The Crystal City Under the Sea (9 page)

From morning till evening he developed this idea, that, thenceforth, in the matter of shallow soundings, it would be no longer a question, in the Academies, of the yacht Cinderella, but simply and solely of Caoudal’s diving-bell.

“But the diving-bell was constructed on board the yacht, and we immersed it ourselves,” objected Monte Cristo.

“That doesn’t matter,” said Sacripanti, oracularly. “Your highness has only too many detractors and enemies already among the learned bodies. Without appearing to attach importance to the thing, these people will get into the way of speaking of Caoudal’s diving-bell; by degrees the public will get accustomed to repeating the name; and that of the Cinderella and of its illustrious commander will retire into the shade and be forgotten.”

Such a prospect as that could not but make Monte Cristo extremely uncomfortable, but he shrank from avowing it. “It is impossible!” said he, slapping his knees with a gesture habitual to him in moments of doubt. “The civilized world knows that I have inaugurated in person the shallow soundings of the Atlantic, this diving-bell has been constructed on board my yacht, it is a part of it, it is inseparable. I cannot admit that it will tend to make it forgotten.”

“Very well! your highness has only to wait two or three months; we shall see whether I am right or not,” Sacripanti persisted so long and so well with these insinuations that he succeeded in making his chief uneasy.

“After all, what can we do?” asked Monte Cristo, pushed to the extremity of perplexity.

“I see only one remedy, and that would be to insist that an officer on board accompany M. Caoudal in his cabin, when it goes under water?”

“That is a good ideal—You, for instance!” Then, all at once, pausing, struck with a sudden idea: “Or myself! Why not I?” added he.

Sacripanti alleged the greatness and importance of the prince, both on land and on board his own yacht, as a reason against it. But Monte Cristo was bent upon it and nothing would stop him. “ It is clear that is the solution of the difficulty! The best and the most simple!” said he, walking with rapid strides up and down the poop. “ And indeed what can be fairer? The diving-bell is my work and my property, since it would never have existed but for my yacht and my workshops. Suffice it to say that I undertake personally to effectuate some soundings, and that I report thereupon to the scientific world, so that no one will dream of depriving me of an honour due to myself. It is an understood thing that I embark in the diving-bell!”

He at once communicated his plan to René. It was little to his taste, and he thought it necessary to make some objection to the invasion of his cabin. But the prince appeared to attach so much importance to the thing, and he had from the first done everything with such a good grace to meet the least wishes of the young lieutenant, that he felt it would look like great ingratitude if he did not, in his turn, show himself generous. He therefore acquiesced, and it was agreed that the next morning they would make a first attempt. Convinced that the unique experience would suffice to cure his highness of his fancy, René changed nothing in his ordinary plan of operation. Matters thus settled to their satisfaction, they retired for the night.

A night’s rest gives one time and opportunity to think things over. Evidently that of the prince had not been without uneasy thoughts, for the next morning, when he appeared on deck, he looked pale and extremely uncomfortable. He had every appearance of not having closed an eye all night, and showed no impatience to shut himself up in the submersible chamber. René, however, without appearing to notice this demeanour, gave a look round to see that every detail was in order. He had doubled the usual quantity of barytic water in the china vase, and prepared the flagon of oxygen for its normal working; he satisfied himself that everything was in its right place; then, his inspection ended, he opened the door wide, saying: “ Now, my dear prince, when you are quite ready!” There was no possibility of going back. Monte Cristo, more dead than alive, in spite of a bumper of rum, with which he had just fortified himself, judged it necessary to address a solemn farewell to his crew:

“My children,” said he, in a voice choked with emotion, “if adverse destiny wills that I should never return from this hazardous enterprise, know that my last thought was for you! I embrace you all in the person of my faithful Sacripanti!” After which he imprinted two resounding kisses on the swarthy cheeks of the Levantine, which were streaming with tears called up for the occasion; then, with a theatrical step, he set foot on the threshold of the diving-bell. René followed him at once without so much ceremony.

The door shut and caulked upon the two explorers, the prince appeared somewhat reassured on finding that calmness and silence reigned in the submersible prison. He stretched himself on the sofa and awaited events with resignation. His companion in misfortune gave the order to set out.

The needle began to move. When he saw that all was going as well as could be wished, as simply as possible, and that he did not even feel the motion of the diving-bell and found himself in three minutes at a depth of a hundred yards, his habitual good humour came to the front, and he drew from his pocket a magnificent cigar and lighted it.

“There is a proof of the quality of our respiratory air!” said René, smiling.

“What! Do you think there would be any danger in smoking here!” asked the prince, ready to sacrifice his cigar.

“No danger but that of making our atmosphere a little less pure and transparent,” replied the young officer.

He had hardly finished speaking when an ominous creaking of the floor of the cabin was heard; at the same moment it stopped short with a shake that knocked them both down. The prince, seated on the sofa, could not have been better placed for bearing, without serious damage, the consequences of his fall. René, on the contrary, was thrown with great force against the starboard wall, and immediately felt great pain in his shoulder,

His first care was, nevertheless, to spring to the telephone to give the order to cease paying out the cable, and then to try to find out, by means of the electric light, the nature of the incident. A glance to larboard explained all, and the explanation was as marvellous as it was unexpected.

The diving-bell had crashed into a colossal dome of thick crystal plates, and remained fixed there. This crystal dome, illuminated with a dazzling light, which made the electric lamp look pale, was completely visible in all its parts, and appeared to belong to an immense conservatory, covering the most strange and luxuriant vegetation. Further along, there seemed to be a continuation of the building, in the shape of galleries, likewise of crystal. All these galleries, like the dome, seemed to have a double transparent roof divided into compartments by water-tight

The Crystal City.

partitions, so that the diving-bell, in staving in the upper roof, had done nothing worse than opening to the water a compartment in the ceiling a few cubic yards in extent. Under the lower roof there was no water, but a clear and luminous atmosphere, where giant trees, handsome ferns, and many-coloured flowers seemed to live a luxuriant life. The floor of the submarine conservatory was covered with fine white sand, forming, as far as the eye could see, alleys crossing each other at right angles.

René could not doubt that chance had conducted him this time to the object of his eager search. If he had thought of counting the beats of his pulse, he would have found them considerably quickened. Gazing with all his eyes at the spectacle spread out before him, he observed the height of the thick, glassy fortress against which he had fallen, and whose translucent walls seemed strong enough to defy the elements and the centuries. His eye glued, so to speak, to the spy-glass, he drank in at every pore the living and tangible reality he had at last succeeded in finding. The beauty of the gardens, which spread themselves out in an interminable series of flowers in groups and hanging-baskets, would have sufficed to mark the spot as the dwelling of a demi-god, even if the imposing edifice itself had not done so. A moment more, and the happy traveller was to be accorded a sight of the owners of the conservatory.

At the moment when the diving-bell grounded, the gardens were deserted. He wondered, trembling with hope and joy, if he should see any one to give life to the picture, when a slight movement at the end of one of the paths made his heart beat more quickly still. Holding his breath, and concentrating his gaze with all his powers of attention, he waited. Not a doubt about it! They were his host and hostess who were coming towards him. He recognized the dignified old man, and, by his side, walking with a light, springing step, the graceful Undine. They were too far off for René to distinguish the expression of their faces, but he was able to note the nobleness of their outline, and their proud bearing. By degrees, as the distance lessened between them, he recognized the carriage of the head, the queenly brow, the charming features which had lived in his memory. But, were they coming to him? Would they come to the crystal wall, realize that he was there, greet him, perhaps receive him?

No. Arrived at a cross-way where several paths met, they turned their steps to the left and disappeared behind a group of flowers. At the same moment, a voice of thunder close beside him exclaimed: “Admirable creature! What would not one give to see her again!” It was the prince who spoke.

He had recovered from his surprise, and was looking through one of the spy-glasses at the wonderful sight. René had completely forgotten his presence. But this tremendous voice awoke him to the reality of it.

How extremely unlucky that Monte Cristo should be there to spoil everything! just at the very time that his object was gained! He was ready to die of disgust. With a furious bound, and, as though to hide his discovery from the profanation of indiscreet eyes, he threw himself on the telephone.

“Halloo! Halloo! Draw up quickly!” cried he. And, almost immediately, the cable, with a grating sound, wrenched the diving-bell from the crystal dome where it had lodged itself. Suddenly, magic conservatory, venerable trees, brilliant flowers, and long alleys disappeared as in a dream. Monte Cristo, still looking through his spy-glass, saw the iridescent shimmer of the submarine light gradually extinguished by the dark sea waves. Then everything was effaced. The diving-bell continued to rise, and the needle did not mark more than a hundred and eighty yards.

“ You seemed to be in a great hurry to come to the surface’” said the prince, sharply. “The sight was, at least, worth the trouble of looking at, and, for my part, I shall not fail to have another look at it.”

René made no reply. But no sooner had they set foot on board, than he informed the prince that the laboratory no longer contained the necessary elements for the purifying of air in the submersible chamber. This was perfectly true, for the lieutenant had thrown into the sea all the baryta at his disposal.

CHAPTER IX
THE TORPEDO-BOAT “TITANIA”.

I
N less than a month after the last journey in the diving-bell, recorded in the previous chapter, we find the young officer rectifying diagrams in a large metallurgic workshop in the Victor Hugo Avenue, Paris.

He had taken leave of the yacht Cinderella and the Prince of Monte Cristo in the harbour of Cadiz, after having with considerable difficulty wrung from “the patron of science” a promise on his word of honour to reveal nothing, till he had heard from him again, of what they had seen at the bottom of the sea. This was no small concession on the part of so vain and egotistical a man, convinced, as he was, that the discovery was his own. René alleged the necessity of perfecting his methods of investigation and of completing his notes before submitting them to the learned bodies; and the prince, well knowing that he could do nothing without, his “young and distinguished collaborator,” allowed himself to be persuaded.

In fact, what René now wanted was to be let alone. He needed plenty of liberty, and he wished to be under no further obligation to the proprietor of the Cinderella. Since he had seen once more the mysterious home of his sea-nymph; since through the transparent walls he had refound her lovely form, the idea of any intrusion whatever in his enterprise was intolerable. He wished to pursue it alone and by more decisive means than the diving-bell that he had invented. In the first place, he required a more mobile apparatus, in which he could circumnavigate the crystal prison which contained the young fairy; something different from the submersible cabin, reaching bottom wherever chance might take it; Some means of submarine navigation suggested itself. René had thought of a torpedo-boat, like those used in war; but supposing he could get the use of such a thing for a purely scientific object, or for a private enterprise, an ordinary torpedo-boat, though actually submersible, was not sufficiently manageable to satisfy his requirements. He resolved to construct, on his own account, assisted by a subsidy from the State, a special submarine boat, capable of sinking to the bottom, rising quickly to the surface, and being navigated with equal ease above and below water. The experience he had gained in his diving-bell enabled him to formulate a plan of this boat; and the solid friendships his father and grandfather had made in the Navy Department would help him at the outset to get the necessary assistance in that quarter. Thanks to the unfailing generosity of his mother, he had no difficulty about the initial expense; and, explaining his project to the engineers, Rouergue Brothers, he set to work.