in search of the castaways-第29章

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ll　act　upon　it　without　loss　of　time。　My　horse　is　in　tolerable　good　trim；　and　I　volunteer　to　accompany　Thalcave。〃　〃Oh；　my　Lord；　take　me；〃　said　Robert；　as　if　it　were　a　question　of　some　pleasure　party。　〃But　would　you　be　able　for　it；　my　boy？〃　〃Oh；　I　have　a　fine　beast；　which　just　wants　to　have　a　gallop。　Please；　my　Lord；　to　take　me。〃　〃Come；　then；　my　boy；〃　said　Glenarvan；　delighted　not　to　leave　Robert　behind。　　〃If　we　three　don't　manage　to　find　out　fresh　water　somewhere；〃　he　added；　〃we　must　be　very　stupid。〃　〃Well；　well；　and　what　about　me？〃　said　Paganel。　〃Oh；　my　dear　Paganel；　you　must　stay　with　the　reserve　corps；〃　replied　the　Major。　　〃You　are　too　well　acquainted　with　the　37th　parallel　and　the　river　Guamini　and　the　whole　Pampas　for　us　to　let　you　go。　Neither　Mulrady；　nor　Wilson；　nor　myself　would　be　able　to　rejoin　Thalcave　at　the　given　rendezvous；　but　we　will　put　ourselves　under　the　banner　of　the　brave　Jacques　Paganel　with　perfect　confidence。〃　〃I　resign　myself；〃　said　the　geographer；　much　flattered　at　having　supreme　command。　〃But　mind；　Paganel；　no　distractions；〃　added　the　Major。　　〃Don't　you　take　us　to　the　wrong　placeto　the　borders　of　the　Pacific；　for　instance。〃　〃Oh；　you　insufferable　Major；　it　would　serve　you　right；〃　replied　Paganel；　laughing。　　〃But　how　will　you　manage　to　understand　what　Thalcave　says；　Glenarvan？〃　he　continued。　〃I　suppose；〃　replied　Glenarvan；　〃the　Patagonian　and　I　won't　have　much　to　talk　about；　besides；　I　know　a　few　Spanish　words；　and；　at　a　pinch；　I　should　not　fear　either　making　him　understand　me；　or　my　understanding　him。〃　〃Go；　then；　my　worthy　friend；〃　said　Paganel。　〃We'll　have　supper　first；〃　rejoined　Glenarvan；　〃and　then　sleep；　if　we　can；　till　it　is　starting　time。〃　The　supper　was　not　very　reviving　without　drink　of　any　kind；　and　they　tried　to　make　up　for　the　lack　of　it　by　a　good　sleep。　But　Paganel　dreamed　of　water　all　night；　of　torrents　and　cascades；　and　rivers　and　ponds；　and　streams　and　brooksin　fact；　he　had　a　complete　nightmare。　Next　morning；　at　six　o'clock；　the　horses　of　Thalcave；　Glenarvan　and　Robert　were　got　ready。　　Their　last　ration　of　water　was　given　them；　and　drunk　with　more　avidity　than　satisfaction；　for　it　was　filthy；　disgusting　stuff。　The　three　travelers　then　jumped　into　their　saddles；　and　set　off；　shouting　〃_Au　revoir！_〃　to　their　companions。　〃Don't　come　back　whatever　you　do；〃　called　Paganel　after　them。　The　_Desertio　de　las　Salinas_；　which　they　had　to　traverse；　is　a　dry　plain；　covered　with　stunted　trees　not　above　ten　feet　high；　and　small　mimosas；　which　the　Indians　call　_curra…mammel；_　and　JUMES；　a　bushy　shrub；　rich　in　soda。　Here　and　there　large　spaces　were　covered　with　salt；　which　sparkled　in　the　sunlight　with　astonishing　brilliancy。　These　might　easily　have　been　taken　for　sheets　of　ice；　had　not　the　intense　heat　forbidden　the　illusion；　and　the　contrast　these　dazzling　white　sheets　presented　to　the　dry；　burned…up　ground　gave　the　desert　a　most　peculiar　character。　　Eighty　miles　south；　on　the　contrary；　the　Sierra　Ventana；　toward　which　the　travelers　might　possibly　have　to　betake　themselves　should　the　Guamini　disappoint　their　hopes；　the　landscape　was　totally　different。　There　the　fertility　is　splendid；　the　pasturage　is　incomparable。　Unfortunately；　to　reach　them　would　necessitate　a　march　of　one　hundred　and　thirty　miles　south；　and　this　was　why　Thalcave　thought　it　best　to　go　first　to　Guamini；　as　it　was　not　only　much　nearer；　but　also　on　the　direct　line　of　route。　The　three　horses　went　forward　might　and　main；　as　if　instinctively　knowing　whither　they　were　bound。　　Thaouka　especially　displayed　a　courage　that　neither　fatigue　nor　hunger　could　damp。　　He　bounded　like　a　bird　over　the　dried…up　CANADAS　and　the　bushes　of　CURRA…MAMMEL；　his　loud；　joyous　neighing　seeming　to　bode　success　to　the　search。　The　horses　of　Glenarvan　and　Robert；　though　not　so　light…footed；　felt　the　spur　of　his　example；　and　followed　him　bravely。　Thalcave　inspirited　his　companions　as　much　as　Thaouka　did　his　four…footed　brethren。　　He　sat　motionless　in　the　saddle；　but　often　turned　his　head　to　look　at　Robert；　and　ever　and　anon　gave　him　a　shout　of　encouragement　and　approval；　as　he　saw　how　well　he　rode。　Certainly　the　boy　deserved　praise；　for　he　was　fast　becoming　an　excellent　cavalier。　〃Bravo！　　Robert；〃　said　Glenarvan。　　〃Thalcave　is　evidently　congratulating　you；　my　boy；　and　paying　you　compliments。〃　〃What　for；　my　Lord？〃　〃For　your　good　horsemanship。〃　〃I　can　hold　firm　on；　that's　all；〃　replied　Robert　blushing　with　pleasure　at　such　an　encomium。　〃That　is　the　principal　thing；　Robert；　but　you　are　too　modest。　I　tell　you　that　some　day　you　will　turn　out　an　accomplished　horseman。〃　〃What　would　papa　say　to　that？〃　said　Robert；　laughing。　〃He　wants　me　to　be　a　sailor。〃　〃The　one　won't　hinder　the　other。　　If　all　cavaliers　wouldn't　make　good　sailors；　there　is　no　reason　why　all　sailors　should　not　make　good　horsemen。　　To　keep　one's　footing　on　the　yards　must　teach　a　man　to　hold　on　firm；　and　as　to　managing　the　reins；　and　making　a　horse　go　through　all　sorts　of　movements；　that's　easily　acquired。　Indeed；　it　comes　naturally。〃　〃Poor　father；〃　said　Robert；　〃how　he　will　thank　you　for　saving　his　life。〃　〃You　love　him　very　much；　Robert？〃　〃Yes；　my　Lord；　dearly。　　He　was　so　good　to　me　and　my　sister。　We　were　his　only　thought：　　and　whenever　he　came　home　from　his　voyages；　we　were　sure　of　some　SOUVENIR　from　all　the　places　he　had　been　to；　and；　better　still；　of　loving　words　and　caresses。　Ah！　if　you　knew　him　you　would　love　him；　too。　　Mary　is　most　like　him。　He　has　a　soft　voice；　like　hers。　　That's　strange　for　a　sailor；　isn't　it？〃　〃Yes；　Robert；　very　strange。〃　〃I　see　him　still；〃　the　boy　went　on；　as　if　speaking　to　himself。　〃Good；　brave　papa。　　He　put　me　to　sleep　on　his　knee；　crooning　an　old　Scotch　ballad　about　the　lochs　of　our　country。　The　time　sometimes　comes　back　to　me；　but　very　confused　like。　So　it　does　to　Mary；　too。　　Ah；　my　Lord；　how　we　loved　him。　Well；　I　do　think　one　needs　to　be　little　to　love　one's　father　like　that。〃　〃Yes；　and　to　be　grown　up；　my　child；　to　venerate　him；〃　replied　Glenarvan；　deeply　touched　by　the　boy's　genuine　affection。　During　this　conversation　the　horses　had　been　slackening　speed；　and　were　only　walking　now。　〃You　will　find　him？〃　said　Robert　again；　after　a　few　minutes'　silence。　〃Yes；　we'll　find　him；〃　was　Glenarvan's　reply；　〃Thalcave　has　set　us　on　the　track；　and　I　have　great　confidence　in　him。〃　〃Thalcave　is　a　brave　Indian；　isn't　he？〃　said　the　boy。　〃That　indeed　he　is。〃　〃Do　you　know　something；　my　Lord？〃　〃What　is　it；　and　then　I　will　tell　you？〃　〃That　all　the　people　you　have　with　you　are　brave。　Lady　Helena；　whom　I　love　so；　and　the　Major；　with　his　calm　manner；　and　Captain　Mangles；　and　Monsieur　Paganel；　and　all　the　sailors　on　the　DUNCAN。　　How　courageous　and　devoted　they　are。〃　〃Yes；　my　boy；　I　know　that；〃　replied　Glenarvan。　〃And　do　you　know　that　you　are　the　best　of　all。〃　〃No；　most　certainly　I　don't　know　that。〃　〃Well；　it　is　time　you　did；　my　Lord；〃　said　the　boy；　seizing　his　lordship's　hand；　and　covering　it　with　kisses。　Glenarvan　shook　his　head；　but　said　no　more；　as　a　gesture　from　Thalcave　made　them　spur　on　their　horses　and　hurry　forward。　But　it　was　soon　evident　that；　with　the　exception　of　Thaouka；　the　wearied　animals　could　not　go　quicker　than　a　walking　pace。　At　noon　they　were　obliged　to　let　them　rest　for　an　hour。　They　coul