Captain Grant's Children

Chapter 15 Paganel's Spanish

Although little Robert escaped the vulture's giant kiss, he had to accept everyone's passionate kiss!

Everyone excitedly embraced him warmly, regardless of his current weakness and weakness.This show of sincere love can only benefit the patient, not harm it.

And it wasn't until this time that everyone thought of the savior just now.The major raised his head, turned around, and saw a tall and burly man standing on a high mound fifty paces away.

He was a full six feet tall, with broad shoulders and long hair, a complexion like copper, painted red, white, and black; There hung a pouch full of face paint; boot laces were cowhide laces crossed about the calf.The man in front of him was a strong Patagonian native. He was holding a spear in one hand, and the other was on his hips, waiting there with a dignified posture, as if he was a "god of the mountain".Glenarvan ran towards him, and he took two steps forward at the same time.Glenarvan clasped his hand tightly with his own.Jazz's expressions and movements and even every cell in his body are expressing his gratitude.I believe that this kind of communication does not require words at all. The native just nodded slightly, expressing his understanding of what Sir meant.He opened his mouth to say a few words first, but seeing no response, he said a few more words in another language.But everyone still can't understand.

A few words, however, caught Sir Glenarvan's attention.As far as he knew it was a few words in Spanish.

"Spanish?" asked Glenarvan, also in Spanish.The native nodded.

"Very well, Paganel is our plenipotentiary. Thankfully he has learned Spanish!"

Paganel immediately ran over.He saluted the native with the elegant gesture unique to the French.

When Paganel heard from his companions that this man was going to speak Spanish with him, he said at once:

"No problem." He said word by word:

"Worth-Sawyers-on-a good door!" (You are a good man!) The native did not answer. "Didn't he understand," said the geographer. "Is there something wrong with your tone?" The major reminded him from the side. "I think it must be. I'm just suffering from the tone!"

When Paganel finished speaking, he repeated the sentence in Spanish.But still no response.

"Okay, let me change that." Paganel gritted his teeth hard, and said each word again: "Xunmu-Duweida-on-Batago!" (Obviously, you are a Batagoni Subhuman!) That person still didn't make any expression. "Di Zeyi is buried!" (Answer!) Paganel said anxiously.The man still didn't respond.

"Wose-Gombry Salt de Ice?" (Do you understand?) Paganel almost broke his throat.Obviously, the native didn't understand at all.Because he said in Spanish: "No-Combrenao." (Unintelligible.) Paganel pushed up his glasses, feeling very surprised. "He must not be speaking Spanish, it must be Aroganian nonsense!"

"No, no, he does speak Spanish," said Glenarvan, still with certainty.While speaking, he asked the native in Spanish:
"Spanish?" "Yes."

The native replied in Spanish.

This stunned Paganel.The major and Glenarvan exchanged glances. "Oh, my erudite friend, careless expert, is it not the same old habit this time?" said the major, smiling.

At this time, the geographer hadn't recovered from his astonishment, so he didn't say anything.

"This native speaks Spanish, no doubt..." "Is it really Spanish?" "That's still wrong. Did you learn another language and thought it was..."

Before McNabbs finished speaking, he was interrupted by Paganel: "You are too much, Major!" "Then why don't you understand what he said?"

McNabbs said. "Because he is not authentic!" The geographer suddenly roared.

"Oh, so you don't understand because they don't speak well..." the major joked. "McNabbs," Glenarvan immediately stopped the major. "Although Paganel is careless, no matter how careless he is, he will not make the kind of mistake you mentioned!"

"It's not that kind of low-level mistake! Then I will ask Sir, no, no, or Mr. Paganel, what is the reason why you and the native do not understand each other?"

"I don't need to explain. Anyway, what I study hard every day is Spanish!"

As he spoke, he took out a tattered book from his pocket and handed it to the major.The major took it and looked at it.

"What book is this?"

"The Lucha," replied Paganel, "a beautiful epic..."

"What, "Lu Xiage"!" Glenarvan almost shouted. "Yes, the "Lu Xia Song" written by the great poet Cammons is absolutely true!"

"Cammons! Cammens is a great Portuguese poet! My friend! You are learning Portuguese!" Glenarvan shouted. "Cammons! Lucha's Song! Portuguese..."

Paganel could not go on... Everyone around him burst out laughing.

The native just stood aside quietly.He didn't understand at the moment what was going on.

"Oh, how stupid I am, how stupid!" Paganel murmured. "This is no joke! How is it possible? How is it possible?"

"My friends, everyone, I was going to India but I came to America! I wanted to learn Spanish, but I learned Portuguese! What's going on? Throw cigarette butts out of the window, and throw yourself out." Listening to Paganel's words, and seeing his embarrassing appearance, everyone laughed even harder.Eventually even Paganel himself joined in the laughter.

I don't think any scholar in the world will laugh like him. "Laughing is enough, but the translation is missing." Glenarvan said after everyone quieted down a little. "It's not that hard. I got Spanish and Portuguese mixed up because they sound so close. I promise I can learn Spanish in not too long!"

"That respectable native speaks Spanish really well!" After a while, Paganel was able to speak to the native intermittently!

The native was called Tarcaf, which means "sharpshooter".Apparently, he was known in the surrounding area as a "sharp gun".What excites Glenarvan the most is that he knows the occupation of this Tarcaf:
wizard.

It's God's will!Everyone firmly believed in each other at this time that Captain Grant would be rescued by them, because God blessed them under very suitable circumstances along the way!
Tarcaf and everyone surrounded Robert.Robert held out his hands to Tarcaf, and Tarcaf put his hand on Robert's forehead.

He examined Robert's body carefully, touched his aching arms and legs, and smiled.

Without a word he went to the river, gathered some wild celery, brought it back, and rubbed little Robert all over with it.

Little Robert felt hot all over after Tarcaf rubbed him like this, but he was much more energetic than before.

Rest for a few hours like this and he will recover quickly.So everyone decided not to leave today, but to live here.However, there is no food to eat.Tarcaf immediately understood all their present difficulties.This Aroganian who is a professional guide is responsible for providing travelers with the necessary items for travel.

He offered to take Glenarvan to a market four miles away, where they could buy anything they needed.

Tarcaf spoke and gestured, and Paganel finally understood what he meant.

In this way, Glenarvan took Paganel, his interpreter, and Tarcave up the river.The water in this area is very beautiful, the fertile soil is Toyota, and the pasture is excellent. Even if there are 10 cattle and sheep, they will not worry about not having food.On the plain, there are criss-cross rivers and dense ponds. Black-headed swans and gray-coated ostriches are playing and galloping by the water and in the grass.There are simply too many kinds of birds here, turtledoves, cardinals, wild pigeons, and sparrows of all kinds flitting in the sky in groups and singing in the jungle.

Paganel was immediately attracted.His profuse exclamation made Takaf very surprised.In his opinion, things like birds, swans and meadows should have been born in the sky. What can make him sigh so much?

Paganel felt more and more vigorous as he walked, and before he knew it, he had reached the group of Indian tents.

Their settlement is deep in a gourd-shaped valley. More than 30 Indians and their large herds of cattle, horses, and sheep roamed freely on the wide grassland and rich wilderness, forming a relatively stable settlement.

These aborigines are the mixed descendants of Aroganians, Baihuanshi people and Oka people: they have dark skin, stocky bodies, low foreheads, round faces, thin lips, high cheekbones, and indifferent expressions. There is also a feminine temperament.

Of course, Glenarvan didn't come for these people, his goal was the cows and horses in their hands.

After Tarcaf negotiated without hindrance, the deal was quickly concluded.Glenarvan bought seven Argentinian ponies—each with a saddle and bridle—and more than 7 pounds of dried meat and some rice, as well as several leather buckets for water.

The Indians wanted Glenarvan to exchange them with rum, but Glenarvan didn't; in the end they accepted him 20 taels of gold.

Glenarvan wanted to buy a horse for Tarcalf too, but Tarcalf waved it off and said it was not necessary.

When they went there, they walked for nearly an hour and a half, but only took half an hour when they came back.

Everyone cheered and jumped up!Glenarvan knew that the people were cheering not for him, but for the food and the horses he had brought back.Soon, everyone had a good meal; little Robert also ate a little, and his strength was almost recovered.All that remains is chatter and rest.There was talk of Lady Helene, Mary, Mungle, and Captain Grant.But Paganel did not participate in the chatting, he and Tarcaf stayed together.In Paganel's mind, only a man of Tarcave's stature was truly Patagonian.They seem to be the reincarnation of the giants in ancient mythology. Although he looks a little short in comparison, Paganel does not feel guilty because he has a sincere admiration for Tarcaf.

One of Paganel's most important tasks with Tarcaf was to converse with him incessantly, in his Spanish, which had just been converted from Portuguese.

Takaf also corrected him very seriously and patiently, from the shape of the mouth, intonation and even the position of the tongue, meticulous and tireless.

"Well, if I don't get the intonation of Spanish right, I'm not to blame," he said to the major. "No one would have thought that I'd learn Spanish from a Patagonian!"

(End of this chapter)