in search of the castaways-第5章

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was　known　to　be　brave　to　excess；　and　full　of　daring　and　chivalry　a　Fer…gus　of　the　nineteenth　century；　but　his　goodness　excelled　every　other　quality；　and　he　was　more　charitable　than　St。　Martin　himself；　for　he　would　have　given　the　whole　of　his　cloak　to　any　of　the　poor　Highlanders。　He　had　scarcely　been　married　three　months；　and　his　bride　was　Miss　Helena　Tuffnell；　the　daughter　of　William　Tuffnell；　the　great　traveler；　one　of　the　many　victims　of　geographical　science　and　of　the　passion　for　discovery。　　Miss　Helena　did　not　belong　to　a　noble　family；　but　she　was　Scotch；　and　that　was　better　than　all　nobility　in　the　eyes　of　Lord　Glenarvan；　and　she　was；　moreover；　a　charming；　high…souled；　religious　young　woman。　Lord　Glenarvan　did　not　forget　that　his　wife　was　the　daughter　of　a　great　traveler；　and　he　thought　it　likely　that　she　would　inherit　her　father's　predilections。　　He　had　the　DUNCAN　built　expressly　that　he　might　take　his　bride　to　the　most　beautiful　lands　in　the　world；　and　complete　their　honeymoon　by　sailing　up　the　Mediterranean；　and　through　the　clustering　islands　of　the　Archipelago。　However；　Lord　Glenarvan　had　gone　now　to　London。　　The　lives　of　the　shipwrecked　men　were　at　stake；　and　Lady　Helena　was　too　much　concerned　herself　about　them　to　grudge　her　husband's　temporary　absence。　A　telegram　next　day　gave　hope　of　his　speedy　return；　but　in　the　evening　a　letter　apprised　her　of　the　difficulties　his　proposition　had　met　with；　and　the　morning　after　brought　another；　in　which　he　openly　expressed　his　dissatisfaction　with　the　Admiralty。　Lady　Helena　began　to　get　anxious　as　the　day　wore　on。　In　the　evening；　when　she　was　sitting　alone　in　her　room；　Mr。　Halbert；　the　house　steward；　came　in　and　asked　if　she　would　see　a　young　girl　and　boy　that　wanted　to　speak　to　Lord　Glenarvan。　〃Some　of　the　country　people？〃　asked　Lady　Helena。　〃No；　madame；〃　replied　the　steward；　〃I　do　not　know　them　at　all。　They　came　by　rail　to　Balloch；　and　walked　the　rest　of　the　way　to　Luss。〃　〃Tell　them　to　come　up；　Halbert。〃　In　a　few　minutes　a　girl　and　boy　were　shown　in。　　They　were　evidently　brother　and　sister；　for　the　resemblance　was　unmistakable。　The　girl　was　about　sixteen　years　of　age；　her　tired　pretty　face；　and　sorrowful　eyes；　and　resigned　but　courageous　look；　as　well　as　her　neat　though　poor　attire；　made　a　favorable　impression。　The　boy　she　held　by　the　hand　was　about　twelve；　but　his　face　expressed　such　determination；　that　he　appeared　quite　his　sister's　protector。　The　girl　seemed　too　shy　to　utter　a　word　at　first；　but　Lady　Helena　quickly　relieved　her　embarrassment　by　saying；　with　an　encouraging　smile：　〃You　wish　to　speak　to　me；　I　think？〃　〃No；〃　replied　the　boy；　in　a　decided　tone；　〃not　to　you；　but　to　Lord　Glenarvan。〃　V。　IV　Verne　〃Excuse　him；　ma'am；〃　said　the　girl；　with　a　look　at　her　brother。　〃Lord　Glenarvan　is　not　at　the　castle　just　now；〃　returned　Lady　Helena；　〃but　I　am　his　wife；　and　if　I　can　do　anything　for　you〃　〃You　are　Lady　Glenarvan？〃　interrupted　the　girl。　〃I　am。〃　〃The　wife　of　Lord　Glenarvan；　of　Malcolm　Castle；　that　put　an　announcement　in　the　TIMES　about　the　shipwreck　of　the　BRITANNIA？〃　〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Lady　Helena；　eagerly；　〃and　you？〃　〃I　am　Miss　Grant；　ma'am；　and　this　is　my　brother。〃　〃Miss　Grant；　Miss　Grant！〃　exclaimed　Lady　Helena；　drawing　the　young　girl　toward　her；　and　taking　both　her　hands　and　kissing　the　boy's　rosy　cheeks。　〃What　is　it　you　know；　ma'am；　about　the　shipwreck？　　Tell　me；　is　my　father　living？　　Shall　we　ever　see　him　again？　　Oh；　tell　me；〃　said　the　girl；　earnestly。　〃My　dear　child；〃　replied　Lady　Helena。　　〃Heaven　forbid　that　I　should　answer　you　lightly　such　a　question；　I　would　not　delude　you　with　vain　hopes。〃　〃Oh；　tell　me　all；　tell　me　all；　ma'am。　I'm　proof　against　sorrow。　I　can　bear　to　hear　anything。〃　〃My　poor　child；　there　is　but　a　faint　hope；　but　with　the　help　of　almighty　Heaven　it　is　just　possible　you　may　one　day　see　your　father　once　more。〃　The　girl　burst　into　tears；　and　Robert　seized　Lady　Glenarvan's　hand　and　covered　it　with　kisses。　As　soon　as　they　grew　calmer　they　asked　a　complete　string　of　questions；　and　Lady　Helena　recounted　the　whole　story　of　the　document；　telling　them　that　their　father　had　been　wrecked　on　the　coast　of　Patagonia；　and　that　he　and　two　sailors；　the　sole　survivors；　appeared　to　have　reached　the　shore；　and　had　written　an　appeal　for　help　in　three　languages　and　committed　it　to　the　care　of　the　waves。　During　the　recital；　Robert　Grant　was　devouring　the　speaker　with　his　eyes；　and　hanging　on　her　lips。　　His　childish　imagination　evidently　retraced　all　the　scenes　of　his　father's　shipwreck。　He　saw　him　on　the　deck　of　the　BRITANNIA；　and　then　struggling　with　the　billows；　then　clinging　to　the　rocks；　and　lying　at　length　exhausted　on　the　beach。　More　than　once　he　cried　out；　〃Oh；　papa！　my　poor　papa！〃　and　pressed　close　to　his　sister。　Miss　Grant　sat　silent　and　motionless；　with　clasped　hands；　and　all　she　said　when　the　narration　ended；　was：　　〃Oh；　ma'am；　the　paper；　please！〃　〃I　have　not　it　now；　my　dear　child；〃　replied　Lady　Helena。　〃You　haven't　it？〃　〃No。　Lord　Glenarvan　was　obliged　to　take　it　to　London；　for　the　sake　of　your　father；　but　I　have　told　you　all　it　contained；　word　for　word；　and　how　we　managed　to　make　out　the　complete　sense　from　the　fragments　of　words　leftall　except　the　longitude；　unfortunately。〃　〃We　can　do　without　that；〃　said　the　boy。　〃Yes；　Mr。　Robert；〃　rejoined　Lady　Helena；　smiling　at　the　child's　decided　tone。　　〃And　so　you　see；　Miss　Grant；　you　know　the　smallest　details　now　just　as　well　as　I　do。〃　〃Yes；　ma'am；　but　I　should　like　to　have　seen　my　father's　writing。〃　〃Well；　to…morrow；　perhaps；　to…morrow；　Lord　Glenarvan　will　be　back。　My　husband　determined　to　lay　the　document　before　the　Lords　of　the　Admiralty；　to　induce　them　to　send　out　a　ship　immediately　in　search　of　Captain　Grant。〃　〃Is　it　possible；　ma'am；〃　exclaimed　the　girl；　〃that　you　have　done　that　for　us？〃　〃Yes；　my　dear　Miss　Grant；　and　I　am　expecting　Lord　Glenarvan　back　every　minute　now。〃　〃Oh；　ma'am！　Heaven　bless　you　and　Lord　Glenarvan；〃　said　the　young　girl；　fervently；　overcome　with　grateful　emotion。〃　〃My　dear　girl；　we　deserve　no　thanks；　anyone　in　our　place　would　have　done　the　same。　　I　only　trust　the　hopes　we　are　leading　you　to　entertain　may　be　realized；　but　till　my　husband　returns；　you　will　remain　at　the　Castle。〃　〃Oh；　no；　ma'am。　I　could　not　abuse　the　sympathy　you　show　to　strangers。〃　〃Strangers；　dear　child！〃　interrupted　Lady　Helena；　〃you　and　your　brother　are　not　strangers　in　this　house；　and　I　should　like　Lord　Glenarvan　to　be　able　on　his　arrival　to　tell　the　children　of　Captain　Grant　himself；　what　is　going　to　be　done　to　rescue　their　father。〃　It　was　impossible　to　refuse　an　invitation　given　with　such　heart；　and　Miss　Grant　and　her　brother　consented　to　stay　till　Lord　Glenarvan　returned。

CHAPTER　IV　LADY　GLENARVAN'S　PROPOSAL

LADY　HELENA　thought　it　best　to　say　nothing　to　the　children　about　the　fears　Lord　Glenarvan　had　expressed　in　his　letters　respecting　the　decisions　of　the　Lords　of　the　Admiralty　with　regard　to　the　document。　　Nor　did　she　mention　the　probable　captivity　of　Captain　Grant　among　the　Indians　of　South　America。　　Why　sadden　the　poor　children；　and　damp　their　newly　cherished　hopes？　It　would　not　in　the　least　alter　the　actual　state　of　the　case；　so　not　a　word　was　said；　and　after　answering　all　Miss　Grant's　questions；　Lady　Helena　began　to　inter