in search of the castaways-第36章

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iques；　he　must　have　been　dragged　north　with　them。　How　and　where　should　they　ever　find　him　if　that　were　the　case？　Should　they　attempt　a　perilous　and　almost　useless　journey　to　the　northern　border　of　the　Pampas？　　It　was　a　serious　question　which　would　need　to　be　well　talked　over。　However；　there　was　one　inquiry　more　to　make　to　the　Sergeant；　and　it　was　the　Major　who　thought　of　it；　for　all　the　others　looked　at　each　other　in　silence。　〃Had　the　Sergeant　heard　whether　any　Europeans　were　prisoners　in　the　hands　of　the　Caciques？〃　Manuel　looked　thoughtful　for　a　few　minutes；　like　a　man　trying　to　ransack　his　memory。　　At　last　he　said：　〃Yes。〃　〃Ah！〃　said　Glenarvan；　catching　at　the　fresh　hope。　They　all　eagerly　crowded　round　the　Sergeant；　exclaiming；　〃Tell　us；　tell　us。〃　〃It　was　some　years　ago；〃　replied　Manuel。　　〃Yes；　all　I　heard　was　that　some　Europeans　were　prisoners；　but　I　never　saw　them。〃　〃You　are　making　a　mistake；〃　said　Glenarvan。　　〃It　can't　be　some　years　ago；　the　date　of　the　shipwreck　is　explicitly　given。　The　BRITANNIA　was　wrecked　in　June；　1862。　　It　is　scarcely　two　years　ago。〃　〃Oh；　more　than　that；　my　Lord。〃　〃Impossible！〃　said　Paganel。　〃Oh；　but　it　must　be。　　It　was　when　Pepe　was　born。　There　were　two　prisoners。〃　〃No；　three！〃　said　Glenarvan。　〃Two！〃　replied　the　Sergeant；　in　a　positive　tone。　〃Two？〃　echoed　Glenarvan；　much　surprised。　　〃Two　Englishmen？〃　〃No；　no。　　Who　is　talking　of　Englishmen？　　No；　a　Frenchman　and　an　Italian。〃　〃An　Italian　who　was　massacred　by　the　Poyuches？〃　exclaimed　Paganel。　〃Yes；　and　I　heard　afterward　that　the　Frenchman　was　saved。〃　〃Saved！〃　exclaimed　young　Robert；　his　very　life　hanging　on　the　lips　of　the　Sergeant。　Yes；　delivered　out　of　the　hands　of　the　Indians。〃　Paganel　struck　his　forehead　with　an　air　of　desperation；　and　said　at　last；　〃Ah！　　I　understand。　　It　is　all　clear　now；　everything　is　explained。〃　〃But　what　is　it？〃　asked　Glenarvan；　with　as　much　impatience。　〃My　friends；〃　replied　Paganel；　taking　both　Robert's　hands　in　his　own；　〃we　must　resign　ourselves　to　a　sad　disaster。　We　have　been　on　a　wrong　track。　　The　prisoner　mentioned　is　not　the　captain　at　all；　but　one　of　my　own　countrymen；　and　his　companion；　who　was　assassinated　by　the　Poyuches；　was　Marco　Vazello。　　The　Frenchman　was　dragged　along　by　the　cruel　Indians　several　times　as　far　as　the　shores　of　the　Colorado；　but　managed　at　length　to　make　his　escape；　and　return　to　Colorado。　　Instead　of　following　the　track　of　Harry　Grant；　we　have　fallen　on　that　of　young　Guinnard。〃　This　announcement　was　heard　with　profound　silence。　The　mistake　was　palpable。　　The　details　given　by　the　Sergeant；　the　nationality　of　the　prisoner；　the　murder　of　his　companions；　his　escape　from　the　hands　of　the　Indians；　all　evidenced　the　fact。　Glenarvan　looked　at　Thalcave　with　a　crestfallen　face；　and　the　Indian；　turning　to　the　Sergeant；　asked　whether　he　had　never　heard　of　three　English　captives。　〃Never；〃　replied　Manuel。　　〃They　would　have　known　of　them　at　Tandil；　I　am　sure。　　No；　it　cannot　be。〃　After　this；　there　was　nothing　further　to　do　at　Fort　Independence　but　to　shake　hands　with　the　Commandant；　and　thank　him　and　take　leave。　Glenarvan　was　in　despair　at　this　complete　overthrow　of　his　hopes；　and　Robert　walked　silently　beside　him；　with　his　eyes　full　of　tears。　Glenarvan　could　not　find　a　word　of　comfort　to　say　to　him。　Paganel　gesticulated　and　talked　away　to　himself。　　The　Major　never　opened　his　mouth；　nor　Thalcave；　whose　_amour　propre_；　as　an　Indian；　seemed　quite　wounded　by　having　allowed　himself　to　go　on　a　wrong　scent。　No　one；　however；　would　have　thought　of　reproaching　him　for　an　error　so　pardonable。　They　went　back　to　the　FONDA；　and　had　supper；　but　it　was　a　gloomy　party　that　surrounded　the　table。　　It　was　not　that　any　one　of　them　regretted　the　fatigue　they　had　so　heedlessly　endured　or　the　dangers　they　had　run；　but　they　felt　their　hope　of　success　was　gone；　for　there　was　no　chance　of　coming　across　Captain　Grant　between　the　Sierra　Tandil　and　the　sea；　as　Sergeant　Manuel　must　have　heard　if　any　prisoners　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　Indians　on　the　coast　of　the　Atlantic。　　Any　event　of　this　nature　would　have　attracted　the　notice　of　the　Indian　traders　who　traffic　between　Tandil　and　Carmen；　at　the　mouth　of　the　Rio　Negro。　　The　best　thing　to　do　now　was　to　get　to　the　DUNCAN　as　quick　as　possible　at　the　appointed　rendezvous。　Paganel　asked　Glenarvan；　however；　to　let　him　have　the　document　again；　on　the　faith　of　which　they　had　set　out　on　so　bootless　a　search。　He　read　it　over　and　over；　as　if　trying　to　extract　some　new　meaning　out　of　it。　〃Yet　nothing　can　be　clearer；〃　said　Glenarvan；　〃it　gives　the　date　of　the　shipwreck；　and　the　manner；　and　the　place　of　the　captivity　in　the　most　categorical　manner。〃　〃That　it　does　notno；　it　does　not！〃　exclaimed　Paganel；　striking　the　table　with　his　fist。　　〃Since　Harry　Grant　is　not　in　the　Pampas；　he　is　not　in　America；　but　where　he　is　the　document　must　say；　and　it　shall　say；　my　friends；　or　my　name　is　not　Jacques　Paganel　any　longer。〃

CHAPTER　XXII　THE　FLOOD

A　DISTANCE　of　150　miles　separates　Fort　Independence　from　the　shores　of　the　Atlantic。　　Unless　unexpected　and　certainly　improbable　delays　should　occur；　in　four　days　Glenarvan　would　rejoin　the　DUNCAN。　　But　to　return　on　board　without　Captain　Grant；　and　after　having　so　completely　failed　in　his　search；　was　what　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　do。　Consequently；　when　next　day　came；　he　gave　no　orders　for　departure；　the　Major　took　it　upon　himself　to　have　the　horses　saddled；　and　make　all　preparations。　　Thanks　to　his　activity；　next　morning　at　eight　o'clock　the　little　troop　was　descending　the　grassy　slopes　of　the　Sierra。　Glenarvan；　with　Robert　at　his　side；　galloped　along　without　saying　a　word。　His　bold；　determined　nature　made　it　impossible　to　take　failure　quietly。　His　heart　throbbed　as　if　it　would　burst；　and　his　head　was　burning。　Paganel；　excited　by　the　difficulty；　was　turning　over　and　over　the　words　of　the　document；　and　trying　to　discover　some　new　meaning。　Thalcave　was　perfectly　silent；　and　left　Thaouka　to　lead　the　way。　The　Major；　always　confident；　remained　firm　at　his　post；　like　a　man　on　whom　discouragement　takes　no　hold。　　Tom　Austin　and　his　two　sailors　shared　the　dejection　of　their　master。　　A　timid　rabbit　happened　to　run　across　their　path；　and　the　superstitious　men　looked　at　each　other　in　dismay。　〃A　bad　omen；〃　said　Wilson。　〃Yes；　in　the　Highlands；〃　repeated　Mulrady。　〃What's　bad　in　the　Highlands　is　not　better　here；〃　returned　Wilson　sententiously。　Toward　noon　they　had　crossed　the　Sierra；　and　descended　into　the　undulating　plains　which　extend　to　the　sea。　　Limpid　RIOS　intersected　these　plains；　and　lost　themselves　among　the　tall　grasses。　The　ground　had　once　more　become　a　dead　level；　the　last　mountains　of　the　Pampas　were　passed；　and　a　long　carpet　of　verdure　unrolled　itself　over　the　monotonous　prairie　beneath　the　horses'　tread。　Hitherto　the　weather　had　been　fine；　but　to…day　the　sky　presented　anything　but　a　reassuring　appearance。　　The　heavy　vapors；　generated　by　the　high　temperature　of　the　preceding　days；　hung　in　thick　clouds；　which　ere　long　would　empty　themselves　in　torrents　of　rain。　Moreover；　the　vicinity　of　the　Atlantic；　and　the　prevailing　west　wind；　made　the　climate　of　this　district　particularly　damp。　This　was　evident　by　the　fertility　and　abundance　of　the　pasture　and　its　dark　color。　　Ho