CHAPTER FIVE

I hardly had time to put down the document on the table before he came in. Professor Otto Lidenbrock was still thinking of nothing but the ancient piece of writing after he returned from his walk. As soon as he walked into the study, he sat down in his armchair and again attempted to discover the meaning.

I watched him closely as he worked. Was he about to understand the secret meaning? I was worried that he would soon find out, and would then force me to go on a journey with him to the center of the Earth, which the ancient writing states is possible.

For three long hours my uncle worked without stopping for a moment. Soon, it became dark out. Still working in his study, my uncle saw nothing but the piece of ancient writing in front of him. I soon fell asleep on the sofa, while my uncle went on working.

When I woke up the next morning, my poor uncle was still working to discover the meaning, with red eyes and a pale face. I really pitied him. He was so concerned with finding out the meaning that he forgot all other emotions.

I could have told him the meaning of the writing, but I did not. Why did I remain silent? Because I felt my uncle would not benefit from such knowledge. No, no, I thought, I won't tell him. He'd want to go there, and he'd risk his life to go. I won't tell him the secret. Let him find it by himself if he can.

After deciding not to tell him, I sat quietly watching him, until a few hours later, Martha tried to leave the house to go to the market, but found the door locked. The key was no longer in the door. My uncle, of course, had taken it, after he promised that no one would eat until he discovered the meaning of the writing. Martha and I would be forced to suffer because of a situation that didn't concern us. I remember that my uncle had refused to eat for two days while he performed a great scientific experiment, and he had not allowed the rest of us in the house to eat either.

I now realized that we were not going to eat breakfast, as there was no food in the house, and we were not allowed to leave. We had not had dinner the night before, but I still would not tell him the secret meaning. My uncle was still working, thinking of nothing but the mysterious writing.

Toward noon, I was growing quite hungry, but I refused to give in; it was my duty not to. So I waited.

It was now two o'clock. This was becoming quite foolish, even unbearable. I then thought that, perhaps if I told my uncle the meaning of the document, he would think it was a fake, and there would be no problem. I would have strongly rejected this idea the day before, but now it seemed to be an excellent option. I decided then that I must go tell my uncle immediately.

I was trying to think of a manner to tell him when he stood up and put on his hat to leave. I had to tell him then, or he would lock us in the house again with no food!

"Uncle," I said, "what about the hidden meaning?"

He looked at me seriously, then grabbed my shirt tightly. He then realized that I had discovered the meaning. He looked down, pitying himself.

"You must start to read it from the end, not the beginning ... " I continued.

Before I finished explaining, I heard him cry out.

"Ah, you clever old Saknussemm!" he exclaimed. "So, you wrote your sentence backward!"

He picked up the document, and read it with tears in his eyes. The writing was originally in Latin, but the English translation is as follows:

Go down into the mountain of Sneffels, in which the sun will shine into before the end of July, daring traveler, and you will reach the center of the Earth, which I have done.

Arne Saknussemm.

After reading this, my uncle jumped out of his chair. He looked overjoyed and determined. After thinking for a few moments, he began to speak.

"What time is it?" he asked.

"Three o'clock," I answered.

"Really? I'm already hungry again. Let's go eat, and then ... "

"And then?"

"You'll pack my suitcase."

"What!" I exclaimed.

"And your own," he said, going into the dining room.

(end of section)