[00:01.02] Chapter nine.
[00:03.08] Last battle.
[00:09.47] As the nautilus drifted, I carried on with my work.
[00:14.55] During our months at sea, I had made enough notes to write another book.
[00:19.79] I wondered if Nemo would let me publish it.
[00:23.54] My thoughts about the book were interrupted when Ned burst into the saloon.
[00:29.54] Professor, Nemo is feeling sorry for his dead friend.
[00:33.90] And we must try and make him feel sorry for us too.
[00:38.27] We must beg him to let us go.
[00:42.70] Surely even he has seen too much blood to want to kill us now.
[00:49.75] I agreed to talk to Nemo.
[00:52.65] Ned was going crazy cooped up in the nautilus.
[00:59.70] And even though I was still not ready to leave, I knew that Ned would do something desperate if he had to stay locked up for much longer.
[01:09.77] Surely Nemo could see that, and he would let my friends go?
[01:17.74] But Nemo would not listen to me.
[01:23.94] No one is allowed to leave the nautilus, he said calmly.
[01:29.64] Ever.
[01:34.94] I told Ned and Conceal what Nemo had said.
[01:39.32] There was no use hiding the truth from them.
[01:44.73] Well, at least we know where we are.
[01:47.95] Ned said.
[01:49.81] Conceal has worked it out.
[01:53.58] The nautilus is drifting past the coast of New York.
[01:59.27] If we try tonight, there's a chance of reaching land.
[02:07.89] I didn't say anything, but prayed for bad weather to change their plans.
[02:14.95] Nemo seemed to be mad, but I could not hate him.
[02:21.02] I wanted to help him and still save my friends.
[02:29.72] That night, as though my prayers had been answered, a storm blew up and swept the nautilus far out to sea.
[02:40.61] Any hope of escaping to the shores of New York faded away.
[02:48.61] Some days later, the nautilus stopped drifting and began to sail in large circles, as though it was looking for something.
[02:58.95] Captain Nemo came out of his cabin.
[03:03.96] He did not speak a word to me and looked so pale and desperate that I felt afraid.
[03:11.56] Was there some new disaster?
[03:14.99] Was he planning something terrible?
[03:19.36] Were we about to discover the truth about his past?
[03:25.78] A dull boom rocked the nautilus, but Nemo showed no signs of surprise.
[03:34.37] We went on deck and found Ned and Conceal already looking out to sea.
[03:41.29] It was a gunshot, Ned explained.
[03:46.57] A huge ship was speeding towards the nautilus.
[03:53.20] What ship is that?
[03:55.93] I asked Ned.
[03:58.72] It's a battleship, but I can't see what country she's from, Ned said.
[04:07.02] Then he leaned towards me and whispered, if that ship passes within a mile of us, we can throw ourselves into the sea and swim for it.
[04:20.41] Another large rocket exploded in the water and rocked the nautilus.
[04:28.35] Ned whipped out his handkerchief and waved it in the air, but it was struck down by the iron hand of Nemo.
[04:39.19] Fool, Nemo said quietly.
[04:44.93] How can they save you?
[04:47.95] In another minute, that ship will be lying at the bottom of the sea.
[04:57.03] Are you, are you going to attack it?
[05:02.85] I stammered stupidly.
[05:08.51] Attack it and sink it, he said.
[05:14.73] You can't do that, I cried.
[05:19.88] I can and I will, he said coldly.
[05:27.96] Now, the three of you must go down below.
[05:33.15] But what ship is it?
[05:36.19] I asked.
[05:39.76] You don't know?
[05:42.98] Nemo said.
[05:45.34] Good.
[05:48.47] It's better that you don't.
[05:52.07] Now go below.
[05:58.85] There was nothing we could do but obey.
[06:03.92] Nemo shouted at the ship as it came closer.
[06:09.03] Fire away, you fools.
[06:13.74] You will not escape the nautilus.
[06:18.30] I am the law, and I am the judge.
[06:24.46] I have lost all that I loved, country, wife, children, father, and mother.
[06:37.54] I shall have my revenge.
[06:42.75] That's not all he's lost, Conceal muttered to me.
[06:47.77] He's lost his mind.
[06:52.65] The nautilus powered towards the battleship, aiming to ram it.
[06:59.94] The two ships crashed into one another, and I fell to my feet with the shock of impact.
[07:08.56] The steel spur of the nautilus tore through the battleship's hull, screeching against the steel as it went.
[07:19.61] Through the window, I saw the ship sinking before me.
[07:25.72] Water rushed through it with the noise of thunder.
[07:31.08] Sailors ran in every direction.
[07:35.33] It looked like a human ant heap flooded by the sea.
[07:42.52] I stood and watched, frozen with horror and unable to help in any way.
[07:51.05] Captain Nemo joined us in the saloon to watch the ship slip beneath the waves.
[08:00.23] When the ship had disappeared into the dark depths below, Nemo walked quietly to his cabin.
[08:12.22] On the end wall of his room, I saw the portrait of a young woman and two young children.
[08:23.26] Captain Nemo looked at them, stretched his arms towards them, and cried.
[08:33.97] I knew then that the wounds of his past were too deep to heal, and they were too private for him to ever talk about to a prisoner like me.
[08:48.39] I would never know what lay at the heart of this man.