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The scene which followed, who can describe? The moment Harry Grant came on deck, he knelt down reverently. Then, turning to Lady Helena and Lord Glenarvan, and his companions, he thanked them, his heart was too full to speak.
During the short passage from the isle to the yacht, his children had given him a brief sketch of the Duncan’s history.
Harry Grant expressed his gratitude with simplicity and nobleness. Even the impassable Major himself felt a tear steal down his cheek; while the good Paganel cried like a child who does not care who sees his tears.
Harry Grant could not take his eyes off his daughter. He looked at his boy, too. “How he has grown! He is a man!” was his delighted exclamation.
Glenarvan informed Harry Grant about Ayrton. “He is an intelligent, intrepid man,” Harry Grant said, “whose passions have led him astray.”
Lady Helena gave Captain Grant a narrative of the voyage, and made him proud of his son and daughter.
Harry Grant invited Glenarvan and his friends to visit his wooden house, and dine with him. They accepted the invitation most willingly. A boat was manned, and the Captain and his two children, Lord and Lady Glenarvan, the Major, John Mangles, and Paganel, landed on the shores of the island.
What happened to Captain Grant? When the survivors of the shipwrecked Britannia took refuge on the island, they began to organize the efforts of nature. In two years and a half, Harry Grant and his two sailors had metamorphosed the island. Several acres of well-cultivated land were stocked with vegetables of excellent quality.
The house was shaded by luxuriant trees. The magnificent ocean stretched before the windows, sparkling in the sunlight. Harry Grant had the table placed beneath the grand trees, and all the guests seated themselves.
Paganel was enchanted. “This little isle is just a paradise!” he said
“Yes,” replied Harry Grant, “a paradise to poor, shipwrecked fellows. It was during the night of the 26th or 27th of June, 1862, that the Britannia, disabled by a six days’ storm, struck against the rocks of Maria Theresa. The lifeboats were useless. My unfortunate crew all perished, except two sailors, who with myself managed to reach shore.
“The land which received us was only an uninhabited island, two miles broad and five long, with about thirty trees in the interior, a few meadows, and a brook of fresh water. Alone with my sailors, in this corner of the globe, I did not despair. The first few days were painful enough, but hunting and fishing soon afforded us a sure supply of food, for wild goats were in abundance in the interior of the island, and marine animals abounded on the coast. I had saved my instruments from the wreck, and knew exactly the position of the island. I found we were out of the route of vessels, and could not be rescued unless by some providential chance. However, we toiled on resolutely. We caught some young kids, which soon grew quite tame. We had milk and butter. We had built a log hut with the debris of the Britannia.”
Paganel could contain himself no longer, and seizing Harry Grant’s hand, he exclaimed:
“Captain! Will you tell me at last what really was in your message? Do you remember the precise words of the document?”
“Exactly,” replied Harry Grant; “I had inclosed three documents in the bottle, in three different languages. Which is it you wish to hear?”
“They are not identical, then?” cried Paganel.
“Yes, they are, almost to a word.”
“Well, then, let us have the French document,” replied Glenarvan.
“My Lord, I will give it you word for word,” replied Harry Grant. “LE 27 JUIN, 1862, le trois-mats Britannia, de Glasgow, s’est perdu à quinze cents lieues de la Patagonie, dans l’hemisphere austral. Partes à terre, deux matelots et le Capitaine Grant ont atteint l’île Tabor-”
“Oh!” exclaimed Paganel.
“LA,” continued Harry Grant, “continuellement en proie a une cruelle indigence, ils ont jeté ce document par 153 degrees de longitude et 37 degrees 11’ de latitude. Venez à leur secours, ou ils sont perdus.”
At the name of Tabor, Paganel was unable to restrain himself, and called out:
“How can it be Isle Tabor? Why, this is Maria Theresa!”
“Undoubtedly, Monsieur Paganel,” replied Harry Grant. “It is Maria Theresa on the English and German charts, but is named Tabor on the French ones!”
“Geographer!” said McNabbs, in a tone of the most supreme contempt.
“I am a mere ass!” cried Paganel.
“And not even a learned one!” added the Major.
When the meal was over, they returned to the vessel. Ayrton was brought up on the poop, and found himself face to face with Harry Grant.
“It is me, Ayrton!” said Grant.
“Yes, it is you, captain,” replied Ayrton. “Well, I am glad to see you again in good health.”
“It seems, Ayrton, that I made a mistake in landing you on an inhabited coast.”
“It seems so, captain.”
“You are going to take my place on this uninhabited island. May Heaven give you repentance!”
“Amen,” said Ayrton, calmly.
Glenarvan then addressed the quartermaster.
“It is still your wish, then, Ayrton, to be left behind?”
“Yes, my Lord!”
“And Isle Tabor meets your wishes?”
“Perfectly.”
“Must it be done?” said the young wife to her husband. “Must the poor man be left there?”
“He must, Helena,” replied Lord Glenarvan. “It is in expiation of his crimes.”
Ayrton took off his cap and bowed gravely.
On reaching land, Ayrton jumped on the sandy shore, and the boat returned to the yacht. It was then four o’clock in the afternoon, and from the poop the passengers could see the quartermaster gazing at the ship, standing with folded arms on a rock, motionless as a statue.
“Shall we set sail, my Lord?” asked John Mangles.
“Yes, John,” replied Glenarvan, hastily.
“Go on!” shouted John to the engineer.
On the 19th of March, eleven days after leaving the island, the Duncan sighted the American coast, and next day dropped anchor in the bay of Talcahuano. They had come back again after a voyage of five months, during which, and keeping strictly along the 37th parallel, they had gone round the world.
Harry Grant and his two companions were saved. John Mangles wedded Mary Grant, the same clergyman who had prayed nine months before for the deliverance of the father, now blessed the marriage of his daughter and his deliverer. Robert was to become a sailor like Harry Grant and John Mangles, and take part with them in the captain’s grand projects.
The learned geographer after his heroic exploits could not escape celebrity. He was overwhelmed with courtesies.
It was then that an amiable lady, about thirty years of age, in fact, a cousin of McNabbs, a little eccentric herself, but good and still charming, fell in love with the geographer, and offered him her hand.
The return of the captain to Scotland was a national event, and Harry Grant was soon the most popular man in Old Caledonia. His son Robert became a sailor like himself and Captain Mangles, and under the patronage of Lord Glenarvan they resumed the project of founding a Scotch colony in the Southern Seas.
1. Выберите правильный вариант:
1. After the Duncan was shipwrecked, Glenarvan cast a bottle into the ocean.
2. After the Duncan was shipwrecked, Captain Grant cast a bottle into the ocean.
3. After the Britannia was shipwrecked, Glenarvan cast a bottle into the ocean.
4. After the Britannia was shipwrecked, Captain Grant cast a bottle into the ocean.
2. Who is the quartermaster?
1. a major
2. a boatswain
3. an engineer
4. a captain
3. Who made it their quest to find Grant?
1. Lord Glenarvan
2. Ayrton
3. Maoris
4. British authorities
4. How many children did Captain Grant have?
1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 0
5. Who was Ayrtom?
1. the uncle of Mary
2. the brother of Robert
3. the traitor
4. the best friend of Grant
6. Who refused to launch a rescue expedition?
1. sailors
2. the government
3. the clergyman
4. Irish people
7. Выберите нужный вариант:
1. Canary Islands, by sheer luck, turned out to be Captain Grant’s shelter.
2. Amsterdam Island, by sheer luck, turned out to be Captain Grant’s shelter.
3. Maria Theresa Island, by sheer luck, turned out to be Captain Grant’s shelter.
4. Tabor Island, by sheer luck, turned out to be Captain Grant’s shelter.
8. Why did Ayrton propose to lead friends to the site of the wreckage?
1. Because he tried to take control of the Duncan.
2. Because he wanted to help them.
3. Because he was in love with Mary.
4. Because he had a lot of free time.
9. Закончите предложение:
They sailed to ______________, from where they wanted to come back to Europe.
1. They sailed to Melbourne, from where they wanted to come back to Europe.
2. They sailed to Glasgow, from where they wanted to come back to Europe.
3. They sailed to Auckland, from where they wanted to come back to Europe.
4. They sailed to Victoria, from where they wanted to come back to Europe.
10. Выберите нужный глагол:
It was impossible __________________ the bottle’s origin by the currents.
1. to make
2. to trace
3. to forget
4. to erase
11. Выберите нужное слово:
There was __________________ suspicious about this unexpected meeting.
1. something
2. nobody
3. nowhere
4. anything
12. The Glenarvans, the Grant children, Paganel and some sailors were left in Australia, and mistakenly believed that the Duncan was ________________________.
1. saved
2. imagined
3. found
4. lost
13. What is latitude?
1. a geographic coordinate
2. delicious food
3. a kind of a boat
4. a small animal
14. What is “at all events”?
1. никогда
2. изредка, порой
3. в любом случае
4. при удобном случае
15. Каким словом маори называли место, где содержались пленники?
16. Выберите правильные формы глагола:
If we _____________ Captain Grant in the course of our journey, we can all _____________ together to Melbourne.
1. discovered, return
2. discover, returned
3. discover, returnig
4. discover, return
17. Кем был, на самом деле, кузнец?
1. боцманом
2. врачом
3. путешественником
4. беглым каторжником
18. Only the latitude (______________ degrees) was known.
1. 27
2. 37
3. 15
4. 42
19. What does “by and by” mean?
1. here and there
2. little by litlle
3. up and down
4. topsy-curvy
20. Whose voice did Mary and Robert hear (but nobody believed them)?
1. Ayrton’s
2. Glenarvan’s
3. Shakespeare’s
4. their father’s
21. Whom did John Mangles wed?
1. Mary Grant
2. Helena
3. Maori girl
4. nobody
22. Выберите правильный вариант:
1. They left Ayrton on the island to live among the beasts and regain his humanity.
2. They left Ayrton on the island to practice piracy.
3. They left Ayrton on the island just for fun.
4. They left Ayrton on the island because they are very cruel.
23. Выберите нужный предлог:
between – from – to – with
1. Glenarvan put his ear _______________ the heart.
2. The soil is carpeted _______________ rich herbage.
3. They noticed sheep, feeding _______________ the posts of the telegraph line.
4. The report of a gun resounded _______________ the bottom of the valley.
26. What was the title of the newspaper where the young daughter and son of Captain Grant saw an announcement?
1. the Gazette
2. the Glasgow Banker
3. the Times
4. Sea News
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