Jules Verne Forum

<jvf@Gilead.org.il>

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 19961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009

Questions (RE: The Blog of Axel Lidenbrock : June 12th 1863)

From: Lev Ternovski <L.Ternovski~at~verizon.net>
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 11:31:31 -0400
To: "'Jules Verne Forum'" <jvf~at~gilead.org.il>

 

Dear Harry –

 

Thank you so much for work you are doing!!!!

 

I have two questions to ask:

1. What is way to get soft copy of The Blog of Axel Lidenbrock?

2. What is the way to get soft copy of your Blog/Notes during your travel
around the globe (47 days)?

 

Thank you in advance,

Lev

New York

 

 

 

  _____

From: owner-jvf~at~Gilead.org.il [mailto:owner-jvf~at~Gilead.org.il] On Behalf Of
Harry Hayfield
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 5:23 PM
To: Jules Verne Forum
Subject: The Blog of Axel Lidenbrock : June 12th 1863

 

After ten days of nothing but sea, today we reached terra firma. As the ship
docked in the harbour in the capital of Iceland (and I thanked the captain
for a pleasurable voyage) my uncle could embark fast enough practically
running out of his cabin and down the gangplank as if he was being chased by
a set of the press corps (who I am glad we have not had to deal with so far)
shouting "Snæfell! Snæfell!" and pointing into the distance.

So what was my first impression of Iceland? Well to be honest it didn't look
that much different to Germany. The first person we saw was a good-looking
fellow enough, in a general's uniform. Yet he was not a general but a
magistrate, the Governor of the island, Herr Baron Trampe himself. Now my
uncle knows how to deal with the likes of him amd delivered him his letters
from Copenhagen, and then followed a short conversation in the Danish
language, the purport of which I was quite ignorant of, and for a very good
reason. But the result of this first conversation was, that Baron Trampe
placed himself entirely at the service of my uncle (which meant that we were
in very good stead indeed). Next we were introduced to the mayor of Cape
Portland Herr Finsen, closely followed by Herr Fridrikssen.

Now, I should explain that Herr Fridrikssen is the professor of natural
sciences at the university based in the capital and is a very friendly
person indeed (although I have to say he seems to be more interested in this
box I am carrying) and although a modest philosopher speaking only Danish
and Latin. He came to proffer me his good offices in the language of Horace,
and I felt that we were made to understand each other. In fact he was the
only person in Iceland with whom I could converse at all (which I wouldn't
complain about at the moment!).

After a nice tour of the capital (which I promise I will try and spell
properly tomorrow!) we were invited back to dinner with Herr Fridrikssen and
my uncle spent most of the evening discussing everything from libraries to
and old Arne himself. Now, do you remember I told you about that picture
that came to life? Well, it turns out that was the night he was arrested and
happened in 1572, there was a show trial (as was typical in the time) found
guility and excuted the following year. As Herr Fridrikssen announced these
facts I felt sad for Arne but it redoubled my resolve that we should prove
him right. So when my uncle exclaimed "Very good! Excellent!" both myself
and Herr Fridrikssen looked at my uncle as though he had just sworn in
public.

"Yes, yes; now it is all clear," my uncle explained, "now it is all
unravelled; and I see why Saknussemm, put into the Index Expurgatorius, and
compelled to
hide the discoveries made by his genius, was obliged to bury in an
incomprehensible cryptogram the secret..." and then was stopped by Herr
Fridrikssen starting to get interested and as I knew where this was going to
lead decided to have a walk on the beach (where I took this picture of the
sunset at five minutes to midnight!) and went to bed.

Received on Sun 15 Jun 2008 - 18:31:51 IDT

JV.Gilead.org.il
Copyright © Zvi Har’El
$Date: 2009/02/01 22:36:11 $$