11. "Nautilus"

Captain Nemo stood up and I followed. By a double door at the back of the piece
I entered a room di-dimensions similar to those of the dining room.
It was the library. High black rosewood furniture, inlaid with copper,
They endured in their wide shelves a large number of bound books
uniformity. The shelves are adapted to the contours of the room, and termi-Naban on your part
lower in large sofas upholstered-two brown leather and extraordinarily
comfortable. Some light mobile desks, which could approach or know-rated into will,
support served to books being read or see. In the center was a large
cu-ered table publications, including newspa- pe-appeared some already old. The
electric light emanating tarnished four balloons, semiencajados in scrolls
roof, flooded so harmonious whole. I watched with real admiration that
so artfully furnished room and could hardly believe my eyes.
Captain Nemo? Told my host, who had just sen-Tarsus on a couch ?, here's a
library that would honor more than a palace of the continents. And it is wonderful that this
library to follow him to the depths of the seas.
Where could you be more loneliness, more silence, Professor? Can you
find so calmly in his gabi-nete museum work?
No, sir, and I must confess that his side is very po-ber. There is here at least
six or seven thousand volumes, right?
? Twelve thousand, Professor Aronnax. They are the only ties that bind me to the ground. But the world
It ended for me the day my Nautilus submerged for the first time under water. That
last day I bought my books and my last Periodi-cos, and since I believe that
mankind has ce-sado thinking and writing. Professor, these books are at your
available and can be used freely.
I thanked Captain Nemo and approached the shelves of the library. They abound
her books of science, morality and literature, written in many languages, but saw
not a single work of political economy, a discipline that was there apparently severely
outlawed. Curious detail was the fact that all those books, whatever the
language in which they were written, will be found classified-two interchangeably. Such mixing
He proved that the captain of the Nautilus was currently reading his hand volumes
He took the chance.
Among many books, I saw the masterpieces of the most high-des ancient writers and
modern, that is, everything that humanity has produced more beautiful in history,
poe-SIA, novels and science, from Homer to Victor Hugo from jenofonte up
Michelet, from Rabelais to the sine-ra Sand. But the main funds of the library
They were composed of scientific works; books on mechanics, ballistics, hydrography,
meteorology, geography, geology, etc., it occupied a place no less
wider than the works of Natural History, and realized that consti-tuían the main study
Captain. There I saw all the works of Humboldt, Arago, Foucault's work, of
Henri Sain-te? Claire Deville, Chasles, Milne? Edwards of Quatre-fages of
Tyndall, Faraday, Berthelot, the Abbe Secchi, Petermann, Commander Maury,
Agassiz, etc .; Memories of the Academy of Sciences, report dif- ferent
Geography societies and so on. And also, to a good place, the two volumes I
had earned proba-bly that host relatively charitable, Captain Nemo.
Among the works of Joseph Bertrand saw there, the Titu-lada The founders of Astronomy
even he gave me a faith-cha reference; as I knew that the work dated from 1865,
I could infer that installing the Nautilus not re-mounted to an earlier time [L7]. Thus,
Therefore, the sub-marine existence of Captain Nemo did not exceed three years as maxi-mo. Such
time? I said? find more recent works that would allow me to set the time accurately,
but he had plenty of time to me to carry out such research, and did not want to delay more
our stroll through the wonders of the Nautilus.
? Lord? Told the captain ?, I am very grateful that this library has put my
disposal. There are treasures here science which I will take me.
? This room is not only a library? Said Captain Nemo ?, is also a den.
? A den? Is it therefore smoke on board?
? Indeed.
Then it forces me to believe that you have maintained relations with Havana.
? No way? Replied the captain. Accept this ci-Garro, M. Aronnax, that
although not from Havana must like it, if you are a connoisseur.
I took the cigar offered me. It seemed ho-jas made of gold, and its form
He remembered the "London". I lit a small brazier supported by an elegant
bronze base, and inhaled the first puffs with voluptuosi-dad who has not
smoked for two days.
? It is great? I said ?, but not snuff.
? No, 'said the captain ?, This snuff comes neither Havana nor the Orient. is a
species of algae, rich in ni-Cotina, which provides me the sea, although with some shortages. Would you
He does miss the 'London', sir?
? Captain, from now despise.
? Smoke, then, without worrying about the origin of these ciga-rros. They have not gone through control
of any monopoly, but none the less good, I think.
? Unlike.
At this time Captain Nemo opened a door located-da against which I had opened
way to the library, and she entered a vast and splendidly lit lounge.
It was a large ring (ten meters long, six and five height width) in the
the intersections of the walls were covered with panels. Lumi-noso a roof,
decorated with light arabesques, distributed a light and soft cla-ra about the wonders
accumulated at the museum. As a museum it was really. A hand intelli-te
and prodigal had gathered in the treasures of nature and art, with the artistic disorder
distinguishes the studio of a painter.
Thirty paintings by old masters, in uniform frames, separated by
glittering outfits, ornamental-ban tapestries covered the walls with severe drawings.
I could see there valuable fabrics, mostly-BIA has admired collections
Europe and individual exhibitions. The different schools of teachers
an-contiguous were represented by a Madonna by Raphael, Leonardo da virgin
Vinci, a nymph of Correggio, a woman by Titian, Veronese worship of a
Murillo taking a Holbein portrait, a monk by Velazquez, a martyr of Ribera,
Rubens party of two pai-sages deteniers flamingos, three small boxes Gene-ro
Gerard Dow, Metsu and Paul Potter, two plies of Ge-ricault and Prud'hon, some
Backhuysen marinas and Vernet. Among the works of modern painting, he had cua-ders
signed by Delacroix, Ingres, Decamps, Troyon, Meissonier, Daubigny, etc., and some
admirable REDUCTIO-lion statues in marble or bronze, as the most beautiful models
of antiquity, they stood on their pedestals in the corners of the magnificent museum.
The state of astonishment that I had predicted the co-principal of the Nautilus began
and to take over my mind.
Professor Sir? This strange man ?, you'll excuse the carelessness with which he said receipt
and lawlessness that reigns in this room.
? Lord? ?, Replied without trying to know who you are, you can recognize one
artist?
-A Fan, nothing more, sir. At one time I liked to collect these beautiful
works created by the hand of man. I was an avid collector, an indefatigable
looking dor, and so I could collect some priceless objects. These are my last memories
of this land that is dead to me. In my eyes, your modern artists are already old, and
They have two or three thousand years of existence, and confused in my mind. Teachers do not
They are old.
? And these musicians? ? I asked, showing a partitu-ras Weber, Rossini, of
Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Meyerbeer, Herold, Wagner, Auber and
Gounod, and many others, scattered on a piano? Large organ that
He occupied one of the panels of the room.
? These musicians? Replied Captain Nemo? They are con-porary Orpheus, as the
chronological differences are erased in the memory of the dead, I'm dead, sir
professor, as dead as those of his friends who lie six feet under.
Captain Nemo stopped, as if lost in a deep reverie. I looked at him with a live
excitement, silently analyzing the features of his face. Leaning on his elbows on
a lovely ceramic table, he did not see me, he seemed to have forgotten my presence.
I respected his devotion and continued examining the cu-riosidades that enriched the lounge.
In addition to works of art, natural curiosities occupied a very important place.
Master-mind consisted plants, shells and other productions of the ocean, to be
be personal discoveries of Captain Nemo. In the middle of the room, a lighted fountain
electrically fell on a pylon consists of a single tridacna. This con-cha,
belonging to the greater of the headless mollusks, with edges delicately
scalloped, one circum-ference measured about six meters; exceeded, then, in dimensions
Tridacnid beautiful wings donated to Francis I by the Republic of Venice and the
Church of St. Sulpice in Paris, has made two gigantic holy water fonts.
Around the pylon, in elegant display cases set by gun-hard copper, they were,
appropriately classified and labeled the most precious seafood products
hu-Biera could never contemplate a naturalist. Buy-dera is my joy as a teacher.
The division offered very curious zoophytes-specific volumes of the two groups of polyps
and echinoderms. In the first group, there were tubíporas; gorgonian fan arranged;
soft sponges from Syria; Fates of the Moluccas; pen-nátulas; an admirable Virgularia of
the seas of Norway; ombelularias varied; the alcyonarians; a number of these
Milne madrepores my teacher? Edwards has so shrewdly classified into sections and
among which I distinguished the fiabelinas adorable; the oculinas Bourbon Island; the 'shopping
Neptune "of the West Indies; Cora superb varieties of them; in short, all those species
curious polyps whose assembly form entire islands that will one day be among the continents
echinoderms, notable for their thorny Sheath ra, the asterias, starfish,
pantacrinas, comátulas, as terófonos, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, etc., represented the collec-tion
Full of individuals in this group.
A slightly nervous conchologist had stunned and crazy with joy at other
showcases more numerous, where the samples were classified division
molluscs. I saw a collection of inestimable value to the entire disclosure of me
It takes time. Therefore, by way of memory only, I will quote the elegant royal hammer
Indian Ocean, whose regular white spots Desta-caban strongly on red background
and brown; an imperial spondylo colorful, bristling with thorns, is rare-pécimen
in European museums, whose value I estimated at twenty thousand francs; a common hammer
the seas of New Holland, difficult to obtain despite its name; cockles
exotic Senegal, fragile white bivalve shells destroy a breath as a
soap bubble; some varieties of sprinklers Java, sort of calcareous tubes
deciduous scalloped folds, highly sought after by fans; a series of
trocos, a yellowish-green, fish in the seas of America, and others, of a
reddish brown, inhabitants of the sea-going Nue Netherlands, or from the Gulf of
Mexico and notable for their overlapping shell; esteléridos found in the southern seas, and,
finally, the rarest of all, the magnificent Ram New Zealand; admirable
tellinas sulfur, precious species citereas and venus; the braid-do Button
Tranquebar coast; the marble turbo glowing pearl; green parrots
Seas Chi-na; cone Coenodulli almost unknown gender; all varieties
porcelain that serve as currency in India and Africa; the "Glory of the Sea", the most
beautiful shell of the East Indies; finally, littorines, delfinulas, turritelas, jantinas,
ovulate, scrolls, olives, miters, helmets, purple, bucínidos, harps, rocks, newts, ceritios,
spindles, conchs, pteroceras, limpets, hiálicos, cleodoras shells as thin as delicate
that science has baptized with its most delightful names.
Aside in special glass cases there were strings of pearls of the greatest beauty to light
Electrical fire glinted; pink pearls extracted from the oysters? rocks sea
Red; hialótide pearls green iris; yellow, blue, black pearls; curious products
various mollusks from every ocean and some oysters North, and finally, going-rios
a priceless specimens, distilled by the rarest pintadinas. Some of
those pearls over-spent the size of a pigeon's egg, and worth even more than the
which it sold three million traveler Tabernier the Shah of Persia or the magnet
Muscat, I believed unrivaled in the world.
It would have been impossible to encrypt the value of these collections. Captain Nemo was due
spend millions to acquire such specimens. I was wondering what would be the
to-reach of a fortune that allowed satisfy such whims of collector, when the
Captain interrupted the course of my thought.
? We will see very interested in my shells, professor, and I understand, since it is
You naturalist. But for me also have a special charm, since I have co-Gido
all with my own hands, without a single sea of ​​the globe has escaped my search.
? I understand, Captain, I understand the joy of walking in the midst of such riches. It is
you of those who have made themselves their treasures. There is in Europe a museum
possesses such a collection of products from the ocean. But if I exhaust my capacity here
admiration for these collections, what will be left me for the boat that transported? Not
I know secrets that belong to it, but without em-ever, confess that this Nautilus,
the driving force in-close, devices that allow maneuverability, the po-deroso
agent that animates it, all that excites my curiosity ... I see on the walls of this room
Suspended instruments whose use is unknown to me. Can I find out ..? ...
Aronnax Sir, I told you that you would be free on board, and consequently nowhere
Nautilus it is prohi-bida. Can you visit carefully, and is a pleasure
be his guide.
I do not know how to thank you, sir, but I will not abuse your kindness. Only you
I ask about the fi-ity of these instruments of physics.
? Lord teacher, these instruments are also in my cabin, and that is where I will have the
pleasure to explain their use. But first let me show you the cabin that has been
reserved. You must know how it will be installed to bor-do the Nautilus.
I followed Captain Nemo, who, by one of the doors in the living room panels,
He brought me back to the run-dor boat. I drove forward and showed me no
cabin but a real room, elegantly furnished with bed and dresser.
I thanked my host.
? Its cabin is next to mine? He said, as he opened a door ?. And my da
the lounge just leave.
I entered the captain's cabin, which had an aspect-vero, almost cenobial. A bed
iron, a desk and a comfortable toilet made up all the furniture,
reduced to the minimum necessary.
Captain Nemo showed me a chair.
? Sit down please.
I sat down and he spoke in the following terms.