20000 лье под водой

Chapter 4. The Red Sea

           "Detestable,M.Aronnax.TheGreekandLatinhistoriansdonotspeakfavourablyofit,andStrabosaysitisverydangerousduringtheEtesianwindsandintherainyseason.TheArabianEdrisiportraysitunderthenameoftheGulfofColzoum,andrelatesthatvesselsperishedthereingreatnumbersonthesandbanksandthatnoonewouldrisksailinginthenight.Itis,hepretends,aseasubjecttofearfulhurricanes,strewnwithinhospitableislands,and‘whichoffersnothinggoodeitheronitssurfaceorinitsdepths.’"

           "Onemaysee,"Ireplied,"thatthesehistoriansneversailedonboardtheNautilus."

           "Justso,"repliedtheCaptain,smiling;"andinthatrespectmodernsarenotmoreadvancedthantheancients.Itrequiredmanyagestofindoutthemechanicalpowerofsteam.Whoknowsif,inanotherhundredyears,wemaynotseeasecondNautilus?Progressisslow,M.Aronnax."

           "Itistrue,"Ianswered;"yourboatisatleastacenturybeforeitstime,perhapsanera.Whatamisfortunethatthesecretofsuchaninventionshoulddiewithitsinventor!"

           CaptainNemodidnotreply.Aftersomeminutes’silencehecontinued:

           "YouwerespeakingoftheopinionsofancienthistoriansuponthedangerousnavigationoftheRedSea."

           "Itistrue,"saidI;"butwerenottheirfearsexaggerated?"

           "Yesandno,M.Aronnax,"repliedCaptainNemo,whoseemedtoknowtheRedSeabyheart."Thatwhichisnolongerdangerousforamodernvessel,wellrigged,stronglybuilt,andmasterofitsowncourse,thankstoobedientsteam,offeredallsortsofperilstotheshipsoftheancients.

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