“What is the meaning of this word ‘Scartaris’?”
My uncle took a few minutes to consider.
“What is darkness to you is light to me. One of the peaks is called Scartaris, it flung its shadow down the mouth of that crater. Isn’t it the most exact guide? When we arrive at the summit of Sneffels we shall find the proper road.”
“Well, then,” I said, “I can admit that Saknussemm’s sentence is clear. That learned philosopher got to the bottom of Sneffels, and saw the shadow of Scartaris on the edge of the crater before the kalends of July. But as for performing the journey, and returning, if he ever went, I say no—he never, never did that.”
“And why?” said my uncle ironically.
“All the theories of science demonstrate it.”
“The theories say that, do they?” replied the Professor in the tone of a meek disciple. “Oh! Unpleasant theories! They will not hinder us, won’t they?”
“Yes; it is perfectly well known that the internal temperature rises one degree for every 70 feet in depth; so there must be a temperature of 360,032 degrees at the centre of the Earth. Therefore, all the substances that compose the body of this Earth must exist there in a state of incandescent gas[29].”
“So, Axel, it is the heat that troubles you?”
“Of course it is. If we reach a depth of thirty miles, the temperature will be more than 2372 degrees.”
“This is my decision,” replied Professor Liedenbrock. “Neither you nor anybody else knows with any certainty what is going on in the interior of this globe, since not the twelve thousandth part of its radius is known. Many geologists say that the interior of the globe is neither gas nor water, nor any of the heaviest minerals. You see, Axel, the condition of the terrestrial nucleus is absolutely unknown. There is no proof at all for the internal heat; my opinion is that there is no such thing, it cannot be; besides we shall see for ourselves, and, like Arne Saknussemm, we shall know exactly what is there.”
“Very well, we shall see,” I replied. “Yes, we shall see; that is, if it is possible to see anything there.”
“And why not? But silence, do you hear me? Silence upon the whole subject; tell nobody that we are going to discover the centre of the Earth.”
7
Thus ended our conversation and I came out of my uncle’s study. I made for the banks of the Elbe[30], where the steamer lands its passengers.
“It is quite absurd!” I cried, “There is no sense about it. The whole thing is non-existent.”
Примечания
1
Otto Liedenbrock – Отто Лиденброк
2
Johannaeum – Йоганнеум
3
Königstrasse – Королевская улица
4
half brick and half wood – наполовину из кирпича, наполовину из дерева
5
Gräuben – Гретхен
6
Martha – Марта
7
lithoid minerals – камневидные материалы
8
a binding – переплёт
9
Heims Kringla – «Хеймс Кригла» (название книги)
10
Snorre Turlleson – Снорре Турлесон
11
the type – шрифт
12
Axel – Аксель
13
to take it for – принимать за
14
Odin – Один, верховный бог в германо-скандинавской мифологии
15
five inches by three – размером 5х3 дюймов
16
one after the other – одна за другой
17
Arne Saknussemm – Арне Сакнуссем
18
Avicenna, Bacon, Lully, Paracelsus – Авиценна, Бэкон, Люлль, Парацельс
19
Galileo – Галилей, итальянский физик, механик, астроном, философ, математик
20
Virgil – Виргилий, древнеримский поэт.
21
kept working in my brain – не выходил у меня из головы
22
fanned myself – обмахивался
23
Sneffels – Снеффелс
24
Scartaris – Скартарис
25
kalends – календы; в древнеримском календаре название первого дня каждого месяца.
26
I am half dead with hunger. – Я умираю от голода.
27
Reykjavik – Рейкьявик
28
extinct volcano – потухший вулкан
29
in a state of incandescent gas – в газообразном состоянии
30
Elbe – Эльба (название реки)