"
"How do you know that?"
"By this, that I found on the spot where was the last wreck."
Captain Nemo showed me a tin-plate box, stamped with the French arms,
and corroded by the salt water. He opened it, and I saw a bundle of papers,
yellow but still readable.
They were the instructions of the naval minister to Commander La Perouse,
annotated in the margin in Louis XVI's handwriting.
"Ah! it is a fine death for a sailor!" said Captain Nemo, at last.
"A coral tomb makes a quiet grave; and I trust that I and my comrades
will find no other."
CHAPTER XIX
TORRES STRAITS
During the night of the 27th or 28th of December,
the Nautilus left the shores of Vanikoro with great speed.
Her course was south-westerly, and in three days she had gone
over the 750 leagues that separated it from La Perouse's group
and the south-east point of Papua.
Early on the 1st of January, 1863, Conseil joined me on the platform.
"Master, will you permit me to wish you a happy New Year?"
"What! Conseil; exactly as if I was at Paris in my study
at the Jardin des Plantes? Well, I accept your good wishes,
and thank you for them.
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