Calico Classics Illustrated: Journey to the Center of the Earth
uncle believed that Saknussemm had written his message in Latin But we could fi nd no proper order of the letters that provided any known Latin words My uncle tried reading the cryptograph in different ways He asked me to write down one attempt mmessunkaSenrA icefdoK segnittamurtn ecertserrette rotaivsadua ednecsedsadne lacartniiilrJsiratracSarbmutabiledmek meretarcsilucoYsleffenSnI I forced myself not to laugh My uncle became angry struck the table with his fi st and ran out of the house leaving me alone with the strange lettering 10
2 The Astounding Discovery While I waited for my uncle I began some of my usual work of translation The parchment drove me crazy with its mix of English Latin Hebrew and even French This thing was monstrous It was very hot in the room I fanned myself with the horrible piece of paper As I waved it in front of my face I saw the back and then the front of the puzzle Imagine my surprise when I saw that the ink had gone through and revealed the Latin words craterem and terrestre Like a fl ash of lightning the secret was revealed I only had to read it backward to understand the words But as I read more horrors possessed me Could it be true Was it possible that a man had dared to do what 11
No he will never know of this I vowed Never will my uncle know of this terrifying secret Just as I decided to throw the book and parchment into the fi re my uncle came into the room For hours I was afraid he would learn the secret of how to read the parchment I would not leave him and fi nally fell asleep on the sofa while he studied it When I woke my uncle was still working on the paper His eyes were red and his hair matted He was tired and hot I loved my uncle and it hurt me to see him in such suffering I knew I only had to say one word to stop his pain But I could not say it My uncle in his desperation locked the front door and took the key I could not keep quiet Professor I said I have the key The key To the door he asked searching his coat To these horrible hieroglyphics I shouted 12
His eyes were wide and fl ashed with excitement I said the one word that would change everything Backward My uncle snatched the document and read it out loud in Latin It was translated to say Descend into the crater of Yocul of Sneffels which the shade of Scartaris caresses before the kadends of July audacious traveler and you will reach the center of Earth I did it Arne Saknussemm My uncle leaped from the ground He ran around the room knocking over tables and throwing his books around We will go at once I looked at him in terror He pulled down maps and explained the meaning of the words in the message The island is full of volcanos Sneffels is a mountain 5,000 feet high and one of the most remarkable in the whole island It is through its crater that we shall reach the center of the earth 13
