Jules Verne Forum

<jvf@Gilead.org.il>

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 19961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009

The Blog of Axel Lidenbrock : August 7th 1863

From: Harry Hayfield <harryhayfield~at~googlemail.com>
Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008 11:38:54 +0100
To: "Jules Verne Forum" <jvf~at~gilead.org.il>

BlankYou would have thought I would have learned my lesson by now! Everytime
I think I'm the clear something happens to me (and today was no exception to
this rule). There I was having a look at some granite having the time of my
life and when I stood back up I couldn't see anyone. I thought this was a
little inconvient but worked on the assumption that because I was ahead of
my uncle and Hans I must have been walking too fast for them so simply
retraced my steps.

However, after an hour I was beginning to think that this wasn't the case,
but remembered that as we had been walking along Hans' stream all I had to
do was to follow it back (and to be honest I fancied a wash) so you can
imagine my dismay when instead of a splash I heard a crunch. I had lost the
stream. But how had I lost the course of the stream? Then I understood the
reason of that fearful, silence, when for the last time I listened to hear
if any sound from my companions could reach my ears. At the moment when I
left the right road I had not noticed the absence of the stream. It is
evident that at that moment a deviation had presented itself before me,
whilst the Hansbach, following the caprice of another incline, had gone with
my companions away into unknown depths. In other words, I was completely and
utterly lost some 600,000 feet below sea level. And to be frank with you
that's when I lost my composure.

"Oh, my uncle!" I shouted

The good thing was that I had three days of provisions and my flask was full
to the brim so I decided to go up and hope that I would meet up with my
uncle and Hans along the way. And for about half an hour I made good
progress until, yes, you've guessed it, "pride comes before a fall", I
struck against an
impenetrable wall. To say that I lost my temper would be an understatement,
and if that wasn't bad enough my Ruhmkorff lamp was starting to lose it's
charge and when it went out I completely lost it. I ran like an idiot not
seeing where I was going and must have ran into something as I then remember
nothing until I woke up a few moments ago.

At this precise moment in time it is fair to say that I feel terrible. I
feel as though I have been crying my eyes out, I'm sure I have hurt my head
and well to be honest I feel a complete and absolute disgrace. I am of the
opinon I'm just going to lie down here and die.

"HERR ALEX LIDENBROCK, I AM ASHAMED OF YOU!"

Oh, wonderful! Now I am hearing voices.

"I'VE BEEN CALLED MANY THINGS IN MY TIME, BUT VOICES IS NOT ONE OF THEM!"

"Hello? Is there someone there?"

"OF COURSE THERE IS YOU NINNY! IT'S ME, DOCTOR SMITH, THE PERSON WHO GAVE
YOU THAT DIARY TO KEEP, REMEMBER? I PROMISED YOU THAT I WOULD TRY MY BEST TO
HELP YOU IN ANY SCRAPES YOU FOUND YOURSELF IN AND THAT'S WHAT I AM DOING.
NOW STAY THERE, I'LL TELL YOUR UNCLE AND HANS WHERE YOU ARE!"

It was then that I remembered the message that had appeared before we had
even left the Valkyaria and sure enough a few moments later I heard a voice
that I not only recognised but worshipped. My uncle's and it was announcing
"forlorad". It then suddenly dawned on me that the walls were acting like a
wire only instead of conducting electricity it was conducting voices. "Uncle
Liedenbrock!" I shouted at the top of my voice and after a lifetime a reply
came back "Axel! Axel! is it you?"

Reunited with my uncle in a manner of speaking redoubled my strength and we
established that I was a mere 4 miles away from him and that by using our
voices we could guide each other towards ourselves. I set off following the
voice and am not quite sure what happened as I found myself covered with
blankets and all sorts and found my uncle looking over me several hours
later and told me to rest. I asked him what day it was and he replied August
8th and that I was to ask no more questions for almost two days. As I
settled down to sleep I thought to myself, "the eighth day of the eighth
month. A day I shall remember forever!"

Received on Thu 07 Aug 2008 - 13:39:05 IDT

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