Preparations for Blasting a Passage to the Centre of the Earth

           SincethestartuponthismarvellouspilgrimageIhadbeenthroughsomanyastonishmentsthatImightwellbeexcusedforthinkingmyselfwellhardenedagainstanyfurthersurprise.Yetatthesightofthesetwoletters,engravedonthisspotthreehundredyearsago,Istoodaghastindumbamazement.Notonlyweretheinitialsofthelearnedalchemistvisibleuponthelivingrock,buttherelaytheironpointwithwhichthelettershadbeenengraved.Icouldnolongerdoubtoftheexistenceofthatwonderfultravellerandofthefactofhisunparalleledjourney,withoutthemostglaringincredulity.

           Whilstthesereflectionswereoccupyingme,ProfessorLiedenbrockhadlaunchedintoasomewhatrhapsodicaleulogium,ofwhichArneSaknussemmwas,ofcourse,thehero.

           "Thoumarvellousgenius!"hecried,"thouhastnotforgottenoneindicationwhichmightservetolayopentomortalstheroadthroughtheterrestrialcrust;andthyfellow-creaturesmayevennow,afterthelapseofthreecenturies,againtracethyfootstepsthroughthesedeepanddarksomeways.Youreservedthecontemplationofthesewondersforothereyesbesidesyourown.Yourname,gravenfromstagetostage,leadstheboldfollowerofyourfootstepstotheverycentreofourplanet’score,andthereagainweshallfindyourownnamewrittenwithyourownhand.Itoowillinscribemynameuponthisdarkgranitepage.ButforeverhenceforthletthiscapethatadvancesintotheseadiscoveredbyyourselfbeknownbyyourownillustriousnameCapeSaknussemm."

           Suchweretheglowingwordsofpanegyricwhichfelluponmyattentiveear,andIcouldnotresistthesentimentofenthusiasmwithwhichItoowasinfected.Thefireofzealkindledafreshinme.Iforgoteverything.Idismissedfrommymindthepastperilsofthejourney,thefuturedangerofourreturn.

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