human
Paganel, I appeal to your sagacity. Is the interpretation we have made of this document incorrect? Is the sense of these words illogical?
gpt
Are we mistaken as to the supposed scene of the shipwreck? continued Glenarvan.
human
Does not the name Patagonia suggest itself at once to the mind?
gpt
In short, said Glenarvan,
human
Perfectly,
gpt
And therefore, is it not evident that these shipwrecked men, when they wrote these lines, expected to be prisoners of the Indians?
human
There you are wrong, my dear lord, said Paganel, at last;
gpt
What do you mean?
human
I mean, answered Paganel, emphasizing his words,
gpt
Explain yourself, sir,
human
Nothing is easier, my dear Mary. Instead of reading _they will be prisoners_, read _they are prisoners_, and all will be clear.
gpt
But that is impossible,
human
Impossible? And why, my noble friend?
gpt
Because the bottle must have been thrown when the vessel was breaking on the rocks. Hence the degrees of longitude and latitude apply to the very place of shipwreck.
human
Nothing proves it, said Paganel, earnestly;
gpt
Simply, my dear Paganel, because to throw a bottle into the sea it is necessary, at least, that the sea should be before you.
human
Or, in the absence of the sea, added Paganel,