Page:Works of Jules Verne - Parke - Vol 6.djvu/212

 the settlers approached him, he drew back, and his chest heaved with sobs, as if overburdened!

Was it remorse that overwhelmed him thus? They were compelled to believe so, and Gileon Spilett could not help one day making this observation, "If he does not speak it is because he has, I fear things too serious to be told!"

They must be patient and wait.

A few days later, the stranger, working on the plateau, had stopped, letting his spade drop to the ground, and Harding, who was observing him from a little distance, saw that tears were again flowing from his eyes. A sort of irresistible pity led him towards the unfortunate man, and he touched his arm lightly. "My friend!" said he.

The stranger tried to avoid his look, and Harding having endeavored to take his hand, he drew back quickly.

"My friend," said Harding in a firmer voice, "look at me, I wish it!"

The stranger looked at the engineer, and seemed to be under his power, as a subject under a mesmerist. He wished to run away. But then his countenance underwent a transformation. His eyes flashed. Words struggled to escape from his lips. He could no longer contain himself! At last he folded his arms; then, in a hollow voice, "Who are you?" he asked Cyrus Harding.

"Castaways, like you," replied the engineer whose emotion was deep. "We have brought you here, among your fellow-men."

"My fellow-men! I have none!"

"You are in the midst of friends."

"Friends!—for me!" exclaimed the stranger, hiding his face in his hands. "No—never—leave me! leave me!"

Then he rushed to the cliff which overlooked the sea, and remained there a long time motionless.

Harding rejoined his companions and related to them what had just happened.

"Yes! there is some mystery in that man's life," said Gideon Spilett, "and it appears as if he had only re-entered society by the path of remorse."

"I don't know what sort of a man we have brought here," said the sailor. "He has secrets"