At these words the reclining figure rose, and the electric light fell upon his countenance¹; a magnificent head, the forehead high, the glance commanding, beard white, hair abundant and falling over the shoulders.

His hand rested upon the cushion of the divan² from which he had just risen. He appeared perfectly³ calm. It was evident that his strength had been gradually undermined by illness, but his voice seemed yet powerful, as he said in English, and in a tone which evinced extreme surprise,--

"Sir, I have no name."

"Nevertheless, I know you!" replied Cyrus Harding.

Captain Nemo fixed⁴ his penetrating⁵ gaze upon the engineer, as though he were about to annihilate⁶ him.

Then, falling back amid the pillows of the divan,--

"After all, what matters now?" he murmured; "I am dying!"

Cyrus Harding drew near the captain, and Gideon Spilett took his hand--it was of a feverish⁷ heat. Ayrton, Pencroft, Herbert, and Neb stood respectfully apart in an angle of the magnificent saloon, whose atmosphere was saturated⁸ with the electric fluid.

Meanwhile Captain Nemo withdrew his hand, and motioned the engineer and the reporter to be seated.

All regarded him with profound emotion. Before them they beheld⁹ that being whom they had styled the "genius of the island," the powerful protector whose intervention¹⁰, in so many circumstances, had been so efficacious, the benefactor¹¹ to whom they owed such a debt of gratitude¹²! Their eyes beheld a man only, and a man at the point of death, where Pencroft and Neb had expected to find an almost supernatural being!

But how happened it that Cyrus Harding had recognized Captain Nemo? why had the latter so suddenly risen on hearing this name uttered, a name which he had believed known to none?--

The captain had resumed his position on the divan, and leaning on his arm, he regarded the engineer, seated near him.

"You know the name I formerly¹³ bore, sir?" he asked.

"I do," answered Cyrus Harding, "and also that of this wonderful submarine vessel¹⁴--"

"The 'Nautilus'?" said the captain, with a faint smile.

"The 'Nautilus.'"

"But do you--do you know who I am?"

"I do."

"It is nevertheless many years since I have held any communication with the inhabited world; three long years have I passed in the depth of the sea, the only place where I have found liberty! Who then can have betrayed my secret?"

"A man who was bound to you by no tie, Captain Nemo, and who, consequently, cannot be accused of treachery."

"The Frenchman who was cast on board my vessel by chance sixteen years since?"

"The same."

"He and his two companions did not then perish in the maelstrom¹⁵, in the midst of which the 'Nautilus' was struggling?"

"They escaped, and a book has appeared under the title of 'Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,' which contains your history."

"The history of a few months only of my life!" interrupted the captain impetuously.

"It is true," answered Cyrus Harding, "but a few months of that strange life have sufficed to make you known."

"As a great criminal, doubtless!" said Captain Nemo, a haughty¹⁶ smile curling his lips. "Yes, a rebel, perhaps an outlaw¹⁷ against humanity!"

The engineer was silent.

"Well, sir?"

"It is not for me to judge you, Captain Nemo," answered Cyrus Harding, "at any rate as regards your past life. I am, with the rest of the world, ignorant of the motives¹⁸ which induced you to adopt this strange mode of existence, and I cannot judge of effects without knowing their causes; but what I do know is, that a beneficent hand has constantly protected us since our arrival on Lincoln Island, that we all owe our lives to a good, generous, and powerful being, and that this being so powerful, good and generous, Captain Nemo, is yourself!"

"It is I," answered the captain simply.

The engineer and the reporter rose. Their companions had drawn¹⁹ near, and the gratitude with which their hearts were charged was about to express itself in their gestures and words.

Captain Nemo stopped them by a sign, and in a voice which betrayed more emotion than he doubtless intended to show.

"Wait till you have heard all," he said.

And the captain, in a few concise²⁰ sentences, ran over the events of his life.

His narrative²¹ was short, yet he was obliged to summon up his whole remaining energy to arrive at the end. He was evidently contending against extreme weakness. Several times Cyrus Harding entreated²² him to repose²³ for a while, but he shook his head as a man to whom the morrow may never come, and when the reporter offered his assistance,--

"It is useless," he said; "my hours are numbered."

Captain Nemo was an Indian, the Prince Dakkar, son of a rajah of the then independent territory of Bundelkund. His father sent him, when ten years of age, to Europe, in order that he might receive an education in all respects complete, and in the hopes that by his talents and knowledge he might one day take a leading part in raising his long degraded and heathen country to a level with the nations of Europe.

From the age of ten years to that of thirty Prince Dakkar, endowed by Nature with her richest gifts of intellect, accumulated knowledge of every kind, and in science, literature, and art his researches were extensive and profound.

He traveled over the whole of Europe. His rank and fortune caused him to be everywhere sought after; but the pleasures of the world had for him no attractions. Though young and possessed²⁴ of every personal advantage, he was ever grave--somber even--devoured by an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, and cherishing in the recesses²⁵ of his heart the hope that he might become a great and powerful ruler of a free and enlightened people.

Still, for long the love of science triumphed over all other feelings. He became an artist deeply impressed by the marvels²⁶ of art, a philosopher to whom no one of the higher sciences was unknown, a statesman versed²⁷ in the policy of European courts. To the eyes of those who observed him superficially he might have passed for one of those cosmopolitans²⁸, curious of knowledge, but disdaining²⁹ action; one of those opulent travelers, haughty and cynical³⁰, who move incessantly³¹ from place to place, and are of no country.

The history of Captain Nemo has, in fact, been published under the title of "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea." Here, therefore, will apply the observation already made as to the adventures of Ayrton with regard to the discrepancy³² of dates. Readers should therefore refer to the note already published on this point.

This artist, this philosopher, this man was, however, still cherishing the hope instilled³³ into him from his earliest days.

Prince Dakkar returned to Bundelkund in the year 1849. He married a noble Indian lady, who was imbued³⁴ with an ambition not less ardent³⁵ than that by which he was inspired. Two children were born to them, whom they tenderly loved. But domestic happiness did not prevent him from seeking to carry out the object at which he aimed. He waited an opportunity. At length, as he vainly fancied, it presented itself.

Instigated³⁶ by princes equally ambitious and less sagacious and more unscrupulous than he was, the people of India were persuaded that they might successfully rise against their English rulers, who had brought them out of a state of anarchy³⁷ and constant warfare³⁸ and misery³⁹, and had established peace and prosperity in their country. Their ignorance and gross superstition⁴⁰ made them the facile tools of their designing chiefs.

In 1857 the great sepoy revolt broke out. Prince Dakkar, under the belief that he should thereby⁴¹ have the opportunity of attaining⁴² the object of his long-cherished ambition, was easily drawn into it. He forthwith devoted⁴³ his talents and wealth to the service of this cause. He aided it in person; he fought in the front ranks; he risked his life equally with the humblest of the wretched and misguided fanatics⁴⁴; he was ten times wounded in twenty engagements, seeking death but finding it not, but at length the sanguinary rebels were utterly⁴⁵ defeated, and the atrocious mutiny was brought to an end.

Never before had the British power in India been exposed to such danger, and if, as they had hoped, the sepoys had received assistance from without, the influence and supremacy⁴⁶ in Asia of the United Kingdom would have been a thing of the past.

The name of Prince Dakkar was at that time well known. He had fought openly and without concealment⁴⁷. A price was set upon his head, but he managed to escape from his pursuers.

Civilization never recedes⁴⁸; the law of necessity ever forces it onwards. The sepoys were vanquished⁴⁹, and the land of the rajahs of old fell again under the rule of England.

Prince Dakkar, unable to find that death he courted, returned to the mountain fastnesses of Bundelkund. There, alone in the world, overcome by disappointment at the destruction of all his vain hopes, a prey⁵⁰ to profound disgust for all human beings, filled with hatred⁵¹ of the civilized⁵² world, he realized the wreck⁵³ of his fortune, assembled some score of his most faithful companions, and one day disappeared, leaving no trace behind.

Where, then, did he seek that liberty denied him upon the inhabited earth? Under the waves, in the depths of the ocean, where none could follow.

The warrior⁵⁴ became the man of science. Upon a deserted⁵⁵ island of the Pacific he established his dockyard, and there a submarine vessel was constructed from his designs. By methods which will at some future day be revealed he had rendered subservient⁵⁶ the illimitable forces of electricity, which, extracted from inexhaustible sources, was employed for all the requirements of his floating equipage, as a moving, lighting⁵⁷, and heating agent. The sea, with its countless⁵⁸ treasures, its myriads⁵⁹ of fish, its numberless wrecks⁶⁰, its enormous mammalia, and not only all that nature supplied, but also all that man had lost in its depths, sufficed for every want of the prince and his crew--and thus was his most ardent desire accomplished⁶¹, never again to hold communication with the earth. He named his submarine vessel the "Nautilus," called himself simply Captain Nemo, and disappeared beneath the seas.

During many years this strange being visited every ocean, from pole to pole. Outcast of the inhabited earth in these unknown worlds he gathered incalculable treasures. The millions lost in the Bay of Vigo, in 1702, by the galleons⁶² of Spain, furnished him with a mine of inexhaustible riches which he devoted always, anonymously⁶³, in favor of those nations who fought for the independence of their country.

(This refers to the resurrection of the Candiotes, who were, in

fact, largely assisted by Captain Nemo.)

For long, however, he had held no communication with his fellow- creatures, when, during the night of the 6th of November, 1866, three men were cast on board his vessel. They were a French professor, his servant, and a Canadian fisherman. These three men had been hurled⁶⁴ overboard by a collision which had taken place between the "Nautilus" and the United States frigate⁶⁵ "Abraham Lincoln," which had chased her.

Captain Nemo learned from this professor that the "Nautilus," taken now for a gigantic mammal of the whale species, now for a submarine vessel carrying a crew of pirates, was sought for in every sea.

He might have returned these three men to the ocean, from whence chance had brought them in contact with his mysterious existence. Instead of doing this he kept them prisoners, and during seven months they were enabled to behold⁶⁶ all the wonders of a voyage of twenty thousand leagues under the sea.

One day, the 22nd of June, 1867, these three men, who knew nothing of the past history of Captain Nemo, succeeded in escaping in one of the "Nautilus's" boats. But as at this time the "Nautilus" was drawn into the vortex of the maelstrom, off the coast of Norway, the captain naturally believed that the fugitives⁶⁷, engulfed⁶⁸ in that frightful⁶⁹ whirlpool, found their death at the bottom of the abyss. He was unaware⁷⁰ that the Frenchman and his two companions had been miraculously⁷¹ cast on shore, that the fishermen of the Lofoten Islands had rendered them assistance, and that the professor, on his return to France, had published that work in which seven months of the strange and eventful navigation of the "Nautilus" were narrated⁷² and exposed to the curiosity of the public.

For a long time alter this, Captain Nemo continued to live thus, traversing every sea. But one by one his companions died, and found their last resting-place in their cemetery⁷³ of coral, in the bed of the Pacific. At last Captain Nemo remained the solitary⁷⁴ survivor⁷⁵ of all those who had taken refuge with him in the depths of the ocean.

He was now sixty years of age. Although alone, he succeeded in navigating⁷⁶ the "Nautilus" towards one of those submarine caverns⁷⁷ which had sometimes served him as a harbor.

One of these ports was hollowed beneath Lincoln Island, and at this moment furnished an asylum⁷⁸ to the "Nautilus."

The captain had now remained there six years, navigating the ocean no longer, but awaiting death, and that moment when he should rejoin his former companions, when by chance he observed the descent of the balloon which carried the prisoners of the Confederates. Clad in his diving dress he was walking beneath the water at a few cables' length from the shore of the island, when the engineer had been thrown into the sea. Moved by a feeling of compassion⁷⁹ the captain saved Cyrus Harding.

His first impulse was to fly from the vicinity of the five castaways; but his harbor refuge was closed, for in consequence of an elevation⁸⁰ of the basalt, produced by the influence of volcanic⁸¹ action, he could no longer pass through the entrance of the vault⁸². Though there was sufficient depth of water to allow a light craft to pass the bar, there was not enough for the "Nautilus," whose draught⁸³ of water was considerable.

Captain Nemo was compelled, therefore, to remain. He observed these men thrown without resources upon a desert island, but had no wish to be himself discovered by them. By degrees he became interested in their efforts when he saw them honest, energetic, and bound to each other by the ties of friendship. As if despite his wishes, he penetrated⁸⁴ all the secrets of their existence. By means of the diving dress he could easily reach the well in the interior of Granite⁸⁵ House, and climbing by the projections⁸⁶ of rock to its upper orifice he heard the colonists⁸⁷ as they recounted the past, and studied the present and future. He learned from them the tremendous conflict of America with America itself, for the abolition⁸⁸ of slavery. Yes, these men were worthy⁸⁹ to reconcile Captain Nemo with that humanity which they represented so nobly in the island.

Captain Nemo had saved Cyrus Harding. It was he also who had brought back the dog to the Chimneys, who rescued Top from the waters of the lake, who caused to fall at Flotsam Point the case containing so many things useful to the colonists, who conveyed the canoe back into the stream of the Mercy, who cast the cord from the top of Granite House at the time of the attack by the baboons⁹⁰, who made known the presence of Ayrton upon Tabor Island, by means of the document enclosed in the bottle, who caused the explosion of the brig by the shock of a torpedo⁹¹ placed at the bottom of the canal, who saved Herbert from certain death by bringing the sulphate of quinine; and finally, it was he who had killed the convicts with the electric balls, of which he possessed the secret, and which he employed in the chase of submarine creatures. Thus were explained so many apparently⁹² supernatural occurrences, and which all proved the generosity⁹³ and power of the captain.

Nevertheless, this noble misanthrope⁹⁴ longed to benefit his proteges still further. There yet remained much useful advice to give them, and, his heart being softened⁹⁵ by the approach of death, he invited, as we are aware, the colonists of Granite House to visit the "Nautilus," by means of a wire which connected it with the corral. Possibly he would not have done this had he been aware that Cyrus Harding was sufficiently⁹⁶ acquainted with his history to address him by the name of Nemo.

The captain concluded the narrative of his life. Cyrus Harding then spoke⁹⁷; he recalled all the incidents which had exercised so beneficent an influence upon the colony, and in the names of his companions and himself thanked the generous being to whom they owed so much.

But Captain Nemo paid little attention; his mind appeared to be absorbed by one idea, and without taking the proffered⁹⁸ hand of the engineer,--

"Now, sir," said he, "now that you know my history, your judgment⁹⁹!"

In saying this, the captain evidently alluded¹⁰⁰ to an important incident witnessed by the three strangers thrown on board his vessel, and which the French professor had related in his work, causing a profound and terrible sensation. Some days previous to the flight of the professor and his two companions, the "Nautilus," being chased by a frigate in the north of the Atlantic had hurled herself as a ram¹⁰¹ upon this frigate, and sunk her without mercy.

Cyrus Harding understood the captain's allusion¹⁰², and was silent.

"It was an enemy's frigate," exclaimed Captain Nemo, transformed for an instant into the Prince Dakkar, "an enemy's frigate! It was she who attacked me--I was in a narrow and shallow bay--the frigate barred my way-- and I sank her!"

A few moments of silence ensued; then the captain demanded,--

"What think you of my life, gentlemen?"

Cyrus Harding extended his hand to the ci-devant prince and replied gravely, "Sir, your error was in supposing that the past can be resuscitated¹⁰³, and in contending against inevitable¹⁰⁴ progress. It is one of those errors which some admire, others blame; which God alone can judge. He who is mistaken in an action which he sincerely believes to be right may be an enemy, but retains our esteem¹⁰⁵. Your error is one that we may admire, and your name has nothing to fear from the judgment of history, which does not condemn¹⁰⁶ heroic folly¹⁰⁷, but its results."

The old man's breast swelled¹⁰⁸ with emotion, and raising his hand to heaven,--

"Was I wrong, or in the right?" he murmured.

Cyrus Harding replied, "All great actions return to God, from whom they are derived¹⁰⁹. Captain Nemo, we, whom you have succored¹¹⁰, shall ever mourn your loss."

Herbert, who had drawn near the captain, fell on his knees and kissed his hand.

A tear glistened¹¹¹ in the eyes of the dying man. "My child," he said, "may God bless you!"

躺在沙发上的人听了以后，站起身来。电灯光照在他的脸上，他的面貌端庄，高高的额头，眼光炯炯有神，雪白的胡子，头发又多又长，一直垂到肩膀上。

他从长沙发上站起身来，一只手还撑着椅背。他的态度十分安详。看得出来，他的体力已经由于患病而逐渐衰弱了。但是他说话的声音还很洪亮，他带着十分惊讶的口吻，说着英国话：

“先生，我没有名字。”

“可是我知道您！”赛勒斯.史密斯说。

尼摩船长用锐利的眼光盯着工程师，好象要把他吞下去似的。

然后，他又靠到长沙发的垫子上去了。

“算了吧！现在没有什么关系！”他喃喃地说，“反正我快死了！”

赛勒斯.史密斯走到船长身边，吉丁.史佩莱握着他的手——从手的温度可以知道，他发着高烧。艾尔通、潘克洛夫、赫伯特和纳布在较远的角落里恭恭敬敬地站着。这个豪华的大厅里充满了明亮的电灯光。

这时候尼摩船长把手缩回去，做了一个手势，教工程师和通讯记者坐下。

大家都怀着激动的心情注视着他。在他们面前的就是被大家尊称为“岛上的圣人”的那个人。这个万能的保卫者，在各种不同的场合下，一再援救他们，他的每一次援救都是那样的有效；他们欠下了这位恩人多少的恩情！潘克洛夫和纳布原以为会发现一个超凡入圣的神灵，可是他们看见的不过是一个人，而且是一个快要死的人！

尼摩船长认为谁也不会知道自己的名字，可是，赛勒斯.史密斯怎么会知道他的呢？为什么他听到这个名字，就要突然站起身来呢？

船长又重新躺在长沙发上了。他把头搁在一条胳膊上，望着坐在旁边的工程师。

“您知道我过去的名字，先生？”他问道。

“是的，”赛勒斯.史密斯回答说，“还有这只神奇的潜水船的名字……”

“您是说诺第留斯号吗？”船长微弱地笑了一下。

“是的，诺第留斯号！”

“可是您……您知道我是谁吗？”

“知道的。”

“我和人间隔绝往来已经多年了。我在海底度过了漫长的三十年，这是我找到的唯一的自由的地方！谁居然泄漏了我的秘密呢？”

“是一个不在您约束之下的人，尼摩船长，因此不能怪他背信。”

“是十六年前偶然来到我船上的那个法国人吗？”

“他们没有死，并且还写了一本名叫《海底两万里》的书，叙述您的历史。”

“那仅仅是我一生中几个月的历史！”船长急躁地打断了他的话。

“不错，”赛勒斯.史密斯说，“但是，这几个月奇怪的生活已经足够使人们了解您……”

“是一个罪人，是吧？”尼摩船长说，他的唇边露出一丝高傲的微笑。“是的，也许是一个人类唾弃的暴徒！”

工程师没有开口。

“是不是，先生？”

“这不该由我来判断，尼摩船长，”赛勒斯.史密斯回答说，“至少是关于您过去的生活。我和世界上其他的人一样，不知道您为什么要选择这种奇怪的生活方式。在不了解情况以前，我也不能对事情的结果加以判断。可是，自从我们来到林肯岛以后。始终有人伸出善意的手保护着我们，由于有了这个善良、慷慨而又万能的人的帮助，才保全了我们的生命，而这个善良、慷慨而万能的人就是您，尼摩船长，这一点我是知道的！”

“是我。”船长简单地说。

工程师和通讯记者立刻站起身来。这时候，伙伴们也已经靠拢来了。他们打算用语言和神情来表达内心的感激。

尼摩船长做了一个手势制止他们。他掩饰不住激动的心情，向大家说：

“等你们把故事听完吧。”

于是船长简单地叙述了他生平的往事。

他的叙事很短，然而他却不得不振作起最后的全副精力把故事说完。十分明显，他在和极度衰弱的体格作斗争。赛勒斯.史密斯几次恳求他休息一会儿，但是他摇了摇头，好象再也活不到明天了。当通讯记者提出要给他医治的时候，他说：

“没有用，我已经是快死的人了。”

尼摩船长是印度的达卡王子，当时本德尔汗德还保持着独立，他就是本德尔汗德君主的儿子，印度英雄第波.萨伊布的侄子。十岁的时候，他的父亲把他送往欧洲去受全面的教育，打算将来依靠他有了才能和学识，来领导全国人民和压迫者进行斗争。

达卡王子天资聪明，从十岁到三十岁，他积累了各方面的知识，在科学、文学和艺术方面都有高深的造诣。

他漫游了整个的欧洲。由于他出身贵族，又富有资财，因此到处有人奉迎。但是，任何诱惑都不能引起他的兴趣。他虽然年轻、英俊，他却总是非常严肃、沉默。他的求知欲十分强烈。他内心燃烧着复仇的火焰。

那时候，达卡王子心里充满了愤怒。他憎恨一个国家，一个他从来也不愿意去的国家；他仇视一个民族，他始终拒绝跟他们妥协。他痛恨英国，同样地他也非常注意英国。

他所以这样，是因为作为一个被征服者，他对于征服者抱着血海深仇，侵略者从被侵略者那里是得不到宽恕的。达卡王子是第波.萨伊布家族中的成员，他的父亲是一位只是在名义上臣服联合王国的君主，因此，他是在恢复主权和报仇雪恨的思想影响下成长起来的。他热爱自己的祖国，他的祖国象诗一样的美丽，然而却受着英国殖民者的奴役。他从来也不踏上他所诅咒的、奴役着印度人民的英国人的土地。

达卡王子成了一个很有修养的艺术家，懂得各种高深的科学的学者和通晓欧洲各国宫廷政策的政治家。单从表面来看，人们也许会把他看成一个埋头学习而轻视行动的世界主义者，一个阔气的旅客——目空一切、自命清高、心无祖国和走遍天涯的人。

事实上，他完全不是那样的人。这位艺术家、科学家、政治家有着一颗印度人的心，他立志报仇，希望有一天能收回国家的主权，赶走外来的侵略者，恢复祖国的独立。

1849年，达卡王子回到本德尔汗德。他娶了一个印度的贵族女郎。跟他一样，她也为祖国的灾难而感到愤慨。他们生了两个孩子，夫妇俩都非常喜爱他们。但是，幸福的家庭生活并没有使他们忘记印度的解放事业。他等待着机会。最后，机会终于来了。

也许是英国对印度的奴役和压榨太重了，群众纷纷对英国殖民者表示不满，这给达卡王子带来了有利的条件。他把自己对外国侵略者的仇恨，深深地铭刻在广大人民群众的心中。他不仅走遍印度半岛上仍旧保持独立的地方，而且来到了直接受英国统治的地区。他重新带来了第波.萨伊布为捍卫祖国而在赛林加帕坦英勇牺牲的伟大日子。

1857年，印度士兵爆发了武装起义，达卡王子是这次起义的中心人物，他组织了这次大规模的抗英运动。他为这事业贡献了自己的能力和资财。他身先士卒，站在战斗的最前线。他很谦逊，他和那些为解放祖国而斗争的英雄一样，从没想到过自己的生命。他参加过二十次战役，受伤过十次。终于，英国的枪炮打死了最后一批起义战士，但他却逃出了虎口。

英国在印度的势力从来也没有遭到过这样的危机。要是印度士兵真象他们所希望的那样，得到了外来的援助，那么，联合王国在亚洲的势力恐怕就要崩溃了。

那时候，达卡王子的名字人人都知道。这位英雄并不躲藏，他公开作战。英国当局悬赏要他的头颅，虽然没有人出卖他，但是他的父母妻儿却在他还不知道他们为他所冒的危险以前，就作了他的替身。

这一次，正义的事业又一次被暴力镇压下去了。但是，文明是永远不会倒退的，客观规律必然推动着文明前进。印度士兵的起义失败了，从前的印度君主的土地又沦于英国更黑暗的统治。

达卡王子逃脱虎口，回到本德尔汗德的深山中。从此以后，他就一个人生活在那里。他不仅对人类的一切表示厌恶，而且对文明世界也充满了仇恨，他永远也不想再回到世界上去了。他变卖了自己剩余的财产，集结了二十几个最忠实的同伴，在某一天一起失踪了。

那么，他到哪里去找文明世界上所找不到的自由了呢？在水底下，在海洋的深处，人们没法追踪他的地方。

这位军事家变成了学者。他在太平洋的一个荒岛上建立了造船所，按照自己的设计，造成一艘潜水船。他用某些方法——这些方法将来是会被人们发现的——有效地利用了万能的电力。他用电作为动力、照明和发热的源泉，供应他的浮力装置的全部需要，而这种电的来源却永远不会枯竭。海里有无尽的宝藏，有数不清的鱼类、无数的海藻和庞大的哺乳动物，不仅有自然界所供应的一切，还有人类遗失在海底的各种各样的物资。这些宝藏充分地满足了王子和他的同伴们的需要。于是他最热心向往的事就这样实现了，他再也不和外界联系了。他把他的潜水船命名为诺第留斯号，自称尼摩船长，神不知鬼不觉地隐藏在海洋深处。

多年来，这个神奇的人从南极到北极，游遍了各个大洋。作为一个被文明世界所遗弃的人，他在这些陌生的地方搜集了无数的珍宝。1702年，西班牙大帆船在维哥湾所丧失的百万资财成了他用不完的财富。他经常用这笔巨款来帮助那些为争取独立而奋斗的国家，同时却始终不暴露自己的姓名。

很久以来，他一直和外界隔绝。1866年11月6日的夜间，忽然有三个人落到他的船上。一个是法国教授，一个是教授的仆人，还有一个是加拿大的渔夫。当时美国的亚伯拉罕.林肯号巡洋舰追逐诺第留斯号，这三个人就是在两船互撞的时候，落到他的船上来的。

尼摩部长听教授说起，才知道诺第留斯号有时被人们当作庞大的鲸鱼类哺乳动物，有时被人们当作一只海盗的潜水船，到处都有人在海里搜寻它。

这三个人偶然从大洋里来到船上，接触到他的神秘生活；本来他是可以把他们送回大洋的。但是他没有这样做，竟把他们软禁起来。他们在这里呆了七个月，在海底航行了两万法里，这个期间所遭遇的一切奇迹，他们都亲眼看到了。

这三个人谁也不知道尼摩船长过去的历史。1867年6月22日，他们乘着诺第留斯号上的一只小船逃走了。可是当时诺第留斯号在挪威海岸附近被卷入了大漩涡的中心。因此，船长十分自然地认为这三个逃跑的人一定会被可怕的漩涡卷走，死在海里了。他决没想到那个法国人和他的两个伙伴竟那么凑巧，被抛上海岸，并且得到了罗佛敦群岛渔民们的救援，更不知道法国教授回国以后，出版了一本书，叙述了七个月来在诺第留斯号上曲折离奇的航海经过。这些情况公开以后，曾经引起广大读者的好奇心。

在这件事情发生以后很长的一段时间里，尼摩船长继续漫游各个海洋。但是他的同伴一个一个地死去了，他们最后在太平洋的珊瑚礁上找到了长眠的基地。后来，这群寄居在海底的人，只剩下尼摩船长一个人了。

这时候他已经六十岁了。虽然无依无靠，但他还是把诺第留斯号开进了一个海底的石洞，过去他常常把这样的石洞当作停泊船只的海港。

这些港口，有一个就在林肯岛的海底下，那时候它已成为诺第留斯号的藏身的处所。

船长在林肯岛已经居住了六年。他不再航海，只是静等着度完自己残余的岁月。这时候他应该回到过去的同胞那去了；也就是在这个时候，他无意之中看见南军的俘虏乘坐的气球从天空降落下来。他穿着潜水衣在离岸几锚链的海底行走，恰好赶上工程师掉下海来。船长在同情心的驱使下，救起了赛勒斯.史密斯。

他首先想到的是远远避开这五个遇难的人。但是，火山的作用使一部分玄武岩升出水面，堵塞住他藏身的海港，他再也出不了地窟了。虽然轻便的小船不怕水浅，还能穿出洞口，但是诺第留斯号却不行，因为它吃水很深。

于是尼摩船长只好留下来。他注意这些赤手空拳、一无所有的荒岛上的落难人，但是他又不打算暴露自己。后来他逐渐发现这些人诚实、勇敢而且团结友爱，他关心他们的奋斗。他情不由己地去了解他们生活中的疾苦。他穿着潜水衣，可以毫不困难地到“花岗石宫”内部的井底，沿着凸出的岩石爬到井口去。就这样，他听到居民们回忆过去的往事，谈论目前和将来的情况。他从他们那里知道，为了废除奴隶制，美国国内发生了大规模的内战。是的，这些人在岛上的光明磊落的行为是可以改变尼摩船长对人的看法的。

尼摩部长救活了赛勒斯.史密斯；他还把托普从湖里救出来，又把它领到“石窟”那儿去；把箱子装满许多对居民们有用的东西放在遗物角，把平底船送回慈悲河；在猩猩进攻“花岗石宫”的时候，把绳梯从上面扔下来，把纸条装在瓶子里，使他们知道艾尔通在达抱岛上，把水雷放在海峡底下，引起双桅船的爆炸；给居民们送硫酸奎宁，把赫伯特从垂死的情况下挽救过来；最后他还用电弹打死了罪犯，他掌握这种电弹秘密，这种电弹是他用来猎捕海底动物的。这样，许许多多看起来显得神妙莫测的事情都解释清楚了。这一切都说明船长的慷慨和才能。

然而，这位伟大的愤世嫉俗的人热衷于一切善举。他还要把一些有益的意见告诉他的受惠人；另一方面，他心脏跳得厉害，觉得他死期逼近了。干是，就象我们所知道的那样，他用一根从畜栏通到诺第留斯号的电线，把“花岗石宫”的居民们邀请到这里来。要是他早知道赛勒斯.史密斯熟悉他的历史，会用尼摩船长的名字称呼他，他也许就不会请他们来了。

船长讲完了他的一生。接着赛勒斯.史密斯开口了。他追溯过去发生的每一件事，这些事情，对于小队说来都有极大的好处。他代表伙伴们和他自己向这位慷慨的义士致谢。

但是尼摩船长却不关心这个。他的脑子里似乎盘算着一件事。他没有握工程师伸过来的手，只是说：

“现在，先生，您知道我的历史了，你判断一下吧！”

船长显然是暗指一件重要的事情才这样说的，这件事情是落在他船上的那三个陌生人亲眼看到的；法国教授当然已经把它写在自己的作品里，而且所起的影响一定是很大的。这件事情就是：在教授和他的两个伙伴逃脱以前不久，诺第留斯号在北大西洋受到一艘巡洋舰的追逐，最后它象一只撞墙车似的毫不留情地把巡洋舰撞沉了。

赛勒斯.史密斯懂得船长的暗示，他没有回答。

“那是一艘英国人的巡洋舰，先生，”尼摩船长大声说，一刹那，他又变成达卡王子了。“是英国人的巡洋舰！您要知道，是它来攻击我的！我被挤在一个又狭又浅的海湾里……我必须闯过去，于是……我就闯过去了！”

后来，他很镇静地说：“我是主张正义和公理的，无论在哪里，我都尽力做我能做的好事，同时也干我应当干的‘坏事’。要知道，正义并不等于宽恕！”

接着沉默了一会儿；然后船长又问了一遍：

“你们对我怎样看法，先生们？”

赛勒斯.史密斯向船长伸出了手，严肃地答道，“先生，您的错误是在于您认为过去的事还能重来，你抗拒了必然的趋势。这样的错误有人赞美，也有人责难；只有上帝能判断是非，而从人情上说，是应该得到原谅的。一个人错以为自己想做的是对的，这种人，人们可以攻击他，但是人们还是尊敬他。您的错误并不能使您失掉别人的钦佩，您的名字丝毫也不用害怕历史的判断。历史喜爱英勇豪迈的事迹，同时也谴责这种事迹所造成的后果。”

尼摩船长的胸膛激动地起伏着，他把手举起来指着天空，喃喃地说：

“我错了还是对了呢？”

赛勒斯.史密斯回答说，“一切伟大的事业从上帝那里来，最后还要回到上帝那里去。尼摩船长，您救了我们这些老实人，我们将要永远怀念您。”

赫伯特已经走近船长。他跪下来，吻了船长的手。

垂死人的眼睛里噙着晶莹的泪水。

“我的孩子，”他说，“上帝保佑你！”