in search of the castaways-第43章

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es。〃　〃But　they　want　wings；〃　suggested　the　Major。　〃They'll　make　them　some　day。〃　〃And　till　then；〃　put　in　Glenarvan；　〃with　your　leave；　I　prefer　the　gravel　of　a　park；　or　the　floor　of　a　house；　or　the　deck　of　a　ship；　to　this　aerial　dwelling。〃　〃We　must　take　things　as　they　come；　Glenarvan；〃　returned　Paganel。　〃If　good；　so　much　the　better；　if　bad；　never　mind。　　Ah；　I　see　you　are　wishing　you　had　all　the　comforts　of　Malcolm　Castle。〃　〃No；　but〃　〃I　am　quite　certain　Robert　is　perfectly　happy；〃　interrupted　Paganel；　eager　to　insure　one　partisan　at　least。　〃Yes；　that　I　am！〃　exclaimed　Robert；　in　a　joyous　tone。　〃At　his　age　it　is　quite　natural；〃　replied　Glenarvan。　〃And　at　mine；　too；〃　returned　the　geographer。　　〃The　fewer　one's　comforts；　the　fewer　one's　needs；　and　the　fewer　one's　needs；　the　greater　one's　happiness。〃　〃Now；　now；〃　said　the　Major；　〃here　is　Paganel　running　a　tilt　against　riches　and　gilt　ceilings。〃　〃No；　McNabbs；〃　replied　the　SAVANT；　〃I'm　not；　but　if　you　like；　I'll　tell　you　a　little　Arabian　story　that　comes　into　my　mind；　very　APROPOS　this　minute。〃　〃Oh；　do；　do；〃　said　Robert。　〃And　what　is　your　story　to　prove；　Paganel？〃　inquired　the　Major。　〃Much　what　all　stories　prove；　my　brave　comrade。〃　〃Not　much　then；〃　rejoined　McNabbs。　　〃But　go　on；　Scheherazade；　and　tell　us　the　story。〃　〃There　was　once；〃　said　Paganel；　〃a　son　of　the　great　Haroun…al…Raschid；　who　was　unhappy；　and　went　to　consult　an　old　Dervish。　　The　old　sage　told　him　that　happiness　was　a　difficult　thing　to　find　in　this　world。　'However；'　he　added；　'I　know　an　infallible　means　of　procuring　your　happiness。'　　'What　is　it？'　asked　the　young　Prince。　　'It　is　to　put　the　shirt　of　a　happy　man　on　your　shoulders。'　Whereupon　the　Prince　embraced　the　old　man；　and　set　out　at　once　to　search　for　his　talisman。　　He　visited　all　the　capital　cities　in　the　world。　He　tried　on　the　shirts　of　kings；　and　emperors；　and　princes　and　nobles；　but　all　in　vain：　　he　could　not　find　a　man　among　them　that　was　happy。　Then　he　put　on　the　shirts　of　artists；　and　warriors；　and　merchants；　but　these　were　no　better。　　By　this　time　he　had　traveled　a　long　way；　without　finding　what　he　sought。　　At　last　he　began　to　despair　of　success；　and　began　sorrowfully　to　retrace　his　steps　back　to　his　father's　palace；　when　one　day　he　heard　an　honest　peasant　singing　so　merrily　as　he　drove　the　plow；　that　he　thought；　'Surely　this　man　is　happy；　if　there　is　such　a　thing　as　happiness　on　earth。'　　Forthwith　he　accosted　him；　and　said；　'Are　you　happy？'　　'Yes；'　was　the　reply。　'There　is　nothing　you　desire？'　　'Nothing。'　　'You　would　not　change　your　lot　for　that　of　a　king？'　　'Never！'　　'Well；　then；　sell　me　your　shirt。'　'My　shirt！　　I　haven't　one！'〃

CHAPTER　XXV　BETWEEN　FIRE　AND　WATER

BEFORE　turning　into　〃their　nest；〃　as　Paganel　had　called　it；　he；　and　Robert；　and　Glenarvan　climbed　up　into　the　observatory　to　have　one　more　inspection　of　the　liquid　plain。　　It　was　about　nine　o'clock；　the　sun　had　just　sunk　behind　the　glowing　mists　of　the　western　horizon。　The　eastern　horizon　was　gradually　assuming　a　most　stormy　aspect。　A　thick　dark　bar　of　cloud　was　rising　higher　and　higher；　and　by　degrees　extinguishing　the　stars。　　Before　long　half　the　sky　was　overspread。　Evidently　motive　power　lay　in　the　cloud　itself；　for　there　was　not　a　breath　of　wind。　　Absolute　calm　reigned　in　the　atmosphere；　not　a　leaf　stirred　on　the　tree；　not　a　ripple　disturbed　the　surface　of　the　water。　　There　seemed　to　be　scarcely　any　air　even；　as　though　some　vast　pneumatic　machine　had　rarefied　it。　The　entire　atmosphere　was　charged　to　the　utmost　with　electricity；　the　presence　of　which　sent　a　thrill　through　the　whole　nervous　system　of　all　animated　beings。　〃We　are　going　to　have　a　storm；〃　said　Paganel。　〃You're　not　afraid　of　thunder；　are　you；　Robert？〃　asked　Glenarvan。　〃No；　my　Lord！〃　exclaimed　Robert。　　〃Well；　my　boy；　so　much　the　better；　for　a　storm　is　not　far　off。〃　〃And　a　violent　one；　too；〃　added　Paganel；　〃if　I　may　judge　by　the　look　of　things。〃　〃It　is　not　the　storm　I　care　about；〃　said　Glenarvan；　〃so　much　as　the　torrents　of　rain　that　will　accompany　it。　We　shall　be　soaked　to　the　skin。　　Whatever　you　may　say；　Paganel；　a　nest　won't　do　for　a　man；　and　you　will　learn　that　soon；　to　your　cost。〃　〃With　the　help　of　philosophy；　it　will；〃　replied　Paganel。　〃Philosophy！　that　won't　keep　you　from　getting　drenched。〃　〃No；　but　it　will　warm　you。〃　〃Well；〃　said　Glenarvan；　〃we　had　better　go　down　to　our　friends；　and　advise　them　to　wrap　themselves　up　in　their　philosophy　and　their　ponchos　as　tightly　as　possible；　and　above　all；　to　lay　in　a　stock　of　patience；　for　we　shall　need　it　before　very　long。〃　Glenarvan　gave　a　last　glance　at　the　angry　sky。　　The　clouds　now　covered　it　entirely；　only　a　dim　streak　of　light　shone　faintly　in　the　west。　A　dark　shadow　lay　on　the　water；　and　it　could　hardly　be　distinguished　from　the　thick　vapors　above　it。　　There　was　no　sensation　of　light　or　sound。　All　was　darkness　and　silence　around。　〃Let　us　go　down；〃　said　Glenarvan；　〃the　thunder　will　soon　burst　over　us。〃　On　returning　to　the　bottom　of　the　tree；　they　found　themselves；　to　their　great　surprise；　in　a　sort　of　dim　twilight；　produced　by　myriads　of　luminous　specks　which　appeared　buzzing　confusedly　over　the　surface　of　the　water。　〃It　is　phosphorescence；　I　suppose；〃　said　Glenarvan。　〃No；　but　phosphorescent　insects；　positive　glow…worms；　living　diamonds；　which　the　ladies　of　Buenos　Ayres　convert　into　magnificent　ornaments。〃　〃What！〃　exclaimed　Robert；　〃those　sparks　flying　about　are　insects！〃　〃Yes；　my　boy。〃　Robert　caught　one　in　his　hand；　and　found　Paganel　was　right。　It　was　a　kind　of　large　drone；　an　inch　long；　and　the　Indians　call　it　〃tuco…tuco。〃　This　curious　specimen　of　the　COLEOPTERA　sheds　its　radiance　from　two　spots　in　the　front　of　its　breast…plate；　and　the　light　is　sufficient　to　read　by。　Holding　his　watch　close　to　the　insect；　Paganel　saw　distinctly　that　the　time　was　10　P。　M。　On　rejoining　the　Major　and　his　three　sailors；　Glenarvan　warned　them　of　the　approaching　storm；　and　advised　them　to　secure　themselves　in　their　beds　of　branches　as　firmly　as　possible；　for　there　was　no　doubt　that　after　the　first　clap　of　thunder　the　wind　would　become　unchained；　and　the　OMBU　would　be　violently　shaken。　Though　they　could　not　defend　themselves　from　the　waters　above；　they　might　at　least　keep　out　of　the　rushing　current　beneath。　They　wished　one　another　〃good…night；〃　though　hardly　daring　to　hope　for　it；　and　then　each　one　rolled　himself　in　his　poncho　and　lay　down　to　sleep。　But　the　approach　of　the　great　phenomena　of　nature　excites　vague　uneasiness　in　the　heart　of　every　sentient　being；　even　in　the　most　strong…minded。　The　whole　party　in　the　OMBU　felt　agitated　and　oppressed；　and　not　one　of　them　could　close　his　eyes。　　The　first　peal　of　thunder　found　them　wide　awake。　It　occurred　about　11　P。　M。；　and　sounded　like　a　distant　rolling。　Glenarvan　ventured　to　creep　out　of　the　sheltering　foliage；　and　made　his　way　to　the　extremity　of　the　horizontal　branch　to　take　a　look　round。　The　deep　blackness　of　the　night　was　already　scarified　with　sharp　bright　lines；　which　were　reflected　back　by　the　water　with　unerring　exactness。　The　clouds　had　rent　in　many　parts；　but　noiselessly；　like　some　soft　cotton　material。　　After　attentively　observing　both　the　zenith　and　horizon；　Glenarvan　went　back　to　the　center　of　the　trunk。　〃Well；　Glenarvan；　what's　your　report？〃　asked