Chapter 49 49. Interrogation of the exile Ayrton

Ayrton came out, crossed the middle deck steadily, and climbed the ladder to the cabin.His eyes were dull, his teeth were clenched, his fists clenched convulsively, and he showed neither pride nor humiliation.When he was in Sir Glenarvan's presence, he folded his arms and looked at himself in silence, waiting to be questioned. Ayrton, said Glenarvan, we met again, just when you wanted to send Penn.This Duncan in the hands of the exiles of Juss, you meet us again! Ayrton's lips quivered slightly upon hearing this.There was a burst of redness on his expressionless face.This burst of popularity was not due to repentance, but due to the shame of not succeeding in hijacking the ship.He was a prisoner in a ship in which he had meant to be master, and in which his fate was soon to be decided.

However, he does not answer.Glenarvan waited patiently, but he stubbornly remained silent. Speak, Ayrton, what have you to say?Glenarvan asked again. Ayrton hesitated, the wrinkles on his brow deepened again, and then, in a calm tone, replied: I have nothing to say, sir, I did not do my best, and I was caught, and I will do what you like. After answering this sentence.He turned his eyes to the stretch of coast which stretched to the west, and feigned indifference to what was going on around him.Look at him as if he was a complete outsider of the incident.But Glenarvan was determined to endure.There was a great stake in driving him to know the details of Ayrton's mysterious history, especially concerning Harry.Grant and the part of the Britannia.Therefore, he continued the interrogation, trying to suppress the anger in his heart, and speaking with the utmost gentleness.

Ayrton, I have some questions for you, and you will not refuse to answer me.First of all, should I call you Ayrton, or should I call you Penn?What about Jues?Are you a sailor on the Britannia after all? Ayrton remained impassive, looking at the shore, and pretending not to hear all the questions. Glenarvan continued to question the sailor, his eyes gradually brightening. Will you tell me?How did you get off the Britannia, and why did you come to Australia? The other party was still silent, with no expression on his face. Listen to me well, Ayrton, you speak well.Only confession is your only way out.Let me ask you one last time, would you like to answer my question?

Ayrton turned to Glenarvan, looking into his eyes: Sir, I have nothing to answer.It is up to the court to prove my guilt, I cannot prove myself guilty. It's so easy to prove you're guilty!Glenarvan replied. easy!Jazz?said Ayrton sarcastically, I think your excellency speaks too soon.I, I dare say, the shrewdest judge in London can do nothing with me!Now that Captain Grant is no longer here to testify, who can tell why I came to Australia?Since the police authorities have never caught me, and my partners are still free, who can prove that I am the Peng that the police authorities are arresting?feel?Who can point out, let alone a crime, a reprehensible act, except you, who can point out that I committed it?Who can say for sure that I intend to hijack this ship and give it to exiles?No one, you heard me, no one!You doubt me, all right, but to convict a person, you need conclusive evidence, but you have no conclusive evidence.I am, therefore, Ayrton, the sailor of the Britannia, till the contrary is proved.

Ayrton was very excited when he spoke, and in a moment he returned to his original nonchalant appearance.He must have thought that his words would end the interrogation.But Glenarvan continued to ask, and he said: Ayrton, I am not the lawman in charge of investigating your evidence, that is not my business.The positions of both of us must be made clear.I don't want you to say anything that would constitute your crime.This, the court will ask you.However, you also know that I am looking for someone, as long as you say a word, you can correct the wrong route I have found.Would you like to say it?

Ayrton shook his head with an air of determination not to speak. Will you tell me where Captain Grant is?Glenarvan asked. no sir. Would you point me to the wreck of the Britannia? nor. Ayrton, added Glenarvan, almost imploringly, if you knew Harry.Where is Grant, at least you will tell him those poor boys?Are those two children just waiting for a word from your mouth? Ayrton hesitated.There was a twitch in the face.But, in a low voice: I can't, sir.he mumbled. Then, immediately and irritably, he added, as if reproaching himself for a momentary soft-heartedness: No!I will not say!Just ask someone to hang me!

hang!Glenarvan suddenly cried out in rage. Then, controlling himself again, he replied in a dignified voice: "Ayrton, there is neither judge nor executioner here.When the ship arrives at the pier in front, I will hand you over to the British government. This is exactly what I asked for!He said. Then he walked leisurely back to the room where he was temporarily detained, and two sailors stood guard outside his door, responsible for watching his every smallest movement.All who participated in this interrogation were outraged and disappointed. There was nothing Greenervan could do to soften Ayrton, what else could he do?Obviously, the only way to go back to Europe is to follow the plan made in Aiden.This fruitless search can only be continued in the future, so, as it stands, it seems that the Britannia has disappeared forever. There was no other land on the seventeenth parallel, so the Duncan had to sail back to Europe.

But after discussing with his friends, Glenarvan had a special talk with Meng Geer about returning to the voyage.Meng Geer went to check the coal bunker. The coal stored could burn for half a month at most. Therefore, he had to replenish fuel at the nearest intermediate station. Menger suggested to the Sir to sail the ship to Talcahuano Bay, fill up with enough coal, and then start traveling around the world.There is a direct flight from here to Talcahuano Bay, and it is on the thirty-seventh parallel.After arriving at Talcahuano Bay, after the cruise ship replenishes a large number of necessities, it can sail south around Cape Horn and return to Scotland by the Atlantic route.

This plan was adopted, and the mechanics were immediately ordered to increase the pressure.Half an hour later, the bow of the boat was pointing towards Talcahuano Bay, a calm sea worthy of the title of Pacific Ocean.At six o'clock in the evening, New Zealand's last mountain has disappeared in the heat fog on the horizon. This means that the homing has begun.For those intrepid seekers, returning to Port Glasgow without taking HarryWhat a disappointing voyage that Grant brought back!Therefore, all the crew members were so happy when they set off, and they were so full of confidence at the beginning. Now when they want to return to Europe, they all feel that they have lost the battle and come back, all of them are downcast.No one was excited about seeing their hometown again. In order to find Captain Grant, everyone was willing to take another risk at sea, even if it took longer.

So, there was a moment when Greenarvan was welcomed back to the ship!After the sound, the ship was full of dejected emotions.Passengers don't come and go as often, and the laughs and jokes that used to be fun on the journey are gone.Everyone ran away and hid alone in their rooms, and it was rare for a man to come out on deck. Among them, there is one person who often exaggerates the emotions of worry or joy on the ship than others, that is Paganel. He usually finds a glimmer of hope from hopelessness when necessary, and now even He, too, was frowning and fell silent.People rarely see him.His natural habit of talking, that French liveliness, had now become silent and despondent.It seemed that he was even sadder than his traveling companions.As soon as Glenarvan spoke of revisiting, he shook his head as if in utter despair, as if he had already figured out the fate of the lost crew of the Britannia.One sensed his conviction that the lost crew must be doomed.

However, there was one man on board who could tell the truth about the Britannia's wreck, but was slow to do so.That's Ayrton.There can be no doubt that the villain, though not necessarily aware of Captain Grant's present situation, at least knows the place where the ship was wrecked.It was evident, however, that once Grant had found it, he had an extra witness to his detriment.So he stubbornly refused to speak.Therefore, the people on board, especially the sailors, were very angry with him, and wanted to kill him. Several times, Glenarvan tried to get a few words out of his mouth.But it doesn't work anyway.In short, Ayrton was so obstinate, so inexplicably obstinate, that the Major thought he really knew nothing of the circumstances of the Britannia and of Captain Grant's loss.And this view of the major is exactly the same as that of Paganel, because this view just confirms the geographer's personal Harry.A pessimistic guess at Grant's fate. And yet, if Ayrton really knew nothing, why didn't he confess frankly that he didn't?He doesn't know, it doesn't hinder him.And he refused to speak to death, which added to the difficulty of formulating a new plan.Since Ayrton appeared in Australia, one can infer that Harry.Is Grant also in Australia?On this question, every effort must be made to induce Ayrton to speak. Lady Helene, seeing her husband's failure, asked permission to speak to the stubborn sailor.What a man cannot succeed, perhaps a woman, by her gentle influence, can.When the sun and the strong wind competed to see who could make a traveler take off his coat, the stronger the wind blew, the tighter the traveler wrapped his coat, and the sun shone softly, and the man immediately took off his coat , Isn't this a story that has been passed down from ancient to modern times?Glenarvan knew his young wife was very bright, and he let her do her own thing. On this day, the fifth of March, Ayrton was brought into Lady Helene's room.Mary was also invited to the interview, for the girl's influence could have been great, and Lady Helene was not willing to overlook anything that might have contributed to success. The two ladies and the Britannia sailor shut themselves up in the room for an hour, but nothing of the conversation was revealed.What did they say?What excuse did they use to get a little secret out of him?In short, the details of this cross-examination have never been known.But when they parted from Ayrton, they looked unsuccessful, and even showed a look of real despondency. So, when Ayrton was led back to his own chambers, the sailors stopped him and threatened him with many violence.As for him, he shrugged his shoulders and ignored him, which only increased the anger of the sailors towards him, and it was not until the intervention of Menger and Greenarvan himself that the public anger was checked. But Mrs. Helen did not admit defeat at this point.She would fight that heartless man to the end, and the next day she went herself to Ayrton's room, so as not to cause another outrage when he passed the deck. The kind and gentle Mrs. Helene negotiated face to face with the exile chief alone for two full hours.Glenarvan was like an ant on a hot pot, pacing up and down the side of that room, sometimes determined to try everything that could help success, and sometimes wanted to call his wife out, so as not to suffer that kind of pain in vain. The pain of negotiation. However, when Madam Helen came out this time, she looked a little confident.Did she set out the secret?Did it touch the villain's last bit of compassion? The major saw it, and couldn't help expressing a very natural disbelief. However, news immediately spread to the entire crew, saying that the exile was moved by Mrs. Helen, which was like passing an electric current.All the sailors were on deck faster than Austin could blow his whistle to summon them to work. Glenarvan hastened to meet his wife: Did he say it? He didn't say anything, but he gave in to my request, he wants to see you. ah!Dear Helen, you made it! I hope to have a little success, Edward. Did you make any promises to him, do you need me to reassure him? I only make one promise, my dear, and that is that I promise you to do all you can to mitigate the inevitable punishment of that scoundrel. Very well, my dear Helen.Let Ayrton come to me at once. Lady Helene went back to her room, accompanied by Mary.The sailor was brought again into the square, where Glenarvan was waiting for him.