in search of the castaways-第9章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ed　John；　〃they　are　as　comfortable　as　if　they　were　at　home。〃　〃And　they　really　are　at　home；　my　dear　Helena；〃　said　Lord　Glenarvan。　　〃This　yacht　is　a　portion　of　our　old　Caledonia；　a　fragment　of　Dumbartonshire；　making　a　voyage　by　special　favor；　so　that　in　a　manner　we　are　still　in　our　own　country。　The　DUNCAN　is　Malcolm　Castle；　and　the　ocean　is　Loch　Lomond。〃　〃Very　well；　dear　Edward；　do　the　honors　of　the　Castle　then。〃　〃At　your　service；　madam；　but　let　me　tell　Olbinett　first。〃　The　steward　of　the　yacht　was　an　excellent　_maitre　d'hotel_；　and　might　have　been　French　for　his　airs　of　importance；　but　for　all　that　he　discharged　his　functions　with　zeal　and　intelligence。　〃Olbinett；〃　said　his　master；　as　he　appeared　in　answer　to　his　summons；　〃we　are　going　to　have　a　turn　before　breakfast。　I　hope　we　shall　find　it　ready　when　we　come　back。〃　He　said　this　just　as　if　it　had　been　a　walk　to　Tarbert　or　Loch　Katrine　they　were　going；　and　the　steward　bowed　with　perfect　gravity　in　reply。　〃Are　you　coming　with　us；　Major？〃　asked　Lady　Helena。　〃If　you　command　me；〃　replied　McNabbs。　〃Oh！〃　said　Lord　Glenarvan；　〃the　Major　is　absorbed　in　his　cigar；　〃you　mustn't　tear　him　from　it。　　He　is　an　inveterate　smoker；　Miss　Mary；　I　can　tell　you。　　He　is　always　smoking；　even　while　he　sleeps。〃　The　Major　gave　an　assenting　nod；　and　Lord　Glenarvan　and　his　party　went　below。　McNabbs　remained　alone；　talking　to　himself；　as　was　his　habit；　and　was　soon　enveloped　in　still　thicker　clouds　of　smoke。　He　stood　motionless；　watching　the　track　of　the　yacht。　After　some　minutes　of　this　silent　contemplation　he　turned　round；　and　suddenly　found　himself　face　to　face　with　a　new　comer。　Certainly；　if　any　thing　could　have　surprised　him；　this　RENCONTRE　would；　for　he　had　never　seen　the　stranger　in　his　life　before。　He　was　a　tall；　thin；　withered…looking　man；　about　forty　years　of　age；　and　resembled　a　long　nail　with　a　big　head。　　His　head　was　large　and　massive；　his　forehead　high；　his　chin　very　marked。　His　eyes　were　concealed　by　enormous　round　spectacles；　and　in　his　look　was　that　peculiar　indecision　which　is　common　to　nyctalopes；　or　people　who　have　a　peculiar　construction　of　the　eye；　which　makes　the　sight　imperfect　in　the　day　and　better　at　night。　It　was　evident　from　his　physiognomy　that　he　was　a　lively；　intelligent　man；　he　had　not　the　crabbed　expression　of　those　grave　individuals　who　never　laugh　on　principle；　and　cover　their　emptiness　with　a　mask　of　seriousness。　　He　looked　far　from　that。　His　careless；　good…humored　air；　and　easy；　unceremonious　manners；　showed　plainly　that　he　knew　how　to　take　men　and　things　on　their　bright　side。　　But　though　he　had　not　yet　opened　his　mouth；　he　gave　one　the　impression　of　being　a　great　talker；　and　moreover；　one　of　those　absent　folks　who　neither　see　though　they　are　looking；　nor　hear　though　they　are　listening。　　He　wore　a　traveling　cap；　and　strong；　low；　yellow　boots　with　leather　gaiters。　His　pantaloons　and　jacket　were　of　brown　velvet；　and　their　innumerable　pockets　were　stuffed　with　note…books；　memorandum…books；　account…books；　pocket…books；　and　a　thousand　other　things　equally　cumbersome　and　useless；　not　to　mention　a　telescope　in　addition；　which　he　carried　in　a　shoulder…belt。　The　stranger's　excitement　was　a　strong　contrast　to　the　Major's　placidity。　He　walked　round　McNabbs；　looking　at　him　and　questioning　him　with　his　eyes　without　eliciting　one　remark　from　the　imperturbable　Scotchman；　or　awakening　his　curiosity　in　the　least；　to　know　where　he　came　from；　and　where　he　was　going；　and　how　he　had　got　on　board　the　DUNCAN。　Finding　all　his　efforts　baffled　by　the　Major's　indifference；　the　mysterious　passenger　seized　his　telescope；　drew　it　out　to　its　fullest　extent；　about　four　feet；　and　began　gazing　at　the　horizon；　standing　motionless　with　his　legs　wide　apart。　His　examination　lasted　some　few　minutes；　and　then　he　lowered　the　glass；　set　it　up　on　deck；　and　leaned　on　it　as　if　it　had　been　a　walking…stick。　Of　course；　his　weight　shut　up　the　instrument　immediately　by　pushing　the　different　parts　one　into　the　other；　and　so　suddenly；　that　he　fell　full　length　on　deck；　and　lay　sprawling　at　the　foot　of　the　mainmast。　Any　one　else　but　the　Major　would　have　smiled；　at　least；　at　such　a　ludicrous　sight；　but　McNabbs　never　moved　a　muscle　of　his　face。　This　was　too　much　for　the　stranger；　and　he　called　out；　with　an　unmistakably　foreign　accent：　〃Steward！〃　He　waited　a　minute；　but　nobody　appeared；　and　he　called　again；　still　louder；　〃Steward！〃　Mr。　Olbinett　chanced　to　be　passing　that　minute　on　his　way　from　the　galley；　and　what　was　his　astonishment　at　hearing　himself　addressed　like　this　by　a　lanky　individual　of　whom　he　had　no　knowledge　whatever。　〃Where　can　he　have　come　from？　　Who　is　he？〃　he　thought　to　himself。　〃He　can　not　possibly　be　one　of　Lord　Glenarvan's　friends？〃　However；　he　went　up　on　the　poop；　and　approached　the　unknown　personage；　who　accosted　him　with　the　inquiry；　〃Are　you　the　steward　of　this　vessel？　〃　〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　Olbinett；　〃but　I　have　not　the　honor　of〃　〃I　am　the　passenger　in　cabin　Number　6。〃　〃Number　6！〃　repeated　the　steward。　〃Certainly；　and　your　name；　what　is　it？〃　〃Olbinett。〃　〃Well；　Olbinett；　my　friend；　we　must　think　of　breakfast；　and　that　pretty　quickly。　　It　is　thirty…six　hours　since　I　have　had　anything　to　eat；　or　rather　thirty…six　hours　that　I　have　been　asleep　pardonable　enough　in　a　man　who　came　all　the　way；　without　stopping；　from　Paris　to　Glasgow。　　What　is　the　breakfast　hour？〃　〃Nine　o'clock；〃　replied　Olbinett；　mechanically。　The　stranger　tried　to　pull　out　his　watch　to　see　the　time；　but　it　was　not　till　he　had　rummaged　through　the　ninth　pocket　that　he　found　it。　〃Ah；　well；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　only　eight　o'clock　at　present。　Fetch　me　a　glass　of　sherry　and　a　biscuit　while　I　am　waiting；　for　I　am　actually　falling　through　sheer　inanition。〃　Olbinett　heard　him　without　understanding　what　he　meant　for　the　voluble　stranger　kept　on　talking　incessantly；　flying　from　one　subject　to　another。　〃The　captain？　　Isn't　the　captain　up　yet？　　And　the　chief　officer？　What　is　he　doing？　　Is　he　asleep　still？　　It　is　fine　weather；　fortunately；　and　the　wind　is　favorable；　and　the　ship　goes　all　alone。〃　Just　at　that　moment　John　Mangles　appeared　at　the　top　of　the　stairs。　〃Here　is　the　captain！〃　said　Olbinett。　〃Ah！　delighted；　Captain　Burton；　delighted　to　make　your　acquaintance；〃　exclaimed　the　unknown。　John　Mangles　stood　stupefied；　as　much　at　seeing　the　stranger　on　board　as　at　hearing　himself　called　〃Captain　Burton。〃　But　the　new　comer　went　on　in　the　most　affable　manner。　〃Allow　me　to　shake　hands　with　you；　sir；　and　if　I　did　not　do　so　yesterday　evening；　it　was　only　because　I　did　not　wish　to　be　troublesome　when　you　were　starting。　　But　to…day；　captain；　it　gives　me　great　pleasure　to　begin　my　intercourse　with　you。〃　John　Mangles　opened　his　eyes　as　wide　as　possible；　and　stood　staring　at　Olbinett　and　the　stranger　alternately。　But　without　waiting　for　a　reply；　the　rattling　fellow　continued：　〃Now　the　introduction　is　made；　my　dear　captain；　we　are　old　friends。　Let's　have　a　little　talk；　and　tell　me　how　you　like　the　SCOTIA？〃　〃What　do　you　mean　by　the　SCOTIA？〃　put　in　John　Mangles　at　last。　〃By　the　SCOTIA？　　Why；　the　ship　we're　on；　of　coursea　good　ship　that　has　been　commended　to　me；　not　only　for　its　physical　qualities；　but　also　for　the　moral　qualities　of　its　commander；　the　brave　Captain　Burton。