in search of the castaways-第69章

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　depths　of　his　heart；　and　felt　his　warmer　sympathy　awakened　for　the　poor　child。　To　speak　the　truth；　up　to　that　moment　he　did　not　care　much　for　a　savage　in　European　attire。　　He　had　not　come　to　Australia　to　see　Australians　in　coats　and　trousers。　　He　preferred　them　simply　tattooed；　and　this　conventional　dress　jarred　on　his　preconceived　notions。　But　the　child's　genuine　religious　fervor　won　him　over　completely。　Indeed；　the　wind…up　of　the　conversation　converted　the　worthy　geographer　into　his　best　friend。　It　was　in　reply　to　a　question　Lady　Helena　had　asked；　that　Toline　said　he　was　studying　at　the　Normal　School　in　Melbourne；　and　that　the　principal　was　the　Reverend　Mr。　Paxton。　〃And　what　do　they　teach　you？〃　she　went　on　to　say。　〃They　teach　me　the　Bible；　and　mathematics；　and　geography。〃　Paganel　pricked　up　his　ears　at　this；　and　said；　〃Indeed；　geography！〃　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Toline；　〃and　I　had　the　first　prize　for　geography　before　the　Christmas　holidays。〃　〃You　had　the　first　prize　for　geography；　my　boy？〃　〃Yes；　sir。　　Here　it　is；〃　returned　Toline；　pulling　a　book　out　of　his　pocket。　It　was　a　bible；　32mo　size；　and　well　bound。　　On　the　first　page　was　written　the　words：　　〃Normal　School；　Melbourne。　　First　Prize　for　Geography。　　Toline　of　the　Lachlan。〃　Paganel　was　beside　himself。　　An　Australian　well　versed　in　geography。　This　was　marvelous；　and　he　could　not　help　kissing　Toline　on　both　cheeks；　just　as　if　he　had　been　the　Reverend　Mr。　Paxton　himself；　on　the　day　of　the　distribution　of　prizes。　Paganel　need　not　have　been　so　amazed　at　this　circumstance；　however；　for　it　is　frequent　enough　in　Australian　schools。　The　little　savages　are　very　quick　in　learning　geography。　They　learn　it　eagerly；　and　on　the　other　hand；　are　perfectly　averse　to　the　science　of　arithmetic。　Toline　could　not　understand　this　outburst　of　affection　on　the　part　of　the　Frenchman；　and　looked　so　puzzled　that　Lady　Helena　thought　she　had　better　inform　him　that　Paganel　was　a　celebrated　geographer　and　a　distinguished　professor　on　occasion。　〃A　professor　of　geography！〃　cried　Toline。　　〃Oh；　sir；　do　question　me！〃　〃Question　you？　　Well；　I'd　like　nothing　better。　　Indeed；　I　was　going　to　do　it　without　your　leave。　　I　should　very　much　like　to　see　how　they　teach　geography　in　the　Normal　School　of　Melbourne。〃　〃And　suppose　Toline　trips　you　up；　Paganel！〃　said　McNabbs。　〃What　a　likely　idea！〃　exclaimed　the　geographer。　　〃Trip　up　the　Secretary　of　the　Geographical　Society　of　France。〃　Their　examination　then　commenced；　after　Paganel　had　settled　his　spectacles　firmly　on　his　nose；　drawn　himself　up　to　his　full　height；　and　put　on　a　solemn　voice　becoming　to　a　professor。　〃Pupil　Toline；　stand　up。〃　As　Toline　was　already　standing；　he　could　not　get　any　higher；　but　he　waited　modestly　for　the　geographer's　questions。　〃Pupil　Toline；　what　are　the　five　divisions　of　the　globe？〃　〃Oceanica；　Asia；　Africa；　America；　and　Europe。〃　〃Perfectly　so。　　Now　we'll　take　Oceanica　first；　where　are　we　at　this　moment？　　What　are　the　principal　divisions？〃　〃Australia；　belonging　to　the　English；　New　Zealand；　belonging　to　the　English；　Tasmania；　belonging　to　the　English。　　The　islands　of　Chatham；　Auckland；　Macquarie；　Kermadec；　Makin；　Maraki；　are　also　belonging　to　the　English。〃　〃Very　good；　and　New　Caledonia；　the　Sandwich　Islands；　the　Mendana；　the　Pomotou？〃　〃They　are　islands　under　the　Protectorate　of　Great　Britain。〃　〃What！〃　cried　Paganel；　〃under　the　Protectorate　of　Great　Britain。　　I　rather　think　on　the　contrary；　that　France〃　〃France；〃　said　the　child；　with　an　astonished　look。　〃Well；　well；〃　said　Paganel；　〃is　that　what　they　teach　you　in　the　Melbourne　Normal　School？〃　〃Yes；　sir。　　Isn't　it　right？〃　〃Oh；　yes；　yes；　perfectly　right。　　All　Oceanica　belongs　to　the　English。　　That's　an　understood　thing。　　Go　on。〃　Paganel's　face　betrayed　both　surprise　and　annoyance；　to　the　great　delight　of　the　Major。　〃Let　us　go　on　to　Asia；〃　said　the　geographer。　〃Asia；〃　replied　Toline；　〃is　an　immense　country。　CapitalCalcutta。　　Chief　TownsBombay；　Madras；　Calicut；　Aden；　Malacca；　Singapore；　Pegu；　Colombo。　　The　Lacca…dive　Islands；　the　Maldives；　the　Chagos；　etc。；　belonging　to　the　English。〃　〃Very　good；　pupil　Toline。　　And　now　for　Africa。〃　〃Africa　comprises　two　chief　coloniesthe　Cape　on　the　south；　capital　Capetown；　and　on　the　west　the　English　settlements；　chief　city；　Sierra　Leone。〃　〃Capital！〃　said　Paganel；　beginning　to　enter　into　this　perfectly　taught　but　Anglo…colored　fanciful　geography。　〃As　to　Algeria；　Morocco；　Egyptthey　are　all　struck　out　of　the　Britannic　cities。〃　〃Let　us　pass　on；　pray；　to　America。〃　〃It　is　divided；〃　said　Toline；　promptly；　〃into　North　and　South　America。　　The　former　belongs　to　the　English　in　Canada；　New　Brunswick；　New　Scotland；　and　the　United　States；　under　the　government　of　President　Johnson。〃　〃President　Johnson；〃　cried　Paganel；　〃the　successor　of　the　great　and　good　Lincoln；　assassinated　by　a　mad　fanatic　of　the　slave　party。　　Capital；　nothing　could　be　better。　And　as　to　South　America；　with　its　Guiana；　its　archipelago　of　South　Shetland；　its　Georgia；　Jamaica；　Trinidad；　etc。；　that　belongs　to　the　English；　too！　　Well；　I'll　not　be　the　one　to　dispute　that　point！　But；　Toline；　I　should　like　to　know　your　opinion　of　Europe；　or　rather　your　professor's。〃　〃Europe？〃　said　Toline　not　at　all　understanding　Paganel's　excitement。　〃Yes；　Europe！　　Who　does　Europe　belong　to？〃　〃Why；　to　the　English；〃　replied　Toline；　as　if　the　fact　was　quite　settled。　〃I　much　doubt　it；〃　returned　Paganel。　　〃But　how's　that；　Toline；　for　I　want　to　know　that？〃　〃England；　Ireland；　Scotland；　Malta；　Jersey　and　Guern…sey；　the　Ionian　Islands；　the　Hebrides；　the　Shetlands；　and　the　Orkneys。〃　〃Yes；　yes；　my　lad；　but　there　are　other　states　you　forgot　to　mention。〃　〃What　are　they？〃　replied　the　child；　not　the　least　disconcerted。　〃Spain；　Russia；　Austria；　Prussia；　France；〃　answered　Paganel。　〃They　are　provinces；　not　states；〃　said　Toline。　〃Well；　that　beats　all！〃　exclaimed　Paganel；　tearing　off　his　spectacles。　〃Yes；〃　continued　the　child。　　〃Spaincapital；　Gibraltar。〃　〃Admirable！　perfect！　sublime！　　And　France；　for　I　am　French；　and　I　should　like　to　know　to　whom　I　belong。〃　〃France；〃　said　Toline；　quietly；　〃is　an　English　province；　chief　city；　Calais。〃　〃Calais！〃　cried　Paganel。　　〃So　you　think　Calais　still　belongs　to　the　English？〃　〃Certainly。〃　〃And　that　it　is　the　capital　of　France？〃　〃Yes；　sir；　and　it　is　there　that　the　Governor；　Lord　Napo…leon；　lives。〃　This　was　too　much　for　Paganel's　risible　faculties。　He　burst　out　laughing。　　Toline　did　not　know　what　to　make　of　him。　He　had　done　his　best　to　answer　every　question　put　to　him。　But　the　singularity　of　the　answers　were　not　his　blame；　indeed；　he　never　imagined　anything　singular　about　them。　　However；　he　took　it　all　quietly；　and　waited　for　the　professor　to　recover　himself。　These　peals　of　laughter　were　quite　incomprehensible　to　him。　〃You　see；〃　said　Major　McNabbs；　laughing；　〃I　was　right。　The　pupil　could　enlighten　you　after　all。〃　〃Most　assuredly；　friend　Major；〃　replied　the　geographer。　　〃So　that's　the　way　they　teach　geography　in　Melbourne！　　They　do　it　well；　these　professors　in　the　Normal　School！　　Europe；　Asia；　Africa；　America；　Oceanica；　the　whole　world　belongs　to　the　English。　　My　conscience！　with　such　an　ingenious　education　it　is　no　wonder　the　natives　submit。　　Ah；　well；　Toline；　my　boy；　does　the　moon　belong　to　England；　too？〃　〃She　will；　some　day；〃　replie