked, charitably collected aboard his boat, not
forget. As for me, I realize that if the interests of science could
to absorb Nece-sity of freedom, promising me our meeting me
offer great rewards.
I thought the commander would lie hands to seal our treaty, but not
He did and I felt for him.
? One last question? I said at the time that seemed to be inexplicably
withdraw.
? Tell me, professor.
? What name should I call you?
? Lord? Replied the commander ?, I am not for USTE-des more than Captain Nemo, and
peers and you are no more to me than the passengers of the Nautilus.
Captain Nemo called and came a steward. The captain gave some orders in that strange
language I could not recognize. Then turning to the Canadian and Conseil said:
? We expect lunch at his cabin. Rest Kindness-ity to follow this man.
Is not that something to be despised? Said the harpooner, at the time I left, with Conseil, of the cell
which we stayed des-of more than thirty hours.
? And now, M. Aronnax, our lunch is dispues-to. Let me guide you.
? At your service, Captain.
I followed Captain Nemo, and just inside the door, we enter a narrow
Elec-cally lit corridor. After a tour of ten meters, it opened
a second door before me.
I entered a room, decorated and furnished to a gus-to severe. At both ends
apara rose high oak-mers decorations inlaid ebony, and their
shelves in undulating shapes shining ceramics, porcelain and glassware of a price
inestimable. A-Ha vaji smooth shone on them under the rays emitting a like-cho
luminous glow which mitigated and sifted a bill and delicate paintings
execution.
In the center of the room was a table richly served. Captain Nemo told me the
where they would settle.
? Sit down and eat as he should a man who must be starving.
Lunch consisted of a number of dishes, whose content was the sea
single provider. They had al-UNPACKING whose nature and origin were totally me
unknown. I confess that tasted good, but with a particular liking to me
easily I got used. I found them all rich in phosphorus, which made me think
They should have a marine origin.
Captain Nemo looked at me. I did not ask anything, but you must have guessed my thoughts,
it responded to the pre-questions that ask you craved.
? Most of these foods are unknown. However, you can eat them without
fear, they are healthy and very nutritious. I have long since given up
terrestrial food without my health will suffer in the least. The men in my
crew are very Vigo-ous and eat like me.
? All these foods are seafood?
Yes, professor. The sea supplies all my necesida-des. Sometimes I miss my networks to
drag and retirement always about to break, and other'm going hunting this ele-ment
It appears to be inaccessible to man, looking for pieces that live in my forest
submarines. My flocks, like the old shepherd of Neptune, graze fearlessly in
vast prairies of the ocean. I have here a vast pro-pity that exploded myself and
that is sown by the hand of the Creator of all things.
I looked at Captain Nemo with some astonishment and said:
? I understand perfectly that their networks provide excellent fish to your table; me
It is more difficult to understand that it can hunt on their underwater forests; but what is not
I can not understand at all is that a piece of meat, however small, can appear
in his bill.
? Never use here the flesh of land animals? Replied Captain Nemo.
? And that? ? I asked, showing a plate that there were still some pieces of fdete.
? That which you believe you are meat is nothing but steak sea turtle. Here
also some dolphin livers you take for pork stew could. My
cook-ro is very good at preparing dishes and the conser-vation of these
Ocean varied products. Try them all. Here is a canned cucumbers a
Malay declare unrivaled in the world; here's a cream made with milk cetacean; and
sugar made from high-des wrack the North Sea. And finally, let me
Ofre-cerle jam anemones this is as good as the tastiest fruits.
I tried everything, more out of curiosity than gluttony, while Captain Nemo loved
with improbable stories.
? But the sea, Professor Aronnax, this prodigious source and ina-gotable nutrition, not just me
fed but also saw me. These fabrics that are woven cover you with
byssus of certain bivalve shells, stained with the purple of ancient and tinged with
violet colors that draw from the Mediterranean aplisias. The perfumes will find
you in the toilet of his cabin are the product of the distillation of sea plants. His
mattress is made with the softest eelgrass ocean. His pen is a cornea beard
whale, and the ink used, the secreted by the cuttlefish or squid. Everything comes from me now
sea, and everything will return to him someday.
? Love you sea captain.
? Yes! I love him! The sea is everything! It covers seven tenths of the terrestrial globe. His
breath is pure and healthy. It is the in-menso desert where man is never alone, for
shudder feels life around him. The sea is the ve-hicle of a supernatural and
prodigious existence; is movi-ing and love; he is the living infinite, as you said one of
its poets. And indeed, professor, nature is ma-nifiesta it with three
kingdoms: mineral, vegetable and animal. The latter is widely represented in it
the four groups zoophytes, three classes articulated five mollusc by
three of vertebrates, mamífe-ros, reptiles, and those countless legions of fish,
infinite order of animals has more than thirteen thousand spe-cies of which only one
tenth belong to fresh water. The sea is the vast reservoir of nature. It was
by sea so he began the globe, and who knows if it will not end for him. In the sea is
the supreme tranquility. The sea does not belong to despots. On its surface can
to-Davia exercise their rights wicked, fight, entredevorarse, transporting it all
terrestrial horrors. But thirty feet deep, its power ceases, their influence goes,
its power disappears. Ah! Live you, sir, in the heart of the seas, live in them!
Only there is the indepen-cia. That I do not recognize or ruler owner! Ahíyo am free!
Captain Nemo stopped suddenly in the middle of enthu-siasm overflowing him. Are there
I left to go beyond their usual reservation? Had he said too much? Very agitated, is
He walked for a few moments. Then his nerves lime-Maron, his face regained its
customary coolness, and turning to me said:
? And now, professor, if you want to visit the Nautilus I am at your disposal.