in search of the castaways-第122章

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ge；〃　repeated　the　geographer；　going　back　to　his　cabin。　〃Close　sympathy　in　thought　and　grief　does　not　suffice　to　explain　this　phenomenon。〃　Next　day；　March　4；　at　5　A。　M。；　at　dawn；　the　passengers；　including　Mary　and　Robert；　who　would　not　stay　behind；　were　all　assembled　on　the　poop；　each　one　eager　to　examine　the　land　they　had　only　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　night　before。　The　yacht　was　coasting　along　the　island　at　the　distance　of　about　a　mile；　and　its　smallest　details　could　be　seen　by　the　eye。　Suddenly　Robert　gave　a　loud　cry；　and　exclaimed　he　could　see　two　men　running　about　and　gesticulating；　and　a　third　was　waving　a　flag。　〃The　Union　Jack；〃　said　John　Mangles；　who　had　caught　up　a　spy…glass。　〃True　enough；〃　said　Paganel；　turning　sharply　round　toward　Robert。　〃My　Lord；〃　said　Robert；　trembling　with　emotion；　〃if　you　don't　want　me　to　swim　to　the　shore；　let　a　boat　be　lowered。　Oh；　my　Lord；　I　implore　you　to　let　me　be　the　first　to　land。〃　No　one　dared　to　speak。　　What！　on　this　little　isle；　crossed　by　the　37th　parallel；　there　were　three　men；　shipwrecked　Englishmen！　　Instantaneously　everyone　thought　of　the　voice　heard　by　Robert　and　Mary　the　preceding　night。　The　children　were　right；　perhaps；　in　the　affirmation。　The　sound　of　a　voice　might　have　reached　them；　but　this　voice　was　it　their　father's？　No；　alas；　most　assuredly　no。　And　as　they　thought　of　the　dreadful　disappointment　that　awaited　them；　they　trembled　lest　this　new　trial　should　crush　them　completely。　But　who　could　stop　them　from　going　on　shore？　　Lord　Glenarvan　had　not　the　heart　to　do　it。　〃Lower　a　boat；〃　he　called　out。　Another　minute　and　the　boat　was　ready。　　The　two　children　of　Captain　Grant；　Glenarvan；　John　Mangles；　and　Paganel；　rushed　into　it；　and　six　sailors；　who　rowed　so　vigorously　that　they　were　presently　almost　close　to　the　shore。　At　ten　fathoms'　distance　a　piercing　cry　broke　from　Mary's　lips。　〃My　father！〃　she　exclaimed。　A　man　was　standing　on　the　beach；　between　two　others。　His　tall；　powerful　form；　and　his　physiognomy；　with　its　mingled　expression　of　boldness　and　gentleness；　bore　a　resemblance　both　to　Mary　and　Robert。　　This　was　indeed　the　man　the　children　had　so　often　described。　　Their　hearts　had　not　deceived　them。　This　was　their　father；　Captain　Grant！　The　captain　had　heard　Mary's　cry；　for　he　held　out　his　arms；　and　fell　flat　on　the　sand；　as　if　struck　by　a　thunderbolt。

CHAPTER　XX　CAPTAIN　GRANT'S　STORY

JOY　does　not　kill；　for　both　father　and　children　recovered　before　they　had　reached　the　yacht。　　The　scene　which　followed；　who　can　describe？　Language　fails。　　The　whole　crew　wept　aloud　at　the　sight　of　these　three　clasped　together　in　a　close；　silent　embrace。　The　moment　Harry　Grant　came　on　deck；　he　knelt　down　reverently。　　The　pious　Scotchman's　first　act　on　touching　the　yacht；　which　to　him　was　the　soil　of　his　native　land；　was　to　return　thanks　to　the　God　of　his　deliverance。　Then；　turning　to　Lady　Helena　and　Lord　Glenarvan；　and　his　companions；　he　thanked　them　in　broken　words；　for　his　heart　was　too　full　to　speak。　During　the　short　passage　from　the　isle　to　the　yacht；　his　children　had　given　him　a　brief　sketch　of　the　DUNCAN'S　history。　What　an　immense　debt　he　owed　to　this　noble　lady　and　her　friends！　From　Lord　Glenarvan；　down　to　the　lowest　sailor　on　board；　how　all　had　struggled　and　suffered　for　him！　　Harry　Grant　expressed　his　gratitude　with　such　simplicity　and　nobleness；　his　manly　face　suffused　with　pure　and　sweet　emotion；　that　the　whole　crew　felt　amply　recompensed　for　the　trials　they　had　undergone。　Even　the　impassable　Major　himself　felt　a　tear　steal　down　his　cheek　in　spite　of　all　his　self…command；　while　the　good；　simple　Paganel　cried　like　a　child　who　does　not　care　who　sees　his　tears。　Harry　Grant　could　not　take　his　eyes　off　his　daughter。　He　thought　her　beautiful；　charming；　and　he　not　only　said　so　to　himself；　but　repeated　it　aloud；　and　appealed　to　Lady　Helena　for　confirmation　of　his　opinion；　as　if　to　convince　himself　that　he　was　not　blinded　by　his　paternal　affection。　　His　boy；　too；　came　in　for　admiration。　〃How　he　has　grown！　he　is　a　man！〃　was　his　delighted　exclamation。　And　he　covered　the　two　children　so　dear　to　him　with　the　kisses　he　had　been　heaping　up　for　them　during　his　two　years　of　absence。　Robert　then　presented　all　his　friends　successively；　and　found　means　always　to　vary　the　formula　of　introduction；　though　he　had　to　say　the　same　thing　about　each。　　The　fact　was；　each　and　all　had　been　perfect　in　the　children's　eyes。　John　Mangles　blushed　like　a　child　when　his　turn　came；　and　his　voice　trembled　as　he　spoke　to　Mary's　father。　Lady　Helena　gave　Captain　Grant　a　narrative　of　the　voyage；　and　made　him　proud　of　his　son　and　daughter。　　She　told　him　of　the　young　hero's　exploits；　and　how　the　lad　had　already　paid　back　part　of　the　paternal　debt　to　Lord　Glenarvan。　　John　Mangles　sang　Mary's　praises　in　such　terms；　that　Harry　Grant；　acting　on　a　hint　from　Lady　Helena；　put　his　daughter's　hand　into　that　of　the　brave　young　captain；　and　turning　to　Lord　and　Lady　Glenarvan；　said：　〃My　Lord；　and　you；　Madam；　also　give　your　blessing　to　our　children。〃　When　everything　had　been　said　and　re…said　over　and　over　again；　Glenarvan　informed　Harry　Grant　about　Ayrton。　　Grant　confirmed　the　quartermaster's　confession　as　far　as　his　disembarkation　on　the　coast　of　Australia　was　concerned。　〃He　is　an　intelligent；　intrepid　man；〃　he　added；　〃whose　passions　have　led　him　astray。　　May　reflection　and　repentance　bring　him　to　a　better　mind！〃　But　before　Ayrton　was　transferred；　Harry　Grant　wished　to　do　the　honors　of　his　rock　to　his　friends。　　He　invited　them　to　visit　his　wooden　house；　and　dine　with　him　in　Robinson　Crusoe　fashion。　Glenarvan　and　his　friends　accepted　the　invitation　most　willingly。　Robert　and　Mary　were　eagerly　longing　to　see　the　solitary　house　where　their　father　had　so　often　wept　at　the　thought　of　them。　A　boat　was　manned；　and　the　Captain　and　his　two　children；　Lord　and　Lady　Glenarvan；　the　Major；　John　Mangles；　and　Paganel；　landed　on　the　shores　of　the　island。　A　few　hours　sufficed　to　explore　the　whole　domain　of　Harry　Grant。　　It　was　in　fact　the　summit　of　a　submarine　mountain；　a　plateau　composed　of　basaltic　rocks　and　volcanic　DEBRIS。　　During　the　geological　epochs　of　the　earth；　this　mountain　had　gradually　emerged　from　the　depths　of　the　Pacific；　through　the　action　of　the　subterranean　fires；　but　for　ages　back　the　volcano　had　been　a　peaceful　mountain；　and　the　filled…up　crater；　an　island　rising　out　of　the　liquid　plain。　　Then　soil　formed。　The　vegetable　kingdom　took　possession　of　this　new　land。　Several　whalers　landed　domestic　animals　there　in　passing；　goats　and　pigs；　which　multiplied　and　ran　wild；　and　the　three　kingdoms　of　nature　were　now　displayed　on　this　island；　sunk　in　mid　ocean。　When　the　survivors　of　the　shipwrecked　BRITANNIA　took　refuge　there；　the　hand　of　man　began　to　organize　the　efforts　of　nature。　　In　two　years　and　a　half；　Harry　Grant　and　his　two　sailors　had　metamorphosed　the　island。　Several　acres　of　well…cultivated　land　were　stocked　with　vegetables　of　excellent　quality。　The　house　was　shaded　by　luxuriant　gum…trees。　The　magnificent　ocean　stretched　before　the　windows；　sparkling　in　the　sunlight。　Harry　Grant　had　the　table　placed　beneath　the　grand　trees；　and　all　the　guests　seated　themselves。　　A　hind　quarter　of　a　goat；　nardou　bread；　several　bowls　of　milk；　two　or　three　roots