in search of the castaways-第11章

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e　sailors　in　the　forecastle。　To　mistake　a　railway　or　to　take　the　train　to　Edinburgh　when　you　want　to　go　to　Dumbarton　might　happen；　but　to　mistake　a　ship　and　be　sailing　for　Chili　when　you　meant　to　go　to　India　that　is　a　blunder　indeed！　〃However；〃　said　Lord　Glenarvan；　〃I　am　not　much　astonished　at　it　in　Paganel。　　He　is　quite　famous　for　such　misadventures。　One　day　he　published　a　celebrated　map　of　America；　and　put　Japan　in　it！　But　for　all　that；　he　is　distinguished　for　his　learning；　and　he　is　one　of　the　best　geographers　in　France。〃　〃But　what　shall　we　do　with　the　poor　gentleman？〃　said　Lady　Helena；　〃we　can't　take　him　with　us　to　Patagonia。〃　〃Why　not？〃　replied　McNabbs；　gravely。　　〃We　are　not　responsible　for　his　heedless　mistakes。　　Suppose　he　were　in　a　railway　train；　would　they　stop　it　for　him？〃　〃No；　but　he　would　get　out　at　the　first　station。〃　〃Well；　that　is　just　what　he　can　do　here；　too；　if　he　likes；　he　can　disembark　at　the　first　place　where　we　touch。〃　While　they　were　talking；　Paganel　came　up　again　on　the　poop；　looking　very　woebegone　and　crestfallen。　　He　had　been　making　inquiry　about　his　luggage；　to　assure　himself　that　it　was　all　on　board；　and　kept　repeating　incessantly　the　unlucky　words；　〃The　DUNCAN！　the　DUNCAN！〃　He　could　find　no　others　in　his　vocabulary。　　He　paced　restlessly　up　and　down；　sometimes　stopping　to　examine　the　sails；　or　gaze　inquiringly　over　the　wide　ocean；　at　the　far　horizon。　At　length　he　accosted　Lord　Glenarvan　once　more；　and　said　〃And　this　DUNCANwhere　is　she　going？〃　〃To　America；　Monsieur　Paganel；〃　was　the　reply。　〃And　to　what　particular　part？〃　〃To　Concepcion。〃　〃To　Chili！　to　Chili！〃　cried　the　unfortunate　geographer。　〃And　my　mission　to　India。　　But　what　will　M。　de　Quatre…fages；　the　President　of　the　Central　Commission；　say？　And　M。　d'　Avezac？　　And　M。　Cortanbert？　　And　M。　Vivien　de　Saint　Martin？　　How　shall　I　show　my　face　at　the　SEANCES　of　the　Society？〃　〃Come；　Monsieur　Paganel；　don't　despair。　　It　can　all　be　managed；　you　will　only　have　to　put　up　with　a　little　delay；　which　is　relatively　of　not　much　importance。　　The　Yarou…Dzangbo…Tchou　will　wait　for　you　still　in　the　mountains　of　Thibet。　　We　shall　soon　put　in　at　Madeira；　and　you　will　get　a　ship　there　to　take　you　back　to　Europe。〃　〃Thanks；　my　Lord。　　I　suppose　I　must　resign　myself　to　it；　but　people　will　say　it　is　a　most　extraordinary　adventure；　and　it　is　only　to　me　such　things　happen。　　And　then；　too；　there　is　a　cabin　taken　for　me　on　board　the　SCOTIA。〃　〃Oh；　as　to　the　SCOTIA；　you'll　have　to　give　that　up　meantime。〃　〃But　the　DUNCAN　is　a　pleasure　yacht；　is　it　not？〃　began　Paganel　again；　after　a　fresh　examination　of　the　vessel。　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　John　Mangles；　〃and　belongs　to　Lord　Glenarvan。〃　〃Who　begs　you　will　draw　freely　on　his　hospitality；〃　said　Lord　Glenarvan。　〃A　thousand　thanks；　my　Lord！　　I　deeply　feel　your　courtesy；　but　allow　me　to　make　one　observation：　　India　is　a　fine　country；　and　can　offer　many　a　surprising　marvel　to　travelers。　These　ladies；　I　suppose；　have　never　seen　it。　　Well　now；　the　man　at　the　helm　has　only　to　give　a　turn　at　the　wheel；　and　the　DUNCAN　will　sail　as　easily　to　Calcutta　as　to　Concepcion；　and　since　it　is　only　a　pleasure　trip　that　you　are〃　His　proposal　was　met　by　such　grave；　disapproving　shakes　of　the　head；　that　he　stopped　short　before　the　sentence　was　completed；　and　Lady　Helena　said：　〃Monsieur　Paganel；　if　we　were　only　on　a　pleasure　trip；　I　should　reply；　'Let　us　all　go　to　India　together；'　and　I　am　sure　Lord　Glenarvan　would　not　object；　but　the　DUNCAN　is　going　to　bring　back　shipwrecked　mariners　who　were　cast　away　on　the　shores　of　Patagonia；　and　we　could　not　alter　such　a　destination。〃　The　Frenchman　was　soon　put　in　possession　of　all　the　circumstances　of　the　case。　　He　was　no　unmoved　auditor；　and　when　he　heard　of　Lady　Helena's　generous　proposition；　he　could　not　help　saying；　〃Madame；　permit　me　to　express　my　admiration　of　your　conduct　throughout　my　unreserved　admiration。　　Let　your　yacht　continue　her　course。　I　should　reproach　myself　were　I　to　cause　a　single　day's　delay。〃　〃Will　you　join　us　in　our　search；　then？〃　asked　Lady　Helena。　〃It　is　impossible；　madame。　　I　must　fulfill　my　mission。　I　shall　disembark　at　the　first　place　you　touch　at；　wherever　it　may　be。〃　〃That　will　be　Madeira；〃　said　John　Mangles。　〃Madeira　be　it　then。　　I　shall　only　be　180　leagues　from　Lisbon；　and　I　shall　wait　there　for　some　means　of　transport。〃　〃Very　well；　Monsieur　Paganel；　it　shall　be　as　you　wish；　and；　for　my　own　part；　I　am　very　glad　to　be　able　to　offer　you；　meantime；　a　few　days'　hospitality。　　I　only　hope　you　will　not　find　our　company　too　dull。〃　〃Oh；　my　Lord；〃　exclaimed　Paganel；　〃I　am　but　too　happy　to　have　made　a　mistake　which　has　turned　out　so　agreeably。　Still；　it　is　a　very　ridiculous　plight　for　a　man　to　be　in；　to　find　himself　sailing　to　America　when　he　set　out　to　go　to　the　East　Indies！〃　But　in　spite　of　this　melancholy　reflection；　the　Frenchman　submitted　gracefully　to　the　compulsory　delay。　　He　made　himself　amiable　and　merry；　and　even　diverting；　and　enchanted　the　ladies　with　his　good　humor。　Before　the　end　of　the　day　he　was　friends　with　everybody。　At　his　request；　the　famous　document　was　brought　out。　He　studied　it　carefully　and　minutely　for　a　long　time；　and　finally　declared　his　opinion　that　no　other　interpretation　of　it　was　possible。　Mary　Grant　and　her　brother　inspired　him　with　the　most　lively　interest。　He　gave　them　great　hope；　indeed；　the　young　girl　could　not　help　smiling　at　his　sanguine　prediction　of　success；　and　this　odd　way　of　foreseeing　future　events。　　But　for　his　mission　he　would　have　made　one　of　the　search　party　for　Captain　Grant；　undoubtedly。　As　for　Lady　Helena；　when　he　heard　that　she　was　a　daughter　of　William　Tuffnell；　there　was　a　perfect　explosion　of　admiring　epithets。　He　had　known　her　father；　and　what　letters　had　passed　between　them　when　William　Tuffnell　was　a　corresponding　member　of　the　Society！　　It　was　he　himself　that　had　introduced　him　and　M。　Malte　Brun。　　What　a　_rencontre_　this　was；　and　what　a　pleasure　to　travel　with　the　daughter　of　Tuffnell。　He　wound　up　by　asking　permission　to　kiss　her；　which　Lady　Helena　granted；　though　it　was；　perhaps；　a　little　improper。

CHAPTER　VIII　THE　GEOGRAPHER'S　RESOLUTION

MEANTIME　the　yacht；　favored　by　the　currents　from　the　north　of　Africa；　was　making　rapid　progress　toward　the　equator。　On　the　30th　of　August　they　sighted　the　Madeira　group　of　islands；　and　Glenarvan；　true　to　his　promise；　offered　to　put　in　there；　and　land　his　new　guest。　But　Paganel　said：　〃My　dear　Lord；　I　won't　stand　on　ceremony　with　you。　　Tell　me；　did　you　intend　to　stop　at　Madeira　before　I　came　on　board？〃　〃No；〃　replied　Glenarvan。　〃Well；　then；　allow　me　to　profit　by　my　unlucky　mistake。　　Madeira　is　an　island　too　well　known　to　be　of　much　interest　now　to　a　geographer。　Every　thing　about　this　group　has　been　said　and　written　already。　Besides；　it　is　completely　going　down　as　far　as　wine　growing　is　concerned。　Just　imagine　no　vines　to　speak　of　being　in　Madeira！　　In　1813；　22；000　pipes　of　wine　were　made　there；　and　in　1845　the　number　fell　to　2；669。　It　is　a　grievous　spectacle！　　If　it　is　all　the　same　to　you；　we　might　go　on　to　the　Canary　Isles　instead。〃　〃Certainly。　　It　will　not　the　least　interfere　with　our　route。〃　〃I　know　it　will　not；　my　dear　Lord。　　In　the　Canary　Islands；　you　see；　there　are　three　groups　to　study；　besides　the　Peak　of