The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss
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with curiosity, i_thought it best to_tell them the affair, requesting them, however, not to name it to_their mother at present . jack, who was now about fourteen years_of_age, listened with_the most intense interest, his eyes sparkling with joy and surprise .

"A vessel ! -- people from Europe ! do_you_think they_have come to seek us ? perhaps they_are our relations and friends ."

" how glad should I be," said Francis, " if_my good grandmamma were there; she loved me so_much, and was always giving me sweetmeats ." this_was the mother of_my dear wife, from whom she had parted with extreme regret; I_knew that a single word from_the child would_have revived all her sorrows, and would in her present state be dangerous .I therefore forbade him naming such a thing to_his mother, even if_we mentioned the vessel .

we ascended, and found our dear patient awake, with Ernest at her side, his hand tied up, and somewhat relieved; though, from not having applied the water immediately, there were several blisters, which he requested me to open . it_was necessary to_tell his mother he had had a burn; she named several remedies, and i_was hesitating which to use, when Fritz, giving me a significant glance, said, "Don't you_think, father, that_the leaves of_the karata, which cured jack's leg so_well, would_be is serviceable to Ernest's hand ? "

" I_have no_doubt of it," said I; " but we_have none here ."

" I_know very_well where they grow," said he ." come, jack, we_shall soon be there; we_shall_have a little rain, but what of_that ? we_shall_not be melted, and we_can_have a bath ."

my wife was divided between her desire to relieve Ernest, and her fear of_the boys venturing out in_such a stormy night . she agreed at last, provided jack had my cloak, and Fritz the boots, and that_they should take_the lantern . thus equipped, they set out; I accompanied them outside the tree; Fritz assuring me they_would_be back in three hours, at most . he intended to_proceed along the rocks towards tent house, to_make what observations he_could; for, as he_told me, he_could_not get the poor captain and_his vessel out of_his head . it_was now seven o'clock; I_gave them my blessing, and left them with injunctions to_be prudent, and returned with an anxious heart to my invalids .

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chapter XXXV .

on entering, I_found Francis sitting on_his mother's bed, telling her the story of_the lightning, of_the wire which_was called aconductor_, of_the figs that he_was going to gather for her, and_that papa had called him-- little Francis--_the preserver of_the whole family .Having briefly explained to_them the results of Francis's fortunate device, I procured some raw potato to apply to Ernest's hand, which still gave him great pain, and bathed my wife's foot with some eau d'arquebusade_, which I procured from my medicine- chest; here I also met with some laudanum, a few drops of_which I infused into_the lemonade, wishing her to sleep till her sons returned . she soon was in a sweet slumber; the boys followed her example, and i_was left alone with my anxieties; happy, however, to_see them at rest after such an evening of agitation . the hours passed, still my children returned not . i_was continually at_the window, listening for their steps or the sound of_their voices; I heard only the rain falling in torrents, the waves breaking against the rocks, and_the wind howling frightfully . I_could_not help thinking of_the danger they ran, having twice to cross the river, which_was doubtless swoln by_the rain . i_was not so_much alarmed for Fritz, a strong, bold youth of nineteen years_of_age, and a determined hunter: as for poor jack, bold even to rashness, and having neither strength nor experience to secure him, I_could_not help fancying him carried away by_the stream, and_his brother not daring to return without him . my wife occasionally awoke, but the narcotic stupified her; she did_not perceive the absence of her sons . Francis slept tranquilly; but when Ernest awoke, and heard the tempest so terribly augmented, he_was almost distracted; all his selfishness, all his indolence disappeared . he entreated me to allow him to_go in search of_his brothers, and with difficulty I detained him . to_convince him that he_was not the sole cause of_the danger of Fritz and jack, I related to him, for_the first time, the history of_the boat and_the vessel, and assured him that_the great cause of_their anxiety to_go over to tent house, was to search for some traces of_the unfortunate seamen and their vessel, exposed to_that furious sea .

" and Fritz, also, is exposed to_that sea," cried Ernest ." I_know it; I_am_sure that he_is at_this moment in_his canoe, struggling against the waves ! "

" and jack, my poor jack ! " sighed I, infected with_his fears .

" no, father," added Ernest; " be composed; Fritz will_not_be so imprudent; he_will_have left jack in_our house at_the rock; and, probably, seeing the hopelessness of_his undertaking, he_is returned himself now, and_is waiting there till the stream subsides a little; do allow me to_go, dear father; you_have ordered me cold water for_my burnt hand, and it_will certainly cure it to_get well wet ."

I_could_not consent to expose my third son to_the tempest, which_was now become frightful; the sailcloth which covered our window was torn into a thousand pieces, and carried away; the rain, like a deluge, forced itself into our dwelling, even to_the bed where my wife and child were lying . I_could neither make up my mind to leave them myself in_this perilous situation, nor to spare my boy, who_could_not even be of any use to_his brothers .I commanded him to remain, succeeded in persuading him of_their probable safety, and induced him to lie down to rest . now, in my terrible solitude, I turned to him, " who tempers the wind to_the shorn lamb;" who forbids us not to address him in_the trials he sends us, to beseech him to soften them, or to_give us strength to bear them .Kneeling down, I dared to supplicate him to restore me my children, submissively adding, after_the example of_our blessed Saviour, " yet, not my will, but thine be_done, O lord ."

my prayers appeared to_be heard; the storm gradually abated, and_the day began to break .I awoke Ernest, and having dressed his wounded hand, he set out for tent house, in search of_his brothers .I followed him with my eyes as far as I could_see; the whole country appeared one vast lake, and_the road to tent house was like the bed of a river; but, protected by his good gaiters of buffalo- skin, he proceeded fearlessly, and was soon out of_my sight .

i_was recalled from_the window by_the voice of_my wife, who was awake, and anxiously inquiring for her sons .

" they_are gone," said I, " to gather the leaves of_the karata for Ernest's burnt hand, and he_wished to_go too ."

her deep sleep had entirely chased from her memory all the events of_the previous evening, and i_was glad to allow Francis to repeat his little tale of_the burn and_his conductor in_order to gain time . she was astonished and uneasy to hear of Ernest's accident, and was afraid they_would get wet in searching for_the karata, little aware of_the hours of anguish I had endured waiting and watching for_those she believed had only just left home . at_that moment, the dear and well- known voices were heard under the great window .

" father, I_am bringing back my brothers," cried Ernest .

" yes, papa, we_are all alive, and as wet as fishes," added the sweet voice of jack .

" but not without having had our troubles," said the manly voice of Fritz .

I rushed down the staircase to meet them, and, embracing them, I led them, trembling with emotion, to_the bed of_their mother, who_could_not comprehend the transport of joy I expressed .

" dear Elizabeth," said I, " here are our sons; god has_given them to_us a second time ."

" have we then been in any danger of losing them ? " said she ." what_is the meaning of_this ? "

they saw their mother was unconscious of_their long absence, and assured her it_was only the storm which had so completely wetted them, that had alarmed me .I hastened to_get them to_change their clothes, and go to bed a little while to rest themselves; as, however anxious i_was myself, I wished to_prepare my wife for their recital, and also to_tell her of_the vessel . jack would_not go till he had produced his bundle of_the karata leaves .

" there_is enough for six- and-thirty thunderstorms," said he; " and_I_will prepare them . I_have_had some experience with my own, and I_know the best method ."

he soon divided one_of_the leaves with_his knife, after cutting away the triangular thorn from_the end, and applied it to_his brother's hand, binding it with_his handkerchief .Having completed this dressing, he threw off his clothes, and, jumping into his bed, he and_his brothers were sound asleep in ten minutes .

I then sat down by my wife, and began my tale; from my first view of_the vessel, and my anxious watching for intercourse with it, in_order_that we_might take_the opportunity to return to Europe .

" but why should we return to Europe ? " said she; " we_want nothing here now, since I_have got flax, cotton, and a wheel . our children lead an active, healthy, and innocent life, and live with us_, which they_might_not do in_the_world . for four years we_have_been happy here, and what shall we_find in Europe to compensate us for what we leave here ? -- poverty, war, and none of_those things which we_have here abundantly ."

" but we_should find grandmamma," said little Francis; and stopped, recollecting my prohibition .

he had, however, said sufficient to bring tears to_his mother's eyes .

" you_are right, my darling," said she, " that_is my sole regret; but my dear parent was aged and infirm, in all probability i_should no longer find her in_this world; and if removed to heaven, she watches over us in_this island, as_well as_if we were in Europe ."

after my dear wife had subdued the agitation this remembrance caused her, I pursued the conversation as follows:--

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chapter XXXVI .

" I_see, my dear wife," said I, " that you, as_well as_the rest of_my family, are contented to remain on_this island, where it seems it_is_the will of god for_us to dwell, as_it_is improbable that in_such a tempest captain Johnson would risk approaching the island, if indeed it has_not_been already fatal to him . I_am impatient to learn if Fritz has any tidings of him; for it_was on_the shore near tent house that he and jack passed the night ."

" well done, my good and courageous boys ! " said their mother; " they_might at any rate have given assistance to_them if wrecked ."

" you_are more courageous than I_am, my dear Elizabeth," answered I; " I_have passed the whole night mourning for_my children, and you_think only of_the good they_might have_done to_their fellow-creatures ."

my sons were awake by_this_time, and I eagerly inquired if_they had discovered any traces of_the vessel .Fritz said they had_not; but he feared it would never be_able to resist the fury of_the tempest .

" no, indeed," said jack; " those mountains of waves, which were_not fixtures like other mountains, came full gallop to swallow up Fritz the great, jack the little, and their fine canoe ."

my wife nearly fainted when she heard they had ventured on_that terrible sea; and I reminded Fritz that I had forbidden him to do_this .

" but you_have often said to_me, papa," said he, " do unto others as_you_would they should do unto you; and what a happiness it would_have_been to_us, when our vessel was wrecked, if_we had seen a canoe ! "

" with two bold men coming to our assistance," said jack;--" but go on with your story, Fritz ."

Fritz continued: " we proceeded first to_the rocks, and, with some difficulty, and not until jack had shed some blood in_the cause, we secured the karata-leaves, with their ugly thorns at_the end . when our sack was full, we proceeded along the rocks towards tent house . from_this height I tried to discover the ship, but the darkness obscured everything . once i_thought I perceived at a great distance a fixed light, which_was neither a star nor the lightning, and which I lost sight of occasionally . we had now arrived at_the cascade, which, from_the noise, seemed much swollen by_the rain-- our great stones were quite hidden by aboiling foam . i_would_have attempted to cross, if I had_been alone; but, with jack on my shoulders, i_was afraid of_the risk .I therefore prepared to_follow the course of_the river to family bridge . the wet ground continually brought us on_our knees, and with great difficulty we reached the bridge . but judge of_our consternation ! the river had risen so_much that_the planks were covered, and, as_we conceived, the whole was destroyed .I then told jack to return to falcon's nest with_the karata-leaves, and i_would swim across the river .I returned about a hundred yards up the stream to_find a wider and less rapid part, and easily crossed . judge of_my surprise when I_saw a human figure approaching to meet me; I had no_doubt it was_the captain of_the vessel, and--"

" and it_was captain jack, sans peur et sans reproche_," said the bold little fellow ." i_was determined not to return home a poltroon who was afraid of_the water ." when Fritz was gone, I tried the bridge, and soon found there_was not sufficient water over it to risk my being drowned . i_took off my boots, which might_have made me slip, and my cloak, which_was too heavy, and, making a dart, I ran with all my strength across,

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