I do not know how long we slept. We slept for a long time because we were very tired. I woke up first. Ned Land and Conseil did not move. They were still sleeping in their corner of the room.
I got up from my hard bed. My head felt clear and I felt better. I looked at our room again. Nothing changed. The prison was still a prison. We were still prisoners. But the steward (a person who brings food and cleans) was here while we slept. He cleared the table.
I had a problem with my breathing. The air was heavy and bad for my lungs. The room was large, but we used all the good air. Every person needs a lot of air every hour. Our air was full of carbon dioxide (a gas that people breathe out). The air was not safe to breathe anymore.
We needed new air in the submarine (a boat that can travel under the water). I had a question in my mind. How did the leader of this boat get new air? Maybe he used chemicals to make new air. Or maybe the boat went to the surface of the water. Maybe it took air from the sky like a whale (a very large animal that lives in the sea).
I began to breathe very fast. There was very little air left. Suddenly, I felt cool air. It smelled like the sea. It was a fresh sea breeze. I opened my mouth and breathed deeply. My lungs felt very good.
At the same time, I felt the boat move from side to side. The big metal boat was at the surface of the ocean. It was "breathing" like a whale. Now I knew how the boat got new air.
I looked for the pipe that brought the air. I found a ventilator (a machine that moves fresh air into a room) above the door. Fresh air came through it into the room.
Then Ned Land and Conseil woke up at the same time. The fresh air helped them. They rubbed their eyes and stood up quickly.
"Did you sleep well, Professor Aronnax?" Conseil asked. He was always very polite.
"I slept very well, Conseil," I said. "And you, Ned Land?"
"I slept well, Professor Aronnax," Ned Land said. "But I think I feel a sea breeze."
Ned Land was a sailor, so he was right. I told Ned Land what happened while he slept.
"Good!" Ned Land said. "That explains the loud noises we heard before. The boat was taking a breath."
"Yes, Ned Land," I said.
"Professor Aronnax, I do not know the time," Ned Land said. "Is it time for dinner?"
"It is probably time for breakfast," I said. "A new day started."
"So we slept for twenty-four hours?" Conseil asked.
"I think so," I said.
"I agree," Ned Land said. "But I am hungry. I want the steward to bring food now."
"Ned Land, we must follow the rules of the boat," I said. "Maybe we are hungry too early."
"You are always calm, Conseil!" Ned Land said. He was angry. "You never get angry. You would die of hunger and not complain!"
Time passed and we were very hungry. But the steward did not come. This was a long time to wait. Ned Land was very hungry and very angry. I was worried. I thought Ned Land might attack the crew.
Two more hours passed. Ned Land became angrier. He shouted and cried, but no one answered. The walls were silent. I heard nothing in the boat. Everything was very quiet.
The boat did not move. I did not feel the propeller (a part of a boat that turns to make it move) moving. We were deep under the water. The silence was scary.
I was afraid. Conseil was calm. Ned Land shouted.
Then we heard a noise outside. Someone walked on the metal floor. A key turned in the door. The door opened and the steward arrived.
Ned Land ran forward. I could not stop Ned Land. Ned Land threw the steward to the floor. Ned Land put his hands on the steward’s neck. The steward could not breathe.
Conseil tried to pull Ned Land’s hands away. I tried to help the steward. Suddenly, I heard a voice. It spoke in French.
"Be quiet, Ned Land!" the voice said. "And Professor Aronnax, please listen to me."