Chapter 13.
The Escape.
By the end of February, the Nautilus was moving through the water of the Atlantic Ocean at a smooth pace.
We had traveled nearly 10,000 leagues in three and a half months.
That distance is greater than the huge circle of the Earth.
But where were we going now?
We had just finished our tour of the Mediterranean.
It was an amazing body of water to study.
Now we had returned to the surface of the waves, giving us once again the joy of daily walks on the platform.
Ned was upset that we never had the chance to escape from the ship.
Freedom was always the first thing on his mind.
I know you are upset, my friend, that you never got to put your plan into action.
But to have tried to leave the Nautilus in that heat would have killed us all.
Ned did not answer.
He had a frown on his face.
Let's wait and see, I said.
Don't give up hope yet.
We will be near France and England in the weeks to come.
We could easily find help there.
Ned stared at me.
We will leave tonight.
I gasped at his words.
I was not ready for what he said.
I tried to answer, but words would not even form in my mouth.
We agreed to wait for the right time, continued Ned, and the time has come.
Tonight we will be only a few miles from the Spanish coast.
It is cloudy, the wind blows freely.
You promised me and I am counting on you.
I stayed silent, still not knowing what to say.
Tonight, at nine o'clock, he said, I have already told Consail.
Captain Nemo will be in his room by then.
The ship's crew will not be able to see us.
Consail and I will take the main stairs.
You should wait in the library for our signal.
The boat is ready for us.
Everything is set for tonight.
The sea is bad.
That may be, Ned said.
But we must risk that.
We want our freedom.
Besides, the boat is strong, and a few miles with a fair wind to carry us is no big deal.
So I bid you goodbye until tonight.
With these words, the man left me.
I sat there wondering how this could be possible.
I could run to Captain Emo and tell him of the plan, but then I would be changing the future for my friends.
They did so badly want their freedom.
I was confused.
I could feel the ship sinking under the waves of the Atlantic as I sorted my thoughts.
I couldn't decide between getting my freedom and leaving the Nautilus.
What awful hours passed.
Sometimes I would picture my friends and myself safely landed with our freedom.
Other times I would imagine something happening to prevent us from leaving.
Rather than feeling disappointment, like my friends, I would feel joy.
Twice I went to the saloon.
I wanted to check the compass.
I wanted to see if the Nautilus was heading closer to or moving farther away from the coast.
The ship was on course to make Ned's plan work.
I didn't really have to prepare to leave.
My notes were the only things I own.
I began to think about Captain Nemo.
How would he feel about our escape?
I had no reason to feel bad for him.
After all, he had kept us here against our will, and yet I wondered if it would upset him.
I hadn't seen the captain for many days.
Would I have the chance to see him before we left?
I hoped for it and against it at the same time.
I waited.
It was the longest day I could remember.
My patience was running out.
My dinner was served in my room as usual.
I didn't eat much.
I wasn't hungry.
I left the table at about seven o'clock.
I was 120 minutes away from the moment when I would join my friends to leave.
My heart beat wildly.
I was growing more scared by the minute.
I wanted to see the saloon for the last time.
I went downstairs to the museum where I had spent so many happy hours.
I looked at all its riches, all its treasures.
It was hard for a man like me to leave this all behind.
In passing through the saloon, I came near the door to the captain's room.
To my great surprise, the door was open.
I quickly leaned back.
If the captain was in his room, he could see me, but hearing no noise, I went closer.
The room was empty.
I pushed open the door and took some steps forward.
Suddenly, the clock struck eight.
My eyes fell upon the compass.
We were still traveling north.
Our speed was normal, and we were at a depth of about sixty feet.
I returned to my room and dressed warmly.
I put on sea boots, an otterskin cap, and a coat lined with sealskin.
I was ready and waiting.
At a few minutes to nine, I put my ear to the captain's door.
I heard no noise.
I returned to the saloon, which was empty.
I opened the door connecting to the library.
All was quiet there, too.
I stood by the door leading to the main staircase and waited for Ned's signal.
At that moment, the movement of the vessel stopped.
That meant we were resting on the bottom of the ocean.
I grew more worried.
I wished that I could find Ned and tell him to put off this escape.
The door of the saloon opened and Captain Nemo appeared.
He saw me and said, Sir, I have been looking for you.
Do you know the history of Spain?
My nerves wouldn't let me answer.
Did you hear my question?
Captain Nemo asked again.
Do you know the history of Spain?
Not well, I said.
Well, sit down and I will tell you a strange story.
Captain Nemo began.
I listened as the captain started his story.
It began back in 1702.
I knew most of the history he was telling me, but I still didn't understand why I should be interested.
So, on October 22, 1702, the English ships arrived in Vigo Bay.
Admiral Chateau Renard fought bravely, but he knew the riches he had would fall into the enemy's hands.
So, he burned all the treasure ships which went to the bottom of the oceans.
At this, the captain stood and told me to follow him.
The saloon was dark, but the waves were sparkling outside the glass windows.
I looked.
For half a mile around the Nautilus, the waters seemed to glow.
The sandy bottom was clean and bright.
Some crew members were clearing away broken cases to get to the treasures.
And the treasures they found were more beautiful than words.
They were trunks of gold and silver and mounds of jewelry.
The sand was piled high with it.
The men picked up what they could.
They carried it to the ship, placed it inside the vessel, and then went out for more.
I understood now.
This was the scene of the Battle of October 22, 1702.
On this very spot, the ships filled with treasures for the Spanish government had sunk.
It was now Captain Nemo's hiding spot.
His bank was a place safer than anywhere else on earth to keep one's treasures.
Did you know the sea held such precious gems?
The captain asked with a smile.
I did, I replied, but I didn't know the amount and I certainly didn't know where.
For any country to come, take this wealth from the ocean bottom would be silly.
They would spend more money trying to get it than they would end up with.
I can take these treasures easily.
I have found them not only in Vigo Bay, but in thousands of other spots where shipwrecks have happened.
Captain Nemo seemed quite pleased with himself.
But what about the men who try this adventure on their own for nothing?
Think of the money they will be out, not knowing you have already taken these treasures.
Is this truly fair to them?
I had no sooner said these words than I knew they had hurt the captain.
Do you think that it is not fair that I have these riches?
How do you know that I do not make good use of them?
Do you think that I really don't know there are people out there who are cold and hungry?
Captain Nemo stopped speaking after that last sentence.
He probably felt bad that he had said so much, but I guessed that whatever made him want to share this wealth left him a man whose heart still beat for the suffering of people.
I now understood who the riches were meant for when the Nautilus had been sailing in the waters of Crete.
As we sailed around the world, the mighty captain gave these treasures to the poor and hungry.
He helped those in need everywhere.
The man whom I believed to hate mankind was really one of the most caring men of all.
The good captain's heart was a treasure as well.
I turned down the captain's offer to go out with the crewmen.
Instead, I watched from the windows as the men worked with more riches than I ever imagined possible.
A warm feeling spread over me, as I imagined the people who were helped by these treasures of the sea.
