Chapter 59 Chapter Seventeen

It was dawn, but the dawn light did not reach the depths of the cave.The tide was rising at this time, and the sea flooded the entrance to the cave.The artificial light coming from the skylight of the Nautilus still shone into the distance as before, dazzlingly bright, and the water around the pontoon was filled with silver waves. At this moment Captain Nemo collapsed on the couch exhausted.It was out of the question to move him to live in Granite Palace, for he had promised to stay with those priceless treasures and wait for his imminent death in the Nautilus. Captain Nemo collapsed for a long time, and almost completely lost consciousness.Cyrus.Smith and Keating.Spilett watched the dying man carefully.His physical strength declined noticeably.What had once been a strong and powerful body was now a husk for a soul about to emerge.His whole being is centered in the heart and head.

The engineer and the correspondent conferred quietly.Can you still help the dying man?Even if it doesn't save his life, can he live a few more days?He said that he was a person who could not be revived, and he waited for death without fear. There is nothing we can do.Ji Ding.Spilett said. But what was the reason for his death?asked Pencroft. In a word, life decays.replied the correspondent. But, says the sailor, if we take him out into the sun and get some fresh air, he might be all right. No, Pencroft, replied the engineer, the attempt is useless.Besides, Captain Nemo would never agree to leave his ship.He had lived on the Nautilus for thirty years, and he was going to die here.

Captain Nemo must have heard Cyrus.Smith's words.He raised himself up a little.His voice was weaker, but always so clear. You are right, sir, he said, and it is my wish that I should die here.I have a request for you. Cyrus.Smith and his partner came to the couch.Then they put the cushions for him, to make the dying man more comfortable. The light from the electric lamp illuminates the entire hall through the stained glass on the ceiling.They saw the captain looking at the rare treasures in the room.He looked in turn at the pictures on the beautiful partition tapestries, masterpieces of Italian, Flanders, French and Spanish masters; the marble and bronze statues on the statue seats; There are seaweeds, phytophytes, and extremely expensive pearl collars in the aquariums of various rare aquariums; finally, his gaze rests on the herringbone wall of this museum, on which is inscribed an inscription, which is a motto of the Nautilus:

Movement within movement. He looked at these treasures of art and nature with an air of admiration, as if for the last time.He lived in the depths of the sea for many years, and what he saw was limited to these things. Cyrus.Smith did not disturb the captain's contemplation, and waited for him to speak again. A few minutes passed, during which he was doubtless reviewing his life. Captain Nemo turned to the inhabitants and said: Gentlemen, do you think you owe me any duty? Believe us, Captain, we would give ours if it could prolong your life. Then, Captain Nemo went on, if you promise me to grant my last wish, you will repay me for everything I have done for you.

We promise you.Cyrus.Smith said. This promise included himself and his fellows. Gentlemen, said the captain, I shall die to-morrow. Herbert was about to cry out when the captain stopped him with a gesture. Tomorrow I will die.I don't want to be buried anywhere but in the Nautilus.This is my grave!My companions are buried in the depths of the sea, and I will also sleep with them. The inhabitants listened to him in silence. Respecting my wishes, he went on to say that the exit of this cave was blocked, and the Nautilus was trapped inside and could not get out.But even though I can't get out, at least sinking into this abyss, it is not a problem to bury my remains here.

Residents listen respectfully to what the dying man has to say. To-morrow, when I am dead, Mr Smith, said the captain, you and your companions will leave the Nautilus.Let all the treasures of the ship be buried with me.Now you guys know the history of Prince Dhaka.I leave you with only one souvenir.There is a safe over there, which contains diamonds of great value.Most of them are mementos from my husband and father days, when I thought it was possible to enjoy them.In addition, there are many pearls that my friends and I collected at the bottom of the sea.You can make good use of these treasures in the future.Mr. Smith, no misfortune can come from having money in one's hands, like you and your partner.After I ascend to heaven, I will participate in your career. I believe that your career will definitely develop greatly.

He was obliged to rest for a while because of his excessive weakness, and then went on: Tomorrow you take the safe, leave this hall, and close the door.Then you go to the deck of the Nautilus, lower the middle hatch, and close the whole ship completely. We shall do so, Captain.Cyrus.Smith said. good.Then you get into the little boat you came in.However, before leaving the Nautilus, don't forget to do one thing: on the waterline at the stern, there are two large cocks.You go and open the cock.After the sea water is poured into the storage tank, the Nautilus will gradually sink to the bottom of the water and lie in the depths of the sea.

The captain saw Cyrus.From Smith's expression, he understood what he was thinking in his heart, so he added: Have no fear, you are only burying a corpse! Cyrus.Neither Smith nor his companions made any proposals to Captain Nemo.The captain had made his last wish, and they had nothing else to do but to obey it. Have you promised me, gentlemen?asked Captain Nemo. I promise you, Captain.the engineer replied. The captain made a gesture of thanks to the inhabitants, and asked them to leave the place for a while, and let him rest for a few hours.Ji Ding.Spilett intended to be by his side in case of accident, but the dying man refused.He said: "I can live till tomorrow, sir.

Everyone left the hall, passed the study and dining room, and came to the computer room where the electric equipment was installed in front.This set of instruments can not only supply electric heating and lighting electricity, but also supply the mechanical power of the Nautilus. The Nautilus was a marvel in itself, and it contained many wonders within.After the engineer saw it, he was too surprised to speak. The residents climbed onto the platform, which was seven or eight feet above the water.Here they saw a large circular hole with a thick convex lens of glass embedded in it.The light is coming from here.The back of the round hole can be seen to be the steering wheel compartment.When the Nautilus sails on the seabed, the helmsman holds the direction here.Electric lights must have been able to illuminate a great distance during a voyage.

Cyrus.Smith and his companions stood silently for a while.They were impressed by what they had just seen and heard.They had only a few hours' acquaintance with the protector who had helped them so many times, and the thought of his imminent death made them very sad. No matter how future generations evaluate the life of this extraordinary person, people will never forget the image of Prince Dhaka. What a man!Was it really possible, said Pencroft, that he lived at the bottom of the sea?I don't think he will find more peace at the bottom of the sea than elsewhere. On board the Nautilus, said Ayrton, we shall be able to leave Lincoln Island and go where there are people.

Oh My God!cried Pencroft, I shall never venture in such a ship.Sailing on the surface, okay; underwater, I can't do it! I believe, Pencroft, said the correspondent, that such a submersible as the Nautilus must be very easy to steer.We will be able to get acquainted with its performance soon.At the bottom of the sea, you are not afraid of storms, nor are you afraid of hitting a ship.A few feet below the ocean floor the water is as calm as a lake. It may be possible, said the sailor, but I'd rather sail the seas in a well-equipped ship and in a storm.Boats are always meant to go on the sea, not under the sea! Friends, said the engineer, there was nothing to say about the diving boats, at least not about the Nautilus.The Nautilus is not ours, and we have no right to dispose of it.And we must not take advantage of it either.Now that the exit of the cave has been blocked by the rising basalt, it is impossible for the Nautilus to sail out of the cave.In addition to this, Captain Nemo's wish is to be buried with it at the bottom of the sea.His wish is our law, and we must do it according to his wish. Cyrus.The conversation between Smith and his companions continued for a considerable time before they descended into the interior of the Nautilus.There they ate something and went back into the hall. Before they left, Captain Nemo had fallen into a state of collapse; by this time his spirits had recovered.His eyes radiated their original light.There was even a hint of a smile on his lips. Residents gathered around him. Gentlemen, said the captain, you are both honest and brave men.You all work for the common good.I often observe your behavior.I respected you in the past and I still respect you now!Let me shake your hand, Mr. Smith! Cyrus.Smith held out his hand, and the captain took it warmly. very good!he murmured. Then he continued: Enough about my own affairs.It is time now to speak of you and of the Lincoln Island on which you live.Do you want to leave this island? We want to come back too, Captain!said Pencroft quickly. come back again?Pencroft?The captain smiled and said, really, I know you love this island.Thanks to your efforts, the island has changed its original appearance.You are the masters of the island! Captain, Cyrus.Smith interjected that we were going to incorporate it into the United States, because of its favorable position in the Pacific Ocean, and we were going to make it a seaport. You are thinking of your motherland, gentlemen, said the captain, and you are working hard for the prosperity and honor of your motherland.You are doing right.A person should live in the motherland!Die in the motherland!But me, I died so far from everything I loved! Do you have any last wish for us to convey, the engineer said emotionally, is there any souvenir you want to give to those friends you left behind in the deep mountains of India? No, Mr. Smith; I have no friends!I am the last of my generation, and those who knew me thought I was long dead.Let's talk about your business.Loneliness and loneliness are terrible and unbearable for people.I used to think being able to live alone!Therefore, you should do everything possible to leave Lincoln Island and meet your hometown again.I know those bandits wrecked that ship you built. We're going to build a big ship to carry us to the nearest land, Keating.Still, said Spilett, even if our purpose had been achieved, sooner or later we would have to return to Lincoln Island.We miss this place and there are many things that we will never forget in retrospect. For example, this is where we met Captain Nemo.Cyrus.Smith said. This is the only place we can make a home!Herbert added. Here I shall rest, if the captain says. He did not finish his sentence, paused for a moment, and then said simply: Mr. Smith, I would like to have a few words with you alone! The engineer's mates respected the dying man's opinion and withdrew. Cyrus.Smith only talked with Captain Nemo for a few minutes before calling his companions in again.But he did not tell the private affairs which the dying man confided to him. At this time, Ji Ding.Spilett watched over the captain carefully.He had exhausted all his energy and could no longer fight against his sick body. The day passed without incident.The inhabitants did not leave the Nautilus for a moment.The time has come to night, but in the cave, it is impossible to distinguish night from day. Captain Nemo was not in pain, he was only noticeably declining.Due to the coming of death, his noble face had no color at all, but he still looked very calm.He murmured from time to time, talking about the things he encountered in the complicated experience.Life was clearly declining, and his extremities were already chilling. Occasionally, he would talk to the surrounding residents and show them his last smile, which remained until after his death. Just after midnight, Captain Nemo folded his arms across his chest with all his strength, as if he intended to maintain this position after death. At one o'clock all he had left was a look and a little anger.There was a dying gleam in the normally bright eyeballs.He murmured God, Fatherland!And died peacefully. Cyrus.Smith stooped to serve him to heaven.Prince Dhaka has long been a historical figure, and now even Captain Nemo is a historical figure. Herbert and Pencroft wept bitterly.Ayrton wept silently.Neb knelt beside the correspondent, motionless, like a statue. Then, Cyrus.Smith put his hand on the dead man's head, and said solemnly: May his soul return to God!Let's pray for our dead benefactor! A few hours later, the inhabitants fulfilled the captain's dying wish and fulfilled their promise. Cyrus.Smith and his partners left the Nautilus with the only souvenir left by their benefactor, a safe containing treasures worth billions of dollars. The magic hall was still brightly lit. They carefully closed the door of the hall, and then closed the iron door leading to the upper deck tightly, so that the sea water could not penetrate the Nautilus at all. The migrants then jumped into small boats tied alongside the dive boat. Meanwhile they rowed the boat to the stern of the Nautilus.Near the waterline at the stern two large cocks led to the sump, which was fitted to sink the boat. They opened the cock, and seawater poured into the tank.The Nautilus sank slowly and finally disappeared on the lake. Residents can still watch it sink in the water.The strong light from the boat illuminated the translucent water, and the cave gradually darkened.Finally, the large flashes of lightning disappeared, and after a while, the Nautilus sank in the depths of the ocean now that it had become Captain Nemo's coffin.