Evidently it was righting a little.Things hanging in the saloon were sensibly returning to their normal position.
The partitions were nearing the upright.No one spoke.
With beating hearts we watched and felt the straightening.
The boards became horizontal under our feet.
Ten minutes passed.
"At last we have righted!"Iexclaimed.
"Yes,"said Captain Nemo,going to the door of the saloon.
"But are we floating?"Iasked.
"Certainly,"he replied;"since the reservoirs are not empty;and,when empty,the Nautilus must rise to the surface of the sea."We were in open sea;but at a distance of about ten yards,on either side of the Nautilus,rose a dazzling wall of ice.
Above and beneath the same wall.Above,because the lower surface of the iceberg stretched over us like an immense ceiling.
Beneath,because the overturned block,having slid by degrees,had found a resting-place on the lateral walls,which kept it in that position.
The Nautilus was really imprisoned in a perfect tunnel of ice more than twenty yards in breadth,filled with quiet water.
It was easy to get out of it by going either forward or backward,and then make a free passage under the iceberg,some hundreds of yards deeper.The luminous ceiling had been extinguished,but the saloon was still resplendent with intense light.
It was the powerful reflection from the glass partition sent violently back to the sheets of the lantern.Icannot describe the effect of the voltaic rays upon the great blocks so capriciously cut;upon every angle,every ridge,every facet was thrown a different light,according to the nature of the veins running through the ice;a dazzling mine of gems,particularly of sapphires,their blue rays crossing with the green of the emerald.Here and there were opal shades of wonderful softness,running through bright spots like diamonds of fire,the brilliancy of which the eye could not bear.
The power of the lantern seemed increased a hundredfold,like a lamp through the lenticular plates of a first-class lighthouse.
"How beautiful!how beautiful!"cried Conseil.
"Yes,"Isaid,"it is a wonderful sight.Is it not,Ned?""Yes,confound it!Yes,"answered Ned Land,"it is superb!
Iam mad at being obliged to admit it.No one has ever seen anything like it;but the sight may cost us dear.And,if Imust say all,Ithink we are seeing here things which God never intended man to see."Ned was right,it was too beautiful.Suddenly a cry from Conseil made me turn.
"What is it?"Iasked.
"Shut your eyes,sir!Do not look,sir!"Saying which,Conseil clapped his hands over his eyes.
"But what is the matter,my boy?"
"Iam dazzled,blinded."
My eyes turned involuntarily towards the glass,but Icould not stand the fire which seemed to devour them.Iunderstood what had happened.
The Nautilus had put on full speed.All the quiet lustre of the ice-walls was at once changed into flashes of lightning.The fire from these myriads of diamonds was blinding.It required some time to calm our troubled looks.
At last the hands were taken down.
"Faith,Ishould never have believed it,"said Conseil.
It was then five in the morning;and at that moment a shock was felt at the bows of the Nautilus.Iknew that its spur had struck a block of ice.It must have been a false manoeuvre,for this submarine tunnel,obstructed by blocks,was not very easy navigation.
Ithought that Captain Nemo,by changing his course,would either turn these obstacles or else follow the windings of the tunnel.
In any case,the road before us could not be entirely blocked.
But,contrary to my expectations,the Nautilus took a decided retrograde motion.
"We are going backwards?"said Conseil.
"Yes,"Ireplied."This end of the tunnel can have no egress.""And then?"
"Then,"said I,"the working is easy.We must go back again,and go out at the southern opening.That is all."In speaking thus,Iwished to appear more confident than Ireally was.
But the retrograde motion of the Nautilus was increasing;and,reversing the screw,it carried us at great speed.
"It will be a hindrance,"said Ned.
"What does it matter,some hours more or less,provided we get out at last?""Yes,"repeated Ned Land,"provided we do get out at last!"For a short time Iwalked from the saloon to the library.
My companions were silent.Isoon threw myself on an ottoman,and took a book,which my eyes overran mechanically.Aquarter of an hour after,Conseil,approaching me,said,"Is what you are reading very interesting,sir?""Very interesting!"Ireplied.
"Ishould think so,sir.It is your own book you are reading.""My book?"
And indeed Iwas holding in my hand the work on the Great Submarine Depths.
Idid not even dream of it.Iclosed the book and returned to my walk.
Ned and Conseil rose to go.
"Stay here,my friends,"said I,detaining them.
"Let us remain together until we are out of this block.""As you please,sir,"Conseil replied.
Some hours passed.Ioften looked at the instruments hanging from the partition.The manometer showed that the Nautilus kept at a constant depth of more than three hundred yards;the compass still pointed to south;the log indicated a speed of twenty miles an hour,which,in such a cramped space,was very great.
But Captain Nemo knew that he could not hasten too much,and that minutes were worth ages to us.At twenty-five minutes past eight a second shock took place,this time from behind.
Iturned pale.My companions were close by my side.
Iseized Conseil's hand.Our looks expressed our feelings better than words.At this moment the Captain entered the saloon.
Iwent up to him.
"Our course is barred southward?"Iasked.
"Yes,sir.The iceberg has shifted and closed every outlet.""We are blocked up then?"
"Yes."