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Page 52
"Adieu, Erik!" cried Vanda, throwing her arms around his neck.
"Adieu, my son!" said Katrina, pressing the young lieutenant to her
heart.
"And you, Kajsa, have you nothing to say to me?" he asked, as he walked
toward her as if to embrace her also.
"I hope that you will not get your nose frozen, and that you will
discover that you are a prince in disguise!" said she, laughing
impertinently.
"If that should happen, then at least I might hope to win a little of
your affection?" he said, trying to smile, to hide his feelings, for her
sarcasm had cut him to the heart.
"Do you doubt it?" answered Kajsa, as she turned toward her uncle, to
show that her adieu to him was finished.
The time of departure had indeed come. The warning bell rang
imperiously.
The crowd of visitors descended the stairs to the boats which were
waiting for them.
In the midst of this confusion every one noticed the arrival of a tardy
passenger, who mounted to the deck with his valise in his hand.
The tardy one was Tudor Brown. He presented himself to the captain, and
claimed his cabin, to which he was immediately shown.
A moment later, after two or three prolonged whistles, the engine began
to work, and a sea of foam whitening the waters behind her, the "Alaska"
glided majestically over the green waters of the Baltic, and soon left
Stockholm behind her, followed by the acclamations of the crowd who were
waving their hats and handkerchiefs.
Erik, on the bridge, directed the maneuvers of the vessel, while Mr.
Bredejord and the doctor waved a last farewell to Vanda from the deck.
Mr. Malarius, already frightfully seasick, had retired to his bed. They
were all so occupied with saying farewell that not one of them had
noticed the arrival of Tudor Brown.
Therefore the doctor could not repress a start of surprise when as he
turned around, he saw him ascending from the depths of the vessel, and
marching straight toward him, with his hands in his pockets, clothed as
he had been at their first interview, and with his hat always seemingly
glued to his head.
"Fine weather!" said Tudor Brown, by way of salutation and introduction.
The doctor was stupefied by his effrontery. He waited for some moments
to see if this strange man would make any excuse, or give any
explanation of his conduct.
Seeing that he did not intend to say anything, he opened the subject
himself.
"Well, sir, it appears that Patrick O'Donoghan is not dead, as we
supposed!" he said, with his customary vivacity.
"That is precisely what I want to find out, and it is on that account I
have undertaken this voyage."
After saying this, Tudor Brown turned away, and began to walk up and
down the deck, whistling his favorite air, appearing to think that his
explanation was perfectly satisfactory.
Erik and Mr. Bredejord listened to this conversation with a natural
curiosity. They had never seen Tudor Brown before, and they studied him
attentively, even more so than Dr. Schwaryencrona. It seemed to them
that the man, although he affected indifference, cast a furtive glance
at them from time to time, to see what impression he made upon them.
Perceiving this, they also immediately feigned to take no notice of him,
and did not address a word to him. But as soon as they descended to the
saloon, upon which their cabins opened, they took counsel together.
"What could have been Tudor Brown's motive in trying to make them
believe that Patrick O'Donoghan was dead? And what was his purpose in
taking this voyage upon the 'Alaska'? It was impossible for them to say.
But it was difficult not to believe that it had some connection with the
shipwreck of the 'Cynthia,' and the infant tied to the buoy. The only
interest which Patrick O'Donoghan had for Erik and his friends, was the
fact of his supposed knowledge of the affair, and this was their only
reason for seeking for him. Now they had before them a man who was
uninvited, and who had come to them, and declared that Patrick
O'Donoghan was dead. And this man had forced his society upon the
members of the expedition, as soon as his assertion in the most
unexpected manner had been proved to be false. They were therefore
obliged to conclude that he had some personal interest in the matter,
and the fact of his seeking out Doctor Schwaryencrona indicated the
connection between his interests, and the inquiries instituted by the
doctor."
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