in search of the castaways-第58章

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ng　his　doubt　whether　they　should　ever　find　the　Captain　after　all。　His　dispirited　tone　made　a　painful　impression　on　the　minds　of　his　auditors。　　Robert　and　Mary　could　not　keep　back　their　tears；　and　Paganel　had　not　a　word　of　hope　or　comfort　to　give　them。　John　Mangles　was　grieved　to　the　heart；　though　he；　too；　was　beginning　to　yield　to　the　feeling　of　hopelessness　which　had　crept　over　the　rest；　when　suddenly　the　whole　party　were　electrified　by　hearing　a　voice　exclaim：　　〃My　Lord；　praise　and　thank　God！　if　Captain　Grant　is　alive；　he　is　on　this　Australian　continent。〃

CHAPTER　VII　THE　QUARTERMASTER　OF　THE　〃BRITANNIA〃

THE　surprise　caused　by　these　words　cannot　be　described。　Glenarvan　sprang　to　his　feet；　and　pushing　back　his　seat；　exclaimed：　〃Who　spoke？〃　〃I　did；〃　said　one　of　the　servants；　at　the　far　end　of　the　table。　〃You；　Ayrton！〃　replied　his　master；　not　less　bewildered　than　Glenarvan。　〃Yes；　it　was　I；〃　rejoined　Ayrton　in　a　firm　tone；　though　somewhat　agitated　voice。　　〃A　Scotchman　like　yourself；　my　Lord；　and　one　of　the　shipwrecked　crew　of　the　BRITANNIA。〃　The　effect　of　such　a　declaration　may　be　imagined。　Mary　Grant　fell　back；　half…fainting；　in　Lady　Helena's　arms；　overcome　by　joyful　emotion；　and　Robert；　and　Mangles；　and　Paganel　started　up　and　toward　the　man　that　Paddy　O'Moore　had　addressed　as　AYRTON。　　He　was　a　coarse…looking　fellow；　about　forty…five　years　of　age；　with　very　bright　eyes；　though　half…hidden　beneath　thick；　overhanging　brows。　In　spite　of　extreme　leanness　there　was　an　air　of　unusual　strength　about　him。　　He　seemed　all　bone　and　nerves；　or；　to　use　a　Scotch　expression；　as　if　he　had　not　wasted　time　in　making　fat。　He　was　broad…shouldered　and　of　middle　height；　and　though　his　features　were　coarse；　his　face　was　so　full　of　intelligence　and　energy　and　decision；　that　he　gave　one　a　favorable　impression。　The　interest　he　excited　was　still　further　heightened　by　the　marks　of　recent　suffering　imprinted　on　his　countenance。　It　was　evident　that　he　had　endured　long　and　severe　hardships；　and　that　he　had　borne　them　bravely　and　come　off　victor。　〃You　are　one　of　the　shipwrecked　sailors　of　the　BRITANNIA？〃　was　Glenarvan's　first　question。　〃Yes；　my　Lord；　Captain　Grant's　quartermaster。〃　〃And　saved　with　him　after　the　shipwreck？〃　〃No；　my　Lord；　no。　　I　was　separated　from　him　at　that　terrible　moment；　for　I　was　swept　off　the　deck　as　the　ship　struck。〃　〃Then　you　are　not　one　of　the　two　sailors　mentioned　in　the　document？〃　〃No；　I　was　not　aware　of　the　existence　of　the　document。　The　captain　must　have　thrown　it　into　the　sea　when　I　was　no　longer　on　board。〃　〃But　the　captain？　　What　about　the　captain？〃　〃I　believed　he　had　perished；　gone　down　with　all　his　crew。　I　imagined　myself　the　sole　survivor。〃　〃But　you　said　just　now；　Captain　Grant　was　living。〃　〃No；　I　said；　'_if　the　captain　is　living_。'〃　〃And　you　added；　'_he　is　on　the　Australian　continent_。'〃　〃And；　indeed；　he　cannot　be　anywhere　else。〃　〃Then　you　don't　know　where　he　is？〃　〃No；　my　Lord。　　I　say　again；　I　supposed　he　was　buried　beneath　the　waves；　or　dashed　to　pieces　against　the　rocks。　It　was　from　you　I　learned　that　he　was　still　alive。〃　〃What　then　do　you　know？〃　〃Simply　thisif　Captain　Grant　is　alive；　he　is　in　Australia。〃　〃Where　did　the　shipwreck　occur？〃　asked　Major　McNabbs。　This　should　have　been　the　first　question；　but　in　the　excitement　caused　by　the　unexpected　incident；　Glenarvan　cared　more　to　know　where　the　captain　was；　than　where　the　BRITANNIA　had　been　lost。　After　the　Major's　inquiry；　however；　Glenarvan's　examination　proceeded　more　logically；　and　before　long　all　the　details　of　the　event　stood　out　clearly　before　the　minds　of　the　company。　To　the　question　put　by　the　Major；　Ayrton　replied：　〃When　I　was　swept　off　the　forecastle；　when　I　was　hauling　in　the　jib…boom；　the　BRITANNIA　was　running　right　on　the　Australian　coast。　She　was　not　more　than　two　cables'　length　from　it　and　consequently　she　must　have　struck　just　there。〃　〃In　latitude　37　degrees？〃　asked　John　Mangles。　〃Yes；　in　latitude　37　degrees。〃　〃On　the　west　coast？〃　〃No；　on　the　east　coast；〃　was　the　prompt　reply。　〃And　at　what　date？〃　〃It　was　on　the　night　of　the　27th　of　June；　1862。〃　〃Exactly；　just　exactly；〃　exclaimed　Glenarvan。　〃You　see；　then；　my　Lord；〃　continued　Ayrton；　〃I　might　justly　say；　_If　Captain　Grant_　is　alive；　he　is　on　the　Australian　continent；　and　it　is　useless　looking　for　him　anywhere　else。〃　〃And　we　will　look　for　him　there；　and　find　him　too；　and　save　him；〃　exclaimed　Paganel。　　〃Ah；　precious　document；〃　he　added；　with　perfect　NAIVETE；　〃you　must　own　you　have　fallen　into　the　hands　of　uncommonly　shrewd　people。〃　But；　doubtless；　nobody　heard　his　flattering　words；　for　Glenarvan　and　Lady　Helena；　and　Mary　Grant；　and　Robert；　were　too　much　engrossed　with　Ayrton　to　listen　to　anyone　else。　They　pressed　round　him　and　grasped　his　hands。　It　seemed　as　if　this　man's　presence　was　the　sure　pledge　of　Harry　Grant's　deliverance。　　If　this　sailor　had　escaped　the　perils　of　the　shipwreck；　why　should　not　the　captain？　Ayrton　was　quite　sanguine　as　to　his　existence；　but　on　what　part　of　the　continent　he　was　to　be　found；　that　he　could　not　say。　The　replies　the　man　gave　to　the　thousand　questions　that　assailed　him　on　all　sides　were　remarkably　intelligent　and　exact。　All　the　while　he　spake；　Mary　held　one　of　his　hands　in　hers。　This　sailor　was　a　companion　of　her　father's；　one　of　the　crew　of　the　BRITANNIA。　　He　had　lived　with　Harry　Grant；　crossed　the　seas　with　him　and　shared　his　dangers。　　Mary　could　not　keep　her　eyes　off　his　face；　rough　and　homely　though　it　was；　and　she　wept　for　joy。　Up　to　this　time　no　one　had　ever　thought　of　doubting　either　the　veracity　or　identity　of　the　quartermaster；　but　the　Major；　and　perhaps　John　Mangles；　now　began　to　ask　themselves　if　this　Ayrton's　word　was　to　be　absolutely　believed。　There　was　something　suspicious　about　this　unexpected　meeting。　Certainly　the　man　had　mentioned　facts　and　dates　which　corresponded；　and　the　minuteness　of　his　details　was　most　striking。　Still　exactness　of　details　was　no　positive　proof。　Indeed；　it　has　been　noticed　that　a　falsehood　has　sometimes　gained　ground　by　being　exceedingly　particular　in　minutiae。　McNabbs；　therefore；　prudently　refrained　from　committing　himself　by　expressing　any　opinion。　John　Mangles；　however；　was　soon　convinced　when　he　heard　Ayrton　speak　to　the　young　girl　about　her　father。　　He　knew　Mary　and　Robert　quite　well。　　He　had　seen　them　in　Glasgow　when　the　ship　sailed。　He　remembered　them　at　the　farewell　breakfast　given　on　board　the　BRITANNIA　to　the　captain's　friends；　at　which　Sheriff　Mcintyre　was　present。　Robert；　then　a　boy　of　ten　years　old；　had　been　given　into　his　charge；　and　he　ran　away　and　tried　to　climb　the　rigging。　〃Yes；　that　I　did；　it　is　quite　right；〃　said　Robert。　He　went　on　to　mention　several　other　trifling　incidents；　without　attaching　the　importance　to　them　that　John　Mangles　did；　and　when　he　stopped　Mary　Grant　said；　in　her　soft　voice：　〃Oh；　go　on；　Mr。　Ayrton；　tell　us　more　about　our　father。〃　The　quartermaster　did　his　best　to　satisfy　the　poor　girl；　and　Glenarvan　did　not　interrupt　him；　though　a　score　of　questions　far　more　important　crowded　into　his　mind。　Lady　Helena　made　him　look　at　Mary's　beaming　face；　and　the　words　he　was　about　to　utter　remained　unspoken。　Ayrton　gave　an　account　of　the　BRITANNIA'S　voyage　across　the　Pacific。　　Mary　knew　most　of　it　before；　as　news