20000 льє під водою

           AsIpassedthesecuriousanimalsIcouldexaminethemleisurely,fortheydidnotmove.Theirskinswerethickandrugged,ofayellowishtint,approachingtored;theirhairwasshortandscant.Someofthemwerefouryardsandaquarterlong.Quieterandlesstimidthantheircousinsofthenorth,theydidnot,likethem,placesentinelsroundtheoutskirtsoftheirencampment.Afterexaminingthiscityofmorses,Ibegantothinkofreturning.Itwaseleveno’clock,and,ifCaptainNemofoundtheconditionsfavourableforobservations,Iwishedtobepresentattheoperation.Wefollowedanarrowpathwayrunningalongthesummitofthesteepshore.Athalf-pastelevenwehadreachedtheplacewherewelanded.Theboathadrunaground,bringingtheCaptain.Isawhimstandingonablockofbasalt,hisinstrumentsnearhim,hiseyesfixedonthenorthernhorizon,nearwhichthesunwasthendescribingalengthenedcurve.Itookmyplacebesidehim,andwaitedwithoutspeaking.Noonarrived,and,asbefore,thesundidnotappear.Itwasafatality.Observationswerestillwanting.Ifnotaccomplishedto-morrow,wemustgiveupallideaoftakingany.Wewereindeedexactlyatthe20thofMarch.To-morrow,the21st,wouldbetheequinox;thesunwoulddisappearbehindthehorizonforsixmonths,andwithitsdisappearancethelongpolarnightwouldbegin.SincetheSeptemberequinoxithademergedfromthenorthernhorizon,risingbylengthenedspiralsuptothe21stofDecember.Atthisperiod,thesummersolsticeofthenorthernregions,ithadbeguntodescend;andto-morrowwastosheditslastraysuponthem.IcommunicatedmyfearsandobservationstoCaptainNemo.

           "Youareright,M.Aronnax,"saidhe;"ifto-morrowIcannottakethealtitudeofthesun,Ishallnotbeabletodoitforsixmonths.Butpreciselybecausechancehasledmeintotheseseasonthe21stofMarch,mybearingswillbeeasytotake,ifattwelvewecanseethesun."