Page:Twenty Thousand Verne Frith 1876.pdf/505

 CHAPTER THE LAST WORDS

XXII.

OF CAPTAIN

NEMO.

THE panels had been shut upon the dreadful spectacle, but no light had been given to the saloon. Darkness and silence now reigned in the Mawtslus. We were leaving the desolation behind us at a tremendous rate, but whither were we flying? North or south? Did that man wish to escape the horrible reprisal? I re-entered my room, where I found Conseil and Ned

sitting in silence. I experienced an insurmountable disgust for Captain Nemo. No matter how much he had suffered from mankind, he had no right to act as he had done. He had made me, if not an accomplice, a witness to his vengeance. It was too much !

At eleven o’clock light was given us. I entered the saloon ; it was empty. I inspected the various instruments. We were going north at twenty-five miles an hour, sometimes

at the

surface,

sometimes

thirty

feet

beneath

the

waves. Taking the bearings on the chart, I saw that we were passing the mouth of the British Channel, and were advancing rapidly towards the Northern seas, I could