Free The Crystal City Under the Sea by André Laurie Page B

offers, but that the submersible chamber was constructed to accommodate one passenger only. Baffled on that head, the “second in command” tried another plan, and began systematically to excite the jealousy of his employer.
    From morning till evening he developed this idea, that, thenceforth, in the matter of shallow soundings, it would be no longer a question, in the Academies, of the yacht Cinderella, but simply and solely of Caoudal’s diving-bell.
    “But the diving-bell was constructed on board the yacht, and we immersed it ourselves,” objected Monte Cristo.
    “That doesn’t matter,” said Sacripanti, oracularly. “Your highness has only too many detractors and enemies already among the learned bodies. Without appearing to attach importance to the thing, these people will get into the way of speaking of Caoudal’s diving-bell; by degrees the public will get accustomed to repeating the name; and that of the Cinderella and of its illustrious commander will retire into the shade and be forgotten.”
    Such a prospect as that could not but make Monte Cristo extremely uncomfortable, but he shrank from avowing it. “It is impossible!” said he, slapping his knees with a gesture habitual to him in moments of doubt. “The civilized world knows that I have inaugurated in person the shallow soundings of the Atlantic, this diving-bell has been constructed on board my yacht, it is a part of it, it is inseparable. I cannot admit that it will tend to make it forgotten.”
    “Very well! your highness has only to wait two or three months; we shall see whether I am right or not,” Sacripanti persisted so long and so well with these insinuations that he succeeded in making his chief uneasy.
    “After all, what can we do?” asked Monte Cristo, pushed to the extremity of perplexity.
    “I see only one remedy, and that would be to insist that an officer on board accompany M. Caoudal in his cabin, when it goes under water?”
    “That is a good ideal—You, for instance!” Then, all at once, pausing, struck with a sudden idea: “Or myself! Why not I?” added he.
    Sacripanti alleged the greatness and importance of the prince, both on land and on board his own yacht, as a reason against it. But Monte Cristo was bent upon it and nothing would stop him. “ It is clear that is the solution of the difficulty! The best and the most simple!” said he, walking with rapid strides up and down the poop. “ And indeed what can be fairer? The diving-bell is my work and my property, since it would never have existed but for my yacht and my workshops. Suffice it to say that I undertake personally to effectuate some soundings, and that I report thereupon to the scientific world, so that no one will dream of depriving me of an honour due to myself. It is an understood thing that I embark in the diving-bell!”
    He at once communicated his plan to René. It was little to his taste, and he thought it necessary to make some objection to the invasion of his cabin. But the prince appeared to attach so much importance to the thing, and he had from the first done everything with such a good grace to meet the least wishes of the young lieutenant, that he felt it would look like great ingratitude if he did not, in his turn, show himself generous. He therefore acquiesced, and it was agreed that the next morning they would make a first attempt. Convinced that the unique experience would suffice to cure his highness of his fancy, René changed nothing in his ordinary plan of operation. Matters thus settled to their satisfaction, they retired for the night.
    A night’s rest gives one time and opportunity to think things over. Evidently that of the prince had not been without uneasy thoughts, for the next morning, when he appeared on deck, he looked pale and extremely uncomfortable. He had every appearance of not having closed an eye all night, and showed no impatience to shut himself up in the submersible chamber. René, however, without appearing to