Chapter 44 49.Interrogation of the exile Ayrton

Ayrton came out, crossed the middle deck steadily, and climbed the ladder to the cabin.His eyes were dull, his teeth were clenched, his fists clenched convulsively, and he showed neither pride nor humiliation.As soon as he was in Sir Glenarvan's presence, he folded his arms, said nothing, and seemed at ease, waiting to be questioned. "Ayrton," said Glenarvan, "we meet again, and you meet us again on this Duncan, which you are trying to deliver to Penn Jus's gang of exiles!" Ayrton's lips quivered slightly upon hearing this.There was a burst of redness on his expressionless face.This burst of popularity was not due to repentance, but due to the shame of not succeeding in hijacking the ship.He was a prisoner in a ship in which he had meant to be master, and in which his fate was soon to be decided.

However, he does not answer.Glenarvan waited patiently, but he stubbornly said nothing. "Speak, Ayrton, what have you to say?" Golinarvan asked again. Ayrton hesitated, the wrinkles on his brow deepened again, and then, in a calm tone, replied: "I have nothing to say, sir, I did not do it well myself, and I was caught, and you can do what you like." After answering this sentence.He turned his eyes to the stretch of coast which stretched to the west, and feigned indifference to what was going on around him.Look at him as if he was a complete outsider of the incident.But Glenarvan was determined to endure.There was a great stake in his interest in knowing the details of Ayrton's mysterious history, especially that which concerned Harry Grant and the Britannia.Therefore, he continued the interrogation, trying to suppress the anger in his heart, and speaking with the utmost gentleness.

"Ayrton, I have a few questions I want to ask you, and you will not refuse to answer me. First of all, should I call you Ayrton, or should I call you Penn Juss? Are you Britannia?" The sailors on the sub?" Ayrton remained impassive, looking at the shore, and pretending not to hear all the questions. Golinarvan continued to ask the sailor, his eyes gradually shining. "Will you tell me? How did you get off the Britannia, and why did you come to Oceania?" The other party was still silent, with no expression on his face. "Listen to me, Ayrton, you'd better speak. Confession is the only way out for you. I'll ask you one last time, will you answer my question?"

Ayrton turned to Glenarvan, and looked into his eyes. "Sir, I have nothing to answer. It is up to the courts to prove my guilt. I cannot prove myself." "It's so easy to prove you guilty!" replied Glenarvan. "Easy, sir?" said Ayrton, sarcastically; "I think your lordship speaks too soon. I am, I am sure, the shrewdest judge in London! Now that Captain Grant is gone I have testified here, who can tell why I came to Oceania? Since the police authorities have never caught me, and my partners are still free, who can prove that I am the Peng Jue that the police authorities are arresting? Who, except you, can point out, let alone a crime, a reprehensible act, that I did it? Who can say with certainty that I intend to hijack the ship and deliver it to To an exile? No one, you heard me clearly, no one! You doubt me, yes, but you need solid evidence to convict a person, and you have no solid proof. I am, therefore, Ayrton, the sailor of the Britannia, until the contrary is proved."

Ayrton was very excited when he spoke, and in a moment he returned to his original nonchalant appearance.He must have thought that his words would end the interrogation.But Glenarvan still wanted to ask, and he said: "Ayrton, I am not the marshal in charge of your incrimination, that is not my business. Our positions must be made clear. I do not want you to say a single word that constitutes your crime. This, the court I will ask you. But, you also know that I am looking for someone, as long as you say a word, you can correct the wrong route I have found. Would you like to say it?"

Ayrton shook his head with an air of determination not to speak. "Will you tell me where Captain Grant is?" asked Glenarvan. "No, sir." "Would you point out to me where the Britannia was wrecked?" "nor." "Ayrton," continued Glenarvan, almost entreatingly, "if you knew where Harry Grant was, at least you would tell him about those poor boys? The boys Just waiting for a word from you?" Ayrton hesitated.There was a twitch in the face.But, in a low voice: "I can't, ser," he mumbled. Then he immediately added, irritably, as if reproaching himself for a moment of soft-heartedness: "No! I won't tell! Just ask me to be hanged!"

"Hang!" cried Golinarvan suddenly and furiously. Then, controlling himself again, he replied in a solemn voice: "Ayrton, there are neither judges nor executioners here. When the ship is in front of the wharf, I will hand you over to the English court." "That's exactly what I asked for!" he said. Then he walked leisurely back to the room where he was temporarily detained, and two sailors stood guard outside his door, responsible for watching his every smallest movement.All who participated in this interrogation were outraged and disappointed. There was nothing Glenarvan could do to soften Ayrton; what else could he do?Obviously, the only way to go back to Europe is to follow the plan made in Aiden.This fruitless search cannot be resumed unless it is resumed, so, as things stand, it seems that the Britannia has disappeared forever, and the documents can no longer be interpreted in any other way. There was no other land on the thirty-seventh parallel, so the Duncan had to sail back to Europe.

After discussing with his friends, Keli Nafan had a special talk with Mengele about returning to the voyage.Menger went to check the coal bunker, and found that the stored coal could burn for half a month at most, so he had to replenish fuel at the nearest half-way station. Mengele suggested to the Sir to sail the ship to Talcahuano Bay, fill up with enough coal, and start traveling around the world.There is a direct flight from here to Talcahuano Bay, and it is on the 37th parallel.After arriving at Tarwano Bay, after the cruise ship has replenished a large number of necessities, it can sail south around Cape Horn and return to Scotland by the Atlantic route.

This plan was adopted, and the mechanics were immediately ordered to increase the pressure.Half an hour later, the bow of the ship was pointing to Talcahuano Bay, and the sea was "peaceful", which is just right for the name of the Pacific Ocean.At 6 o'clock in the evening, New Zealand's last mountain has disappeared in the heat fog on the horizon. This means that the homing has begun.What a disappointing voyage back to Glasgow harbor without Harry Grant for the intrepid seekers!Therefore, all the crew members were so happy when they set off, and they were so full of confidence at the beginning. Now when they want to return to Europe, they all feel that they have lost the battle and come back, all of them are downcast.No one was excited about seeing their hometown again. In order to find Captain Grant, everyone was willing to take another risk at sea, even if it took longer.

Therefore, after the sound of "Whoa!" to welcome Golinar back to the ship, there was a feeling of dejection all over the ship.Passengers don't come and go as often, and the laughs and jokes that used to be fun on the journey are gone.Everyone ran away and hid alone in their rooms, and it was rare for anyone to come out on deck. Among them, there is one person who often exaggerates the emotions of worry or joy on the ship than others, that is Paganel. He usually finds a glimmer of hope from hopelessness when necessary, and now even He, too, was frowning and fell silent.People rarely see him.His natural habit of talking, that French liveliness, had now become silent and despondent.It seemed that he was even sadder than his traveling companions.As soon as Glenarvan spoke of further visits, he shook his head as if in utter despair, as if he had already figured out the fate of the lost crew of the Britannia.One sensed his conviction that the lost crew must be doomed.

However, there was one man on board who could tell the truth about the Britannia's wreck, but was slow to do so.That's Ayrton.There can be no doubt that the villain, though not necessarily aware of Captain Grant's present situation, at least knows the place where the ship was wrecked.It was evident, however, that once Grant had found it, he had an extra witness to his detriment.So he stubbornly refused to speak.Therefore, the people on board, especially the sailors, were very angry with him, and wanted to kill him. Several times, Glenarvan tried to force a few words out of his mouth.But it doesn't work anyway.In short, Ayrton was so obstinate, so inexplicably obstinate, that the Major thought he really knew nothing of the circumstances of the Britannia and of Captain Grant's loss.And this view of the major is exactly the same as that of Paganel, because this view just confirms the pessimistic speculation of the fate of the geographer's personal Harry Grant. And yet, if Ayrton really knew nothing, why didn't he confess frankly that he didn't?He doesn't know, it doesn't hinder him.And he refused to speak to death, which added to the difficulty of formulating a new plan.Since Ayrton was in Oceania, could one infer that Harry Grant was also in Oceania?On this question, every effort must be made to induce Ayrton to speak. Seeing her husband's failure, Lady Helene asked permission to fight the sailor's stubbornness.What a man cannot succeed, perhaps a woman, by her gentle influence, can.When the sun and the strong wind competed to see who could make a traveler take off his coat, the stronger the wind blew, the tighter the traveler wrapped his coat, and the sun shone softly, and the man immediately took off his coat , Isn't this a story that has been passed down from ancient to modern times?Glenarvan knew that his young wife was very wise, and let her do as she pleased. On this day, March 5th, Ayrton was brought into Lady Helene's room.Mary was also invited to the interview, for the girl's influence could have been great, and Lady Helene was not willing to overlook anything that might have contributed to success. The two ladies and the Britannia sailor shut themselves up in the room for an hour, but nothing of the conversation was revealed.What did they say?What excuse did they use to get a little secret out of him?In short, the details of this cross-examination have never been known.But when they parted from Ayrton, they looked unsuccessful, and even showed a look of real despondency. So, when Ayrton was led back to his own chambers, the sailors stopped him and threatened him with many violence.As for him, he just shrugged his shoulders and ignored him, which increased the anger of the sailors towards him, until the intervention of Menger and Glenarvan himself put the public outrage in check. But Mrs. Helen did not admit defeat at this point.She would fight that heartless man to the last, and the next day she went herself to Ayrton's room, so as not to cause another outrage when he passed the deck. The kind and gentle Mrs. Helene negotiated face to face with the exile chief alone for two full hours.Golinavan, like an ant on a hot pot, has been pacing up and down the side of that room, sometimes determined to try everything that can help to succeed, and sometimes wants to call his wife out, so as not to suffer that kind of negotiation in vain. pain. However, when Madam Helen came out this time, she looked a little confident.Did she set out the secret?Did it touch the villain's last bit of compassion? The major saw it, and couldn't help expressing a very natural disbelief. However, news immediately spread to the entire crew, saying that the exile was moved by Mrs. Helen, which was like passing an electric current.All the sailors were on deck faster than Austin could blow his whistle to summon them to work. Glenarvan hastened to meet his wife: "Did he say it?" "No, but he gave in to my request. He wants to see you." "Ah! dear Helen, you have succeeded!" "I hope to achieve something, Edward." "Did you make any promises to him, do you need me to reassure him?" "I made only one promise, my dear, and that is that I promise you to do all you can to mitigate the inevitable punishment of that scoundrel." "Very well, my dear Helen. Let Ayrton come to me at once." Lady Helene went back to her room, accompanied by Mary.The sailor was brought again into the square, where Glenarvan was waiting for him.