Chapter 12 Chapter 12 New Plan

Everyone went back to Oban with less joy than when they went to Sayre.When I left, I was full of desire for success, but when I came back, I returned with failure. If the disappointment shown by Miss Campbell could be tempered by anything, it was that Aristobulus had caused the failure of the observation.She had the right to accuse him, the culprit, of filling his head with curses.She will not miss this opportunity!It was not the time for Brother Melville to try to protect him.No!This fool, who was rarely thought of by others, should his ship have arrived just as the sun was about to emit its last light, blocking the distant sea level?Herein lies the inexcusableness of the fool.

After this rant, it goes without saying that Aristobulus Ursyklaus, who had dared to laugh at the Green Light, got into the boat again to ask forgiveness and return to Oban.It was a wise move on his part, because nine times out of ten no one would give him a seat, let alone in a cabriolet, or even in the back seat. So, twice, the sunset had all the conditions for a green light to be seen, but both times Miss Campbell was in vain exposing her eager eyes directly to the sun's glare, which kept her awake for hours. Can't see clearly!First the rescue of Oliver Sinclair and then Aristobulus Urseyklaus passing in front of her, both times causing her to miss opportunities that may not come again for a long time .These two times, the situation was indeed different, the more she could forgive the first time, the more she hated the second time.And who can accuse her of partiality?

The next day Oliver Sinclair was walking on the sands of Oban in a dazed state. What would this Mr. Aristobulus Ursy Claus be?A relation of Miss Campbell and the Melville brothers, or merely a friend of theirs?Still, he was at least an acquaintance of the family, as evidenced simply by the way Miss Campbell rebuked him for his clumsiness.But what did any of this have to do with him, Oliver Sinclair?If he wanted to know what he knew, he only had to ask Sam or Seb...but he didn't want to do it himself, and he didn't do it at all in the end. And he has no shortage of such opportunities.Oliver Sinclair walked with the Melville brothers every day, and who could boast of seeing one and not the other?Or the two are walking by the seaside with their niece.We talk about a lot of things, especially the weather, and talking about the weather at this time is by no means just to find something to say.

Everyone is looking forward to the return of the clear night so that we can go to the Isle of Sale again, but will such a night never come again?Who is not sure about this?In fact, from the 2nd to the 14th of August, there were some occasional sunny days in between, and after that, the sky was always cloudy and cloudy, and the horizon was covered with hot flashes and dark fog. Meteorologists who set themselves in front of the scope target to constantly check the marks on the celestial map are disappointed! Why not admit that young painters are now as enamored with green light as Miss Campbell?He talked with the young girl about topics they both liked, and accompanied her through the vast space.He also pursued this kind of dream, if not saying that he was as patient as his young female companion, then he was as enthusiastic as her.what!He was not Aristobulus Ursyklaus, who was full of cutting-edge science and disdain for such a simple optical phenomenon.And these two people understand each other, and they both want to receive special care from the green light, so that they are lucky enough to see it appear, and there must be very few people with this privilege.

"We'll see the green light, Miss Campbell," continued Oliver Sinclair, "would have seen it, or I'd have lit it myself! And, it's my fault you missed the first time, This time, too, I made the mistake of making this Mr. Ursey Krauss... a relative of yours... I suppose?" "No...it's my fiancé...it seems to be..." Miss Campbell said that day, as she hurried away to chase the two uncles.The two walked ahead, leaving her behind. Her fiance!Strange was the effect that short answer had on Oliver Sinclair, especially in the tone of her voice!Anyway, why couldn't this young pedant be her fiancé!At least, his appearance in Oban at this time does not explain everything!Since he didn't understand the situation at all, he was sandwiched between the setting sun and Miss Campbell, and it turned out that it wouldn't...won't be what?Oliver Sinclair may not be easy to talk about.

For two days I did not see Aristobulus Ursyklaus, then he reappeared.Oliver Sinclair had seen him hang out with the Melville brothers so many times that they probably couldn't hold a grudge against him.He seems to have a good relationship with the two.Young academics and young artists also met a few times, either on the beach or in the lobby of the Caledonian Hotel.The two uncles felt that they should be introduced to each other. "This is Mr. Aristobulus Ursy Claus, of Dumfries." "This is Mr. Oliver Sinclair, from Edinburgh." After such an introduction, the two young men greeted each other briefly, but it was very ordinary, their heads were only tilted, and their waists were still very straight. There was no greeting at all.

Obviously, the two characters have nothing in common.One is chasing the sky to pick off the stars in the sky, while the other wants to calculate the constituent elements of the sky; one is an artist, who never thinks about art as the foundation, and the other is a scholar, who regards science as the cornerstone. Attitude also depends on this. Miss Campbell was very displeased with Aristobulus Ursy Claus.If he was there, she didn't seem to see his existence.If he happened to pass by, she turned her back unabashedly.In a word, as I said above, she "cut off" him in the most straightforward way of English etiquette.The Melville brothers had some difficulty in reconciling them.

Either way, they feel like everything will be fine, especially if this wayward light finally decides to show up. At this moment Aristobulus Urseyklaus observed Oliver Sinclair through his spectacles, a gesture familiar to those short-sighted who try to sneak a peek at people.All he saw was the young man's constant company with Miss Campbell, and the young girl's politeness to him every time, and it was by no means to please him.But Aristobulus was confident in himself, and his attitude was still very cautious. However, in the face of this cloudy weather, this barometer whose moving hands cannot be fixed, everyone felt that his patience was being tested for a long time.It was with this hope of finding a sea level free of fog that we swam two or three more times at Sayre as the sun went down.Aristobulus Ursyklaus thought it inappropriate to take part.

Still in vain!August 23rd arrived, but the green light still didn't bother to appear. Thus, this dream has become a formula, and no other idea can replace it.You could almost say that it haunts you, that you think about it day and night, and even when you no longer have to count the days and nights, you are moved by the new obsessions that arise at that time.The minds were so concentrated that every color became one: the blue sky was green, the sand was green, the rocks were green, and the water and wine were as green as absinthe.The Melville brothers imagined that they were dressed in green clothes and became two big parrots, smoking green cigarettes in the green glass window!In a word, it is green madness!Everyone has a form of color blindness, about which professors of ophthalmology can publish some compelling papers in their journals of ophthalmology.It can't go on like this.

Thankfully, Oliver Sinclair had another idea. One day he said: "Miss Campbell, Mr. Melville, all things considered, I do not think we should choose to observe the green light at Oban." "Who's to blame?" said Miss Campbell, staring down at the two culprits. "There is no sea level here!" said the young painter again, "so we must go to the Isle of Sale to find it, but we may not be there when we should be there!" "Obviously so!" replied Miss Campbell. "To tell you the truth, I don't know why the two uncles chose this ghostly place to observe the green light!"

"Dear Helena!" said Sam, not knowing what to say, "we thought—" "Yes... I thought... it's the same everywhere..." Sib also came over to help explain. "Thinking the sun sets every night on Oban's sea level..." "Since Oban is by the sea!" "But you are mistaken, my uncles," replied Miss Campbell, "you are quite mistaken, for the sun does not set here!" "As a matter of fact," continued Sam, "it's an unfortunate coincidence that the islands block our view from the open sea!" "Surely you haven't thought of blowing them up?" asked Miss Campbell. "If it could, it would have been blown up," Sieb replied firmly. "We can't camp on Sale Island, can we?" Sam reminded. "Why not?" "Dear Helena, if you must..." "must." "Then go!" Sib and Sam replied in a submissive tone.Submitting themselves entirely to the wishes of their niece, the two declared that everything was in order and that they could leave Oban immediately.At this moment Oliver Sinclair interjected. "Miss Campbell, if you like, I think it would be better to go and live on the Isle of Sayre." "Go on, Mr. Sinclair, if your proposal is better, my uncles will not object!" The Melville brothers bowed, mechanically, in unison, perhaps they had never been more alike. "The Isle of Sayre," continued Oliver Sinclair, "is not really fit to live there, even for a few days. If you wish to exercise your patience, Miss Campbell, you need not sacrifice Out of your comfort. Also, I have observed that the hillside terrain there also somewhat blocks people's view of the sea. If we are unlucky, we will have to wait there for a long time, longer than we think, for example A few weeks. In that case, the sun is now retrograde to the west and could end up behind Colonsay, or Oronsee, or even behind Islay. sea ​​level, our observations may fail again." Miss Campbell responded: "Actually, this may be the last chance of this misfortune..." "We may be able to avoid this unfortunate occurrence and find an observatory farther away from the Hebrides, facing the vast Atlantic Ocean." "Do you know where such an observatory exists, Mr. Sinclair?" Miss Campbell asked excitedly. Brother Melville's eyes were fixed on the young man's lips.What would he say?Where will the niece's dreams lead them in the end?In order to fulfill her wish, where will the old continent end up?Oliver Sinclair's answer made the two of them feel relieved. "Miss Campbell," he said, "there's an observatory not far from here, and I think all the conditions are right. That's the beautiful Isle of Jona behind the highlands of the Isle of Mull, which locks the west of Oban." It is the closest island to the Atlantic Ocean among the Hetili Islands." "Jona Island!" cried Miss Campbell. "Jona Island, uncles, we haven't been there yet?" "We'll be there tomorrow," Sam replied. "Tomorrow, before sunset," added Sibb. "Go on then," went on Miss Campbell, "and if we can't find a place wide enough on Jonah Isle, you know, uncles, then we'll look for another place by the sea, from John Ogre To the northern tip of Scotland, and on to the tip of the land in the southern tip of England, if that's not enough..." "Easy," replied Oliver Sinclair, "then we'll travel the world!"