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[Le Blog Personnel de Professeur Arronax] November 10th 1867

From: Harry Hayfield <harryhayfield~at~googlemail.com>
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2010 14:49:05 -0800 (PST)
To: jvf~at~gilead.org.il

This might be a bit of a strange statement, but I think I have been
saved and kidnapped at the same time. Confusing, I know, so let me
explain what has been happening over the last few days.

Firstly, we managed to catch up with that animal again. We were so
close that Ned managed to get a harpoon off which bounced off with a
metallic clang. Just as we looked at each other with an expression
of "What creature is metallic?", it rammed us and knocked me overboard.
I was just about to drown when Conseil pulled me back to the surface. I
thanked him and suggested that me made for the Abraham Lincoln. However
that was sailing away from us. So we had to just bob there in the
middle of the Pacific. Now, I am just as good a swimmer as anyone else,
but even I couldn't manage staying afloat for the best part of 20
hours. So what a relief it was when Ned appeared from nowhere and
managed to haul us out onto an island that was closeby. The strange
thing is though, that I didn't think there was an island nearby. My
suspicions were confirmed when said island (in the cold light of day)
appeared not only to be metallic but full of people, it was too much
for me and I simply fainted on the spot.

I woke up this morning (at least I am assuming it was morning) and
before I knew what was happening, Ned had his hands around someone's
neck. Not really knowing what was going on it was rather a relief to
hear someone shout "Be quiet, Master Land; and you, Professor, will you
be so good as to listen to me?". I looked up and found someone who was
dressed as though he was a captain of a vessel.

"I speak French, English, German, and Latin equally well. I could,
therefore, have answered you at our first interview, but I wished to
know you first, then to reflect. The story told by each one, entirely
agreeing in the main points, convinced me of your identity. I know now
that chance has brought before me M. Pierre Aronnax, Professor of
Natural History at the Museum of Paris, entrusted with a scientific
mission abroad, Conseil, his servant, and Ned Land, of Canadian origin,
harpooner on board the frigate Abraham Lincoln of the navy of the
United States of America.” announced the person.

I looked at Conseil and Ned with amazement, but nodded that he was
correct.

"You have doubtless thought, sir, that I have delayed long in paying
you this second visit. The reason is that, your identity recognised, I
wished to weigh maturely what part to act towards you. I have hesitated
much. Most annoying circumstances have brought you into the presence of
a man who has broken all the ties of humanity. You have come to trouble
my existence" he continued. When I asked him if this was intentional,
he seems to lose his temper slightly shouting: "Was it unintentionally
that the Abraham Lincoln pursued me all over the seas? Was it
unintentionally that you took passage in this frigate? Was it
unintentionally that your cannon-balls rebounded off the plating of my
vessel? Was it unintentionally that Mr. Ned Land struck me with his
harpoon?"

Clearly, he was of the opinion that he was quite in his rights to be
where he was. I explained that we were merely chasing a narwhal or some
such thing and that we had merely came across him purely by accident.
The person then asked: "dare you affirm that your frigate would not as
soon have pursued and cannonaded a submarine boat as a monster?". Now,
I admit that I was still a little frazzled after my experience but it
suddenly dawned on me. What we had been chasing (assuming it was a
narwhal) was in fact a machine capable of submarining and that this
person was it's commanding officer and that technically speaking we had
committed the act of trespass.

The captain then basically gave us complete free rein of where we
wanted to go. We could explore any part of this machine and he wouldn't
object in the slightest. Thanking him I asked who I was addressing. He
replied that his name was Nemo, and he was captain of the Nautlius, at
which point he summoned a stewart who led me into a dining room in
which breakfast was served. Needless to say I dived straight in.

I asked Captain Nemo what was on the table and I have to say I was very
impressed by his reply: "This, which you believe to be meat, Professor,
is nothing else than fillet of turtle. Here are also some dolphins’
livers, which you take to be ragout of pork. My cook is a clever
fellow, who excels in dressing these various products of the ocean.
Taste all these dishes. Here is a preserve of sea-cucumber, which a
Malay would declare to be unrivalled in the world; here is a cream, of
which the milk has been furnished by the cetacea, and the sugar by the
great fucus of the North Sea; and, lastly, permit me to offer you some
preserve of anemones, which is equal to that of the most delicious
fruits!"

"My compliments to the chef!" I replied.

The rest of the day was spent touring this quite frankly amazing craft
and the Captain giving me a brief introduction to himself and his
Nautilus. I have to admit that being trapped in this thing or being
trapped on the surface of the Pacific, I would much rather be trapped
here.

--
Posted By Harry Hayfield to Le Blog Personnel de Professeur Arronax on
1/07/2010 10:10:00 PM

Received on Fri 08 Jan 2010 - 00:49:14 IST

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