in search of the castaways-第40章

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y　among　the　leaves；　not　to　speak　of　their　feathered　proprietors。　These　resources　were　by　no　means　to　be　despised。　The　next　business　was　to　install　themselves　as　comfortably　as　they　could；　in　prospect　of　a　long　stay。　〃As　the　kitchen　and　dining…room　are　on　the　ground　floor；〃　said　Paganel；　〃we　must　sleep　on　the　first　floor。　　The　house　is　large；　and　as　the　rent　is　not　dear；　we　must　not　cramp　ourselves　for　room。　I　can　see　up　yonder　natural　cradles；　in　which　once　safely　tucked　up　we　shall　sleep　as　if　we　were　in　the　best　beds　in　the　world。　We　have　nothing　to　fear。　　Besides；　we　will　watch；　and　we　are　numerous　enough　to　repulse　a　fleet　of　Indians　and　other　wild　animals。〃　〃We　only　want　fire…arms。〃　〃I　have　my　revolvers；〃　said　Glenarvan。　〃And　I　have　mine；〃　replied　Robert。　〃But　what's　the　good　of　them？〃　said　Tom　Austin；　〃unless　Monsieur　Paganel　can　find　out　some　way　of　making　powder。〃　〃We　don't　need　it；〃　replied　McNabbs；　exhibiting　a　powder　flask　in　a　perfect　state　of　preservation。　〃Where　did　you　get　it　from；　Major；〃　asked　Paganel。　〃From　Thalcave。　　He　thought　it　might　be　useful　to　us；　and　gave　it　to　me　before　he　plunged　into　the　water　to　save　Thaouka。〃　〃Generous；　brave　Indian！〃　exclaimed　Glenarvan。　〃Yes；〃　replied　Tom　Austin；　〃if　all　the　Patagonians　are　cut　after　the　same　pattern；　I　must　compliment　Patagonia。〃　〃I　protest　against　leaving　out　the　horse；〃　said　Paganel。　　〃He　is　part　and　parcel　of　the　Patagonian；　and　I'm　much　mistaken　if　we　don't　see　them　again；　the　one　on　the　other's　back。〃　〃What　distance　are　we　from　the　Atlantic？〃　asked　the　Major。　〃About　forty　miles　at　the　outside；〃　replied　Paganel；　〃and　now；　friends；　since　this　is　Liberty　Hall；　I　beg　to　take　leave　of　you。　I　am　going　to　choose　an　observatory　for　myself　up　there；　and　by　the　help　of　my　telescope；　let　you　know　how　things　are　going　on　in　the　world。〃　Forthwith　the　geographer　set　off；　hoisting　himself　up　very　cleverly　from　bough　to　bough；　till　he　disappeared　beyond　the　thick　foliage。　His　companions　began　to　arrange　the　night　quarters；　and　prepare　their　beds。　　But　this　was　neither　a　long　nor　difficult　task；　and　very　soon　they　resumed　their　seats　round　the　fire　to　have　a　talk。　As　usual　their　theme　was　Captain　Grant。　　In　three　days；　should　the　water　subside；　they　would　be　on　board　the　DUNCAN　once　more。　But　Harry　Grant　and　his　two　sailors；　those　poor　shipwrecked　fellows；　would　not　be　with　them。　　Indeed；　it　even　seemed　after　this　ill　success　and　this　useless　journey　across　America；　that　all　chance　of　finding　them　was　gone　forever。　　Where　could　they　commence　a　fresh　quest？　What　grief　Lady　Helena　and　Mary　Grant　would　feel　on　hearing　there　was　no　further　hope。　〃Poor　sister！〃　said　Robert。　　〃It　is　all　up　with　us。〃　For　the　first　time　Glenarvan　could　not　find　any　comfort　to　give　him。　What　could　he　say　to　the　lad？　Had　they　not　searched　exactly　where　the　document　stated？　〃And　yet；〃　he　said；　〃this　thirty…seventh　degree　of　latitude　is　not　a　mere　figure；　and　that　it　applies　to　the　shipwreck　or　captivity　of　Harry　Grant；　is　no　mere　guess　or　supposition。　We　read　it　with　our　own　eyes。〃　〃All　very　true；　your　Honor；〃　replied　Tom　Austin；　〃and　yet　our　search　has　been　unsuccessful。〃　〃It　is　both　a　provoking　and　hopeless　business；〃　replied　Glenarvan。　〃Provoking　enough；　certainly；〃　said　the　Major；　〃but　not　hopeless。　It　is　precisely　because　we　have　an　uncon…testable　figure；　provided　for　us；　that　we　should　follow　it　up　to　the　end。〃　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Glenarvan。　　〃What　more　can　we　do？〃　〃A　very　logical　and　simple　thing；　my　dear　Edward。　　When　we　go　on　board　the　DUNCAN；　turn　her　beak　head　to　the　east；　and　go　right　along　the　thirty…seventh　parallel　till　we　come　back　to　our　starting　point　if　necessary。〃　〃Do　you　suppose　that　I　have　not　thought　of　that；　Mr。　McNabbs？〃　replied　Glenarvan。　　〃Yes；　a　hundred　times。　　But　what　chance　is　there　of　success？　　To　leave　the　American　continent；　wouldn't　it　be　to　go　away　from　the　very　spot　indicated　by　Harry　Grant；　from　this　very　Patagonia　so　distinctly　named　in　the　document。〃　〃And　would　you　recommence　your　search　in　the　Pampas；　when　you　have　the　certainty　that　the　shipwreck　of　the　BRITANNIA　neither　occurred　on　the　coasts　of　the　Pacific　nor　the　Atlantic？〃　Glenarvan　was　silent。　〃And　however　small　the　chance　of　finding　Harry　Grant　by　following　up　the　given　parallel；　ought　we　not　to　try？〃　〃I　don't　say　no；〃　replied　Glenarvan。　〃And　are　you　not　of　my　opinion；　good　friends；〃　added　the　Major；　addressing　the　sailors。　〃Entirely；〃　said　Tom　Austin；　while　Mulrady　and　Wilson　gave　an　assenting　nod。　〃Listen　to　me；　friends；〃　said　Glenarvan　after　a　few　minutes'　reflection；　〃and　remember；　Robert；　this　is　a　grave　discussion。　I　will　do　my　utmost　to　find　Captain　Grant；　I　am　pledged　to　it；　and　will　devote　my　whole　life　to　the　task　if　needs　be。　　All　Scotland　would　unite　with　me　to　save　so　devoted　a　son　as　he　has　been　to　her。　I　too　quite　think　with　you　that　we　must　follow　the　thirty…seventh　parallel　round　the　globe　if　necessary；　however　slight　our　chance　of　finding　him。　　But　that　is　not　the　question　we　have　to　settle。　There　is　one　much　more　important　than　that　isshould　we　from　this　time；　and　all　together；　give　up　our　search　on　the　American　continent？〃　No　one　made　any　reply。　　Each　one　seemed　afraid　to　pronounce　the　word。　〃Well？〃　resumed　Glenarvan；　addressing　himself　especially　to　the　Major。　〃My　dear　Edward；〃　replied　McNabbs；　〃it　would　be　incurring　too　great　a　responsibility　for　me　to　reply　_hic　et　nunc_。　It　is　a　question　which　requires　reflection。　　I　must　know　first；　through　which　countries　the　thirty…seventh　parallel　of　southern　latitude　passes？〃　〃That's　Paganel's　business；　he　will　tell　you　that；〃　said　Glenarvan。　〃Let's　ask　him；　then；〃　replied　the　Major。　But　the　learned　geographer　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　He　was　hidden　among　the　thick　leafage　of　the　OMBU；　and　they　must　call　out　if　they　wanted　him。　〃Paganel；　Paganel！〃　shouted　Glenarvan。　〃Here；〃　replied　a　voice　that　seemed　to　come　from　the　clouds。　〃Where　are　you？〃　〃In　my　tower。〃　〃What　are　you　doing　there？〃　〃Examining　the　wide　horizon。〃　〃Could　you　come　down　for　a　minute？〃　〃Do　you　want　me？〃　〃Yes。〃　〃What　for？〃　〃To　know　what　countries　the　thirty…seventh　parallel　passes　through。〃　〃That's　easily　said。　　I　need　not　disturb　myself　to　come　down　for　that。〃　〃Very　well；　tell　us　now。〃　〃Listen；　then。　　After　leaving　America　the　thirty…seventh　parallel　crosses　the　Atlantic　Ocean。〃　〃And　then？〃　〃It　encounters　Isle　Tristan　d'Acunha。〃　〃Yes。〃　〃It　goes　on　two　degrees　below　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope。〃　〃And　afterwards？〃　〃Runs　across　the　Indian　Ocean；　and　just　touches　Isle　St。　Pierre；　in　the　Amsterdam　group。〃　〃Go　on。〃　〃It　cuts　Australia　by　the　province　of　Victoria。〃　〃And　then。〃　〃After　leaving　Australia　in〃　This　last　sentence　was　not　completed。　　Was　the　geographer　hesitating；　or　didn't　he　know　what　to　say？　No；　but　a　terrible　cry　resounded　from　the　top　of　the　tree。　Glenarvan　and　his　friends　turned　pale　and　looked　at　each　other。　What　fresh　catastrophe　had　happened　now？　　Had　the　unfortunate　Paganel　slipped　his　footing？　Already　Wilson　and　Mulrady　had　rushed　to　his　rescue　when　his　long　body　appeared　tumbling　down　from　branch　to　branch。　But　was　he　living　or　dead；　for　his　hands　made　no　attempt　to　seize　anything　to　stop　himself。　　A　few　minutes　more；　and　he　would　have　fallen　into　the　roaring　waters　ha