Chapter 29

CHAPTER XXIX.

THALATTA! THALATTA!

When I came to myself, I was stretched in half darkness, covered withthick coats and blankets. My uncle was watching over me, to discoverthe least sign of life. At my first sigh he took my hand; when Iopened my eyes he uttered a cry of joy.

"He lives! he lives!" he cried.

"Yes, I am still alive," I answered feebly.

"My dear nephew," said my uncle, pressing me to his breast, "you aresaved."

I was deeply touched with the tenderness of his manner as he utteredthese words, and still more with the care with which he watched overme. But such trials were wanted to bring out the Professor's tendererqualities.

At this moment Hans came, he saw my hand in my uncle's, and I maysafely say that there was joy in his countenance.

"_God dag,_" said he.

"How do you do, Hans? How are you? And now, uncle, tell me where weare at the present moment?"

"To-morrow, Axel, to-morrow. Now you are too faint and weak. I havebandaged your head with compresses which must not be disturbed. Sleepnow, and to-morrow I will tell you all."

"But do tell me what time it is, and what day."

"It is Sunday, the 8th of August, and it is ten at night. You mustask me no more questions until the 10th."

In truth I was very weak, and my eyes involuntarily closed. I wanteda good night's rest; and I therefore went off to sleep, with theknowledge that I had been four long days alone in the heart of theearth.

Next morning, on awakening, I looked round me. My couch, made up ofall our travelling gear, was in a charming grotto, adorned withsplendid stalactites, and the soil of which was a fine sand. It washalf light. There was no torch, no lamp, yet certain mysteriousglimpses of light came from without through a narrow opening in thegrotto. I heard too a vague and indistinct noise, something like themurmuring of waves breaking upon a shingly shore, and at times Iseemed to hear the whistling of wind.

I wondered whether I was awake, whether I dreaming, whether my brain,crazed by my fall, was not affected by imaginary noises. Yet neithereyes, nor ears could be so utterly deceived.

It is a ray of daylight, I thought, sliding in through this cleft inthe rock! That is indeed the murmuring of waves! That is the rustlingnoise of wind. Am I quite mistaken, or have we returned to thesurface of the earth? Has my uncle given up the expedition, or is ithappily terminated?

I was asking myself these unanswerable questions when the Professorentered.

"Good morning, Axel," he cried cheerily. "I feel sure you are better."

"Yes, I am indeed," said I, sitting up on my couch.

"You can hardly fail to be better, for you have slept quietly. Hansand I watched you by turns, and we have noticed you were evidentlyrecovering."

"Indeed, I do feel a great deal better, and