United States or Malawi ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"And harpoons, sir," the Canadian said, "if you don't turn down my help." "I accept it, Mr. Land." "We'll go with you," I said. And we followed Captain Nemo, heading to the central companionway. There some ten men were standing by for the assault, armed with boarding axes. Conseil and I picked up two more axes. Ned Land seized a harpoon.
In his pocket was a letter from the sheriff at Nemo, Arkansas, stating that his county was well rid of Shep Boone and that the universal opinion was that neither Bellamy nor young Yarnell had been to blame for the outcome of the difficulty. Unless there came to him an active demand for the return of Bellamy he intended to let sleeping dogs lie. No such demand came.
"Professor Aronnax," Captain Nemo answered me, "I've said you'd be free aboard my vessel, so no part of the Nautilus is off-limits to you. You may inspect it in detail, and I'll be delighted to act as your guide." "I don't know how to thank you, sir, but I won't abuse your good nature. I would only ask you about the uses intended for these instruments of physical measure "
The unknown being whose influence had so effectually protected them, the man whom their imagination had endowed with supernatural powers, Captain Nemo, was no more. His Nautilus and he were buried in the depths of the abyss. To each one of them their existence seemed even more isolated than before.
Or, did he stop after the last hecatomb? Will the waves one day carry to him this manuscript containing the history of his life? Shall I ever know the name of this man? Will the missing vessel tell us by its nationality that of Captain Nemo? I hope so.
He was circling it like a wild beast, drawing it eastward, letting it chase after him. Yet he didn't attack. Was he, perhaps, still undecided? I tried to intervene one last time. But I had barely queried Captain Nemo when the latter silenced me: "I'm the law, I'm the tribunal! I'm the oppressed, and there are my oppressors!
It follows from this that a man is best off if he be thrown upon his own resources and can be all in all to himself; and Cicero goes so far as to say that a man who is in this condition cannot fail to be very happy nemo potest non beatissimus esse qui est totus aptus ex sese, quique in se uno ponit omnia. The more a man has in himself, the less others can be to him.
"These vaults," he said, "are extensive." "The Montresors," I replied, "were a great and numerous family." "I forget your arms." "A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel." "And the motto?" "Nemo me impune lacessit." "Good!" he said. The wine sparkled in his eyes and the bells jingled. My own fancy grew warm with the Medoc.
I showed this little rock, lost in the midst of the North Pacific, to my companions. "If Captain Nemo does sometimes go on dry ground," said I, "he at least chooses desert islands." Ned Land shrugged his shoulders without speaking, and Conseil and he left me. After supper, which was served by the steward, mute and impassive, I went to bed, not without some anxiety.
"And how do you know all this?" I exclaimed. "Here's what I found at the very site of that final shipwreck!" Captain Nemo showed me a tin box, stamped with the coat of arms of France and all corroded by salt water. He opened it and I saw a bundle of papers, yellowed but still legible.
Word Of The Day