in search of the castaways-第82章

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nnot　be。　He　is　the　captain　of　the　DUNCAN；　and　must　be　careful　of　his　life。　I　will　go　instead。〃　〃That　is　all　very　well；　Paganel；〃　said　the　Major；　〃but　why　should　you　be　the　one　to　go？〃　〃Are　we　not　here？〃　said　Mulrady　and　Wilson。　〃And　do　you　think；〃　replied　McNabbs；　〃that　a　journey　of　two　hundred　miles　on　horseback　frightens　me。〃　〃Friends；〃　said　Glenarvan；　〃one　of　us　must　go；　so　let　it　be　decided　by　drawing　lots。　　Write　all　our　names；　Paganel。〃　〃Not　yours；　my　Lord；〃　said　John　Mangles。　〃And　why　not？〃　〃What！　separate　you　from　Lady　Helena；　and　before　your　wound　is　healed；　too！〃　〃Glenarvan；〃　said　Paganel；　〃you　cannot　leave　the　expedition。〃　〃No；〃　added　the　Major。　　〃Your　place　is　here；　Edward；　you　ought　not　to　go。〃　〃Danger　is　involved　in　it；〃　said　Glenarvan；　〃and　I　will　take　my　share　along　with　the　rest。　　Write　the　names；　Paganel；　and　put　mine　among　them；　and　I　hope　the　lot　may　fall　on　me。〃　His　will　was　obeyed。　　The　names　were　written；　and　the　lots　drawn。　Fate　fixed　on　Mulrady。　　The　brave　sailor　shouted　hurrah！　and　said：　〃My　Lord；　I　am　ready　to　start。〃　　Glenarvan　pressed　his　hand；　and　then　went　back　to　the　wagon；　leaving　John　Mangles　and　the　Major　on　watch。　Lady　Helena　was　informed　of　the　determination　to　send　a　message　to　Melbourne；　and　that　they　had　drawn　lots　who　should　go；　and　Mulrady　had　been　chosen。　　Lady　Helena　said　a　few　kind　words　to　the　brave　sailor；　which　went　straight　to　his　heart。　Fate　could　hardly　have　chosen　a　better　man；　for　he　was　not　only　brave　and　intelligent；　but　robust　and　superior　to　all　fatigue。　Mulrady's　departure　was　fixed　for　eight　o'clock；　immediately　after　the　short　twilight。　　Wilson　undertook　to　get　the　horse　ready。　He　had　a　project　in　his　head　of　changing　the　horse's　left　shoe；　for　one　off　the　horses　that　had　died　in　the　night。　　This　would　prevent　the　convicts　from　tracking　Mulrady；　or　following　him；　as　they　were　not　mounted。　While　Wilson　was　arranging　this；　Glenarvan　got　his　letter　ready　for　Tom　Austin；　but　his　wounded　arm　troubled　him；　and　he　asked　Paganel　to　write　it　for　him。　　The　SAVANT　was　so　absorbed　in　one　fixed　idea　that　he　seemed　hardly　to　know　what　he　was　about。　In　all　this　succession　of　vexations；　it　must　be　said　the　document　was　always　uppermost　in　Paganel's　mind。　He　was　always　worrying　himself　about　each　word；　trying　to　discover　some　new　meaning；　and　losing　the　wrong　interpretation　of　it；　and　going　over　and　over　himself　in　perplexities。　He　did　not　hear　Glenarvan　when　he　first　spoke；　but　on　the　request　being　made　a　second　time；　he　said：　　〃Ah；　very　well。　　I'm　ready。〃　While　he　spoke　he　was　mechanically　getting　paper　from　his　note…book。　He　tore　a　blank　page　off；　and　sat　down　pencil　in　hand　to　write。　Glenarvan　began　to　dictate　as　follows：　　〃Order　to　Tom　Austin；　Chief　Officer；　to　get　to　sea　without　delay；　and　bring　the　DUNCAN　to〃　Paganel　was　just　finishing　the　last　word；　when　his　eye　chanced　to　fall　on　the　_Australian　and　New　Zealand　Gazette_　lying　on　the　ground。　The　paper　was　so　folded　that　only　the　last　two　syllables　of　the　title　were　visible。　　Paganel's　pencil　stopped；　and　he　seemed　to　become　oblivious　of　Glenarvan　and　the　letter　entirely；　till　his　friends　called　out：　〃Come；　Paganel！〃　〃Ah！〃　said　the　geographer；　with　a　loud　exclamation。　〃What　is　the　matter？〃　asked　the　Major。　〃Nothing；　nothing；〃　replied　Paganel。　　Then　he　muttered　to　himself；　〃_Aland！　aland！　aland！_〃　He　had　got　up　and　seized　the　newspaper。　　He　shook　it　in　his　efforts　to　keep　back　the　words　that　involuntarily　rose　to　his　lips。　Lady　Helena；　Mary；　Robert；　and　Glenarvan　gazed　at　him　in　astonishment；　at　a　loss　to　understand　this　unaccountable　agitation。　Paganel　looked　as　if　a　sudden　fit　of　insanity　had　come　over　him。　But　his　excitement　did　not　last。　　He　became　by　degrees　calmer。　The　gleam　of　joy　that　shone　in　his　eyes　died　away。　He　sat　down　again；　and　said　quietly：　〃When　you　please；　my　Lord；　I　am　ready。〃　　Glenarvan　resumed　his　dictation　at　once；　and　the　letter　was　soon　completed。　It　read　as　follows：　　〃Order　to　Tom　Austin　to　go　to　sea　without　delay；　and　take　the　DUNCAN　to　Melbourne　by　the　37th　degree　of　latitude　to　the　eastern　coast　of　Australia。〃　〃Of　Australia？〃　said　Paganel。　　〃Ah　yes！　of　Australia。〃　Then　he　finished　the　letter；　and　gave　it　to　Glenarvan　to　sign；　who　went　through　the　necessary　formality　as　well　as　he　could；　and　closed　and　sealed　the　letter。　　Paganel；　whose　hand　still　trembled　with　emotion；　directed　it　thus：　　〃Tom　Austin；　Chief　Officer　on　board　the　Yacht　DUNCAN；　Melbourne。〃　Then　he　got　up　and　went　out　of　the　wagon；　gesticulating　and　repeating　the　incomprehensible　words：　〃Aland　aland！　aland！〃

CHAPTER　XVIII　FOUR　DAYS　OF　ANGUISH

THE　rest　of　the　day　passed　on　without　any　further　incident。　All　the　preparations　for　Mulrady's　journey　were　completed；　and　the　brave　sailor　rejoiced　in　being　able　to　give　his　Lordship　this　proof　of　devotion。　Paganel　had　recovered　his　usual　_sang…froid_　and　manners。　　His　look；　indeed；　betrayed　his　preoccupation；　but　he　seemed　resolved　to　keep　it　secret。　　No　doubt　he　had　strong　reasons　for　this　course　of　action；　for　the　Major　heard　him　repeating；　like　a　man　struggling　with　himself：　〃No；　no；　they　would　not　believe　it；　and；　besides；　what　good　would　it　be？　It　is　too　late！〃　Having　taken　this　resolution；　he　busied　himself　with　giving　Mulrady　the　necessary　directions　for　getting　to　Melbourne；　and　showed　him　his　way　on　the　map。　　All　the　TRACKS；　that　is　to　say；　paths　through　the　prairie；　came　out　on　the　road　to　Lucknow。　　This　road；　after　running　right　down　to　the　coast　took　a　sudden　bend　in　the　direction　of　Melbourne。　　This　was　the　route　that　must　be　followed　steadily；　for　it　would　not　do　to　attempt　a　short　cut　across　an　almost　unknown　country。　　Nothing；　consequently；　could　be　more　simple。　Mulrady　could　not　lose　his　way。　As　to　dangers；　there　were　none　after　he　had　gone　a　few　miles　beyond　the　encampment；　out　of　the　reach　of　Ben　Joyce　and　his　gang。　Once　past　their　hiding　place；　Mulrady　was　certain　of　soon　being　able　to　outdistance　the　convicts；　and　execute　his　important　mission　successfully。　At　six　o'clock　they　all　dined　together。　　The　rain　was　falling　in　torrents。　　The　tent　was　not　protection　enough；　and　the　whole　party　had　to　take　refuge　in　the　wagon。　This　was　a　sure　refuge。　　The　clay　kept　it　firmly　imbedded　in　the　soil；　like　a　fortress　resting　on　sure　foundations。　The　arsenal　was　composed　of　seven　carbines　and　seven　revolvers；　and　could　stand　a　pretty　long　siege；　for　they　had　plenty　of　ammunition　and　provisions。　　But　before　six　days　were　over；　the　DUNCAN　would　anchor　in　Twofold　Bay；　and　twenty…four　hours　after　her　crew　would　reach　the　other　shore　of　the　Snowy　River；　and　should　the　passage　still　remain　impracticable；　the　convicts　at　any　rate　would　be　forced　to　retire　before　the　increased　strength。　But　all　depended　on　Mulrady's　success　in　his　perilous　enterprise。　At　eight　o'clock　it　got　very　dark；　now　was　the　time　to　start。　The　horse　prepared　for　Mulrady　was　brought　out。　　His　feet；　by　way　of　extra　precaution；　were　wrapped　round　with　cloths；　so　that　they　could　not　make　the　least　noise　on　the　ground。　The　animal　seemed　tired；　and　yet　the　safety　of　all　depended　on　his　strength　and　surefootedness。　　The　Major　advised　Mulrady　to　let　him　go　gently　as　soon　as　he　got　past　the　convicts。　Better　delay　half…a…day　than　not