FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156  
157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   >>   >|  
eemed to betray an indifference to their present situation. "Well, Senor Don Cornelio," said Costal, "what would you give now to be lying in a hammock, with a canopy of jaguars and rattlesnakes over you? Eh?" Costal smiled as he recalled the scene of the inundation. His gaiety was a good sign. Almost immediately after, however, he muttered to himself, in a tone of inquietude-- "Can it be possible that the barges have gone back?" In situations of a frightful kind the smallest suspicion soon assumes the form of a reality; and the Captain did not doubt but that the barges had returned to the shore. Not that there was the slightest reason for this belief. On the contrary, it was more natural to suppose that they were still in the place where they had been left--awaiting the return of the canoe, and the news it might bring them. This was all the more likely: since they in the barges could not fail to have heard the shot from the schooner, and would be awaiting an explanation of it. The probability of all this--especially of the boats being still in the same place--did not fail to strike Costal, who for some seconds appeared to be reflecting profoundly. Meanwhile the waves had increased, and had all the appearance of soon becoming much larger. Already the frail embarkation was tossed about like an egg-shell. "Listen to me, Senor Don Cornelio Lantejas!" said Costal. "Ah!" woefully murmured the Captain, on hearing his patronymic pronounced; for ever since his proscription as Cornelio Lantejas, he had held his own name in horror. Never did it sound to him with a more lugubrious accent than now. "Listen!" said Costal, repeating himself with emphasis; "I know you are a man for whom death has no terrors. Well, then! I think it would not be right of me to conceal from you--a fact--" "What fact?" "That if we stay here one hour longer, we must both go to the bottom. The waves are constantly growing bigger, as you see--" "And what can we do?" demanded Lantejas, in a despairing tone. "One of two things," replied Costal. "The barges are either waiting for us where we left them, or they are directing their course towards the isle. It is absurd to suppose they have returned to the town. When one receives an order from a great general to attack any particular point, one does not return without making an attempt. The boats, therefore, must still be where we parted from them." "Well, what would you
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156  
157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Costal
 

barges

 

Lantejas

 

Cornelio

 

Captain

 
returned
 
Listen
 

awaiting

 
return
 

suppose


absurd

 

repeating

 
emphasis
 

attempt

 
terrors
 

making

 
accent
 
lugubrious
 

hearing

 

parted


patronymic

 

murmured

 

woefully

 

pronounced

 

horror

 

proscription

 

bottom

 

longer

 

attack

 

despairing


constantly

 
growing
 

bigger

 

things

 

directing

 
demanded
 

conceal

 
waiting
 

general

 
replied

receives
 

probability

 
inquietude
 
immediately
 

muttered

 

situations

 
frightful
 

reality

 
assumes
 

smallest