These last words justified1 the colonists2' presentiment3. There had been some mournful past, perhaps expiated4 in the sight of men, but from which his conscience had not yet absolved6 him. At any rate the guilty man felt remorse7, he repented8, and his new friends would have cordially pressed the hand which they sought; but he did not feel himself worthy9 to extend it to honest men! However, after the scene with the jaguar10, he did not return to the forest, and from that day did not go beyond the enclosure of Granite11 House.
What was the mystery of his life? Would the stranger one day speak of it? Time alone could show. At any rate, it was agreed that his secret should never be asked from him, and that they would live with him as if they suspected nothing.
For some days their life continued as before. Cyrus Harding and Gideon Spilett worked together, sometimes chemists, sometimes experimentalists. The reporter never left the engineer except to hunt with Herbert, for it would not have been prudent12 to allow the lad to ramble13 alone in the forest; and it was very necessary to be on their guard. As to Neb and Pencroft, one day at the stables and poultry-yard, another at the corral, without reckoning work in Granite House, they were never in want of employment.
The stranger worked alone, and he had resumed his usual life, never appearing at meals, sleeping under the trees in the plateau, never mingling14 with his companions. It really seemed as if the society of those who had saved him was insupportable to him!
"But then," observed Pencroft, "why did he entreat15 the help of his fellow-creatures? Why did he throw that paper into the sea?"
"He will tell us why," invariably replied Cyrus Harding.
"When?"
"Perhaps sooner than you think, Pencroft."
And, indeed, the day of confession16 was near.
On the 10th of December, a week after his return to Granite House, Harding saw the stranger approaching, who, in a calm voice and humble17 tone, said to him: "Sir, I have a request to make of you."
"Speak," answered the engineer, "but first let me ask you a question."
At these words the stranger reddened, and was on the point of withdrawing. Cyrus Harding understood what was passing in the mind of the guilty man, who doubtless feared that the engineer would interrogate18 him on his past life.
Harding held him back.
"Comrade," said he, "we are not only your companions but your friends. I wish you to believe that, and now I will listen to you."
The stranger pressed his hand over his eyes. He was seized with a sort of trembling, and remained a few moments without being able to articulate a word.
"Sir," said he at last, "I have come to beg you to grant me a favor."
"What is it?"
"You have, four or five miles from here, a corral for your domesticated19 animals. These animals need to be taken care of. Will you allow me to live there with them?"
Cyrus Harding gazed at the unfortunate man for a few moments with a feeling of deep commiseration20; then,--
"My friend," said he, "the corral has only stables hardly fit for animals."
"It will be good enough for me, sir."
"My friend," answered Harding, "we will not constrain21 you in anything. You wish to live at the corral, so be it. You will, however, be always welcome at Granite House. But since you wish to live at the corral we will make the necessary arrangements for your being comfortably established there."
"Never mind that, I shall do very well."
"My friend," answered Harding, who always intentionally22 made use of this cordial appellation23, "you must let us judge what it will be best to do in this respect."
"Thank you, sir," replied the stranger as he withdrew.
The engineer then made known to his companions the proposal which had been made to him, and it was agreed that they should build a wooden house at the corral, which they would make as comfortable as possible.
That very day the colonists repaired to the corral with the necessary tools, and a week had not passed before the house was ready to receive its tenant24. It was built about twenty feet from the sheds, and from there it was easy to overlook the flock of sheep, which then numbered more than eighty. Some furniture, a bed, table, bench, cupboard, and chest were manufactured, and a gun, ammunition25, and tools were carried to the corral.
The stranger, however, had seen nothing of his new dwelling26, and he had allowed the settlers to work there without him, while he occupied himself on the plateau, wishing, doubtless, to put the finishing stroke to his work. Indeed, thanks to him, all the ground was dug up and ready to he sowed when the time came.
It was on the 20th of December that all the arrangements at the corral were completed. The engineer announced to the stranger that his dwelling was ready to receive him, and the latter replied that he would go and sleep there that very evening.
On this evening the colonists were gathered in the diningroom of Granite House. It was then eight o'clock, the hour at which their companion was to leave them. Not wishing to trouble him by their presence, and thus imposing27 on him the necessity of saying farewells which might perhaps be painful to him, they had left him alone and ascended28 to Granite House.
Now, they had been talking in the room for a few minutes, when a light knock was heard at the door. Almost immediately the stranger entered, and without any preamble,--
"Gentlemen," said he, "before I leave you, it is right that you should know my history. I will tell it you."
These simple words profoundly impressed Cyrus Harding and his companions. The engineer rose.
"We ask you nothing, my friend," said he; "it is your right to be silent."
"It is my duty to speak."
"Sit down, then."
"No, I will stand."
"We are ready to hear you," replied Harding.
The stranger remained standing29 in a corner of the room, a little in the shade. He was bareheaded, his arms folded across his chest, and it was in this posture30 that in a hoarse31 voice, speaking like some one who obliges himself to speak, he gave the following recital32, which his auditors33 did not once interrupt:--
"On the 20th of December, 1854, a steam-yacht, belonging to a Scotch34 nobleman, Lord Glenarvan, anchored off Cape35 Bernouilli, on the western coast of Australia, in the thirty-seventh parallel. On board this yacht were Lord Glenarvan and his wife, a major in the English army, a French geographer36, a young girl, and a young boy. These two last were the children of Captain Grant, whose ship, the 'Britannia,' had been lost, crew and cargo37, a year before. The 'Duncan' was commanded by Captain John Mangles38, and manned by a crew of fifteen men.
"This is the reason the yacht at this time lay off the coast of Australia. Six months before, a bottle, enclosing a document written in English, German, and French, had been found in the Irish Sea, and picked up by the 'Duncan.' This document stated in substance that there still existed three survivors39 from the wreck41 of the 'Britannia,' that these survivors were Captain Grant and two of his men, and that they had found refuge on some land, of which the document gave the latitude42, but of which the longitude43, effaced44 by the sea, was no longer legible.
"This latitude was 37deg 11' south; therefore, the longitude being unknown, if they followed the thirty-seventh parallel over continents and seas, they would be certain to reach the spot inhabited by Captain Grant and his two companions. The English Admiralty having hesitated to undertake this search, Lord Glenarvan resolved to attempt everything to find the captain. He communicated with Mary and Robert Grant, who joined him. The 'Duncan' yacht was equipped for the distant voyage, in which the nobleman's family and the captain's children wished to take part, and the 'Duncan,' leaving Glasgow, proceeded towards the Atlantic, passed through the Straits of Magellan, and ascended the Pacific as far as Patagonia, where, according to a previous interpretation45 of the document, they supposed that Captain Grant was a prisoner among the Indians.
"The 'Duncan' disembarked her passengers on the western coast of Patagonia, and sailed to pick them up again on the eastern coast at Cape Corrientes. Lord Glenarvan traversed Patagonia, following the thirty- seventh parallel, and having found no trace of the captain, he re-embarked46 on the 13th of November, so as to pursue his search through the Ocean.
"After having unsuccessfully visited the islands of Tristan d'Acunha and Amsterdam, situated47 in her course, the 'Duncan,' as I have said, arrived at Cape Bernouilli, on the Australian coast, on the 20th of December, 1854.
"It was Lord Glenarvan's intention to traverse Australia as he had traversed America, and he disembarked. A few miles from the coast was established a farm, belonging to an Irishman, who offered hospitality to the travelers. Lord Glenarvan made known to the Irishman the cause which had brought him to these parts, and asked if he knew whether a three-masted English vessel48, the 'Britannia,' had been lost less than two years before on the west coast of Australia.
"The Irishman had never heard of this wreck, but, to the great surprise of the bystanders, one of his servants came forward and said,--
"'My lord, praise and thank God! If Captain Grant is still living, he is living on the Australian shores.'
"'Who are you?' asked Lord Glenarvan.
"'A Scotchman like yourself, my lord,' replied the man; 'I am one of Captain Grant's crew--one of the castaways of the "Britannia."'
"This man was called Ayrton. He was, in fact, the boatswain's mate of the 'Britannia,' as his papers showed. But, separated from Captain Grant at the moment when the ship struck upon the rocks, he had till then believed that the captain with all his crew had perished, and that he, Ayrton, was the sole survivor40 of the 'Britannia.'
"'Only,' he added, 'it was not on the west coast, but on the east coast of Australia that the vessel was lost, and if Captain Grant is still living, as his document indicates, he is a prisoner among the natives, and it is on the other coast that he must be looked for.'
"This man spoke49 in a frank voice and with a confident look; his words could not be doubted. The irishman, in whose service he had been for more than a year, answered for his trustworthiness. Lord Glenarvan, therefore, believed in the fidelity50 of this man and, by his advice, resolved to cross Australia, following the thirty-seventh parallel. Lord Glenarvan, his wife, the two children, the major, the Frenchman, Captain Mangles, and a few sailors composed the little band under the command of Ayrton, while the 'Duncan,' under charge of the mate, Tom Austin, proceeded to Melbourne, there to await Lord Glenarvan's instructions.
"They set out on the 23rd of December, 1854.
"It is time to say that Ayrton was a traitor51. He was, indeed, the boatswain's mate of the 'Britannia,' but, after some dispute with his captain, he endeavored to incite52 the crew to mutiny and seize the ship, and Captain Grant had landed him, on the 8th of April, 1852, on the west coast of Australia, and then sailed, leaving him there, as was only just.
"Therefore this wretched man knew nothing of the wreck of the 'Britannia'; he had just heard of it from Glenarvan's account. Since his abandonment, he had become, under the name of Ben Joyce, the leader of the escaped convicts; and if he boldly maintained that the wreck had taken place on the east coast, and led Lord Glenarvan to proceed in that direction, it was that he hoped to separate him from his ship, seize the 'Duncan,' and make the yacht a pirate in the Pacific."
Here the stranger stopped for a moment. His voice trembled, but he continued,--
"The expedition set out and proceeded across Australia. It was inevitably53 unfortunate, since Ayrton, or Ben Joyce, as he may be called, guided it, sometimes preceded, sometimes followed by his band of convicts, who had been told what they had to do.
"Meanwhile, the 'Duncan' had been sent to Melbourne for repairs. It was necessary, then, to get Lord Glenarvan to order her to leave Melbourne and go to the east coast of Australia, where it would be easy to seize her. After having led the expedition near enough to the coast, in the midst of vast forests with no resources, Ayrton obtained a letter, which he was charged to carry to the mate of the 'Duncan'--a letter which ordered the yacht to repair immediately to the east coast, to Twofold Bay, that is to say a few days' journey from the place where the expedition had stopped. It was there that Ayrton had agreed to meet his accomplices54, and two days after gaining possession of the letter, he arrived at Melbourne.
"So far the villain55 had succeeded in his wicked design. He would be able to take the 'Duncan' into Twofold Bay, where it would be easy for the convicts to seize her, and her crew massacred, Ben Joyce would become master of the seas. But it pleased God to prevent the accomplishment56 of these terrible projects.
"Ayrton, arrived at Melbourne, delivered the letter to the mate, Tom Austin, who read it and immediately set sail, but judge of Ayrton's rage and disappointment, when the next day he found that the mate was taking the vessel, not to the east coast of Australia, to Twofold Bay, but to the east coast of New Zealand. He wished to stop him, but Austin showed him the letter!... And indeed, by a providential error of the French geographer, who had written the letter, the east coast of New Zealand was mentioned as the place of destination.
"All Ayrton's plans were frustrated57! He became outrageous58. They put him in irons. He was then taken to the coast of New Zealand, not knowing what would become of his accomplices, or what would become of Lord Glenarvan.
"The 'Duncan' cruised about on this coast until the 3rd of March. On that day Ayrton heard the report of guns. The guns on the 'Duncan' were being fired, and soon Lord Glenarvan and his companions came on board.
"This is what had happened.
"After a thousand hardships, a thousand dangers, Lord Glenarvan had accomplished59 his journey, and arrived on the east coast of Australia, at Twofold Bay. 'Not "Duncan!"' He telegraphed to Melbourne. They answered, '"Duncan" sailed on the 18th instant. Destination unknown.'
"Lord Glenarvan could only arrive at one conclusion; that his honest yacht had fallen into the hands of Ben Joyce, and had become a pirate vessel!
"However, Lord Glenarvan would not give up. He was a bold and generous man. He embarked in a merchant vessel, sailed to the west coast of New Zealand, traversed it along the thirty-seventh parallel, without finding any trace of Captain Grant; but on the other side, to his great surprise, and by the will of Heaven, he found the 'Duncan,' under command of the mate, who had been waiting for him for five weeks!
"This was on the 3rd of March, 1855. Lord Glenarvan was now on board the 'Duncan,' but Ayrton was there also. He appeared before the nobleman, who wished to extract from him all that the villain knew about Captain Grant. Ayrton refused to speak. Lord Glenarvan then told him, that at the first port they put into, he would be delivered up to the English authorities. Ayrton remained mute.
"The 'Duncan' continued her voyage along the thirty-seventh parallel. In the meanwhile, Lady Glenarvan undertook to vanquish60 the resistance of the ruffian.
"At last, her influence prevailed, and Ayrton, in exchange for what he could tell, proposed that Lord Glenarvan should leave him on some island in the Pacific, instead of giving him up to the English authorities. Lord Glenarvan, resolving to do anything to obtain information about Captain Grant, consented.
"Ayrton then related all his life, and it was certain that he knew nothing from the day on which Captain Grant had landed him on the Australian coast.
"Nevertheless, Lord Glenarvan kept the promise which he had given. The 'Duncan' continued her voyage and arrived at Tabor Island. It was there that Ayrton was to be landed, and it was there also that, by a veritable miracle, they found Captain Grant and two men, exactly on the thirty- seventh parallel.
"The convict, then, went to take their place on this desert islet, and at the moment he left the yacht these words were pronounced by Lord Glenarvan:--
"'Here, Ayrton, you will be far from any land, and without any possible communication with your fellow-creatures. You can-not escape from this islet on which the 'Duncan' leaves you. You will be alone, under the eye of a God who reads the depths of the heart, but you will be neither lost nor forgotten, as was Captain Grant. Unworthy as you are to be remembered by men, men will remember you. I know where you are Ayrton, and I know where to find you. I will never forget it!
"And the 'Duncan,' making sail, soon disappeared. This was 18th of March, 1855.
(The events which have just been briefly61 related are taken from a
work which some of our readers have no doubt read, and which is
entitled, "Captain Grant's children." They will remark on this
occasion, as well as later, some discrepancy62 in the dates; but
later again, they will understand why the real dates were not at
first given.)
"Ayrton was alone, but he had no want of either ammunition, weapons, tools, or seeds.
"At his, the convict's disposal, was the house built by honest Captain Grant. He had only to live and expiate5 in solitude63 the crimes which he had committed.
"Gentlemen, he repented, he was ashamed of his crimes and was very miserable64! He said to himself, that if men came some day to take him from that islet, he must be worthy to return among them! How he suffered, that wretched man! How he labored65 to recover himself by work! How he prayed to be reformed by prayer! For two years, three years, this went on, but Ayrton, humbled66 by solitude, always looking for some ship to appear on the horizon, asking himself if the time of expiation67 would soon be complete, suffered as none other suffered! Oh! how dreadful was this solitude, to a heart tormented68 by remorse!
"But doubtless Heaven had not sufficiently69 punished this unhappy man, for he felt that he was gradually becoming a savage70! He felt that brutishness was gradually gaining on him!
"He could not say if it was after two or three years of solitude, but at last he became the miserable creature you found!
"I have no need to tell you, gentlemen, that Ayrton, Ben Joyce, and I, are the same."
Cyrus Harding and his companions rose at the end of this account. It is impossible to say how much they were moved! What misery71, grief, and despair lay revealed before them!
"Ayrton," said Harding, rising, "you have been a great criminal, but Heaven must certainly think that you have expiated your crimes! That has been proved by your having been brought again among your fellow-creatures. Ayrton, you are forgiven! And now you will be our companion?"
Ayrton drew back.
"Here is my hand!" said the engineer.
Ayrton grasped the hand which Harding extended to him, and great tears fell from his eyes.
"Will you live with us?" asked Cyrus Harding.
"Captain Harding, leave me some time longer," replied Ayrton, "leave me alone in the hut in the corral!"
"As you like, Ayrton," answered Cyrus Harding. Ayrton was going to withdraw, when the engineer addressed one more question to him:--
"One word more, my friend. Since it was your intention to live alone, why did you throw into the sea the document which put us on your track?"
"A document?" repeated Ayrton, who did not appear to know what he meant.
"Yes, the document which we found enclosed in a bottle, giving us the exact position of Tabor Island!"
Ayrton passed his hand over his brow, then after having thought, "I never threw any document into the sea!" he answered.
"Never?" exclaimed Pencroft.
"Never!"
And Ayrton, bowing, reached the door and departed.
陌生人说的最后一句话证明移民们的猜测是正确的。他有一段伤心的往事，看起来他象是已经赎清了自己的罪恶，然而他的良心还没有宽恕自己。不管怎么样，这个罪人还是感到惭愧，他忏悔自己的过去，他的新朋友们热诚地想和他握手；而他却觉得不配把自己的手伸给这些忠实的人！不过，经过美洲豹的事件以后，他没有再回森林，从那天起，他连“花岗石宫”的范围以外都没有出。
他的一生究竟有些什么秘密呢？陌生人将来会谈出来吗？这都只好等日后再看了。然而大家都一致同意，决不追问他的秘密，他们要显得毫无疑虑的样子和他生活在一起。
他们的生活和以前一样，继续了好几天。赛勒斯.史密斯和吉丁.史佩莱在一起工作，有时候当化学师，有时候做实验家。只有和赫伯特一同去打猎的时候，通讯记者才离开工程师，因为再让少年在森林里单独行动未免太不小心了；他们必须随时当心。纳布和潘克洛夫有时在厩房和家禽场，有时在畜栏，再加上“花岗石宫”里的工作，他们从来也不会没有工作干。
陌生人还是单干，他又恢复了往常的生活，一向不来吃饭，睡觉就在高地的大树底下，绝不和伙伴们发生联系。居民们挽救了他，然而他们的集体生活对他说来，却好象是不能容忍的?
翱墒牵迸丝寺宸蛩担八治裁匆嗣侨ピ人课裁匆涯钦胖教跞釉诤＠锬兀俊?
“他会解释给我们听的。”赛勒斯.史密斯老是这么说。
“什么时候？”
“也许比你想的要早一些，潘克洛夫。”
果然，他自己坦白的日子接近了。
12月10日，也就是他回到“花岗石宫”附近来的一星期以后，史密斯看见陌生人向自己走来，用平静而谦逊的声调说：“先生，我请求您一件事。”
“说吧，”工程师说，“不过首先我要问你一个问题。”
陌生人听了这话，脸立刻涨得通红，打算往后退。赛勒斯.史密斯知道这个罪人脑子里想的是什么，毫无疑问，他怕工程师问他过去的一生。
史密斯拦住了他。
“伙伴，”工程师说，“我们不仅是你的伙伴，而且还是你的朋友。我希望你能相信这一点，现在你有什么话说给我听吧。”
陌生人一手捂着眼睛。他浑身颤抖着，一时说不出话来。
“先生，”他终于开口了，“我请求你答应我一件事。”
“什么事？”
“离这儿四五英里的地方，你们有一个养家畜的畜栏。这些家畜需要有人照料。您能让我住在那儿吗？”
赛勒斯.史密斯非常同情地注视着这个不幸的人，过了一会儿，然后才说：
“朋友，畜栏里的厩房只能勉强住牲口。”
“对我就非常合适了，先生。”
“朋友，”史密斯说，“你做什么事情我们都不限制。你愿意住在畜栏里，那也可以。然而，我们总是随时欢迎你住到‘花岗石宫’里来。可是既然你要住在畜栏里，我们就必须给你整理一下，让你舒舒服服地住在那里。”
“不要管那些，我自己会安排得很好的。”
“朋友，”史密斯说，他总是故意用这个亲密的称呼，“这件事该怎么办才最合适，你应该让我们决定。”
“谢谢您，先生。”陌生人说完以后，就走了。
工程师把他的提议告诉了伙伴们，大家一致同意在畜栏里盖一所木头房子，他们要把它盖得尽量舒适。
当天，移民们就带着必要的工具一齐到畜栏去，不到一个星期，房屋已经落成，只等房客搬进去了。这所房子盖在离兽棚大约二十英尺的地方，在那里照看羊群非常方便，现在畜栏里已经有八十多只羊了。他们还制造了一些家具：一张床、一张桌子、一条板凳、一只碗柜和一只箱子，又拿了一支枪、一些弹药和工具到畜栏里去。
陌生人直到现在还没有看见过自己的新居，他让居民们在那里工作，自己留在高地上，毫无疑问，他想把他的工作全部做完。由于他劳动的结果，整个的地面都已经翻松，只等到时播种了。
12月20日，畜栏里全部收拾好了。工程师告诉陌生人他无论什么时候搬都可以，陌生人答应说当天晚上就到那里去睡。
这天傍晚的时候，移民们集合在“花岗石宫”的餐厅里。这时候是八点钟，他们的伙伴就要和他们分别了。居民们怕由于他们在场，陌生人势必要向大家辞行，这样也许会引起他的难受，于是他们把陌生人单独留下来，都回到“花岗石宫”里面去了。
他们在大厅谈了几分钟，突然听见有人轻轻地敲门。陌生人立刻就进来了；他没有什么开场白，张嘴就说：
“诸位先生，在我离开你们以前，你们应该知道我的历史。我告诉你们吧。”
这几句简单的话使赛勒斯.史密斯和他的伙伴们深深感动。
工程师站起身来。
“我们并没有要求你，朋友，”他说；“你有权利保持缄默。”
“我应该谈出来。”
“那么，坐下吧。”
“不，我要站着。”
“你说吧，”史密斯说。
陌生人站在房角落一个光线微弱的地方，他没有戴帽子，两手交叉在胸前，摆好了这种姿势，然后，就好象逼迫着自己似的，开始用一种暗哑的嗓音讲起来，在讲的过程中，他的听众一次也没有打断他。以下就是他的故事：
“1854年12月20日，苏格兰贵族格里那凡爵士的游船邓肯号停泊在澳大利亚西海岸南纬37度的百奴衣角。游船上有格里那凡爵士和他的夫人、一个英国陆军少校、一个法国地理学家、一个女孩子和一个男孩子。这两个孩子是格兰特船长的儿女，一年前格兰特和他的水手们随着不列颠尼亚号一起失踪了。邓肯号的船长是约翰.孟格尔，船上一共有十五个水手。
“游船到澳大利亚海岸来的原因是这样的：六个月以前，邓肯号上的人在爱尔兰海捡到一个瓶子，里面装着一张纸条，纸上写着英文、德文和法文。大意说，不列颠尼亚号遇险以后，还有三个人活下来，那就是格兰特船长和他的个水手，这三个人流落在一个海岛上，纸条上注明着海岛的纬度，然而写着经度的地方却被海水侵蚀了，已经认不出来。
“这个纬度是南纬37度11分，虽然不知道经度，可是只要不管大陆或海洋，一直沿着37度线前进，最后一定能够找到格兰特船长和他的两个伙伴所在的地方的。英国海军部迟迟不去找他们，格里那凡爵士却决定要尽一切力量把船长找回来。玛丽和罗伯尔.格兰特，这两个孩子也和他取得了联系。于是爵士的全家和格兰特船长的儿女准备乘邓肯号汽艇远航。邓肯号离开格拉斯哥，向大西洋进发，经过麦哲伦海峡，进入太平洋，一直来到巴塔戈尼亚；他们原先看了纸条，以为格兰特船长被当地的土人掳去了。
“邓肯号的旅客在巴塔戈尼亚的西岸登陆，然后游船开到东岸的哥连德角去等他们上船。格里那凡爵士沿着37度线横穿巴塔戈尼亚，一路并没有发现船长的踪迹。于是又在11月13日回到船上，以便横渡大西洋，继续寻找。
“邓肯号一路经过透利斯探达昆雅群岛和阿姆斯特丹群岛，但是都没有找到，在1854年12月20日那天，我已经说过，它到达了澳大利亚的百奴衣角。
“格里那凡爵士打算象横穿美洲一样穿过澳洲，于是他登了陆。离海岸几英里的地方，有一个爱尔兰人的农场，农场主人殷勤地招待了旅客。格里那凡爵士向爱尔兰人说明了来意，并且问他，在一年多以前，是不是曾经有一只叫做不列颠尼亚号的三桅船在澳大利亚的西海岸一带沉没。
“爱尔兰人从来也没有听说过沉船的事情；然而，没想到他的仆人中突然有一个人走上前来说：
“‘阁下，谢天谢地！如果格兰特船上还有人活着，那么他一定就在澳大利亚一带。’
“‘你是谁？’格里那凡爵士问道。
“‘和您一样，阁下，也是苏格兰人，’仆人说；‘我是格兰特船长手下的一个水手——不列颠尼亚号船上的遇难人。’
“这个人名叫艾尔通。根据他的证明文件，不错，他是不列颠尼亚号的水手。可是就在触礁的时候，他和格兰特船长拆散了，直到当时，他始终以为船长和所有的水手都死了；自己是不列颠尼亚号唯一侥幸脱脸的人。
“‘不过，’他接着说，‘沉船的地方不是澳大利亚的西岸，而是东岸，如果象纸条上所说的那样，格兰特船长确实还活着，那么他一定已经被当地的土人俘虏了！我们应该到东岸去找他。’
“这个人说话直率，看样子他很有把握：他的话似乎是不会错的。爱尔兰人雇用他一年多了，也证明他忠实可靠。因此，格里那凡爵士相信他是诚实人，就按照他的意见，决定循着37度线，横穿澳大利亚。格里那凡爵士和他的夫人、两个孩子、陆军少校、法国地理学家、孟格尔船长和几个水手组成一个小队，由艾尔通作向导出发了；邓肯号由大副汤姆.奥斯丁率领着，驶往墨尔本去，在那里听候格里那凡爵士的调度。
“他们出发的那天，是1854年12月23日。
“现在应该说明，艾尔通是一个叛徒，不错，他曾经是不列颠尼亚号的水手长，可是由于他和船长发生过争执，就企图煽动水手叛变，把船抢过来，因此在1852年4月8日，格兰特把他丢在澳大利亚的西海岸上，自己开船走了。按照海上的规矩，这样做是正确的。
“因此，这恶棍根本不知道不列颠尼亚号遇险的事情，他仅仅是听格里那凡爵士说过以后才知道的。他自从被抛弃以后，化名彭.觉斯，当了一群逃犯的头子。他所以大着胆子，一口咬定船是在东岸遇的险，目的是要把格里那凡爵士引到那儿去，使他远远地离开他的船，然后抢走邓肯号，用这只游船在太平洋上做海盗。”
陌生人说到这里，停了一会儿。他的嗓音有些颤抖，可是他又继续说下去：
“小队开始作横贯澳大利亚的远征了。让彭.觉斯（也就是艾尔通）作向导，他们是非倒楣不可的。他事先串通好犯人，让犯人有时在前，有时在后。
“这时候，邓肯号已经被打发到墨尔本修理去了。犯人们必须使格里那凡爵士命令游船离开墨尔本到澳大利亚的东岸去，因为在那里劫船非常容易。艾尔通把小队带到离东岸不远的地方，进入一片大森林，爵士在这里进退不得，毫无办法，于是准备给艾尔通一封信，要他送给邓肯号的大副，信上命令游船立刻驶到东岸的吐福湾，因为远征队几天以后就可以走到那里。艾尔通正打算在那里和他的党羽会合。当这封信要交给他的时候，这个叛徒的真面目被揭穿了。他只有逃跑。但是，这封信能使他得到邓肯号，他不惜一切力量要得到它。艾尔通终于得到了这封信。两天以后，就到达了墨尔本。
“直到现在，这个恶棍的阴谋一直进行得很顺利，按他的计划，只要邓肯号开进吐福湾，让罪犯们毫不费力地把船抢过来，把船上的人杀光，然后彭.觉斯就可以在海上称雄了……然而老天爷没有让他实现这些可怕的阴谋。
“艾尔通到达墨尔本以后，把信交给大副汤姆.奥斯丁，大副看了信立刻就启航了。可是第二天艾尔通发现大副没有向澳大利亚东岸的吐福湾出发，却是在向新西兰的东岸航行。你们想，艾尔通该是多么恼恨和失望啊！他想拦住大副，可是奥斯丁把信给他看！……果然，信上写的是新西兰的东岸——原来法国地理学家把目的地写错了，真是万幸。
“艾尔通的全部计划都化为泡影了！他气极了，什么都不顾地蛮干起来。于是他们给他带上手铐脚镣。他就这样被带到新西兰的海岸，他的党羽和格里那凡爵士的下落怎样完全不知道。
“邓肯号在新西兰的海岸一直等到3月3日，那天艾尔通听见炮声。原来是邓肯号开的炮，一会儿，格里那凡爵士和他的伙伴们就到船上来了。
“经过的情形是这样的。
“格里那凡爵士克服了重重的困难和危险，终于走完全程，到了澳大利亚东岸的吐福湾。他打了一个电报，告诉墨尔本‘邓肯号不在此地！’回电是：‘邓肯号于本月18日启航。目的地不详。’
“格里那凡爵士只能断定：他那正当的游船已经落在彭.觉斯手里，沦为海盗船了!
“然而，格里那凡爵士并没有因此放弃寻找格兰特船长的意图。他是一个勇敢而慷慨的人。他搭上一只商船，向新西兰的西岸驶去，然后沿着37度线，横穿新西兰，结果还是没有发现格兰特船长的踪迹。可是出乎他意料之外——可以说是天意安排的，他竟在东岸找到了邓肯号，大副指挥着它，已经在那里等了他五个星期了！
“这一天是1855年3月3日。格里那凡爵士上了邓肯号！艾尔通也在船上。爵士把他喊来，要这个恶棍谈出他所知道的关于格兰特船长的全部情况。艾尔通不肯说。于是格里那凡爵士对他说，在下一次靠岸以后，立刻就要把他交给当地的英国官方。艾尔通还是一言不发。
“邓肯号继续沿着37度线航行。在这期间，格里那凡爵士夫人用说服的方法感化这个恶棍。
“最后她的力量奏效了，艾尔通答应说出他所了解的情况，但是他向格里那凡爵士提出一个交换条件，那就是，宁可把他遗留在太平洋的任何一个岛屿上，也不要把他交给英国官方。格里那凡爵士一心想得到格兰特船长的消息，就答应他了。
“于是艾尔通叙述了自己的一生，当然，从格兰特船长把他留在澳大利亚海岸的那天起，以后的情况他完全不知道。
“不管怎么样，格里那凡爵士还是履行了他的诺言。邓肯号继续航行，不久来到达抱岛。他们打算让艾尔通在这里登岸，也就是在这里——正好是在37度线上——他们找到了格兰特船长和另外两个水手，这真是一个奇迹。
“于是罪犯就到这个荒凉的小岛上去代替这三个人了。当他离开游船的时候，格里那凡爵士说：
‘艾尔通，这里离开任何陆地都很远，不能和人类取得联系。邓肯号把你遗留在这个小岛上，你是没法逃跑的。你将要一个人留在这里，至于你的心眼里在想些什么，上天会知道的。你不会失踪，也不会被人们遗忘，正好象格兰特船长一样。虽然你不值得让人们怀念，然而人们会怀念你的。我知道你在什么地方，知道应该到什么地方来找你。我决不会忘记！’
“邓肯号扬起了帆，很快就不见了。那天是1855年3月18日。
“艾尔通孤零零地住在岛上，可是他并不缺少火药、武器、工具和种籽。
“格兰特船长在岛上盖了一所房屋，可以供罪犯自由使用。他只需要住下来，在寂寞中赎清自己过去的罪行。
“先生们！他后悔，他为自己的罪恶而感到羞耻，他非常痛苦！他对自己说，等到有一夭人们来接他离开小岛的时候，他一定要配得上回到人群里去！这个不幸的人受尽无数的折磨！他辛勤地劳动，想通过劳动，把自己改造成新人！他成天祷告，想通过祷告，悔过自新！两年、三年，时间就这样过去了。艾尔通在孤独之中，变得极其谦恭，他长久地期待着水平线上的来船，问自己赎罪的期限是不是快要到头了，他吃尽了人们所没有尝过的苦难：啊！对于一颗在忏悔中煎熬的心来说，孤独是多么可怕啊！
可是，上天一定以为给这个不幸的人的处分还不够，因为他觉得自己慢慢地变成一个野蛮人了！他感到自己逐渐养成了野性！
“他不知道是不是在独自生活了两三年以后转变的，可是他最后终于变成了你们所找到的那个可怜的家伙！
“我不说你们也知道了，先生，我就是艾尔通——彭.觉斯。”
赛勒斯.史密斯和他的伙伴们听完以后，站起身来。他们的激动是无法形容的。这是多么悲惨、沉痛和绝望的一幕啊！
“艾尔通，”史密斯站着说，“你过去有很大的罪行，可是上天认为你的罪恶已经赎清了！现在你能回到同伴们中间来，这就是一个证据。艾尔通，你已经得到了宽恕！现在，你愿意做我们的伙伴吗？”
艾尔通后退了几步。
“让我们握握手吧！”工程师说。
艾尔通抓住工程师伸过来的手，他的眼泪止不住流了下来。
“你肯和我们住在一起吗？”赛勒斯.史密斯问道。
“史密斯先生，再让我独自呆一个时期，”艾尔通回答说，“让我一个人住在畜栏的房子里吧！”
“随你的便，艾尔通。”赛勒斯.史密斯说。艾尔通正打算退出去，工程师又问了他一个问题：
“再说一句话，朋友。既然你自己愿意过孤独的生活，那你为什么又要把纸条扔在海里，让我们按照地点去找呢？”
“纸条？”艾尔通重复着，他似乎不懂得这是什么意思。
“是的，我们捞到一个瓶子，里面有一张纸条，上面正确地写着达抱岛的位置！”
艾尔通摇了一下头，想了一会，然后说，“我从来也没有把什么纸条扔在海里！”
“从来也没有吗？”潘克洛夫叫道。
“从来也没有！”
艾尔通鞠了一躬，走到门口，和大家分别了。
