Part 3 - The Secret of the Island: Chapter 10

by Jules Verne

　　Of the convicts, the dangers which menaced Granite House, the ruins withwhich the plateau was covered, the colonists thought no longer. Herbert'scritical state outweighed all other considerations. Would the removal provefatal to him by causing some internal injury? The reporter could not affirmit, but he and his companions almost despaired of the result. The cart wasbrought to the bend of the river. There some branches, disposed as a liner,received the mattress on which lay the unconscious Herbert. Ten minutesafter, Cyrus Harding, Spilett, and Pencroft were at the foot of the cliff,leaving Neb to take the cart on to the plateau of Prospect Heights. Thelift was put in motion, and Herbert was soon stretched on his bed inGranite House.

　　What cares were lavished on him to bring him back to life! He smiled fora moment on finding himself in his room, but could scarcely even murmur afew words, so great was his weakness. Gideon Spilett examined his wounds. Hefeared to find them reopened, having been imperfectly healed. There wasnothing of the sort. From whence, then, came this prostration? why wasHerbert so much worse? The lad then fell into a kind of feverish sleep, andthe reporter and Pencroft remained near the bed. During this time, Hardingtold Neb all that had happened at the corral, and Neb recounted to hismaster the events of which the plateau had just been the theater.

　　It was only during the preceding night that the convicts had appeared onthe edge of the forest, at the approaches to Creek Glycerine. Neb, who waswatching near the poultry-yard, had not hesitated to fire at one of thepirates, who was about to cross the stream; but in the darkness he couldnot tell whether the man had been hit or not. At any rate, it was notenough to frighten away the band, and Neb had only just time to get up toGranite House, where at least he was in safety.

　　But what was he to do there? How prevent the devastations with which theconvicts threatened the plateau? Had Neb any means by which to warn hismaster? And, besides, in what situation were the inhabitants of the corralthemselves? Cyrus Harding and his companions had left on the 11th ofNovember, and it was now the 29th. It was, therefore, nineteen days sinceNeb had had other news than that brought by Top--disastrous news: Ayrtondisappeared, Herbert severely wounded, the engineer, reporter, and sailor,as it were, imprisoned in the corral!

　　What was he to do? asked poor Neb. Personally he had nothing to fear, forthe convicts could not reach him in Granite House. But the buildings, theplantations, all their arrangements at the mercy of the pirates! Would itnot be best to let Cyrus Harding judge of what he ought to do, and to warnhim, at least, of the danger which threatened him?

　　Neb then thought of employing Jup, and confiding a note to him. He knewthe orang's great intelligence, which had been often put to the proof. Jupunderstood the word corral, which had been frequently pronounced beforehim, and it may be remembered, too, that he had often driven the cartthither in company with Pencroft. Day had not yet dawned. The active orangwould know how to pass unperceived through the woods, of which theconvicts, besides, would think he was a native.

　　Neb did not hesitate. He wrote the note, he tied it to Jup's neck, hebrought the ape to the door of Granite House, from which he let down a longcord to the ground; then, several times he repeated these words,--

　　"Jup Jup! corral, corral!"

　　The creature understood, seized the cord, glided rapidly down the beach,and disappeared in the darkness without the convicts' attention having beenin the least excited.

　　"You did well, Neb," said Harding, "but perhaps in not warning us youwould have done still better!"

　　And, in speaking thus, Cyrus Harding thought of Herbert, whose recoverythe removal had so seriously checked.

　　Neb ended his account. The convicts had not appeared at all on the beach.Not knowing the number of the island's inhabitants, they might suppose thatGranite House was defended by a large party. They must have remembered thatduring the attack by the brig numerous shot had been fired both from thelower and upper rocks, and no doubt they did not wish to expose themselves.But the plateau of Prospect Heights was open to them, and not covered bythe fire of Granite House. They gave themselves up, therefore, to theirinstinct of destruction,--plundering, burning, devastating everything,--andonly retiring half an hour before the arrival of the colonists, whom theybelieved still confined in the corral.

　　On their retreat, Neb hurried out. He climbed the plateau at the risk ofbeing perceived and fired at, tried to extinguish the fire which wasconsuming the buildings of the poultry-yard, and had struggled, though invain, against it until the cart appeared at the edge of the wood.

　　Such had been these serious events. The presence of the convictsconstituted a permanent source of danger to the settlers in Lincoln Island,until then so happy, and who might now expect still greater misfortunes.

　　Spilett remained in Granite House with Herbert and Pencroft, while CyrusHarding, accompanied by Neb, proceeded to judge for himself of the extentof the disaster.

　　It was fortunate that the convicts had not advanced to the foot ofGranite House. The workshop at the Chimneys would in that case not haveescaped destruction. But after all, this evil would have been more easilyreparable than the ruins accumulated on the plateau of Prospect Heights.Harding and Neb proceeded towards the Mercy, and ascended its left bankwithout meeting with any trace of the convicts; nor on the other side ofthe river, in the depths of the wood, could they perceive any suspiciousindications.

　　Besides, it might be supposed that in all probability either the convictsknew of the return of the settlers to Granite House, by having seen thempass on the road from the corral, or, after the devastation of the plateau,they had penetrated into Jacamar Wood, following the course of the Mercy,and were thus ignorant of their return.

　　In the former case, they must have returned towards the corral, nowwithout defenders, and which contained valuable stores.

　　In the latter, they must have regained their encampment, and would waiton opportunity to recommence the attack.

　　It was, therefore, possible to prevent them, but any enterprise to clearthe island was now rendered difficult by reason of Herbert's condition.Indeed, their whole force would have been barely sufficient to cope withthe convicts, and just now no one could leave Granite House.

　　The engineer and Neb arrived on the plateau. Desolation reignedeverywhere. The fields had been trampled over; the ears of wheat, whichwere nearly full-grown, lay on the ground. The other plantations had notsuffered less.

　　The kitchen-garden was destroyed. Happily, Granite House possessed astore of seed which would enable them to repair these misfortunes.

　　As to the wall and buildings of the poultry-yard and the onagers stable,the fire had destroyed all. A few terrified creatures roamed over theplateau. The birds, which during the fire had taken refuge on the waters ofthe lake, had already returned to their accustomed spot, and were dabblingon the banks. Everything would have to be reconstructed.

　　Cyrus Harding's face, which was paler than usual, expressed an internalanger which he commanded with difficulty, but he did not utter a word. Oncemore he looked at his devastated fields, and at the smoke which still rosefrom the ruins, then he returned to Granite House.

　　The following days were the saddest of any that the colonists had passedon the island! Herbert's weakness visibly increased. It appeared that amore serious malady, the consequence of the profound physiologicaldisturbance he had gone through, threatened to declare itself, and GideonSpilett feared such an aggravation of his condition that he would bepowerless to fight against it!

　　In fact, Herbert remained in an almost continuous state of drowsiness,and symptoms of delirium began to manifest themselves. Refreshing drinkswere the only remedies at the colonists' disposal. The fever was not as yetvery high, but it soon appeared that it would probably recur at regularintervals. Gideon Spilett first recognized this on the 6th of December.

　　The poor boy, whose fingers, nose, and ears had become extremely pale,was at first seized with slight shiverings, horripilations, and tremblings.His pulse was weak and irregular, his skin dry, his thirst intense. To thissoon succeeded a hot fit; his face became flushed; his skin reddened; hispulse quick; then a profuse perspiration broke out after which the feverseemed to diminish. The attack had lasted nearly five hours.

　　Gideon Spilett had not left Herbert, who, it was only too certain, was nowseized by an intermittent fever, and this fever must be cured at any costbefore it should assume a more serious aspect.

　　"And in order to cure it," said Spilett to Cyrus Harding, "we need afebrifuge."

　　"A febrifuge--" answered the engineer. "We have neither Peruvian bark,nor sulphate of quinine."

　　"No," said Gideon Spilett, "but there are willows on the border of thelake, and the bark of the willow might, perhaps, prove to be a substitutefor quinine."

　　"Let us try it without losing a moment," replied Cyrus Harding.

　　The bark of the willow has, indeed, been justly considered as asuccedaneum for Peruvian bark, as has also that of the horse-chestnut tree,the leaf of the holly, the snake-root, etc. It was evidently necessary tomake trial of this substance, although not so valuable as Peruvian bark,and to employ it in its natural state, since they had no means forextracting its essence.

　　Cyrus Harding went himself to cut from the trunk of a species of blackwillow, a few pieces of bark; he brought them back to Granite House, andreduced them to a powder, which was administered that same evening toHerbert.

　　The night passed without any important change. Herbert was somewhatdelirious, but the fever did not reappear in the night, and did not returneither during the following day.

　　Pencroft again began to hope. Gideon Spilett said nothing. It might bethat the fever was not quotidian, but tertian, and that it would returnnext day. Therefore, he awaited the next day with the greatest anxiety.

　　It might have been remarked besides that during this period Herbertremained utterly prostrate, his head weak and giddy. Another symptomalarmed the reporter to the highest degree. Herbert's liver becamecongested, and soon a more intense delirium showed that his brain was alsoaffected.

　　Gideon Spilett was overwhelmed by this new complication. He took theengineer aside.

　　"It is a malignant fever," said he.

　　"A malignant fever!" cried Harding. "You are mistaken, Spilett. Amalignant fever does not declare itself spontaneously; its germ mustpreviously have existed."

　　"I am not mistaken," replied the reporter. "Herbert no doubt contractedthe germ of this fever in the marshes of the island. He has already had oneattack; should a second come on and should we not be able to prevent athird, he is lost."

　　"But the willow bark?"

　　"That is insufficient," answered the reporter, "and the third attack of amalignant fever, which is not arrested by means of quinine, is alwaysfatal."

　　Fortunately, Pencroft heard nothing of this conversation or he would havegone mad.

　　It may be imagined what anxiety the engineer and the reporter sufferedduring the day of the 7th of December and the following night.

　　Towards the middle of the day the second attack came on. The crisis wasterrible. Herbert felt himself sinking. He stretched his arms towards CyrusHarding, towards Spilett, towards Pencroft. He was so young to die! Thescene was heart-rending. They were obliged to send Pencroft away.

　　The fit lasted five hours. It was evident that Herbert could not survivea third.

　　The night was frightful. In his delirium Herbert uttered words which wentto the hearts of his companions. He struggled with the convicts, he calledto Ayrton, he poured forth entreaties to that mysterious being,--thatpowerful unknown protector,--whose image was stamped upon his mind; then heagain fell into a deep exhaustion which completely prostrated him. Severaltimes Gideon Spilett thought that the poor boy was dead.

　　The next day, the 8th of December, was but a succession of the faintingfits. Herbert's thin hands clutched the sheets. They had administeredfurther doses of pounded bark, but the reporter expected no result from it.

　　"If before tomorrow morning we have not given him a more energeticfebrifuge," said the reporter, "Herbert will be dead."

　　Night arrived--the last night, it was too much to be feared, of the good,brave, intelligent boy, so far in advance of his years, and who was lovedby all as their own child. The only remedy which existed against thisterrible malignant fever, the only specific which could overcome it, wasnot to be found in Lincoln Island.

　　During the night of the 8th of December, Herbert was seized by a moreviolent delirium. His liver was fearfully congested, his brain affected,and already it was impossible for him to recognize any one.

　　Would he live until the next day, until that third attack which mustinfallibly carry him off? It was not probable. His strength was exhausted,and in the intervals of fever he lay as one dead.

　　Towards three o'clock in the morning Herbert uttered a piercing cry. Heseemed to be torn by a supreme convulsion. Neb, who was near him,terrified, ran into the next room where his companions were watching.

　　Top, at that moment, barked in a strange manner.

　　All rushed in immediately and managed to restrain the dying boy, who wasendeavoring to throw himself out of his bed, while Spilett, taking his arm,felt his pulse gradually quicken.

　　It was five in the morning. The rays of the rising sun began to shine inat the windows of Granite House. It promised to be a fine day, and this daywas to be poor Herbert's last!

　　A ray glanced on the table placed near the bed.

　　Suddenly Pencroft, uttering a cry, pointed to the table.

　　On it lay a little oblong box, of which the cover bore these words:--"SULPHATE OF QUININE."