in search of the castaways-第41章

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e　anything　to　stop　himself。　　A　few　minutes　more；　and　he　would　have　fallen　into　the　roaring　waters　had　not　the　Major's　strong　arm　barred　his　passage。　〃Much　obliged；　McNabbs；〃　said　Paganel。　〃How's　this？　　What　is　the　matter　with　you？　　What　came　over　you？　Another　of　your　absent　fits。〃　〃Yes；　yes；〃　replied　Paganel；　in　a　voice　almost　inarticulate　with　emotion。　〃Yes；　but　this　was　something　extraordinary。〃　〃What　was　it？〃　〃I　said　we　had　made　a　mistake。　　We　are　making　it　still；　and　have　been　all　along。〃　〃Explain　yourself。〃　〃Glenarvan；　Major；　Robert；　my　friends；〃　exclaimed　Paganel；　〃all　you　that　hear　me；　we　are　looking　for　Captain　Grant　where　he　is　not　to　be　found。〃　〃What　do　you　say？〃　exclaimed　Glenarvan。　〃Not　only　where　he　is　not　now；　but　where　he　has　never　been。〃

CHAPTER　XXIV　PAGANEL'S　DISCLOSURE

PROFOUND　astonishment　greeted　these　unexpected　words　of　the　learned　geographer。　　What　could　he　mean？　　Had　he　lost　his　sense？　He　spoke　with　such　conviction；　however；　that　all　eyes　turned　toward　Glenarvan；　for　Paganel's　affirmation　was　a　direct　answer　to　his　question；　but　Glenarvan　shook　his　head；　and　said　nothing；　though　evidently　he　was　not　inclined　to　favor　his　friend's　views。　〃Yes；〃　began　Paganel　again；　as　soon　as　he　had　recovered　himself　a　little；　〃yes；　we　have　gone　a　wrong　track；　and　read　on　the　document　what　was　never　there。〃　〃Explain　yourself；　Paganel；〃　said　the　Major；　〃and　more　calmly　if　you　can。〃　〃The　thing　is　very　simple；　Major。　　Like　you；　I　was　in　error；　like　you；　I　had　rushed　at　a　false　interpretation；　until　about　an　instant　ago；　on　the　top　of　the　tree；　when　I　was　answering　your　questions；　just　as　I　pronounced　the　word　'Australia；'　a　sudden　flash　came　across　my　mind；　and　the　document　became　clear　as　day。〃　〃What！〃　exclaimed　Glenarvan；　〃you　mean　to　say　that　Harry　Grant〃　〃I　mean　to　say；〃　replied　Paganel；　〃that　the　word　AUSTRAL　that　occurs　in　the　document　is　not　a　complete　word；　as　we　have　supposed　up　till　now；　but　just　the　root　of　the　word　AUSTRALIE。〃　〃Well；　that　would　be　strange；〃　said　the　Major。　〃Strange！〃　repeated　Glenarvan；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　〃it　is　simply　impossible。〃　〃Impossible？〃　returned　Paganel。　　〃That　is　a　word　we　don't　allow　in　France。〃　〃What！〃　continued　Glenarvan；　in　a　tone　of　the　most　profound　incredulity；　〃you　dare　to　contend；　with　the　document　in　your　hand；　that　the　shipwreck　of　the　BRITANNIA　happened　on　the　shores　of　Australia。〃　〃I　am　sure　of　it；〃　replied　Paganel。　〃My　conscience；〃　exclaimed　Glenarvan；　〃I　must　say　I　am　surprised　at　such　a　declaration　from　the　Secretary　of　a　Geographical　Society！〃　〃And　why　so？〃　said　Paganel；　touched　in　his　weak　point。　〃Because；　if　you　allow　the　word　AUSTRALIE！　you　must　also　allow　the　word　INDIENS；　and　Indians　are　never　seen　there。〃　Paganel　was　not　the　least　surprised　at　this　rejoinder。　Doubtless　he　expected　it；　for　he　began　to　smile；　and　said：　〃My　dear　Glenarvan；　don't　triumph　over　me　too　fast。　I　am　going　to　floor　you　completely；　and　never　was　an　Englishman　more　thoroughly　defeated　than　you　will　be。　It　will　be　the　revenge　for　Cressy　and　Agincourt。〃　〃I　wish　nothing　better。　　Take　your　revenge；　Paganel。〃　〃Listen；　then。　　In　the　text　of　the　document；　there　is　neither　mention　of　the　Indians　nor　of　Patagonia！　　The　incomplete　word　INDI　does　not　mean　INDIENS；　but　of　course；　INDIGENES；　aborigines！　　Now；　do　you　admit　that　there　are　aborigines　in　Australia？〃　〃Bravo；　Paganel！〃　said　the　Major。　〃Well；　do　you　agree　to　my　interpretation；　my　dear　Lord？〃　asked　the　geographer　again。　〃Yes；〃　replied　Glenarvan；　〃if　you　will　prove　to　me　that　the　fragment　of　a　word　GONIE；　does　not　refer　to　the　country　of　the　Patagonians。〃　〃Certainly　it　does　not。　　It　has　nothing　to　do　with　Patagonia；〃　said　Paganel。　　〃Read　it　any　way　you　please　except　that。〃　〃How？〃　〃_Cosmogonie；　theogonie；　agonie_。〃　〃AGONIE；〃　said　the　Major。　〃I　don't　care　which；〃　returned　Paganel。　　〃The　word　is　quite　unimportant；　I　will　not　even　try　to　find　out　its　meaning。　The　main　point　is　that　AUSTRAL　means　AUSTRALIE；　and　we　must　have　gone　blindly　on　a　wrong　track　not　to　have　discovered　the　explanation　at　the　very　beginning；　it　was　so　evident。　If　I　had　found　the　document　myself；　and　my　judgment　had　not　been　misled　by　your　interpretation；　I　should　never　have　read　it　differently。〃　A　burst　of　hurrahs；　and　congratulations；　and　compliments　followed　Paganel's　words。　　Austin　and　the　sailors；　and　the　Major　and　Robert；　most　all　overjoyed　at　this　fresh　hope；　applauded　him　heartily；　while　even　Glenarvan；　whose　eyes　were　gradually　getting　open；　was　almost　prepared　to　give　in。　〃I　only　want　to　know　one　thing　more；　my　dear　Paganel；〃　he　said；　〃and　then　I　must　bow　to　your　perspicacity。〃　〃What　is　it？〃　〃How　will　you　group　the　words　together　according　to　your　new　interpretation？　　How　will　the　document　read？〃　〃Easily　enough　answered。　　Here　is　the　document；〃　replied　Paganel；　taking　out　the　precious　paper　he　had　been　studying　so　conscientiously　for　the　last　few　days。　For　a　few　minutes　there　was　complete　silence；　while　the　worthy　SAVANT　took　time　to　collect　his　thoughts　before　complying　with　his　lordship's　request。　　Then　putting　his　finger　on　the　words；　and　emphasizing　some　of　them；　he　began　as　follows：　〃'_Le　7　juin_　1862　_le　trois…mats　Britannia　de　Glasgow　a　sombre　apres_；'　put；　if　you　please；　'_deux　jours；　trois　jours_；'　or　'_une　longue　agonie_；'　it　doesn't　signify；　it　is　quite　a　matter　of　indifference；'_sur　les　cotes　de　l'Australie。　Se　dirigeant　a　terre；　deux　matelots　et　le　Capitaine　Grant　vont　essayer　d'aborder_；'　or　'_ont　aborde　le　continent　ou　ils　seront_；'　or；　'_sont　prisonniers　de　cruels　indigenes。　Ils　ont　jete　ce　documents_；'　etc。　　Is　that　clear？〃　〃Clear　enough；〃　replied　Glenarvan；　〃if　the　word　continent　can　be　applied　to　Australia；　which　is　only　an　island。〃　〃Make　yourself　easy　about　that；　my　dear　Glenarvan；　the　best　geographers　have　agreed　to　call　the　island　the　Australian　Continent。〃　V。　IV　Verne　〃Then　all　I　have　now　to　say　is；　my　friends；〃　said　Glenarvan；　〃away　to　Australia；　and　may　Heaven　help　us！〃　〃To　Australia！〃　echoed　his　companions；　with　one　voice。　〃I　tell　you　what；　Paganel；〃　added　Glenarvan；　〃your　being　on　board　the　DUNCAN　is　a　perfect　providence。〃　〃All　right。　　Look　on　me　as　a　messenger　of　providence；　and　let　us　drop　the　subject。〃　So　the　conversation　endeda　conversation　which　great　results　were　to　follow；　it　completely　changed　the　moral　condition　of　the　travelers；　it　gave　the　clew　of　the　labyrinth　in　which　they　had　thought　themselves　hopelessly　entangled；　and；　amid　their　ruined　projects；　inspired　them　with　fresh　hope。　　They　could　now　quit　the　American　Continent　without　the　least　hesitation；　and　already　their　thoughts　had　flown　to　the　Australias。　　In　going　on　board　the　DUNCAN　again　they　would　not　bring　despair　with　them；　and　Lady　Helena　and　Mary　Grant　would　not　have　to　mourn　the　irrevocable　loss　of　Captain　Grant。　　This　thought　so　filled　them　with　joy　that　they　forgot　all　the　dangers　of　their　actual　situation；　and　only　regretted　that　they　could　not　start　immediately。　It　was　about　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　and　they　determined　to　have　supper　at　six。　　Paganel　wished　to　get　up　a　splendid　spread　in　honor　of　the　occasion；　but　as　the　materials　were　very　scanty；　he　proposed　to　Robert　to　go　and　hunt　in　the　neighboring　forest。　Robert　clapped　his　hands　at　the　idea；　so　t