in search of the castaways-第120章

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ng　for　the　deliverance　of　the　captain。〃　〃Why　not；　Paganel？〃　〃Because；　admitting　that　the　captain　was　wrecked　on　the　New　Zealand　coast；　now　that　two　years　have　passed　and　he　has　not　reappeared；　he　must　have　perished　by　shipwreck　or　by　the　New　Zealanders。〃　〃Then　you　are　of　the　opinion；〃　said　Glenarvan；　〃that〃　〃That　vestiges　of　the　wreck　might　be　found；　but　that　the　survivors　of　the　BRITANNIA　have；　beyond　doubt；　perished。〃　〃Keep　all　this　silent；　friends；〃　said　Glenarvan；　〃and　let　me　choose　a　fitting　moment　to　communicate　these　sad　tidings　to　Captain　Grant's　children。〃

CHAPTER　XIX　A　CRY　IN　THE　NIGHT

THE　crew　soon　heard　that　no　light　had　been　thrown　on　the　situation　of　Captain　Grant　by　the　revelations　of　Ayrton；　and　it　caused　profound　disappointment　among　them；　for　they　had　counted　on　the　quartermaster；　and　the　quartermaster　knew　nothing　which　could　put　the　DUNCAN　on　the　right　track。　The　yacht　therefore　continued　her　course。　　They　had　yet　to　select　the　island　for　Ayrton's　banishment。　Paganel　and　John　Mangles　consulted　the　charts　on　board；　and　exactly　on　the　37th　parallel　found　a　little　isle　marked　by　the　name　of　Maria　Theresa；　a　sunken　rock　in　the　middle　of　the　Pacific　Ocean；　3；500　miles　from　the　American　coast；　and　1；500　miles　from　New　Zealand。　　The　nearest　land　on　the　north　was　the　Archipelago　of　Pomotou；　under　the　protectorate　of　France；　on　the　south　there　was　nothing　but　the　eternal　ice…belt　of　the　Polar　Sea。　　No　ship　would　come　to　reconnoiter　this　solitary　isle。　No　echoes　from　the　world　would　ever　reach　it。　　The　storm　birds　only　would　rest　awhile　on　it　during　their　long　flight；　and　in　many　charts　the　rock　was　not　even　marked。　If　ever　complete　isolation　was　to　be　found　on　earth；　it　was　on　this　little　out…of…the…way　island。　　Ayrton　was　informed　of　its　situation；　and　expressed　his　willingness　to　live　there　apart　from　his　fellows。　The　head　of　the　vessel　was　in　consequence　turned　toward　it　immediately。　Two　days　later；　at　two　o'clock；　the　man　on　watch　signaled　land　on　the　horizon。　　This　was　Maria　Theresa；　a　low；　elongated　island；　scarcely　raised　above　the　waves；　and　looking　like　an　enormous　whale。　It　was　still　thirty　miles　distant　from　the　yacht；　whose　stem　was　rapidly　cutting　her　way　over　the　water　at　the　rate　of　sixteen　knots　an　hour。　Gradually　the　form　of　the　island　grew　more　distinct　on　the　horizon。　The　orb　of　day　sinking　in　the　west；　threw　up　its　peculiar　outlines　in　sharp　relief。　　A　few　peaks　of　no　great　elevation　stood　out　here　and　there；　tipped　with　sunlight。　　At　five　o'clock　John　Mangles　could　discern　a　light　smoke　rising　from　it。　〃Is　it　a　volcano？〃　he　asked　of　Paganel；　who　was　gazing　at　this　new　land　through　his　telescope。　〃I　don't　know　what　to　think；〃　replied　the　geographer；　〃Maria　Theresa　is　a　spot　little　known；　nevertheless；　it　would　not　be　surprising　if　its　origin　were　due　to　some　submarine　upheaval；　and　consequently　it　may　be　volcanic。〃　〃But　in　that　case；〃　said　Glenarvan；　〃is　there　not　reason　to　fear　that　if　an　eruption　produced　it；　an　eruption　may　carry　it　away？〃　〃That　is　not　possible；〃　replied　Paganel。　　〃We　know　of　its　existence　for　several　centuries；　which　is　our　security。　When　the　Isle　Julia　emerged　from　the　Mediterranean；　it　did　not　remain　long　above　the　waves；　and　disappeared　a　few　months　after　its　birth。〃　〃Very　good；〃　said　Glenarvan。　　〃Do　you　think；　John；　we　can　get　there　to…night？〃　〃No；　your　honor；　I　must　not　risk　the　DUNCAN　in　the　dark；　for　I　am　unacquainted　with　the　coast。　　I　will　keep　under　steam；　but　go　very　slowly；　and　to…morrow；　at　daybreak；　we　can　send　off　a　boat。〃　At　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening；　Maria　Theresa；　though　five　miles　to　leeward；　appeared　only　an　elongated　shadow；　scarcely　visible。　The　DUNCAN　was　always　getting　nearer。　At　nine　o'clock；　a　bright　glare　became　visible；　and　flames　shot　up　through　the　darkness。　　The　light　was　steady　and　continued。　〃That　confirms　the　supposition　of　a　volcano；〃　said　Paganel；　observing　it　attentively。　〃Yet；〃　replied　John　Mangles；　〃at　this　distance　we　ought　to　hear　the　noise　which　always　accompanies　an　eruption；　and　the　east　wind　brings　no　sound　whatever　to　our　ear。〃　〃That's　true；〃　said　Paganel。　　〃It　is　a　volcano　that　blazes；　but　does　not　speak。　　The　gleam　seems　intermittent　too；　sometimes；　like　that　of　a　lighthouse。〃　〃You　are　right；〃　said　John　Mangles；　〃and　yet　we　are　not　on　a　lighted　coast。〃　〃Ah！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃another　fire？　　On　the　shore　this　time！　Look！　　It　moves！　　It　has　changed　its　place！〃　John　was　not　mistaken。　　A　fresh　fire　had　appeared；　which　seemed　to　die　out　now　and　then；　and　suddenly　flare　up　again。　〃Is　the　island　inhabited　then？〃　said　Glenarvan。　〃By　savages；　evidently；〃　replied　Paganel。　〃But　in　that　case；　we　cannot　leave　the　quartermaster　there。〃　〃No；〃　replied　the　Major；　〃he　would　be　too　bad　a　gift　even　to　bestow　on　savages。〃　〃We　must　find　some　other　uninhabited　island；〃　said　Glenarvan；　who　could　not　help　smiling　at　the　delicacy　of　McNabbs。　　〃I　promised　Ayrton　his　life；　and　I　mean　to　keep　my　promise。〃　〃At　all　events；　don't　let　us　trust　them；〃　added　Paganel。　〃The　New　Zealanders　have　the　barbarous　custom　of　deceiving　ships　by　moving　lights；　like　the　wreckers　on　the　Cornish　coast　in　former　times。　Now　the　natives　of　Maria　Theresa　may　have　heard　of　this　proceeding。〃　〃Keep　her　off　a　point；〃　called　out　John　to　the　man　at　the　helm。　〃To…morrow　at　sunrise　we　shall　know　what　we're　about。〃　At　eleven　o'clock；　the　passengers　and　John　Mangles　retired　to　their　cabins。　　In　the　forepart　of　the　yacht　the　man　on　watch　was　pacing　the　deck；　while　aft；　there　was　no　one　but　the　man　at　the　wheel。　At　this　moment　Mary　Grant　and　Robert　came　on　the　poop。　The　two　children　of　the　captain；　leaning　over　the　rail；　gazed　sadly　at　the　phosphorescent　waves　and　the　luminous　wake　of　the　DUNCAN。　　Mary　was　thinking　of　her　brother's　future；　and　Robert　of　his　sister's。　Their　father　was　uppermost　in　the　minds　of　both。　Was　this　idolized　parent　still　in　existence？　　Must　they　give　him　up？　But　no；　for　what　would　life　be　without　him？　　What　would　become　of　them　without　him？　　What　would　have　become　of　them　already；　but　for　Lord　Glenarvan　and　Lady　Helena？　The　young　boy；　old　above　his　years　through　trouble；　divined　the　thoughts　that　troubled　his　sister；　and　taking　her　hand　in　his　own；　said；　〃Mary；　we　must　never　despair。　　Remember　the　lessons　our　father　gave　us。　Keep　your　courage　up　and　no　matter　what　befalls　you；　let　us　show　this　obstinate　courage　which　can　rise　above　everything。　Up　to　this　time；　sister；　you　have　been　working　for　me；　it　is　my　turn　now；　and　I　will　work　for　you。〃　〃Dear　Robert！〃　replied　the　young　girl。　〃I　must　tell　you　something；〃　resumed　Robert。　　〃You　mustn't　be　vexed；　Mary！〃　〃Why　should　I　be　vexed；　my　child？〃　〃And　you　will　let　me　do　it？〃　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Mary；　getting　uneasy。　〃Sister；　I　am　going　to　be　a　sailor！〃　〃You　are　going　to　leave　me！〃　cried　the　young　girl；　pressing　her　brother's　hand。　〃Yes；　sister；　I　want　to　be　a　sailor；　like　my　father　and　Captain　John。　　Mary；　dear　Mary；　Captain　John　has　not　lost　all　hope；　he　says。　　You　have　confidence　in　his　devotion　to　us；　and　so　have　I。　He　is　going　to　make　a　grand　sailor　out　of　me　some　day；　he　has　promised　me　he　will；　and　then　we　are　going　to　look　for　our　father　together。　Tell　me　you　are　willing；　sister　mine。　　What　our　father　would　have