Maître du monde. English

  Chapter 15

  THE EAGLE'S NEST

  On the morrow, when I awoke after a sound sleep, our vehicle seemedmotionless. It seemed to me evident that we were not running uponland. Yet neither were we rushing through or beneath the waters; noryet soaring across the sky. Had the inventor regained that mysterioushiding-place of his, where no human being had ever set foot beforehim?

  And now, since he had not disembarrassed himself of my presence, washis secret about to be revealed to me?

  It seemed astonishing that I had slept so profoundly during most ofour voyage through the air. It puzzled me and I asked if this sleephad not been caused by some drug, mixed with my last meal, thecaptain of the "Terror" having wished thus to prevent me from knowingthe place where we landed. All that I can recall of the previousnight is the terrible impression made upon me by that moment when themachine, instead of being caught in the vortex of the cataract roseunder the impulse of its machinery like a bird with its huge wingsbeating with tremendous power!

  So this machine actually fulfilled a four-fold use! It was at thesame time automobile, boat, submarine, and airship. Earth, sea andair,--it could move through all three elements! And with whatpower! With what speed! Al few instants sufficed to complete itsmarvelous transformations. The same engine drove it along all itscourses! And I had been a witness of its metamorphoses! But that ofwhich I was still ignorant, and which I could perhaps discover, wasthe source of the energy which drove the machine, and above all, whowas the inspired inventor who, after having created it, in everydetail, guided it with so much ability and audacity!

  At the moment when the "Terror" rose above the Canadian Falls, I washeld down against the hatchway of my cabin. The clear, moonlitevening had permitted me to note the direction taken by the air-ship.It followed the course of the river and passed the Suspension Bridgethree miles below the falls. It is here that the irresistible rapidsof the Niagara River begin, where the river bends sharply to descendtoward Lake Ontario.

  On leaving this point, I was sure that we had turned toward the east.The captain continued at the helm. I had not addressed a word to him.What good would it do? He would not have answered. I noted that the"Terror" seemed to be guided in its course through the air withsurprising ease. Assuredly the roads of the air were as familiar toit as those of the seas and of the lands!

  In the presence of such results, could one not understand theenormous pride of this man who proclaimed himself Master of theWorld? Was he not in control of a machine infinitely superior to anythat had ever sprung from the hand of man, and against which men werepowerless? In truth, why should he sell this marvel? Why should heaccept the millions offered him? Yes, I comprehended now thatabsolute confidence in himself which was expressed in his everyattitude. And where might not his ambition carry him, if by its ownexcess it mounted some day into madness!

  A half hour after the "Terror" soared into the air, I had sunk intocomplete unconsciousness, without realizing its approach. I repeat,it must have been caused by some drug. Without doubt, our commanderdid not wish me to know the road he followed.

  Hence I cannot say whether the aviator continued his flight throughspace, or whether the mariner sailed the surface of some sea or lake,or the chauffeur sped across the American roads. No recollectionremains with me of what passed during that night of July thirty-first.

  Now, what was to follow from this adventure? And especiallyconcerning myself, what would be its end?

  I have said that at the moment when I awoke from my strange sleep,the "Terror" seemed to me completely motionless. I could hardly bemistaken; whatever had been her method of progress, I should havefelt some movement, even in the air. I lay in my berth in the cabin,where I had been shut in without knowing it, just as I had been onthe preceding night which I had passed on board the "Terror" on LakeErie.

  My business now was to learn if I would be allowed to go on deck herewhere the machine had landed. I attempted to raise the hatchway. Itwas fastened.

  "Ah!" said I, "am I to be kept here until the 'Terror' recommencesits travels?" Was not that, indeed, the only time when escape washopeless?

  My impatience and anxiety may be appreciated. I knew not how longthis halt might continue.

  I had not a quarter of an hour to wait. A noise of bars being removedcame to my ear. The hatchway was raised from above. A wave of lightand air penetrated my cabin.

  With one bound I reached the deck. My eyes in an instant swept roundthe horizon.

  The "Terror," as I had thought, rested quiet on the ground. She wasin the midst of a rocky hollow measuring from fifteen to eighteenhundred feet in circumference. A floor of yellow gravel carpeted itsentire extent, unrelieved by a single tuft of herbage.

  This hollow formed an almost regular oval, with its longer diameterextending north and south. As to the surrounding-wall, what was itsheight, what the character of its crest, I could not judge. Above uswas gathered a fog so heavy, that the rays of the sun had not yetpierced it. Heavy trails of cloud drifted across the sandy floor,Doubtless the morning was still young, and this mist might later bedissolved.

  It was quite cold here, although this was the first day of August. Iconcluded therefore that we must be far in the north, or else highabove sea-level. We must still be somewhere on the New Continent;though where, it was impossible to surmise. Yet no matter how rapidour flight had been, the air-ship could not have traversed eitherocean in the dozen hours since our departure from Niagara.

  At this moment, I saw the captain come from an opening in the rocks,probably a grotto, at the base of this cliff hidden in the fog.Occasionally, in the mists above, appeared the shadows of huge birds.Their raucous cries were the sole interruption to the profoundsilence. Who knows if they were not affrighted by the arrival of thisformidable, winged monster, which they could not match either inmight or speed.

  Everything led me to believe that it was here that the Master of theWorld withdrew in the intervals between his prodigious journeys. Herewas the garage of his automobile; the harbor of his boat; the hangarof his air-ship.

  And now the "Terror" stood motionless at the bottom of this hollow.At last I could examine her; and it looked as if her owners had nointention of preventing me. The truth is that the commander seemed totake no more notice of my presence than before. His two companionsjoined him, and the three did not hesitate to enter together into thegrotto I had seen. What a chance to study the machine, at least itsexterior! As to its inner parts, probably I should never get beyondconjecture.

  In fact, except for that of my cabin, the hatchways were closed; andit would be vain for me to attempt to open them. At any rate, itmight be more interesting to find out what kind of propeller drovethe "Terror" in these many transformations.

  I jumped to the ground and found I was left at leisure, to proceedwith this first examination.

  The machine was as I have said spindle-shaped. The bow was sharperthan the stern. The body was of aluminium, the wings of a substancewhose nature I could not determine. The body rested on four wheels,about two feet in diameter. These had pneumatic tires so thick as toassure ease of movement at any speed. Their spokes spread out likepaddles or battledores; and when the "Terror" moved either on orunder the water, they must have increased her pace.

  These wheels were not however, the principal propeller. Thisconsisted of two "Parsons" turbines placed on either side of thekeel. Driven with extreme rapidity by the engine, they urged the boatonward in the water by twin screws, and I even questioned if theywere not powerful enough to propel the machine through the air.

  The chief aerial support, however, was that of the great wings, nowagain in repose, and folded back along the sides. Thus the theory ofthe "heavier than air" flying machine was employed by the inventor, asystem which enabled him to dart through space with a speed probablysuperior to that of the largest birds.

  As to the agent which set in action these various mechanisms, Irepeat, it was, it could be, no other than electricity. But from whatsource did his ba
tteries get their power? Had he somewhere anelectric factory, to which he must return? Were the dynamos, perhapsworking in one of the caverns of this hollow?

  The result of my examination was that, while I could see that themachine used wheels and turbine screws and wings, I knew nothing ofeither its engine, nor of the force which drove it. To be sure, thediscovery of this secret would be of little value to me. To employ itI must first be free. And after what I knew--little as that reallywas--the Master of the World would never release me.

  There remained, it is true, the chance of escape. But would anopportunity ever present itself? If there could be none during thevoyages of the "Terror," might there possibly be, while we remainedin this retreat?

  The first question to be solved was the location of this hollow. Whatcommunication did it have with the surrounding region? Could one onlydepart from it by a flying-machine? And in what part of the UnitedStates were we? Was it not reasonable to estimate, that our flightthrough the darkness had covered several hundred leagues?

  There was one very natural hypothesis which deserved to beconsidered, if not actually accepted. What more natural harbor couldthere be for the "Terror" than the Great Eyrie? Was it too difficulta flight for our aviator to reach the summit? Could he not soaranywhere that the vultures and the eagles could? Did not thatinaccessible Eyrie offer to the Master of the World just such aretreat as our police had been unable to discover, one in which hemight well believe himself safe from all attacks? Moreover, thedistance between Niagara Falls and this part of the BlueridgeMountains, did not exceed four hundred and fifty miles, a flightwhich would have been easy for the "Terror."

  Yes, this idea more and more took possession of me. It crowded out ahundred other unsupported suggestions. Did not this explain thenature of the bond which existed between the Great Eyrie and theletter which I had received with our commander's initials? And thethreats against me if I renewed the ascent! And the espionage towhich I had been subjected! And all the phenomena of which the GreatEyrie had been the theater, were they not to be attributed to thissame cause--though what lay behind the phenomena was not yet clear?Yes, the Great Eyrie! The Great Eyrie!

  But since it had been impossible for me to penetrate here, would itnot be equally impossible for me to get out again, except upon the"Terror?" Ah, if the mists would but lift! Perhaps I should recognizethe place. What was as yet a mere hypothesis, would become a startingpoint to act upon.

  However, since I had freedom to move about, since neither the captainnor his men paid any heed to me, I resolved to explore the hollow.The three of them were all in the grotto toward the north end of theoval. Therefore I would commence my inspection at the southern end.

  Reaching the rocky wall, I skirted along its base and found it brokenby many crevices; above, arose more solid rocks of that feldspar ofwhich the chain of the Alleghanies largely consists. To what heightthe rock wall rose, or what was the character of its summit, wasstill impossible to see. I must wait until the sun had scattered themists.

  In the meantime, I continued to follow along the base of the cliff.None of its cavities seemed to extend inward to any distance. Severalof them contained debris from the hand of man, bits of broken wood,heaps of dried grasses. On the ground were still to be seen thefootprints that the captain and his men must have left, perhapsmonths before, upon the sand.

  My jailers, being doubtless very busy in their cabin, did not showthemselves until they had arranged and packed several large bundles.Did they purpose to carry those on board the "Terror?" And were theypacking up with the intention of permanently leaving their retreat?

  In half an hour my explorations were completed and I returned towardthe center. Here and there were heaped up piles of ashes, bleached byweather. There were fragments of burned planks and beams; posts towhich clung rusted iron-work; armatures of metal twisted by fire; allthe remnants of some intricate mechanism destroyed by the flames.

  Clearly at some period not very remote the hollow had been the sceneof a conflagration, accidental or intentional. Naturally I connectedthis with the phenomena observed at the Great Eyrie, the flames whichrose above the crest, the noises which had so frightened the peopleof Pleasant Garden and Morganton. But of what mechanisms were thesethe fragments, and what reason had our captain for destroying them?

  At this moment I felt a breath of air; a breeze came from the east.The sky swiftly cleared. The hollow was filled with light from therays of the sun which appeared midway between the horizon and thezenith.

  A cry escaped me! The crest of the rocky wall rose a hundred feetabove me. And on the eastern side was revealed that easilyrecognizable pinnacle, the rock like a mounting eagle. It was thesame that had held the attention of Mr. Elias Smith and myself, whenwe had looked up at it from the outer side of the Great Eyrie.

  Thus there was no further doubt. In its flight during the night theairship had covered the distance between Lake Erie and NorthCarolina. It was in the depth of this Eyrie that the machine hadfound shelter! This was the nest, worthy of the gigantic and powerfulbird created by the genius of our captain! The fortress whose mightywalls none but he could scale! Perhaps even, he had discovered in thedepths of some cavern, some subterranean passage by which he himselfcould quit the Great Eyrie, leaving the "Terror" safely shelteredwithin.

  At last I saw it all! This explained the first letter sent me fromthe Great Eyrie itself with the threat of death. If we had been ableto penetrate into this hollow, who knows if the secrets of the Masterof the World might not have been discovered before he had been ableto set them beyond our reach?

  I stood there, motionless; my eyes fixed on that mounting eagle ofstone, prey to a sudden, violent emotion. Whatsoever might be theconsequences to myself, was it not my duty to destroy this machine,here and now, before it could resume its menacing flight of masteryacross the world!

  Steps approached behind me. I turned. The inventor stood by my side,and pausing looked me in the face.

  I was unable to restrain myself; the words burst forth--"The GreatEyrie! The Great Eyrie!"

  "Yes, Inspector Strock."

  "And you! You are the Master of the World?"

  "Of that world to which I have already proved myself to be the mostpowerful of men."

  "You!" I reiterated, stupefied with amazement.

  "I," responded he, drawing himself up in all his pride, "I,Robur--Robur, the Conqueror!"