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1THE MAN OF THE SEAS It was the commander of the vessel who thus spoke. At these words, Ned Land rose suddenly. The
2steward, nearly strangled, tottered out on a sign from his master; but such was the power of the commander on board,
3that not a gesture betrayed the resentment which this man must have felt towards the Canadian. Conseil, interested in
4spite of himself, I stupefied, awaited in silence the result of this scene. The commander, leaning against the corner of
5a table with his arms folded, scanned us with profound attention. Did he hesitate to speak? Did he regret the words
6which he had just spoken in French? One might almost think so. After some moments of silence, which not one of us
7dreamed of breaking, "Gentlemen," said he, in a calm and penetrating voice, "I speak French, English, German, and Latin
8equally well. I could, therefore, have answered you at our first interview, but I wished to know you first, then to
9reflect. The story told by each one, entirely agreeing in the main points, convinced me of your identity. I know now
10that chance has brought before me M. Pierre Aronnax, Professor of Natural History at the Museum of Paris, entrusted with
11a scientific mission abroad, Conseil, his servant, and Ned Land, of Canadian origin, harpooner on board the frigate
12Abraham Lincoln of the navy of the United States of America." I bowed assent. It was not a question that the commander
13put to me. Therefore there was no answer to be made. This man expressed himself with perfect ease, without any accent.
14His sentences were well turned, his words clear, and his fluency of speech remarkable. Yet, I did not recognise in him a
15fellow-countryman. He continued the conversation in these terms: "You have doubtless thought, sir, that I have delayed
16long in paying you this second visit. The reason is that, your identity recognised, I wished to weigh maturely what part
17to act towards you. I have hesitated much. Most annoying circumstances have brought you into the presence of a man who
18has broken all the ties of humanity. You have come to trouble my existence." "Unintentionally!" said I.
19"Unintentionally?" replied the stranger, raising his voice a little; "was it unintentionally that the Abraham Lincoln
20pursued me all over the seas? Was it unintentionally that you took passage in this frigate? Was it unintentionally that
21your cannon balls rebounded off the plating of my vessel? Was it unintentionally that Mr. Ned Land struck me with his
22harpoon?" I detected a restrained irritation in these words. But to these recriminations I had a very natural answer to
23make and I made it. "Sir," said I, "no doubt you are ignorant of the discussions which have taken place concerning you
24in America and Europe. You do not know that divers accidents, caused by collisions with your submarine machine, have
25excited public feeling in the two continents. I omit the hypotheses without number by which it was sought to explain the
26inexplicable phenomenon of which you alone possess the secret. But you must understand that, in pursuing you over the
27high seas of the Pacific, the Abraham Lincoln believed itself to be chasing some powerful sea-monster, of which it was
28necessary to rid the ocean at any price." A half-smile curled the lips of the commander: then, in a calmer tone-- "M.
29Aronnax," he replied, "dare you affirm that your frigate would not as soon have pursued and cannonaded a submarine boat
30as a monster?" This question embarrassed me, for certainly Captain Farragut might not have hesitated. He might have
31thought it his duty to destroy a contrivance of this kind, as he would a gigantic narwhal. "You understand then, sir,"
32continued the stranger, "that I have the right to treat you as enemies?" I answered nothing, purposely. For what good
33would it be to discuss such a proposition, when force could destroy the best arguments? "I have hesitated some time,"
34continued the commander; "nothing obliged me to show you hospitality. If I chose to separate myself from you, I should
35have no interest in seeing you again; I could place you upon the deck of this vessel which has served you as a refuge, I
36could sink beneath the waters, and forget that you had ever existed. Would not that be my right?" "It might be the right
37of a savage," I answered, "but not that of a civilised man." "Professor," replied the commander, quickly, "I am not what
38you call a civilised man! I have done with society entirely, for reasons which I alone have the right of appreciating. I
39do not therefore obey its laws, and I desire you never to allude to them before me again!" This was said plainly. A
40flash of anger and disdain kindled in the eyes of the Unknown, and I had a glimpse of a terrible past in the life of
41this man. Not only had he put himself beyond the pale of human laws, but he had made himself independent of them, free
42in the strictest acceptation of the word, quite beyond their reach! Who then would dare to pursue him at the bottom of
43the sea, when, on its surface, he defied all attempts made against him? What vessel could resist the shock of his
44submarine monitor? What cuirass, however thick, could withstand the blows of his spur? No man could demand from him an
45account of his actions; God, if he believed in one--his conscience, if he had one--were the sole judges to whom he was
46answerable. These reflections crossed my mind rapidly, whilst the stranger personage was silent, absorbed, and as if
47wrapped up in himself. I regarded him with fear mingled with interest, as doubtless, Œdipus regarded the Sphinx. After
48rather a long silence, the commander resumed the conversation. "I have hesitated," said he, "but I have thought that my
49interest might be reconciled with that pity to which every human being has a right. You will remain on board my vessel,
50since fate has cast you there. You will be free; and, in exchange for this liberty, I shall only impose one single
51condition. Your word of honour to submit to it will suffice." "Speak, sir," I answered. "I suppose this condition is one
52which a man of honour may accept?" "Yes, sir; it is this. It is possible that certain events, unforeseen, may oblige me
53to consign you to your cabins for some hours or some days, as the case may be. As I desire never to use violence, I
54expect from you, more than all the others, a passive obedience. In thus acting, I take all the responsibility: I acquit
55you entirely, for I make it an impossibility for you to see what ought not to be seen. Do you accept this condition?"
56Then things took place on board which, to say the least, were singular, and which ought not to be seen by people who
57were not placed beyond the pale of social laws. Amongst the surprises which the future was preparing for me, this might
58not be the least. "We accept," I answered; "only I will ask your permission, sir, to address one question to you--one
59only." "Speak, sir." "You said that we should be free on board." "Entirely." "I ask you, then, what you mean by this
60liberty?" "Just the liberty to go, to come, to see, to observe even all that passes here,--save under rare
61circumstances,--the liberty, in short, which we enjoy ourselves, my companions and I." It was evident that we did not
62understand one another. "Pardon me, sir," I resumed, "but this liberty is only what every prisoner has of pacing his
63prison. It cannot suffice us." "It must suffice you, however." "What! we must renounce for ever seeing our country, our
64friends, our relations again?" "Yes, sir. But to renounce that unendurable worldly yoke which men believe to be liberty,
65is not perhaps so painful as you think." "Well," exclaimed Ned Land, "never will I give my word of honour not to try to
66escape." "I did not ask you for your word of honour, Master Land," answered the commander, coldly. "Sir," I replied,
67beginning to get angry in spite of myself, "you abuse your situation towards us; it is cruelty." "No, sir, it is
68clemency. You are my prisoners of war. I keep you, when I could, by a word, plunge you into the depths of the ocean. You
69attacked me. You came to surprise a secret which no man in the world must penetrate,--the secret of my whole existence.
70And you think that I am going to send you back to that world which must know me no more? Never! In retaining you, it is
71not you whom I guard--it is myself." These words indicated a resolution taken on the part of the commander, against
72which no arguments would prevail.
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