Діти капітана Гранта

A Wager and How Decided

           "TheaboriginesofAustraliaarelowenoughinthescaleofhumanintelligence,andmostdegradedanduncivilized,buttheyaremildandgentleindisposition,andnotsanguinaryliketheirNewZealandneighbors.Thoughtheymaybeprisoners,theirliveshaveneverbeenthreatened,youmaybesure.AlltravelersareunanimousindeclaringthattheAustraliannativesabhorsheddingblood,andmanyatimetheyhavefoundinthemfaithfulalliesinrepellingtheattacksofevil-disposedconvictsfarmorecruellyinclined."

           "YouhearwhatMonsieurPaganeltellsus,Mary,"saidLadyHelenaturningtotheyounggirl."Ifyourfatherisinthehandsofthenatives,whichseemsprobablefromthedocument,weshallfindhim."

           "Andwhatifheislostinthatimmensecountry?"askedMary.

           "Well,we’llfindhimstill,"exclaimedPaganel,inaconfidenttone."Won’twe,friends?"

           "Mostcertainly,"repliedGlenarvan;andanxioustogivealessgloomyturntotheconversation,headded

           "ButIwon’tadmitthesuppositionofhisbeinglost,notforaninstant."

           "NeitherwillI,"saidPaganel.

           "IsAustraliaabigplace?"inquiredRobert.

           "Australia,myboy,isaboutaslargeasfour-fifthsofEurope.Ithassomewhereabout775,000HECTARES."

           "Somuchasthat?"saidtheMajor.

           "Yes,McNabbs,almosttoayard’sbreadth.Don’tyouthinknowithasarighttobecalledacontinent?"

           "Ido,certainly."

           "Imayadd,"continuedtheSAVANT,"thattherearebutfewaccountsoftravelersbeinglostinthisimmensecountry.

Налаштування
Фон сторінки
Розмір шрифту
Міжрядковий інтервал
Фразові дієслова
Показати / Приховати меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Сторінка 262 з 658