Chapter 22. The Last Words of Captain Nemo

           Thepanelshadclosedonthisdreadfulvision,butlighthadnotreturnedtothesaloon:allwassilenceanddarknesswithintheNautilus.Atwonderfulspeed,ahundredfeetbeneaththewater,itwasleavingthisdesolatespot.Whitherwasitgoing?Tothenorthorsouth?Wherewasthemanflyingtoaftersuchdreadfulretaliation?Ihadreturnedtomyroom,whereNedandConseilhadremainedsilentenough.IfeltaninsurmountablehorrorforCaptainNemo.Whateverhehadsufferedatthehandsofthesemen,hehadnorighttopunishthus.Hehadmademe,ifnotanaccomplice,atleastawitnessofhisvengeance.Ateleventheelectriclightreappeared.Ipassedintothesaloon.Itwasdeserted.Iconsultedthedifferentinstruments.TheNautiluswasflyingnorthwardattherateoftwenty-fivemilesanhour,nowonthesurface,andnowthirtyfeetbelowit.Ontakingthebearingsbythechart,IsawthatwewerepassingthemouthoftheManche,andthatourcoursewashurryingustowardsthenorthernseasatafrightfulspeed.ThatnightwehadcrossedtwohundredleaguesoftheAtlantic.Theshadowsfell,andtheseawascoveredwithdarknessuntiltherisingofthemoon.Iwenttomyroom,butcouldnotsleep.Iwastroubledwithdreadfulnightmare.Thehorriblesceneofdestructionwascontinuallybeforemyeyes.Fromthatday,whocouldtellintowhatpartoftheNorthAtlanticbasintheNautiluswouldtakeus?Stillwithunaccountablespeed.Stillinthemidstofthesenorthernfogs.WouldittouchatSpitzbergen,orontheshoresofNovaZembla?Shouldweexplorethoseunknownseas,theWhiteSea,theSeaofKara,theGulfofObi,theArchipelagoofLiarrov,andtheunknowncoastofAsia?Icouldnotsay.Icouldnolongerjudgeofthetimethatwaspassing.Theclockshadbeenstoppedonboard.Itseemed,asinpolarcountries,thatnightanddaynolongerfollowedtheirregularcourse.