Page:Twenty Thousand Verne Frith 1876.pdf/330

“Well, I think—I do not say hope—I think that this occasion will never present itself.”

“Why not?”

“Because Captain Nemo cannot hide from himself the idea that we hope to recover our liberty some day, and he will be on his guard; particularly in European waters, and in sight of European coasts.”

“I agree with Monsieur,” said Conseil.

“We shall see,” replied Ned, nodding his head in a determined manner.

“And now, Ned Land,” said I, “let the matter rest thus as it is. Not a word of all this. When you are ready, let us know, and we will follow you. I leave the matter entirely to you.”

So this conversation, which was destined to lead to grave results, terminated here. I ought to mention that the facts appeared to confirm my predictions, to the Canadian’s despair. Did Captain Nemo distrust us while in these crowded seas, or did he only wish to conceal his ship from the numerous vessels that sailed the Mediterranean? I cannot say, but we certainly were more often underneath the water, and at a greater distance from the coast, than formerly. When the Nautilus emerged, nothing was visible but the pilot’s house, and we went to great depths also; for between the Grecian Archipelago and Asia Minor we found more than a thousand fathoms of water.

I only knew we were near the island of Carpathos, one of the Sporades, by Captain Nemo quoting me Virgil’s lines, as he placed his hand on the map:

This was the ancient residence of Proteus, the shepherd