THE CHORUS OF TERROR.
According to the “important notice,” the dangers of the position could
be avoided, or rather fled from, by hurrying off to the neutral zones.
The people in peril could be divided into two classes, the asphyxiated
and the drowned.
The effect of the communication was to give rise to very different
opinions, which soon developed into the most violent protestations.
On the side of the asphyxiated were the Americans of the United States,
the Europeans of the United Kingdom, and France, Spain, &c. The prospect
of being able to annex territories from the ocean-bed was not attractive
enough to persuade them to accept the change.
On the side of the drowned were the inhabitants of South America, and
the Hindoos, Russians, and Chinese. But Great Britain was not likely to
allow Barbicane & Co. to deprive her of her southern colonies; and the
other nations decidedly objected to being so summarily disposed of.
Evidently the Gulf of Mexico would be emptied to form a huge territory
of the Antilles, which the Mexicans and Americans might claim in
accordance with the Monroe doctrine. Evidently the left of the
Philippines and Celebes would bring up an immense region which the
British and Spanish might share. But vain such compensation! It would
never balance the loss due to the terrible inundation.
If the new seas were only to rise over the Samoyeds, Laps, Fuegians,
Patagonians, Tartars even, Chinese, Japanese, or even Argentines, the
world might have borne the bereavement. But the catastrophe affected too
many of the great Powers for them to bear it quietly.
Although the central part would remain much as it is, Europe would be
lifted in the west and lowered in the east, that is to say half
asphyxiated on one side and half drowned on the other.
Such a state of affairs was unacceptable. Besides, the Mediterranean
would be nearly drained dry, and that neither French, Italians,
Spaniards, Greeks, Turks, nor Egyptians cared for, as their position on
its coast gave them indisputable rights over the sea. And what would be
the use of the Suez Canal, which would escape, owing to its position on
the neutral line? What was to be done with that when there was no
Mediterranean at one end and very little Red Sea at the other—unless it
was lengthened by several hundred miles?
Great Britain had no desire to see Gibraltar, Malta, and Cyprus
transformed into mountain-tops which ironclads would try to anchor near
in vain. And the British Government declined to entertain in any form
the suggested compensation from the risen bed of the Atlantic.
In short, all the world was in arms against Barbicane & Co. Even the
people on the neutral lines were urgent in their protests. And so it
soon came about that Barbicane, Nicholl, and J. T. Maston were put under
the ban of humanity.
But how the newspapers prospered! What a rush there was for copies! What
editions after editions! For the first time in the history of the
newspaper press all the papers of every country in the world were agreed
upon one matter. And the effect of that is more easily imagined than
described!
J. T. Maston might well believe that his last hour was come.
In fact, a frantic mob broke into his prison on the evening of the 17th
of September with the intention of lynching him, and it is well to say,
the police made no objection.
The cell was empty! With the worthy calculator’s weight in gold, Mrs.
Scorbitt had managed his escape. The gaoler was the more ready to be
bribed by a fortune as he had hopes of enjoying it for some years. In
fact, Baltimore, like Washington, New York, and the other chief cities
of the American seaboard, was in the list of towns to be reasonably
elevated, and in which there would remain enough air for the daily
consumption of their inhabitants.
J. T. Maston had gained some mysterious retreat where he was safe from
the fury of popular wrath. Thus was the life of the great world-troubler
saved by a woman’s devotion.
And now only four days remained before Barbicane & Co. did their awful
deed. The important notice had been generally understood. If there had
been a few sceptics before, there were none now. The Governments issued
proclamations to such of their peoples as were to be sent up into the
rarefied air, and to the greater number that were to be dropped into
deep water.
The result was such a migration as had never been seen, not even when
the Aryan families began to remove. An exodus took place comprising
every branch of the Hottentots, Melanesians, Negroes, Red Men, Yellow
Men, Brown Men, White Men.
Unfortunately the time was too short. It could be reckoned in hours.
Given a few months, the Chinese might abandon China, the Australians
Australia, the Patagonians Patagonia, the Siberians Siberia.
But time! Time! The time! How was it possible?
Migration was useless.
There was only one chance!
Suppose that Barbicane & Co. were to fail?