Chapter 18. The Old Housekeeper's Last Comment

by Jules Verne

　　When I came to myself after having been unconscious for many hours, agroup of sailors whose care had restored me to life surrounded thedoor of a cabin in which I lay. By my pillow sat an officer whoquestioned me; and as my senses slowly returned, I answered to hisquestioning.

　　I told them everything. Yes, everything! And assuredly my listenersmust have thought that they had upon their hands an unfortunate whosereason had not returned with his consciousness.

　　I was on board the steamer Ottawa, in the Gulf of Mexico, headed forthe port of New Orleans. This ship, while flying before the sameterrific thunder-storm which destroyed the "Terror," had encounteredsome wreckage, among whose fragments was entangled my helpless body.Thus I found myself back among humankind once more, while Robur theConqueror and his two companions had ended their adventurous careersin the waters of the Gulf. The Master of the World had disappearedforever, struck down by those thunder-bolts which he had dared tobrave in the regions of their fullest power. He carried with him thesecret of his extraordinary machine.

　　Five days later the Ottawa sighted the shores of Louisiana; and onthe morning of the tenth of August she reached her port. After takinga warm leave of my rescuers, I set out at once by train forWashington, which more than once I had despaired of ever seeing again.

　　I went first of all to the bureau of police, meaning to make myearliest appearance before Mr. Ward.

　　What was the surprise, the stupefaction, and also the joy of mychief, when the door of his cabinet opened before me! Had he notevery reason to believe, from the report of my companions, that I hadperished in the waters of Lake Erie?

　　I informed him of all my experiences since I had disappeared, thepursuit of the destroyers on the lake, the soaring of the "Terror"from amid Niagara Falls, the halt within the crater of the GreatEyrie, and the catastrophe, during the storm, above the Gulf ofMexico.

　　He learned for the first time that the machine created by the geniusof this Robur, could traverse space, as it did the earth and the sea.

　　In truth, did not the possession of so complete and marvelous amachine justify the name of Master of the World, which Robur hadtaken to himself? Certain it is that the comfort and even the livesof the public must have been forever in danger from him; and that allmethods of defence must have been feeble and ineffective.

　　But the pride which I had seen rising bit by bit within the heart ofthis prodigious man had driven him to give equal battle to the mostterrible of all the elements. It was a miracle that I had escapedsafe and sound from that frightful catastrophe.

　　Mr. Ward could scarcely believe my story. "Well, my dear Strock,"said he at last, "you have come back; and that is the main thing.Next to this notorious Robur, you will be the man of the hour. I hopethat your head will not be turned with vanity, like that of thiscrazy inventor!"

　　"No, Mr. Ward," I responded, "but you will agree with me that neverwas inquisitive man put to greater straits to satisfy his curiosity."

　　"I agree, Strock; and the mysteries of the Great Eyrie, thetransformations of the "Terror," you have discovered them! Butunfortunately, the still greater secrets of this Master of the Worldhave perished with him."

　　The same evening the newspapers published an account of myadventures, the truthfulness of which could not be doubted. Then, asMr. Ward had prophesied, I was the man of the hour.

　　One of the papers said, "Thanks to Inspector Strock the Americanpolice still lead the world. While others have accomplished theirwork, with more or less success, by land and by sea, the Americanpolice hurl themselves in pursuit of criminals through the depths oflakes and oceans and even through the sky."

　　Yet, in following, as I have told, in pursuit of the "Terror," had Idone anything more than by the close of the present century will havebecome the regular duty of my successors?

　　It is easy to imagine what a welcome my old housekeeper gave me whenI entered my house in Long Street. When my apparition--does not theword seem just--stood before her, I feared for a moment she woulddrop dead, poor woman! Then, after hearing my story, with eyesstreaming with tears, she thanked Providence for having saved me fromso many perils.

　　"Now, sir," said she, "now--was I wrong?"

　　"Wrong? About what?"

　　"In saying that the Great Eyrie was the home of the devil?"

　　"Nonsense; this Robur was not the devil!"

　　"Ah, well!" replied the old woman, "he was worthy of being so!"