in search of the castaways-第46章

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for　her；　neither　bay　nor　cove；　nor　port；　not　so　much　as　a　creek。　　The　shore　was　composed　of　sand…banks　which　ran　out　into　the　sea；　and　were　more　dangerous　to　approach　than　rocky　shoals。　The　sand…banks　irritate　the　waves；　and　make　the　sea　so　particularly　rough；　that　in　heavy　weather　vessels　that　run　aground　there　are　invariably　dashed　to　pieces。　Though；　then；　the　DUNCAN　would　keep　far　away　from　such　a　coast；　John　Mangles　is　a　prudent　captain　to　get　near。　Tom　Austin；　however；　was　of　the　opinion　that　she　would　be　able　to　keep　five　miles　out。　The　Major　advised　his　impatient　relative　to　restrain　himself　to　circumstances。　　Since　there　was　no　means　of　dissipating　the　darkness；　what　was　the　use　of　straining　his　eyes　by　vainly　endeavoring　to　pierce　through　it。　He　set　to　work　immediately　to　prepare　the　night's　encampment　beneath　the　shelter　of　the　sand…hills；　the　last　provisions　supplied　the　last　meal；　and　afterward；　each；　following　the　Major's　example；　scooped　out　a　hole　in　the　sand；　which　made　a　comfortable　enough　bed；　and　then　covered　himself　with　the　soft　material　up　to　his　chin；　and　fell　into　a　heavy　sleep。　But　Glenarvan　kept　watch。　　There　was　still　a　stiff　breeze　of　wind；　and　the　ocean　had　not　recovered　its　equilibrium　after　the　recent　storm。　　The　waves；　at　all　times　tumultuous；　now　broke　over　the　sand…banks　with　a　noise　like　thunder。　Glenarvan　could　not　rest；　knowing　the　DUNCAN　was　so　near　him。　As　to　supposing　she　had　not　arrived　at　the　appointed　rendezvous；　that　was　out　of　the　question。　　Glenarvan　had　left　the　Bay　of　Talcahuano　on　the　14th　of　October；　and　arrived　on　the　shores　of　the　Atlantic　on　the　12th　of　November。　　He　had　taken　thirty　days　to　cross　Chili；　the　Cordilleras；　the　Pampas；　and　the　Argentine　plains；　giving　the　DUNCAN　ample　time　to　double　Cape　Horn；　and　arrive　on　the　opposite　side。　For　such　a　fast　runner　there　were　no　impediments。　Certainly　the　storm　had　been　very　violent；　and　its　fury　must　have　been　terrible　on　such　a　vast　battlefield　as　the　Atlantic；　but　the　yacht　was　a　good　ship；　and　the　captain　was　a　good　sailor。　He　was　bound　to　be　there；　and　he　would　be　there。　These　reflections；　however；　did　not　calm　Glenarvan。　　When　the　heart　and　the　reason　are　struggling；　it　is　generally　the　heart　that　wins　the　mastery。　　The　laird　of　Malcolm　Castle　felt　the　presence　of　loved　ones　about　him　in　the　darkness　as　he　wandered　up　and　down　the　lonely　strand。　He　gazed；　and　listened；　and　even　fancied　he　caught　occasional　glimpses　of　a　faint　light。　〃I　am　not　mistaken；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃I　saw　a　ship's　light；　one　of　the　lights　on　the　DUNCAN！　　Oh！　why　can't　I　see　in　the　dark？〃　All　at　once　the　thought　rushed　across　him　that　Paganel　said　he　was　a　nyctalope；　and　could　see　at　night。　　He　must　go　and　wake　him。　The　learned　geographer　was　sleeping　as　sound　as　a　mole。　A　strong　arm　pulled　him　up　out　of　the　sand　and　made　him　call　out：　〃Who　goes　there？〃　〃It　is　I；　Paganel。〃　〃Who？〃　〃Glenarvan。　　Come；　I　need　your　eyes。〃　〃My　eyes；〃　replied　Paganel；　rubbing　them　vigorously。　〃Yes；　I　need　your　eyes　to　make　out　the　DUNCAN　in　this　darkness；　so　come。〃　〃Confound　the　nyctalopia！〃　said　Paganel；　inwardly；　though　delighted　to　be　of　any　service　to　his　friend。　He　got　up　and　shook　his　stiffened　limbs；　and　stretching　and　yawning　as　most　people　do　when　roused　from　sleep；　followed　Glenarvan　to　the　beach。　Glenarvan　begged　him　to　examine　the　distant　horizon　across　the　sea；　which　he　did　most　conscientiously　for　some　minutes。　〃Well；　do　you　see　nothing？〃　asked　Glenarvan。　〃Not　a　thing。　　Even　a　cat　couldn't　see　two　steps　before　her。〃　V。　IV　Verne　〃Look　for　a　red　light　or　a　green　oneher　larboard　or　starboard　light。〃　〃I　see　neither　a　red　nor　a　green　light；　all　is　pitch　dark；〃　replied　Paganel；　his　eyes　involuntarily　beginning　to　close。　For　half　an　hour　he　followed　his　impatient　friend；　mechanically　letting　his　head　frequently　drop　on　his　chest；　and　raising　it　again　with　a　start。　At　last　he　neither　answered　nor　spoke；　and　he　reeled　about　like　a　drunken　man。　　Glenarvan　looked　at　him；　and　found　he　was　sound　asleep！　Without　attempting　to　wake　him；　he　took　his　arm；　led　him　back　to　his　hole；　and　buried　him　again　comfortably。　At　dawn　next　morning；　all　the　slumberers　started　to　their　feet　and　rushed　to　the　shore；　shouting　〃Hurrah；　hurrah！〃　as　Lord　Glenarvan's　loud　cry；　〃The　DUNCAN；　the　DUNCAN！〃　broke　upon　his　ear。　There　she　was；　five　miles　out；　her　courses　carefully　reefed；　and　her　steam　half　up。　　Her　smoke　was　lost　in　the　morning　mist。　The　sea　was　so　violent　that　a　vessel　of　her　tonnage　could　not　have　ventured　safely　nearer　the　sand…banks。　Glenarvan；　by　the　aid　of　Paganel's　telescope；　closely　observed　the　movements　of　the　yacht。　　It　was　evident　that　John　Mangles　had　not　perceived　his　passengers；　for　he　continued　his　course　as　before。　But　at　this　very　moment　Thalcave　fired　his　carbine　in　the　direction　of　the　yacht。　　They　listened　and　looked；　but　no　signal　of　recognition　was　returned。　　A　second　and　a　third　time　the　Indian　fired；　awakening　the　echoes　among　the　sand…hills。　At　last　a　white　smoke　was　seen　issuing　from　the　side　of　the　yacht。　〃They　see　us！〃　exclaimed　Glenarvan。　　〃That's　the　cannon　of　the　DUNCAN。〃　A　few　seconds；　and　the　heavy　boom　of　the　cannon　came　across　the　water　and　died　away　on　the　shore。　　The　sails　were　instantly　altered；　and　the　steam　got　up；　so　as　to　get　as　near　the　coast　as　possible。　Presently；　through　the　glass；　they　saw　a　boat　lowered。　〃Lady　Helena　will　not　be　able　to　come；〃　said　Tom　Austin。　〃It　is　too　rough。〃　〃Nor　John　Mangles；〃　added　McNabbs；　〃he　cannot　leave　the　ship。〃　〃My　sister；　my　sister！〃　cried　Robert；　stretching　out　his　arms　toward　the　yacht；　which　was　now　rolling　violently。　〃Oh；　how　I　wish　I　could　get　on　board！〃　said　Glenarvan。　〃Patience；　Edward！　you　will　be　there　in　a　couple　of　hours；〃　replied　the　Major。　Two　hours！　　But　it　was　impossible　for　a　boata　six…oared　one　to　come　and　go　in　a　shorter　space　of　time。　Glenarvan　went　back　to　Thalcave；　who　stood　beside　Thaouka；　with　his　arms　crossed；　looking　quietly　at　the　troubled　waves。　Glenarvan　took　his　hand；　and　pointing　to　the　yacht；　said：　　〃Come！〃　The　Indian　gently　shook　his　head。　〃Come；　friend；〃　repeated　Glenarvan。　〃No；〃　said　Thalcave；　gently。　　〃Here　is　Thaouka；　and　there　the　Pampas；〃　he　added；　embracing　with　a　passionate　gesture　the　wide…stretching　prairies。　Glenarvan　understood　his　refusal。　　He　knew　that　the　Indian　would　never　forsake　the　prairie；　where　the　bones　of　his　fathers　were　whitening；　and　he　knew　the　religious　attachment　of　these　sons　of　the　desert　for　their　native　land。　　He　did　not　urge　Thalcave　longer；　therefore；　but　simply　pressed　his　hand。　Nor　could　he　find　it　in　his　heart　to　insist；　when　the　Indian；　smiling　as　usual；　would　not　accept　the　price　of　his　services；　pushing　back　the　money；　and　saying：　〃For　the　sake　of　friendship。〃　Glenarvan　could　not　reply；　but　he　wished　at　least；　to　leave　the　brave　fellow　some　souvenir　of　his　European　friends。　What　was　there　to　give；　however？　　Arms；　horses；　everything　had　been　destroyed　in　the　unfortunate　inundation；　and　his　friends　were　no　richer　than　himself。　He　was　quite　at　a　loss　how　to　show　his　recognition　of　the　disinterestedness　of　this　noble　guide；　when　a　happy　thought　struck　him。　He　had　an　exquisite　portrait　of　Lady　Helena　in　his　pocket；　a　CHEF…D'OEUVRE　of　Lawrence。