in search of the castaways-第23章

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ring　tones；　one　might　have　thought　him　a　criminal　begging　a　respite。　　So　the　day　passed　on　till　it　was　almost　noon。　McNabbs　hesitated　now　no　longer；　but；　acting　on　the　advice　of　the　rest；　told　his　cousin　that　start　they　must；　for　all　their　lives　depended　on　prompt　action。　〃Yes；　yes！〃　replied　Glenarvan。　　〃Let　us　start；　let　us　start！〃　But　he　spoke　without　looking　at　McNabbs。　　His　gaze　was　fixed　intently　on　a　certain　dark　speck　in　the　heavens。　Suddenly　he　exclaimed；　extending　his　arm；　and　keeping　it　motionless；　as　if　petrified：　〃There！　there！　　Look！　look！〃　All　eyes　turned　immediately　in　the　direction　indicated　so　imperiously。　The　dark　speck　was　increasing　visibly。　　It　was　evidently　some　bird　hovering　above　them。　〃A　condor；〃　said　Paganel。　〃Yes；　a　condor；〃　replied　Glenarvan。　　〃Who　knows？　　He　is　coming　down　he　is　gradually　getting　lower！　　Let　us　wait。〃　Paganel　was　not　mistaken；　it　was　assuredly　a　condor。　This　magnificent　bird　is　the　king　of　the　Southern　Andes；　and　was　formerly　worshiped　by　the　Incas。　　It　attains　an　extraordinary　development　in　those　regions。　　Its　strength　is　prodigious。　It　has　frequently　driven　oxen　over　the　edge　of　precipices　down　into　the　depths　of　abysses。　　It　seizes　sheep；　and　kids；　and　young　calves；　browsing　on　the　plains；　and　carries　them　off　to　inaccessible　heights。　It　hovers　in　the　air　far　beyond　the　utmost　limits　of　human　sight；　and　its　powers　of　vision　are　so　great　that　it　can　discern　the　smallest　objects　on　the　earth　beneath。　What　had　this　condor　discovered　then？　　Could　it　be　the　corpse　of　Robert　Grant？　　〃Who　knows？〃　repeated　Glenarvan；　keeping　his　eye　immovably　fixed　on　the　bird。　　The　enormous　creature　was　fast　approaching；　sometimes　hovering　for　awhile　with　outspread　wings；　and　sometimes　falling　with　the　swiftness　of　inert　bodies　in　space。　Presently　he　began　to　wheel　round　in　wide　circles。　　They　could　see　him　distinctly。　　He　measured　more　than　fifteen　feet；　and　his　powerful　wings　bore　him　along　with　scarcely　the　slightest　effort；　for　it　is　the　prerogative　of　large　birds　to　fly　with　calm　majesty；　while　insects　have　to　beat　their　wings　a　thousand　times　a　second。　The　Major　and　Wilson　had　seized　their　carbines；　but　Glenarvan　stopped　them　by　a　gesture。　　The　condor　was　encircling　in　his　flight　a　sort　of　inaccessible　plateau　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　up　the　side　of　the　mountain。　　He　wheeled　round　and　round　with　dazzling　rapidity；　opening　and　shutting　his　formidable　claws；　and　shaking　his　cartilaginous　carbuncle；　or　comb。　〃It　is　there；　there！〃　exclaimed　Glenarvan。　A　sudden　thought　flashed　across　his　mind；　and　with　a　terrible　cry；　he　called　out；　〃Fire！　fire！　　Oh；　suppose　Robert　were　still　alive！　That　bird。〃　But　it　was　too　late。　　The　condor　had　dropped　out　of　sight　behind　the　crags。　　Only　a　second　passed；　a　second　that　seemed　an　age；　and　the　enormous　bird　reappeared；　carrying　a　heavy　load　and　flying　at　a　slow　rate。　A　cry　of　horror　rose　on　all　sides。　　It　was　a　human　body　the　condor　had　in　his　claws；　dangling　in　the　air；　and　apparently　lifeless　it　was　Robert　Grant。　　The　bird　had　seized　him　by　his　clothes；　and　had　him　hanging　already　at　least　one　hundred　and　fifty　feet　in　the　air。　He　had　caught　sight　of　the　travelers；　and　was　flapping　his　wings　violently；　endeavoring　to　escape　with　his　heavy　prey。　〃Oh！　would　that　Robert　were　dashed　to　pieces　against　the　rocks；　rather　than　be　a〃　He　did　not　finish　his　sentence；　but　seizing　Wilson's　carbine；　took　aim　at　the　condor。　　His　arm　was　too　trembling；　however；　to　keep　the　weapon　steady。　〃Let　me　do　it；〃　said　the　Major。　　And　with　a　calm　eye；　and　sure　hands　and　motionless　body；　he　aimed　at　the　bird；　now　three　hundred　feet　above　him　in　the　air。　But　before　he　had　pulled　the　trigger　the　report　of　a　gun　resounded　from　the　bottom　of　the　valley。　　A　white　smoke　rose　from　between　two　masses　of　basalt；　and　the　condor；　shot　in　the　head；　gradually　turned　over　and　began　to　fall；　supported　by　his　great　wings　spread　out　like　a　parachute。　He　had　not　let　go　his　prey；　but　gently　sank　down　with　it　on　the　ground；　about　ten　paces　from　the　stream。　〃We've　got　him；　we've　got　him；〃　shouted　Glenarvan；　and　without　waiting　to　see　where　the　shot　so　providentially　came　from；　he　rushed　toward　the　condor；　followed　by　his　companions。　When　they　reached　the　spot　the　bird　was　dead；　and　the　body　of　Robert　was　quite　concealed　beneath　his　mighty　wings。　Glenarvan　flung　himself　on　the　corpse；　and　dragging　it　from　the　condor's　grasp；　placed　it　flat　on　the　grass；　and　knelt　down　and　put　his　ear　to　the　heart。　But　a　wilder　cry　of　joy　never　broke　from　human　lips；　than　Glenarvan　uttered　the　next　moment；　as　he　started　to　his　feet　and　exclaimed：　〃He　is　alive！　　He　is　still　alive！〃　The　boy's　clothes　were　stripped　off　in　an　instant；　and　his　face　bathed　with　cold　water。　　He　moved　slightly；　opened　his　eyes；　looked　round　and　murmured；　〃Oh；　my　Lord！　　Is　it　you！〃　he　said；　〃my　father！〃　Glenarvan　could　not　reply。　　He　was　speechless　with　emotion；　and　kneeling　down　by　the　side　of　the　child　so　miraculously　saved；　burst　into　tears。

CHAPTER　XV　THALCAVE

ROBERT　had　no　sooner　escaped　one　terrible　danger　than　he　ran　the　risk　of　another　scarcely　less　formidable。　　He　was　almost　torn　to　pieces　by　his　friends；　for　the　brave　fellows　were　so　overjoyed　at　the　sight　of　him；　that　in　spite　of　his　weak　state；　none　of　them　would　be　satisfied　without　V。　IV　Verne　giving　him　a　hug。　　However；　it　seemed　as　if　good　rough　hugging　did　not　hurt　sick　people；　at　any　rate　it　did　not　hurt　Robert；　but　quite　the　contrary。　But　the　first　joy　of　deliverance　over；　the　next　thought　was　who　was　the　deliverer？　　Of　course　it　was　the　Major　who　suggested　looking　for　him；　and　he　was　not　far　off；　for　about　fifty　paces　from　the　RIO　a　man　of　very　tall　stature　was　seen　standing　motionless　on　the　lowest　crags　at　the　foot　of　the　mountain。　A　long　gun　was　lying　at　his　feet。　He　had　broad　shoulders；　and　long　hair　bound　together　with　leather　thongs。　He　was　over　six　feet　in　height。　　His　bronzed　face　was　red　between　the　eyes　and　mouth；　black　by　the　lower　eyelids；　and　white　on　the　forehead。　He　wore　the　costume　of　the　Patagonians　on　the　frontiers；　consisting　of　a　splendid　cloak；　ornamented　with　scarlet　arabesques；　made　of　the　skins　of　the　guanaco；　sewed　together　with　ostrich　tendons；　and　with　the　silky　wool　turned　up　on　the　edge。　　Under　this　mantle　was　a　garment　of　fox…skin；　fastened　round　the　waist；　and　coming　down　to　a　point　in　front。　A　little　bag　hung　from　his　belt；　containing　colors　for　painting　his　face。　His　boots　were　pieces　of　ox　hide；　fastened　round　the　ankles　by　straps；　across。　This　Patagonian　had　a　splendid　face；　indicating　real　intelligence；　notwithstanding　the　medley　of　colors　by　which　it　was　disfigured。　His　waiting　attitude　was　full　of　dignity；　indeed；　to　see　him　standing　grave　and　motionless　on　his　pedestal　of　rocks；　one　might　have　taken　him　for　a　statue　of　_sang…froid_。　As　soon　as　the　Major　perceived　him；　he　pointed　him　out　to　Glenarvan；　who　ran　toward　him　immediately。　　The　Patagonian　came　two　steps　forward　to　meet　him；　and　Glenarvan　caught　hold　of　his　hand　and　pressed　it　in　his　own。　　It　was　impossible　to　mistake　the　meaning　of　the　action；　for　the　noble　face　of　the　Scotch　lord　so　beamed　with　gratitude　that　no　words　were　needed。　The　stranger　bowed　slightly　in　return；　and　said　a　few　w