Paganel’s Disclosure

           PROFOUNDastonishmentgreetedtheseunexpectedwordsofthelearnedgeographer.Whatcouldhemean?Hadhelosthissense?Hespokewithsuchconviction,however,thatalleyesturnedtowardGlenarvan,forPaganel’saffirmationwasadirectanswertohisquestion,butGlenarvanshookhishead,andsaidnothing,thoughevidentlyhewasnotinclinedtofavorhisfriend’sviews.

           "Yes,"beganPaganelagain,assoonashehadrecoveredhimselfalittle;"yes,wehavegoneawrongtrack,andreadonthedocumentwhatwasneverthere."

           "Explainyourself,Paganel,"saidtheMajor,"andmorecalmlyifyoucan."

           "Thethingisverysimple,Major.Likeyou,Iwasinerror;likeyou,Ihadrushedatafalseinterpretation,untilaboutaninstantago,onthetopofthetree,whenIwasansweringyourquestions,justasIpronouncedtheword‘Australia,’asuddenflashcameacrossmymind,andthedocumentbecameclearasday."

           "What!"exclaimedGlenarvan,"youmeantosaythatHarryGrant—"

           "Imeantosay,"repliedPaganel,"thatthewordAUSTRALthatoccursinthedocumentisnotacompleteword,aswehavesupposeduptillnow,butjusttherootofthewordAUSTRALIE."

           "Well,thatwouldbestrange,"saidtheMajor.

           "Strange!"repeatedGlenarvan,shrugginghisshoulders;"itissimplyimpossible."

           "Impossible?"returnedPaganel."Thatisawordwedon’tallowinFrance."