The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-02
E JULES VERNE

his guests-or prisOners-he used most
 excellent French. The captain was a
 moody man, given to fits of abstraction
 in which he seemed to be weighed down
 to the depths by the recollection of
 some great sorrow, and at all times did
 he seem imbued with the spirit of some terrible revenge And the same charac-
 teristics which were observable In the captain showed in a somewhat lesser degree In the taciturn and solemn mem bers of his crew
 The professor and his companions were told by Captain Memo that he had con- sidered their case carefully; he might have left them on the back of his vessel; have sunk beneath the waves and thus have killed them by drowning He had not sought their presence and would have been perfectly justified In having refused to take them into the interior of hls craft. But he had decided to be merck ful; henceforth they would live on board the Nautilus; would be part of the ships company and would never leave It as long as they lived. Only one con- dition did he impose upon them: They must promise that upon occasions which would be indicated to them they would retire to their cabins and there remain until they were told to come forth-the alternative was death
 Naturally they agreed to the captains terms Consell and Ned Land were as- signed cabin to themselves and a cabin, most luxuriously fitted up, was given to Professor Aronnax. Captain Memo invit- ed the professor to breakfast. He found dining room richly decorated and fur nished in severe taste. High, oaken side boards. inlaid with ebony. stood at the extremities of the room and upon their shelves glittered china, porcelain and glass of inestimable value. The plate on the table sparkled in the rays of a lumi- nous ceiling. which shed around a light which was tempered and softened by ex- quisite paintings. The breakfast consist- ed of numerous dishes, the contents of which were evidently furnished by the sea alone.
 The greater part of these dishes are unknown to you, said Captain Memo, ob- serving the inquiring look of his guest however, you may partake of them with out fear. They are rich in phosphorus and, as you probably suspect, have marine origin. For long time I have renounced the food of the earth as have renounced the earth.
 "The sea supplies all my wants. I cast my nets and they come up burdened unto breaking. Sometimes I hunt in the forests of this element which appears inaccessi- ble to men and my flocks, like those of Neptune, graze fearlessly on the prairies of the ocean. I have vast property there which cultivate myself and which is sown by the Creator of all things. That which you believe to be meat, professor, | Is nothing else than fillet of turtle. Here | also, are some dolphins' livers, which you take to be ragout of pork. Here is a preserve of holothuria which "a Malay would declare to be unrivaled In the world; this cream is furnished by the cetacea and the sugar by the great fucus Of the north. And, lastly, allow me to offer you some preserve of anemones which is equal to that of the most de- licious fruit"
 You love the sea, captan," observed the professor. "Yes," was the reply. q love It. It covers seven-tenths of the ter restrial globe. It is everythingi Its breath Is pure; it Is an immense desert, where man Is never lonely. for he feels life stirring about him on every side. The ! sea is the embodiment of the supernatur- al and the wonderful; 1t is love and emotion; 1t is the living infinlte as a poet has said. The globe began with the sea, and who knows if 1t will not end as 1t began? The sea does not belong to despots; upon It's surface men can exer- else unjust laws and tear each other to pieces, but at 30 feet below the level their reign ceases, their influence Is quenched and their power disappears Here only Is independence; here I recog- nize no masters; here I am free.' In the midst of his enthusiasm, which had quite carried him away. Captain Namo sudden ly became silent and regained his former coldness of expression, and, turning to Aronnax, said. Now, professor, if you wish to go over to the Nautilus I am at your service"
 He was conducted to large lihrary High pieces of furniture Of black oak in laid with brass supported upon their | shelves a great number of books uniform | ly bound They followed the shape of the room and terminated at the lower part in huge divans, along which were movable desks to support books which one might be reading. In the center stood an im- mense table covered with pamphlets and papers of an old date. The electric light | flooded everything. It was shed from four ground-glass globes sunk into the cary ings of the ceiling. Here is quite for study" said the captain. Did you study in the museum afford you such retire. ment? I have 12,0O0 volumes here. among This library is at your service; use 1t freely, Have cigar" The captain hand ed the professor cigar rolled after the English fashion. Then you still keep up i your communication with Havana" said Aronnax. "No," replied Memo, "but if you are a connoisseur you will like the cigar" Tt is excellent" replied Aronnax, taking a puff, but it Is not tobacco" "No it Is a kind of seaweed, rich in nico- tne which the sea provides but sparing- | ly"
 They then passed into an immense drawing room splendidly lighted and splendidly furnished. It was. in fact. museum in which an intelligent and prodigal hand had gathered all the treasures of art and nature Upon the | nj hr