Page:Twenty Thousand Verne Frith 1876.pdf/29

 “Well—yes—certainly,” I replied evasively; “but we shall take a little round.”

“Any detour that Monsieur pleases.”

“Oh! that will not be of much consequence. By a less direct route, that’s all. We shall sail in the Abraham Lincoln.”

“As may be most convenient to Monsieur,” replied Conseil quickly.

“You are aware, my friend, of the question about this monster—this narwhal. We are about to purge the sea of him. The author of a work in quarto, and in two volumes, upon the “Mysteries of the Great Ocean Depths,” cannot give up the idea of embarking with Commodore Farragut. A glorious enterprise, but dangerous. One cannot tell where they may go. These animals are very capricious; but we shall go all the same. We have a commander who has no fear.”

“If Monsieur goes, I will go,” replied Conseil.

“But mark well, for I have no wish to hide anything. This is one of the journeys from which one cannot always return.”

“Just as Monsieur pleases.”

A quarter of an hour afterwards our trunks were ready. Conseil had done everything, and I was sure nothing was forgotten, for this fellow could classify shirts and coats as well as birds and beasts.

The hotel “lift” deposited us in the great vestibule of the entresol. I descended to the hall, paid my bill, and gave directions to have my various collections of plants and animals forwarded to Paris. I opened a credit for the babiroussa, and, followed by Conseil, jumped into a carriage.