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(the liver of which, prepared by itself, was most delicious), and fillets
of the emperor-holocanthus, the savour of which seemed to me superior
even to salmon.

I passed the evening reading, writing, and thinking.
Then sleep overpowered me, and I stretched myself on my couch
of zostera, and slept profoundly, whilst the Nautilus was gliding
rapidly through the current of the Black River.



CHAPTER XIV

A NOTE OF INVITATION

The next day was the 9th of November. I awoke after a long
sleep of twelve hours. Conseil came, according to custom,
to know "how I passed the night," and to offer his services.
He had left his friend the Canadian sleeping like a man who
had never done anything else all his life. I let the worthy
fellow chatter as he pleased, without caring to answer him.
I was preoccupied by the absence of the Captain during our sitting
of the day before, and hoping to see him to-day.

As soon as I was dressed I went into the saloon. It was deserted.
I plunged into the study of the shell treasures hidden behind the glasses.

The whole day passed without my being honoured by a visit from Captain Nemo.
The panels of the saloon did not open. Perhaps they did not wish us to tire
of these beautiful things.

The course of the Nautilus was E.N.E., her speed twelve knots,
the depth below the surface between twenty-five and thirty fathoms.

The next day, 10th of November, the same desertion,
the same solitude. I did not see one of the ship's crew:
Ned and Conseil spent the greater part of the day with me.
They were astonished at the puzzling absence of the Captain.
Was this singular man ill?--had he altered his intentions with
regard to us?

After all, as Conseil said, we enjoyed perfect liberty, we were delicately
and abundantly fed. Our host kept to his terms of the treaty.
We could not complain, and, indeed, the singularity of our fate reserved
such wonderful compensation for us that we had no right to accuse
it as yet.

That day I commenced the journal of these adventures which has enabled
me to relate them with more scrupulous exactitude and minute detail.

11th November, early in the morning. The fresh air spreading

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