in search of the castaways-第6章

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；　so　not　a　word　was　said；　and　after　answering　all　Miss　Grant's　questions；　Lady　Helena　began　to　interrogate　in　her　turn；　asking　her　about　her　past　life　and　her　present　circumstances。　It　was　a　touching；　simple　story　she　heard　in　reply；　and　one　which　increased　her　sympathy　for　the　young　girl。　Mary　and　Robert　were　the　captain's　only　children。　　Harry　Grant　lost　his　wife　when　Robert　was　born；　and　during　his　long　voyages　he　left　his　little　ones　in　charge　of　his　cousin；　a　good　old　lady。　Captain　Grant　was　a　fearless　sailor。　　He　not　only　thoroughly　understood　navigation；　but　commerce　alsoa　two…fold　qualification　eminently　useful　to　skippers　in　the　merchant　service。　He　lived　in　Dundee；　in　Perthshire；　Scotland。　　His　father；　a　minister　of　St。　Katrine's　Church；　had　given　him　a　thorough　education；　as　he　believed　that　could　never　hurt　anybody。　Harry's　voyages　were　prosperous　from　the　first；　and　a　few　years　after　Robert　was　born；　he　found　himself　possessed　of　a　considerable　fortune。　It　was　then　that　he　projected　the　grand　scheme　which　made　him　popular　in　Scotland。　　Like　Glenarvan；　and　a　few　noble　families　in　the　Lowlands；　he　had　no　heart　for　the　union　with　England。　　In　his　eyes　the　interests　of　his　country　were　not　identified　with　those　of　the　Anglo…Saxons；　and　to　give　scope　for　personal　development；　he　resolved　to　found　an　immense　Scotch　colony　on　one　of　the　ocean　continents。　Possibly　he　might　have　thought　that　some　day　they　would　achieve　their　independence；　as　the　United　States　didan　example　doubtless　to　be　followed　eventually　by　Australia　and　India。　　But　whatever　might　be　his　secret　motives；　such　was　his　dream　of　colonization。　But；　as　is　easily　understood；　the　Government　opposed　his　plans；　and　put　difficulties　enough　in　his　way　to　have　killed　an　ordinary　man。　But　Harry　would　not　be　beaten。　　He　appealed　to　the　patriotism　of　his　countrymen；　placed　his　fortune　at　the　service　of　the　cause；　built　a　ship；　and　manned　it　with　a　picked　crew；　and　leaving　his　children　to　the　care　of　his　old　cousin　set　off　to　explore　the　great　islands　of　the　Pacific。　　This　was　in　1861；　and　for　twelve　months；　or　up　to　May；　1862；　letters　were　regularly　received　from　him；　but　no　tidings　whatever　had　come　since　his　departure　from　Callao；　in　June；　and　the　name　of　the　BRITANNIA　never　appeared　in　the　Shipping　List。　Just　at　this　juncture　the　old　cousin　died；　and　Harry　Grant's　two　children　were　left　alone　in　the　world。　Mary　Grant　was　then　only　fourteen；　but　she　resolved　to　face　her　situation　bravely；　and　to　devote　herself　entirely　to　her　little　brother；　who　was　still　a　mere　child。　By　dint　of　close　economy；　combined　with　tact　and　prudence；　she　managed　to　support　and　educate　him；　working　day　and　night；　denying　herself　everything；　that　she　might　give　him　all　he　needed；　watching　over　him　and　caring　for　him　like　a　mother。　The　two　children　were　living　in　this　touching　manner　in　Dundee；　struggling　patiently　and　courageously　with　their　poverty。　Mary　thought　only　of　her　brother；　and　indulged　in　dreams　of　a　prosperous　future　for　him。　　She　had　long　given　up　all　hope　of　the　BRITANNIA；　and　was　fully　persuaded　that　her　father　was　dead。　What；　then；　was　her　emotion　when　she　accidentally　saw　the　notice　in　the　TIMES！　She　never　hesitated　for　an　instant　as　to　the　course　she　should　adopt；　but　determined　to　go　to　Dumbartonshire　immediately；　to　learn　the　best　and　worst。　　Even　if　she　were　to　be　told　that　her　father's　lifeless　body　had　been　found　on　a　distant　shore；　or　in　the　bottom　of　some　abandoned　ship；　it　would　be　a　relief　from　incessant　doubt　and　torturing　suspense。　She　told　her　brother　about　the　advertisement；　and　the　two　children　started　off　together　that　same　day　for　Perth；　where　they　took　the　train；　and　arrived　in　the　evening　at　Malcolm　Castle。　Such　was　Mary　Grant's　sorrowful　story；　and　she　recounted　it　in　so　simple　and　unaffected　a　manner；　that　it　was　evident　she　never　thought　her　conduct　had　been　that　of　a　heroine　through　those　long　trying　years。　But　Lady　Helena　thought　it　for　her；　and　more　than　once　she　put　her　arms　round　both　the　children；　and　could　not　restrain　her　tears。　As　for　Robert；　he　seemed　to　have　heard　these　particulars　for　the　first　time。　　All　the　while　his　sister　was　speaking；　he　gazed　at　her　with　wide…open　eyes；　only　knowing　now　how　much　she　had　done　and　suffered　for　him；　and；　as　she　ended；　he　flung　himself　on　her　neck；　and　exclaimed；　〃Oh；　mamma！　My　dear　little　mamma！〃　It　was　quite　dark　by　this　time；　and　Lady　Helena　made　the　children　go　to　bed；　for　she　knew　they　must　be　tired　after　their　journey。　They　were　soon　both　sound　asleep；　dreaming　of　happy　days。　After　they　had　retired。　　Lady　Helena　sent　for　Major　McNabbs；　and　told　him　the　incidents　of　the　evening。　〃That　Mary　Grant　must　be　a　brave　girl；〃　said　the　Major。　〃I　only　hope　my　husband　will　succeed；　for　the　poor　children's　sake；〃　said　his　cousin。　　〃It　would　be　terrible　for　them　if　he　did　not。〃　〃He　will　be　sure　to　succeed；　or　the　Lords　of　the　Admiralty　must　have　hearts　harder　than　Portland　stone。〃　But；　notwithstanding　McNabbs's　assurance；　Lady　Helena　passed　the　night　in　great　anxiety；　and　could　not　close　her　eyes。　Mary　Grant　and　her　brother　were　up　very　early　next　morning；　and　were　walking　about　in　the　courtyard　when　they　heard　the　sound　of　a　carriage　approaching。　　It　was　Lord　Glenarvan；　and；　almost　immediately；　Lady　Helena　and　the　Major　came　out　to　meet　him。　Lady　Helena　flew　toward　her　husband　the　moment　he　alighted；　but　he　embraced　her　silently；　and　looked　gloomy　and　disappointed　indeed；　even　furious。　〃Well；　Edward？〃　she　said；　〃tell　me。〃　〃Well；　Helena；　dear；　those　people　have　no　heart！〃　〃They　have　refused？〃　〃Yes。　　They　have　refused　me　a　ship！　　They　talked　of　the　millions　that　had　been　wasted　in　search　for　Franklin；　and　declared　the　document　was　obscure　and　unintelligible。　　And；　then；　they　said　it　was　two　years　now　since　they　were　cast　away；　and　there　was　little　chance　of　finding　them。　Besides；　they　would　have　it　that　the　Indians；　who　made　them　prisoners；　would　have　dragged　them　into　the　interior；　and　it　was　impossible；　they　said；　to　hunt　all　through　Patagonia　for　three　menthree　Scotchmen；　that　the　search　would　be　vain　and　perilous；　and　cost　more　lives　than　it　saved。　　In　short；　they　assigned　all　the　reasons　that　people　invent　who　have　made　up　their　minds　to　refuse。　　The　truth　is；　they　remembered　Captain　Grant's　projects；　and　that　is　the　secret　of　the　whole　affair。　So　the　poor　fellow　is　lost　for　ever。〃　〃My　father！　my　poor　father！〃　cried　Mary　Grant；　throwing　herself　on　her　knees　before　Lord　Glenarvan；　who　exclaimed　in　amazement：　〃Your　father？　　What？　　Is　this　Miss〃　〃Yes；　Edward；〃　said　Lady　Helena；　〃this　is　Miss　Mary　Grant　and　her　brother；　the　two　children　condemned　to　orphanage　by　the　cruel　Admiralty！〃　〃Oh！　　Miss　Grant；〃　said　Lord　Glenarvan；　raising　the　young　girl；　〃if　I　had　known　of　your　presence〃　He　said　no　more；　and　there　was　a　painful　silence　in　the　courtyard；　broken　only　by　sobs。　　No　one　spoke；　but　the　very　attitude　of　both　servants　and　masters　spoke　their　indignation　at　the　conduct　of　the　English　Government。　At　last　the　Major　said；　addressing　Lord　Glenarvan：　　〃Then　you　have　no　hope　whatever？〃　〃None；〃　was　the　reply。　〃Very　well；　then；〃　exclaimed　little　Robert；　〃I'll　go　and　speak　to　those　people　myself；　and　we'll　see　if　they〃　He　did