Having rounded the great promontory6 that had barred her farther progress to the north, the schooner7 skirted its upper edge. A few more leagues and they ought to be abreast8 of the shores of France. Yes, of France.
But who shall describe the feelings of Hector Servadac when, instead of the charming outline of his native land, he beheld9 nothing but a solid boundary of savage10 rock? Who shall paint the look of consternation11 with which he gazed upon the stony12 rampart — rising perpendicularly14 for a thousand feet — that had replaced the shores of the smiling south? Who shall reveal the burning anxiety with which he throbbed15 to see beyond that cruel wall?
But there seemed no hope. Onwards and onwards the yacht made her way, and still no sign of France. It might have been supposed that Servadac’s previous experiences would have prepared him for the discovery that the catastrophe16 which had overwhelmed other sites had brought destruction to his own country as well. But he had failed to realize how it might extend to France; and when now he was obliged with his own eyes to witness the waves of ocean rolling over what once had been the lovely shores of Provence, he was well-nigh frantic17 with desperation.
“Am I to believe that Gourbi Island, that little shred18 of Algeria, constitutes all that is left of our glorious France? No, no; it cannot be. Not yet have we reached the pole of our new world. There is — there must be — something more behind that frowning rock. Oh, that for a moment we could scale its towering height and look beyond! By Heaven, I adjure19 you, let us disembark, and mount the summit and explore! France lies beyond.”
Disembarkation, however, was an utter impossibility. There was no semblance20 of a creek21 in which the Dobryna could find an anchorage. There was no outlying ridge22 on which a footing could be gained. The precipice23 was perpendicular13 as a wall, its topmost height crowned with the same conglomerate24 of crystallized lamellae that had all along been so pronounced a feature.
With her steam at high pressure, the yacht made rapid progress towards the east. The weather remained perfectly25 fine, the temperature became gradually cooler, so that there was little prospect26 of vapors27 accumulating in the atmosphere; and nothing more than a few cirri, almost transparent28, veiled here and there the clear azure29 of the sky. Throughout the day the pale rays of the sun, apparently30 lessened31 in its magnitude, cast only faint and somewhat uncertain shadows; but at night the stars shone with surpassing brilliancy. Of the planets, some, it was observed, seemed to be fading away in remote distance. This was the case with Mars, Venus, and that unknown orb32 which was moving in the orbit of the minor33 planets; but Jupiter, on the other hand, had assumed splendid proportions; Saturn34 was superb in its luster35, and Uranus36, which hitherto had been imperceptible without a telescope was pointed37 out by Lieutenant38 Procope, plainly visible to the naked eye. The inference was irresistible39 that Gallia was receding40 from the sun, and traveling far away across the planetary regions.
On the 24th of February, after following the sinuous41 course of what before the date of the convulsion had been the coast line of the department of Var, and after a fruitless search for Hyeres, the peninsula of St. Tropez, the Lerius Islands, and the gulfs of Cannes and Jouar, the Dobryna arrived upon the site of the Cape42 of Antibes.
Here, quite unexpectedly, the explorers made the discovery that the massive wall of cliff had been rent from the top to the bottom by a narrow rift43, like the dry bed of a mountain torrent44, and at the base of the opening, level with the sea, was a little strand45 upon which there was just space enough for their boat to be hauled up.
“Joy! joy!” shouted Servadac, half beside himself with ecstasy46; “we can land at last!”
Count Timascheff and the lieutenant were scarcely less impatient than the captain, and little needed his urgent and repeated solicitations: “Come on! Quick! Come on! no time to lose!”
It was half-past seven in the morning, when they set their foot upon this untried land. The bit of strand was only a few square yards in area, quite a narrow strip. Upon it might have been recognized some fragments of that agglutination of yellow limestone47 which is characteristic of the coast of Provence. But the whole party was far too eager to wait and examine these remnants of the ancient shore; they hurried on to scale the heights.
The narrow ravine was not only perfectly dry, but manifestly had never been the bed of any mountain torrent. The rocks that rested at the bottom — just as those which formed its sides — were of the same lamellous formation as the entire coast, and had not hitherto been subject to the disaggregation which the lapse48 of time never fails to work. A skilled geologist49 would probably have been able to assign them their proper scientific classification, but neither Servadac, Timascheff, nor the lieutenant could pretend to any acquaintance with their specific character.
Although, however, the bottom of the chasm50 had never as yet been the channel of a stream, indications were not wanting that at some future time it would be the natural outlet51 of accumulated waters; for already, in many places, thin layers of snow were glittering upon the surface of the fractured rocks, and the higher the elevation52 that was gained, the more these layers were found to increase in area and in depth.
“Here is a trace of fresh water, the first that Gallia has exhibited,” said the count to his companions, as they toiled53 up the precipitous path.
“And probably,” replied the lieutenant, “as we ascend54 we shall find not only snow but ice. We must suppose this Gallia of ours to be a sphere, and if it is so, we must now be very close to her Arctic regions; it is true that her axis55 is not so much inclined as to prolong day and night as at the poles of the earth, but the rays of the sun must reach us here only very obliquely56, and the cold, in all likelihood, will be intense.”
“So cold, do you think,” asked Servadac, “that animal life must be extinct?”
“I do not say that, captain,” answered the lieutenant; “for, however far our little world may be removed from the sun, I do not see why its temperature should fall below what prevails in those outlying regions beyond our system where sky and air are not.” “And what temperature may that be?” inquired the captain with a shudder57.
“Fourier estimates that even in those vast unfathomable tracts58, the temperature never descends59 lower than 60 degrees,” said Procope.
“Sixty! Sixty degrees below zero!” cried the count. “Why, there’s not a Russian could endure it!”
“I beg your pardon, count. It is placed on record that the English have survived it, or something quite approximate, upon their Arctic expeditions. When Captain Parry was on Melville Island, he knew the thermometer to fall to 56 degrees,” said Procope.
As the explorers advanced, they seemed glad to pause from time to time, that they might recover their breath; for the air, becoming more and more rarefied, made respiration60 somewhat difficult and the ascent61 fatiguing62. Before they had reached an altitude of 600 feet they noticed a sensible diminution63 of the temperature; but neither cold nor fatigue64 deterred65 them, and they were resolved to persevere3. Fortunately, the deep striae or furrows66 in the surface of the rocks that made the bottom of the ravine in some degree facilitated their progress, but it was not until they had been toiling67 up for two hours more that they succeeded in reaching the summit of the cliff.
Eagerly and anxiously did they look around. To the south there was nothing but the sea they had traversed; to the north, nothing but one drear, inhospitable stretch.
Servadac could not suppress a cry of dismay. Where was his beloved France? Had he gained this arduous68 height only to behold69 the rocks carpeted with ice and snow, and reaching interminably to the far-off horizon? His heart sank within him.
The whole region appeared to consist of nothing but the same strange, uniform mineral conglomerate, crystallized into regular hexagonal prisms. But whatever was its geological character, it was only too evident that it had entirely70 replaced the former soil, so that not a vestige71 of the old continent of Europe could be discerned. The lovely scenery of Provence, with the grace of its rich and undulating landscape; its gardens of citrons and oranges rising tier upon tier from the deep red soil — all, all had vanished. Of the vegetable kingdom, there was not a single representative; the most meager72 of Arctic plants, the most insignificant73 of lichens74, could obtain no hold upon that stony waste. Nor did the animal world assert the feeblest sway. The mineral kingdom reigned75 supreme76.
Captain Servadac’s deep dejection was in strange contrast to his general hilarity77. Silent and tearful, he stood upon an ice-bound rock, straining his eyes across the boundless78 vista79 of the mysterious territory. “It cannot be!” he exclaimed. “We must somehow have mistaken our bearings. True, we have encountered this barrier; but France is there beyond! Yes, France is there! Come, count, come! By all that’s pitiful, I entreat80 you, come and explore the farthest verge81 of the ice-bound track!”
He pushed onwards along the rugged82 surface of the rock, but had not proceeded far before he came to a sudden pause. His foot had come in contact with something hard beneath the snow, and, stooping down, he picked up a little block of stony substance, which the first glance revealed to be of a geological character altogether alien to the universal rocks around. It proved to be a fragment of dis-colored marble, on which several letters were inscribed83, of which the only part at all decipherable was the syllable84 “Vil.”
“Vil — Villa85!” he cried out, in his excitement dropping the marble, which was broken into atoms by the fall.
What else could this fragment be but the sole surviving remnant of some sumptuous86 mansion87 that once had stood on this unrivaled site? Was it not the residue88 of some edifice89 that had crowned the luxuriant headland of Antibes, overlooking Nice, and commanding the gorgeous panorama90 that embraced the Maritime91 Alps and reached beyond Monaco and Mentone to the Italian height of Bordighera? And did it not give in its sad and too convincing testimony92 that Antibes itself had been involved in the great destruction? Servadac gazed upon the shattered marble, pensive93 and disheartened.
Count Timascheff laid his hand kindly94 on the captain’s shoulder, and said, “My friend, do you not remember the motto of the old Hope family?”
He shook his head mournfully.
“Orbe fracto, spes illoesa,” continued the count —“Though the world be shattered, hope is unimpaired.”
Servadac smiled faintly, and replied that he felt rather compelled to take up the despairing cry of Dante, “All hope abandon, ye who enter here.”
“Nay, not so,” answered the count; “for the present at least, let our maxim95 be Nil96 desperandum!”
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1
ostensible
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| adj.(指理由)表面的，假装的 | |
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Mediterranean
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| adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的 | |
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3
persevere
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| v.坚持，坚忍，不屈不挠 | |
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persevered
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| v.坚忍，坚持( persevere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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5
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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promontory
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| n.海角；岬 | |
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schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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10
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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11
consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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12
stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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13
perpendicular
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| adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置 | |
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perpendicularly
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| adv. 垂直地, 笔直地, 纵向地 | |
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15
throbbed
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| 抽痛( throb的过去式和过去分词 )； （心脏、脉搏等）跳动 | |
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16
catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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17
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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18
shred
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| v.撕成碎片，变成碎片；n.碎布条，细片，些少 | |
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19
adjure
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| v.郑重敦促(恳请) | |
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20
semblance
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| n.外貌，外表 | |
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21
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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22
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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23
precipice
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| n.悬崖，危急的处境 | |
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24
conglomerate
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| n.综合商社，多元化集团公司 | |
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25
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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27
vapors
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| n.水汽，水蒸气，无实质之物( vapor的名词复数 )；自夸者；幻想 [药]吸入剂 [古]忧郁（症）v.自夸，（使）蒸发( vapor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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28
transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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29
azure
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| adj.天蓝色的，蔚蓝色的 | |
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30
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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lessened
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| 减少的，减弱的 | |
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orb
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| n.太阳；星球；v.弄圆；成球形 | |
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33
minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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34
Saturn
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| n.农神，土星 | |
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35
luster
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| n.光辉；光泽，光亮；荣誉 | |
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Uranus
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| n.天王星 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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receding
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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41
sinuous
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| adj.蜿蜒的，迂回的 | |
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42
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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43
rift
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| n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入 | |
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44
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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strand
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| vt.使（船）搁浅，使（某人）困于（某地） | |
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46
ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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47
limestone
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| n.石灰石 | |
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48
lapse
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| n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效 | |
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49
geologist
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| n.地质学家 | |
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50
chasm
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| n.深坑，断层，裂口，大分岐，利害冲突 | |
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51
outlet
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| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
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52
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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53
toiled
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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54
ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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55
axis
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| n.轴，轴线，中心线；坐标轴，基准线 | |
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56
obliquely
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| adv.斜； 倾斜； 间接； 不光明正大 | |
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57
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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58
tracts
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| 大片土地( tract的名词复数 )； 地带； （体内的）道； （尤指宣扬宗教、伦理或政治的）短文 | |
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59
descends
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| v.下来( descend的第三人称单数 )；下去；下降；下斜 | |
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60
respiration
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| n.呼吸作用；一次呼吸；植物光合作用 | |
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61
ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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62
fatiguing
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| a.使人劳累的 | |
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63
diminution
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| n.减少；变小 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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65
deterred
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| v.阻止，制止( deter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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66
furrows
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| n.犁沟( furrow的名词复数 )；（脸上的）皱纹v.犁田，开沟( furrow的第三人称单数 ) | |
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67
toiling
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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68
arduous
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| adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的 | |
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69
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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70
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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71
vestige
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| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
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72
meager
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| adj.缺乏的，不足的，瘦的 | |
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73
insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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74
lichens
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| n.地衣( lichen的名词复数 ) | |
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75
reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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76
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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77
hilarity
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| n.欢乐；热闹 | |
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78
boundless
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| adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的 | |
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vista
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| n.远景，深景，展望，回想 | |
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80
entreat
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| v.恳求，恳请 | |
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81
verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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82
rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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83
inscribed
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| v.写，刻( inscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；内接 | |
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84
syllable
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| n.音节；vt.分音节 | |
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85
villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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86
sumptuous
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| adj.豪华的，奢侈的，华丽的 | |
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87
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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88
residue
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| n.残余，剩余，残渣 | |
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89
edifice
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| n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿，教室) | |
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90
panorama
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| n.全景，全景画，全景摄影，全景照片[装置] | |
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91
maritime
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| adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的 | |
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92
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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93
pensive
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| a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的 | |
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94
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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95
maxim
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| n.格言，箴言 | |
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96
nil
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| n.无，全无，零 | |
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