The next day I awoke after sleeping for twelve hours. As usual Conseil came to my room to see if I needed anything.
"Did you sleep well?" he asked as he did every day when we were living on land.
"Quite well," I replied. "Where's Ned?"
"Still sleeping, Master. Ned appears to have plenty of practice at sleeping. He sleeps so soundly that I . . ."
Conseil chattered on, but I didn't respond because I was thinking about Captain Nemo. Why hadn't we seen him last night? I was sure he'd make an appearance today.
As soon as I was dressed, I went into the gallery. It was deserted. I plunged into studying the shells in the glass cases. I also enjoyed the huge albums filled with rare marine plants. Even though the plants were dried, they retained their lovely colors.
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The whole day passed without Captain Nemo honoring me with a visit. The panels in the museum room did not open. Perhaps he did not wish us to tire of the beautiful view. The Nautilus continued on its course, traveling at a depth ranging from 150 to 180 feet.
The next day, November 10, I didn't see a single member of the ship's crew. Ned and Conseil spent most of the day with me, and they were astonished at the inexplicable absence of the captain. Was this eccentric man ill? Had he changed his mind about how he was going to treat us?
But as Conseil pointed out, we were still free to roam the submarine and we were always provided with delicious and abundant food. Our host kept his part of the bargain, and we couldn't complain because this voyage really was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
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Early the next morning, November 11, I could smell fresh sea air, so I knew that the Nautilus had risen to the surface. I went up on the platform, where I fully expected to meet Captain Nemo. It was six o'clock; the sky was cloudy and the sea was gray but calm. I saw no one except the pilot in his glass cage.
I inhaled the salt air with delight as the sun's rays gradually burned away the fog. I was admiring the sunrise when I heard someone climbing up to the platform. I turned, fully expecting to greet Captain Nemo. But it was only his second-in-command, his lieutenant, the other man that I'd met on our first day onboard the Nautilus. He climbed onto the platform without seeming to see me. Putting his telescope to his eye, he scanned the horizon with great attention. When he'd finished, he went to the hatch and called down, "Nautron respoc lorni virch."
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What these words meant I couldn't say, but I have remembered this sentence because he repeated it every day under the exact same conditions. Having uttered these words, Nemo's lieutenant descended through the hatch. I thought that the Nautilus was about to resume its underwater voyage, so I went down to my cabin.
Five days passed like this without any change in our situation. Every morning I mounted the platform. The same man said the same sentence in the same strange language. Captain Nemo did not appear.
I had made up my mind that I would never see him again. But on November 16, I returned to my cabin with Ned and Conseil and found an envelope on my table. I opened it impatiently and read a note in bold, clear handwriting.
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The note was worded as follows:
To Professor Aronnax onboard the Nautilus:
Captain Nemo invites Professor Aronnax to a hunting party that will take place tomorrow morning in his forests on the island of Crespo. The captain hopes that nothing will prevent the professor from being present. The professor's companions are also invited to join the hunt.
Captain Nemo, commander of the Nautilus
"A hunt!" exclaimed Ned.
"And in his forests on the island of Crespo!" added Conseil.
"So it sounds like the captain is going ashore," said Ned.
I read the note again.
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"It certainly does seem that way," I said.
"Well, we must definitely accept this invitation," said Ned. "All this fish is fine, but I wouldn't mind eating some fresh venison."
I was still trying to make sense of Captain Nemo's invitation. He planned to go hunting in a forest yet had a strong aversion to anything on land.
"I've never heard of this island," I said. "Let's find out where it is."
I consulted the map and showed my companions a tiny island lost in the middle of the northern Pacific. I also noted that we were about 800 leagues from our starting point.
"If Captain Nemo sometimes does go on dry land," I said, "he certainly chooses remote islands."
The rest of the day passed without another word or visit from the captain.
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When I awoke the next morning, I could feel that the Nautilus was perfectly still. I dressed quickly and entered the gallery, where I found Captain Nemo. He made no reference to his absence for the past eight days, but simply asked if we would be accompanying him today.
"We will," I replied. "But I'm puzzled by one thing: How can you own forests on Crespo Island if you've cut all ties with land?"
"My forests don't bask in the heat and light of the sun," he replied. "They aren't on land; they're actual underwater forests."
"You're offering to take me to real underwater forests?" I couldn't believe it.
"Yes, Professor, and without getting your feet wet. Now come eat breakfast with me. There aren't any restaurants on Crespo, and it will be a long time before you have supper."
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While we ate, I asked the captain some questions.
"I'm familiar with a diving apparatus that lets a man breathe underwater, but he must stay tethered to a ship," I began. "Then there's a diving suit that allows a man to leave the ship, but it only contains a limited amount of air in a backpack. Which one will we be using?"
"A version of the diving suit," said Captain Nemo. "I've improved it so that a man can stay underwater for nine or ten hours."
"But how will we be able to see in the dark waters? And a regular gun won't fire in the water."
The captain smiled. "Don't worry. I've invented both a light and a gun that will work underwater. Are you ready to go hunting?"
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We left the dining room and as we passed my companions' cabin, I called for them to join us. Near the engine room we came to a small room where we found a dozen diving suits.
"Oh no," said Ned. "I'm not getting into one of those."
"But there's no alternative," I said. "The forests of Crespo are underwater."
"Underwater?" Ned seemed to realize that his dream of eating venison was slipping away. "Unless someone forces me, I won't be going with you," the harpooner replied firmly.
"No one will force you, Mr. Land," said Captain Nemo.
"Are you coming with us?" I asked Conseil.
"I follow my master wherever he goes," replied my loyal servant.