Chapter 47 52.get together on the island

People never die because they are happy.The father and son turned around before they were taken back to the cruise ship.How can we describe this scene?Our writing is too poor.All the crew members shed tears when they saw their father and son hugging each other tightly in silence. As soon as Captain Grant boarded the deck of the cruise ship, he turned his head to Lady Helen, Sir and his companions, and thanked them for their rescue in a broken and moved voice.It turned out that when the two children returned to the cruise ship from the isolated island, they had simply told him all the process of Duncan's global search for him.

To this gallant woman, to all his companions, what a debt he owed!From the knight to the sailor, isn't it all about how much effort and suffering he has suffered?Harry Grant's expression of his boundless gratitude was so simple, sincere, and noble, and his valiant cheek reflected a sentiment so genuine and tender, that the whole crew felt that it had been paid, and This reward far exceeds the untold hardships they have suffered.Even the phlegmatic major could not keep tears from welling up in his eyes.As for Paganel, he wept and cried like a child. Harry Grant looked at his daughter.How beautiful and charming she seemed to him!He told her directly how he felt, and repeated it aloud, and asked Lady Helene to comment, as if to prove that he was not blinded by love for his children.Then, he turned to his son again:

"How tall he's grown! What a grown-up!" he exclaimed with delight. Then he picked up his two children whom he adored infinitely, and gave them all the passionate kisses accumulated in his heart during the two years of parting. Robert introduced all his good friends to his father one by one, and this boy can use different words to introduce different people, although he can only say the same thing to everyone!That is to say: all of them, every one of them, were too good for these two orphans.When John Mengele was introduced, the young captain blushed like a girl, and his voice trembled when he answered Mary's father.

By this time Lady Helen related the history of their voyage to Captain Grant, who was proud of having such sons and daughters. Harry Grant knew all the feats Robert had done, and how the boy had already paid part of his father's debt to Sir Glenarvan.Then it was John Menger's turn to talk about Mary again, and he said it so well that Harry Grant took his daughter's hand and placed it in the handsome the hand of the young captain, and turned to Sir and Lady Glenarvan: "Sir, madam, let us bless our child!" When all that had been said and said a thousand times, Glenarvan told Harry Grant also about Ayrton.Captain Grant confirmed his confession that the scoundrel had indeed been driven off the coast of Oceania.

"This man is smart and courageous," he added. "It was greed that led him to evil. I hope he can reflect on himself, repent, and be a good man again!" But before sending Ayrton to the island, Harry Grant entertained his many new friends at his deserted retreat.He invited them to have a look at his cabin, and to have a meal at his Sea Robinson's table.Glenarvan and his traveling companions gladly accepted.Like ants on a hot pot, Robert and Mary were eager to see the place where their father had lived, and where Captain Grant had shed so many tears for his children! Another boat went into the sea, and the three of them, father and son, Mrs. Glenarvan, the major, Menger and Paganel landed on the island after a while.

In a few hours Captain Grant's territory was covered.The island was really only the top of a great mountain under the sea, and a little level land on top of it, covered with alabaster rocks and volcanic remnants.In the age of crust formation, this mountain rose from the depths of the Pacific Ocean under the influence of underground fires.Then materialized soil is formed.Plants occupy this new territory.The whaling ships in the past brought some livestock such as sheep and pigs to the island, and the pigs and sheep were breeding in a wild state.Since then, nature has created three kingdoms of animals, plants and minerals on this isolated island in the center of the Pacific Ocean.

When the shipwrecked crew of the Britannia escaped here, there was human labor, and the vitality of that piece of nature became regular.In two and a half years, Harry Grant and his two sailors had completely changed their island.Several acres were carefully tilled and produced fine vegetables. The visitors walked to the house, which was under the shade of green gum trees.The sea was in front of the window, and the sun shone brightly.Harry Grant had the table put out in the shade of those lush trees, and everyone took their seats.A goat's leg, some bread made with nan'er bean powder, several bowls of milk, 2-3 wild endives, and some cool water, all these make up this simple feast, which is really worthy of the flavor of Xanadu.

Paganel was overjoyed.His old Robinson thoughts came back to him. "That rascal Ayrton has done him so cheaply!" he exclaimed cheerfully. "This little island is heaven!" "It's a paradise indeed," replied Harry Grant. "It's good luck that the three poor victims were rescued here! But I hate that the island is too small, and it is not a large and fertile island." , it is only a small stream, not a great river, only a small gap where the waves break, not a big harbor." "And why hate, Captain?" asked Glenarvan. "Because if it's a big island, I can build some foundations for Scotland to have a colony in the Pacific!"

"Ah! Captain, have you not given up your idea? Your idea has made you so famous in our country!" "I did not give it up, sir, and God delivered me by your hand, to accomplish this. My poor countrymen of old Scotland, all wretched, deserve a new land, good Let them escape poverty! Our dear country must have its own colony on this sea, all its own, and let it enjoy an independence and a happiness which it cannot enjoy in Europe!" "Ah! You are so true Well, Captain Grant," said Lady Helene, "that is a very good plan, and no great mind can conceive of it! But this island is..." "This island will not work, madam, it is only a rock, and at best it can support A few people, but what we want from South Africa is a large land rich in various primitive resources."

"Well, then, captain," cried Golinarvan, "the future belongs to us, and your vast land, let us go find it together!" Harry Grant and Glenarvan clasped hands passionately, as if to confirm the promise. And then, on this island, in this cabin, everyone wanted to hear how the three Britannia wrecks had lived during those two long years.Harry Grant immediately granted this wish of his new friends. "My story is the story of all Robinson Robinsons who were sent to the desert island. When we got here, there was no one to rely on, only God, and ourselves. We felt that we had to fight against nature and fight for survival. !" "It was during the night of June 26-27, 1862, when the Britannia was wrecked by a six-day storm and came crashing down on the rocks of this island. The island is 3 kilometers wide and 8 kilometers long. , with about 30 trees in the interior, some pastures, and a spring of clear water, which fortunately does not run dry all the year round. I took my two sailors alone, and I was not disappointed in this remote place. My two A friend in need, Bob and Qiao Ai, showed their greatest perseverance to help me.

"We started, like our role model, Robinson Crusoe in Defoe's works, by collecting some remnants of the ship: some tools, a little gunpowder, some guns, a bag of precious seeds. The first few days It was very difficult, but soon, hunting and fishing could provide us with stable food. Because there are a lot of wild sheep in the interior of the island, and the coast is full of aquatic animals. Slowly, our life has become more regular. "I salvaged my surveying instrument from the ship, so I could know the exact bearing of this small island. As soon as I surveyed, I found that we were out of any course, and no ship would come to rescue us. Unless there is an accident I was thinking of my dear ones, and daring not to hope to see them again, but I bravely accepted the ordeal. "At this time we worked resolutely. Before long, several acres of ripe land were sown with the vegetables of the Britannia. Potatoes, endives, sorrel, etc., began to spice up our daily food. Later, there were many other vegetables. We A few more wild sheep were caught, and they were quickly domesticated. We have goat milk and butter again. The natto grown in the dry river ditch provides us with a very nutritious bread. Therefore, in terms of material life, From now on we don't have to worry about it at all. "We built another hut out of old materials from the Britannia, with a canvas roof and carefully tarred, and under such strong shelter we were lucky to survive the rainy season. We lived in this hut. There were many plans discussed here, many dreams, and the best dream was the one that came true right now. "I would like to build a small boat out of broken ship boards and go on an adventure at sea, but the nearest land, the Paumatu Islands, is 800 kilometers away. No small boat can withstand such a long voyage. So I give up With this plan, we can only wait for the opportunity for someone to rescue us. "Ah! my poor child! How many times have I stood on the top of the rocks on the shore and watched the passing ships! During the whole period of our decline, only 2 or 3 sailing ships appeared on the horizon, but all of a sudden they appeared again." Nowhere to be seen! 2.5 years have passed like this. We already feel hopeless, but we're not disappointed yet. "The last was yesterday. I was climbing to the highest peak of the island when I suddenly saw a wisp of light smoke in the southwest of the island. The smoke gradually increased. After a while, a boat came into my field of vision, and I saw it. It seems to be heading our way. "But the island has no place to anchor, so will it avoid the island again? "Oh! What an anxious day it was! My heart almost burst out of my chest! We two fellow sufferers lit a fire on another mountain of the island. Arrived, but the cruise ship has not yet sent any The answering signal! Yet hope is at hand! Shall we just let it pass? "I hesitated no more. The shadows of the night deepened. The boat might round the island in the night. I threw myself into the sea and swam towards the boat. Hope fueled my energy. I fought the waves with superhuman strength I gradually approached the pleasure boat, but when the distance was less than 30 meters, the boat turned around! "So I let out a cry of disappointment, only my two children heard it, and it was not a hallucination of theirs. "Later, I had to go back to the shore, paralyzed, exhausted from anxiety and the fatigue of swimming. My two sailors pulled me up, and I was half dead. We spent the What a night this last night was! We thought we were abandoned forever, but luckily at dawn I saw the cruise ship reduce its horsepower and swing along the island. Your boat went into the sea... We were saved , and, lord! my two children, my two dear children, are here, with their arms outstretched to me!" Harry Grant's narrative ends with Mary and Robert kissing and touching.Only then did the captain realize that he was saved this time because of this document.The document he bottled eight days after his death.But what was Paganel thinking as Captain Grant related his story?The venerable geographer turned over the words on that document a thousand times in his mind!He thought about all the three original explanations, and all of them were wrong!How is Maria Theresa Island written on the few pieces of paper corroded by sea water?Unable to restrain himself, he seized Harry Grant's hand and cried: "Captain, will you tell me now what is written in your paper?" As soon as Paganel asked this question, everyone's curiosity was tense, because the riddle that had been impossible to solve for nine months was about to be solved! "Well, Captain? Do you remember exactly the words of your paper?" asked Paganel. "Remember exactly, I don't go a day without thinking of it, and that's our only hope!" "What are those few words, Captain? Please tell me, because we can't guess after many guesses, and we are too unconvinced." Glenarvan also asked. "I'm coming to meet your needs at once," replied Captain Grant, "but you know that in order to increase the chances of getting help, I have put three documents in the bottle, written in three languages. Which one do you want to know?" Where are the documents?" "Aren't the three documents the same?" exclaimed Paganel. "It's the same, only one place name is different." "Well, then, please read the French documents, which are the best preserved and on which we base every explanation," said Glenarvan. "Sir, this is the wording of the French document," replied Harry Grant, "on June 27, 1862, the three-masted ship Britannia, of Glasgow port, sank in the Southern Hemisphere 800 kilometers from Bagonia. Desperate to land, Captain Grant of Two Sailors climbed to Tabor Island." "Hmm!" Paganel snorted. "Unfortunately," the captain continued, "the man who has become a wild and desperate man in the long run. Zit dropped this document at longitude 153° latitude 37° 11'. Please rescue quickly, or you will die here!" Paganel stood up suddenly when he heard the name "Tapau Island". However, he really couldn't help it, and shouted: "Why is it Tabo Island? Isn't Maria Theresa Island?" "Yes, Monsieur Paganel, the island of Maria Theresa is written on English maps, but the island of Tabor is written on French maps!" At this moment, suddenly, a fist hit Paganel so hard on the shoulder that his back bowed.It turned out that the major respected him. The major's natural habit is always so solemn, but this time was an exception. "What a geographer!" said the major contemptuously. But Paganel did not even feel the major's blow.His geographical blows were holding his head down, what was that blow for? It turned out that he had almost guessed the text of the document, as he had said to his trusty Captain Grant!He has almost completely figured out those incomplete and blurred handwriting!Patagonia, Australia, New Zealand, although these names came to his mind one by one, they all seemed to be correct.The other words have almost found their original meanings, leaving only the word abor, which confuses him!He interpreted it as "aborder", but it is actually the French place name "Tabor", which is the place where the Britannia escaped after suffering!This error was inevitable, since the maps on the Duncan all contained the name "Maria Theresa Island". "Nevertheless," cried Paganel, scratching his hair, "I must not forget the fact that there are two people on one island! It is an unforgivable mistake made by a man who is not worthy to be the secretary of the Geographical Society." What a mistake! I lost all face!" "But, Monsieur Paganel, you needn't be so sorry!" said Madame Helene. "No, ma'am, no! I'm an ass!" "And it's not as good as a juggling ass!" the major went on to curse him again, as a consolation. After dinner, Captain Grant arranged the things in the cabin.He took nothing away, because he wanted the wicked man to enjoy the wealth created by the good man. Everyone went back to the ship.Golinarvan, intending to sail at once, gave orders that the sailor should be sent down.Ayrton was brought into the cabin, and stood before Captain Grant. "It is I, Ayrton," said the captain. "It is you, captain," replied Ayrton, without expressing the slightest surprise at seeing the captain again; "well, I am glad to see you safe and sound." "Ayrton, I seem to have done you a disservice by driving you to an inhabited land." "Seems so, Captain." "You are going to live in this deserted island for me, may God call you to repent!" "I hope so!" replied Ayrton, in a very quiet tone. Glenarvan looked at the sailor, and said to him: "Do you still stick to your decision to throw yourself on a desert island, Ayrton?" "Persevere, ser." "Do you think Tabo Island is to your liking?" "Very agreeable." "Now, Ayrton, listen to my last words. You are so far from any land here that it is impossible for you to have any contact with your men. Miracles are rare after all. The Duncan put you in You cannot escape from this isolated island. But you will not be the same as Captain Grant has been for the past two years. In memory of you. I know where you are, Ayrton, I know where to find you, and I shall never forget it. "God bless you!" answered Ayrton simply. These were the last words of Colinarvan and Ayrton's conversation.The boat was ready, and Ayrton disembarked. Menger had already sent several boxes of dry food, some tools, some weapons and some ammunition to the island in advance. Therefore Ayrton can reform himself with labor, he lacks nothing, even books. When it was time to say goodbye, all the crew and passengers stood on the deck, and more than one person felt sad, and neither Mary nor Mrs. Helen could control their emotions. "Must it be done?" the lady asked her husband, "must the scoundrel be thrown away?" "It must be so, Helen, it's to reform him!" At this time, the boat left the ship under Mengele's command.Ayrton stood in the boat, still impassive, took off his hat, and saluted solemnly. Glenarvan took off his hat, and the crew did likewise, as is usual for a dying man, while the boat moved away in silence. As soon as Ayrton saw land, he jumped on the sand, and the boat rowed back to the ship. It was 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and the passengers could still see him on the roof of the cabin. He folded his arms, motionless, like a stone statue standing on a rock, looking at the cruise ship. "Shall we go, sir?" Mengele asked. "Come on, John," replied Glenarvan hastily, unwilling to show, but deeply moved. "Ship!" Mengele shouted to the mechanic. Steam roared in the steam pipes, propellers beat waves, and at 8 o'clock in the evening, the last few peaks on Tabor Island disappeared in the night.