He stretched out his arms towards Mary’s brother, and pressed his lips to the boy’s cheeks, which were still wet with tears.
They then spoke of the generous Thalcave. Lady Helena regretted that she could not have shaken hands with the brave Indian. MacNabb, after the first outbursts of enthusiasm, repaired to his cabin to shave himself. As for Paganel, he flitted hither and thither, like a bee, extracting the honey of compliments and smiles. He wished to embrace all on board the Duncan, and, beginning with Lady Helena and Mary Grant, ended with Mr. Olbinett, the steward, who could not better recognize such politeness than by announcing breakfast.
“Breakfast!” cried Paganel.
“Yes, Mr. Paganel,” replied Olbinett.
“A real breakfast, on a real table, with tablecloth and napkins?”
“Certainly.”
“And shall we not eat hard eggs, or ostrich steaks?”
“Oh, Mr. Paganel!” replied the worthy steward, greatly embarrassed.
“I did not mean to offend you, my friend,” said the geographer; “but for a month our food has been of that sort, and we have dined, not at a table, but stretched on the ground, except when we were astride of the trees. This breakfast that you have just announced seemed to me, therefore, like a dream, a fiction, a chimera.”
“Well, we will test its reality, Monsieur Paganel,” replied Lady Helena, who could not help laughing.
“Accept my arm,” said the gallant geographer.
“Has your lordship any orders to give?” inquired Captain Mangles.
“After breakfast, my dear fellow,” replied Glenarvan, “we will discuss in council the programme of the new expedition.”
The passengers and the young captain then descended to the cabin. Orders were given to the engineer to keep up steam, that they might start at the first signal. The major and the travelers, after a rapid toilette, seated themselves at the table. Ample justice was done to Mr. Olbinett’s repast, which was declared excellent and even superior to the splendid banquets of the Pampas. Paganel called twice for every dish, “through absentmindedness,” as he said. This unfortunate word led Lady Helena to inquire if the amiable Frenchman had occasionally shown his habitual failing. The major and Lord Glenarvan looked at each other with a smile. As for Paganel, he laughed heartily, and promised “upon his honor” not to commit a single blunder during the entire voyage. He then in a very comical way told the story of his mistake in the study of Spanish.
“After all,” he added, in conclusion, “misfortunes are sometimes beneficial, and I do not regret my error.”
“And why, my worthy friend?” asked the major.
“Because I not only know Spanish, but Portuguese also. I speak two languages instead of one.”
“By my faith, I should not have thought of that,” replied MacNabb. “My compliments, Paganel, my sincere compliments!”
Paganel was applauded, but did not lose a single mouthful. He did not, however, notice one peculiarity observed by Glenarvan, and that was the young captain’s attentions to his neighbor, Mary Grant. A slight sign from Lady Helena to her husband told him how matters stood. He gazed at the two young people with affectionate sympathy, and finally addressed the captain, but upon a different subject.
“How did you succeed with your voyage, captain?” he inquired.
“Excellently,” replied the captain; “only I must inform your lordship that we did not return by way of the Strait of Magellan.”
“What!” cried Paganel, “you doubled Cape Horn, and I was not there!”
“Hang yourself!” said the major.
“Selfish fellow! you give me this advice in order that you may share my rope!” retorted the geographer.
“Well, my dear Paganel,” added Glenarvan, “unless we are endowed with ubiquity, we cannot be everywhere. Since you crossed the Pampas, you could not at the same time double Cape Horn.”
“Nevertheless, I am sorry,” replied the geographer.
Captain Mangles now told the story of his voyage, and was congratulated by Glenarvan, who, addressing Mary Grant, said—
“My dear young lady, I see that Captain John pays his homage to your noble qualities, and I am happy to find that you are not displeased with his ship.”
“Oh, how could I be?” replied Mary, gazing at Lady Helena, and perhaps also at the young captain.
“My sister loves you, Mr. Captain,” cried Robert, “and I do too.”
“And I return your love, my dear boy,” replied Captain Mangles, a little confused by Robert’s words, which also brought a slight blush to the face of the young girl.
Then, changing the conversation to a less embarrassing subject, the captain added—
“Since I have related the Duncan’s voyage, will not your lordship give us a few particulars of your travels, and the exploits of our young hero?”
No recital could have been more agreeable to Lady Helena and Miss Grant, and Glenarvan hastened to satisfy their curiosity. He told, word for word, all about their journey from ocean to ocean. The passage of the Andes, the earthquake, Robert’s disappearance, his capture by the condor, Thalcave’s fortunate shot, the adventure with the wolves, the boy’s devotion, the meeting with Sergeant Manuel, the inundation, their refuge in the tree, the lightning, the fire, the alligators, the waterspout, the night on the shores of the Atlantic, all these incidents, cheerful or serious, excited alternately the joy and terror of his hearers. Many a circumstance was related that brought Robert the caresses of his sister and Lady Helena. Never was boy more highly praised, or by more enthusiastic friends.
“Now, my friends,” remarked Lord Glenarvan, when he had finished his recital, “let us think of the present. Let us return to the subject of Captain Grant.”
When breakfast was over, the party repaired to Lady Helena’s stateroom, and, taking seats around a table loaded with maps and charts, resumed the conversation. Glenarvan explained that the shipwreck had not taken place on the shores either of the Pacific or the Atlantic, and that, consequently, the document had been wrongly interpreted so far as Patagonia was concerned; that Paganel, by a sudden inspiration, had discovered the mistake and proved that they had been following a false trail. The geographer was accordingly asked to explain the French document, which he did to the
