in search of the castaways-第121章

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　to　look　for　our　father　together。　Tell　me　you　are　willing；　sister　mine。　　What　our　father　would　have　done　for　us　it　is　our　duty；　mine；　at　least；　to　do　for　him。　My　life　has　one　purpose　to　which　it　should　be　entirely　consecrated　that　is　to　search；　and　never　cease　searching　for　my　father；　who　would　never　have　given　us　up。　　Ah；　Mary；　how　good　our　father　was！〃　〃And　so　noble；　so　generous！〃　added　Mary。　　〃Do　you　know；　Robert；　he　was　already　a　glory　to　our　country；　and　that　he　would　have　been　numbered　among　our　great　men　if　fate　had　not　arrested　his　course。〃　〃Yes；　I　know　it；〃　said　Robert。　Mary　put　her　arm　around　the　boy；　and　hugged　him　fondly　as　he　felt　her　tears　fall　on　his　forehead。　〃Mary；　Mary！〃　he　cried；　〃it　doesn't　matter　what　our　friends　say；　I　still　hope；　and　will　always　hope。　　A　man　like　my　father　doesn't　die　till　he　has　finished　his　work。〃　Mary　Grant　could　not　reply。　　Sobs　choked　her　voice。　A　thousand　feelings　struggled　in　her　breast　at　the　news　that　fresh　attempts　were　about　to　be　made　to　recover　Harry　Grant；　and　that　the　devotion　of　the　captain　was　so　unbounded。　〃And　does　Mr。　John　still　hope？〃　she　asked。　〃Yes；〃　replied　Robert。　　〃He　is　a　brother　that　will　never　forsake　us；　never！　　I　will　be　a　sailor；　you'll　say　yes；　won't　you；　sister？　　And　let　me　join　him　in　looking　for　my　father。　I　am　sure　you　are　willing。〃　〃Yes；　I　am　willing；〃　said　Mary。　　〃But　the　separation！〃　she　murmured。　〃You　will　not　be　alone；　Mary；　I　know　that。　　My　friend　John　told　me　so。　　Lady　Helena　will　not　let　you　leave　her。　You　are　a　woman；　you　can　and　should　accept　her　kindness。　To　refuse　would　be　ungrateful；　but　a　man；　my　father　has　said　a　hundred　times；　must　make　his　own　way。〃　〃But　what　will　become　of　our　own　dear　home　in　Dundee；　so　full　of　memories？〃　〃We　will　keep　it；　little　sister！　　All　that　is　settled；　and　settled　so　well；　by　our　friend　John；　and　also　by　Lord　Glenarvan。　　He　is　to　keep　you　at　Malcolm　Castle　as　if　you　were　his　daughter。　My　Lord　told　my　friend　John　so；　and　he　told　me。　　You　will　be　at　home　there；　and　have　someone　to　speak　to　about　our　father；　while　you　are　waiting　till　John　and　I　bring　him　back　to　you　some　day。　Ah！　what　a　grand　day　that　will　be！〃　exclaimed　Robert；　his　face　glowing　with　enthusiasm。　〃My　boy；　my　brother；〃　replied　Mary；　〃how　happy　my　father　would　be　if　he　could　hear　you。　　How　much　you　are　like　him；　dear　Robert；　like　our　dear；　dear　father。　　When　you　grow　up　you'll　be　just　himself。〃　〃I　hope　I　may；〃　said　Robert；　blushing　with　filial　and　sacred　pride。　〃But　how　shall　we　requite　Lord　and　Lady　Glenarvan？〃　said　Mary　Grant。　〃Oh；　that　will　not　be　difficult；〃　replied　Robert；　with　boyish　confidence。　〃We　will　love　and　revere　them；　and　we　will　tell　them　so；　and　we　will　give　them　plenty　of　kisses；　and　some　day；　when　we　can　get　the　chance；　we　will　die　for　them。〃　〃We'll　live　for　them；　on　the　contrary；〃　replied　the　young　girl；　covering　her　brother's　forehead　with　kisses。　　〃They　will　like　that　better；　and　so　shall　I。〃　The　two　children　then　relapsed　into　silence；　gazing　out　into　the　dark　night；　and　giving　way　to　long　reveries；　interrupted　occasionally　by　a　question　or　remark　from　one　to　the　other。　A　long　swell　undulated　the　surface　of　the　calm　sea；　and　the　screw　turned　up　a　luminous　furrow　in　the　darkness。　A　strange　and　altogether　supernatural　incident　now　occurred。　The　brother　and　sister；　by　some　of　those　magnetic　communications　which　link　souls　mysteriously　together；　were　the　subjects　at　the　same　time　and　the　same　instant　of　the　same　hallucination。　Out　of　the　midst　of　these　waves；　with　their　alternations　of　light　and　shadow；　a　deep　plaintive　voice　sent　up　a　cry；　the　tones　of　which　thrilled　through　every　fiber　of　their　being。　〃Come！　come！〃　were　the　words　which　fell　on　their　ears。　They　both　started　up　and　leaned　over　the　railing；　and　peered　into　the　gloom　with　questioning　eyes。　〃Mary；　you　heard　that？　　You　heard　that？〃　cried　Robert。　But　they　saw　nothing　but　the　long　shadow　that　stretched　before　them。　〃Robert；〃　said　Mary；　pale　with　emotion；　〃I　thoughtyes；　I　thought　as　you　did；　thatWe　must　both　be　ill　with　fever；　Robert。〃　A　second　time　the　cry　reached　them；　and　this　time　the　illusion　was　so　great；　that　they　both　exclaimed　simultaneously；　〃My　father！　　My　father！〃　It　was　too　much　for　Mary。　　Overcome　with　emotion；　she　fell　fainting　into　Robert's　arms。　〃Help！〃　shouted　Robert。　　〃My　sister！　my　father！　　Help！　　Help！〃　The　man　at　the　wheel　darted　forward　to　lift　up　the　girl。　The　sailors　on　watch　ran　to　assist；　and　John　Mangles；　Lady　Helena；　and　Glenarvan　were　hastily　roused　from　sleep。　〃My　sister　is　dying；　and　my　father　is　there！〃　exclaimed　Robert；　pointing　to　the　waves。　They　were　wholly　at　a　loss　to　understand　him。　〃Yes！〃　he　repeated；　〃my　father　is　there！　　I　heard　my　father's　voice；　Mary　heard　it　too！〃　Just　at　this　moment；　Mary　Grant　recovering　consciousness；　but　wandering　and　excited；　called　out；　〃My　father！　my　father　is　there！〃　And　the　poor　girl　started　up；　and　leaning　over　the　side　of　the　yacht；　wanted　to　throw　herself　into　the　sea。　〃My　LordLady　Helena！〃　she　exclaimed；　clasping　her　hands；　〃I　tell　you　my　father　is　there！　　I　can　declare　that　I　heard　his　voice　come　out　of　the　waves　like　a　wail；　as　if　it　were　a　last　adieu。〃　The　young　girl　went　off　again　into　convulsions　and　spasms；　which　became　so　violent　that　she　had　to　be　carried　to　her　cabin；　where　Lady　Helena　lavished　every　care　on　her。　Robert　kept　on　repeating；　〃My　father！　my　father　is　there！　I　am　sure　of　it；　my　Lord！〃　The　spectators　of　this　painful　scene　saw　that　the　captain's　children　were　laboring　under　an　hallucination。　　But　how　were　they　to　be　undeceived？　Glenarvan　made　an　attempt；　however。　　He　took　Robert's　hand；　and　said；　〃You　say　you　heard　your　father's　voice；　my　dear　boy？〃　〃Yes；　my　Lord；　there；　in　the　middle　of　the　waves。　He　cried　out；　'Come！　come！'〃　〃And　did　you　recognize　his　voice？〃　〃Yes；　I　recognized　it　immediately。　　Yes；　yes；　I　can　swear　to　it！　My　sister　heard　it；　and　recognized　it　as　well。　　How　could　we　both　be　deceived？　　My　Lord；　do　let　us　go　to　my　father's　help。　A　boat！　a　boat！〃　Glenarvan　saw　it　was　impossible　to　undeceive　the　poor　boy；　but　he　tried　once　more　by　saying　to　the　man　at　the　wheel：　〃Hawkins；　you　were　at　the　wheel；　were　you　not；　when　Miss　Mary　was　so　strangely　attacked？〃　〃Yes；　your　Honor；〃　replied　Hawkins。　〃And　you　heard　nothing；　and　saw　nothing？〃　〃Nothing。〃　〃Now　Robert；　see？〃　〃If　it　had　been　Hawkins's　father；〃　returned　the　boy；　with　indomitable　energy；　〃Hawkins　would　not　say　he　had　heard　nothing。　It　was　my　father；　my　lord！　my　father。〃　Sobs　choked　his　voice；　he　became　pale　and　silent；　and　presently　fell　down　insensible；　like　his　sister。　Glenarvan　had　him　carried　to　his　bed；　where　he　lay　in　a　deep　swoon。　〃Poor　orphans；〃　said　John　Mangles。　　〃It　is　a　terrible　trial　they　have　to　bear！〃　〃Yes；〃　said　Glenarvan；　〃excessive　grief　has　produced　the　same　hallucination　in　both　of　them；　and　at　the　same　time。〃　〃In　both　of　them！〃　muttered　Paganel；　〃that's　strange；　and　pure　science　would　say　inadmissible。〃　He　leaned　over　the　side　of　the　vessel；　and　listened　attentively；　making　a　sign　to　the　rest　to　keep　still。　But　profound　silence　reigned　around。　　Paganel　shouted　his　loudest。　No　response　came。　〃It　is　strange；〃　repeated　the　geographer；　going　back　to　his　cabin。　〃Close　sympathy　in　thought　and　grief　does　not