Kitabı oku: «Путешествие к центру Земли / A Journey to the Centre of the Earth», sayfa 7
10
During the dinner the conversation was carried on scientific questions. In the first place, Mr. Fridrikssen wanted to know what success my uncle had had at the library.
“Your library! There is nothing but a few books upon almost deserted shelves.”
“Indeed!” replied Mr. Fridrikssen, “We possess eight thousand volumes, many of them valuable and scarce, works in the old Scandinavian language, and we have all the novelties that Copenhagen sends us every year.”
“Where do you keep your eight thousand volumes?”
“Oh, Mr. Liedenbrock, they are all over the country39. In this icy region we are fond of different studies. There is not a farmer, nor a fisherman, that cannot read and does not read. These volumes are passed from one to another, read over and over, referred to again and again.”
“And in the meantime,” said my uncle, “strangers—”
“Well, foreigners have their libraries at home. Now, will you be kind enough to tell me what books you hoped to find in our library?”
“Monsieur Fridrikssen, I wished to know if among your ancient books you possessed any of the works of Arne Saknussemm?”
“Arne Saknussemm!” replied the Reykjavik professor. “You mean that learned sixteenth century savant, a naturalist, a chemist, and a traveller?”
“Just so!”
“One of the glories of Icelandic literature and science?”
“That’s the man40.”
“Whose courage was equal to his genius!”
“I see that you know him well. Well, where are his works?”
“His works— We have them not.”
“What— Not in Iceland?”
“They are neither in Iceland nor anywhere else.”
“Why is that?”
“Because Arne Saknussemm was persecuted for heresy and his books were burned in 1573.”
“Well,” replied my uncle, “I mean to begin my geological studies, there on that Seffel— Fessel— What do you call it?”
“Sneffels,” replied Mr. Fridrikssen.
“Yes,” said my uncle, “We will try to scale that Sneffels; perhaps we even may pursue our studies in its crater!”
“I very much approve of your beginnings with that volcano, Mr. Liedenbrock. You will gather a harvest of interesting observations. But tell me, how do you expect to get to the peninsula of Sneffels?”
“By sea, crossing the bay. That’s the most direct way.”
“No doubt; but it is impossible.”
“Why?”
“Because we don’t possess a single boat at Reykjavik. You will have to go by land, following the shore. It will be longer, but more interesting.”
“Very well, then I shall try to find a guide.”
“I have one to offer you.”
“A safe, intelligent man?”
“Yes; an inhabitant of that peninsula. He is an excellent hunter, and very clever. He speaks Danish perfectly.”
“When can I see him?”
“Tomorrow, if you like.”
“Why not today?”
“Because he won’t be here till tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow, then,” added my uncle with a sigh.
