"You don't give me time to speak. Tell me, if you please, doctor, how it comes that you are to take part in the expedition of the _Forward_." "Read this letter, this worthy letter, the letter of a brave captain--very laconic, but quite sufficient." Saying which the doctor held out the following letter to Shandon:-- "INVERNESS, "Jan. 22nd, 1860. "To Dr. Clawbonny. "If Dr. Clawbonny wishes to embark on board the _Forward_ for a long cruise, he may introduce himself to the commander, Richard Shandon, who has received orders concerning him. "THE CAPTAIN OF THE 'FORWARD,' "K. Z." "This letter reached me this morning, and here I am, ready to embark." "But, doctor, do you know where we are going to?" "I haven't the slightest idea, and I do not care so that it is somewhere. They pretend that I am learned; they are mistaken, commander. I know nothing, and if I have published a few books that don't sell badly, I ought not to have done it; the public is silly for buying them. I know nothing, I tell you. I am only an ignorant man. When I have the offer of completing, or rather of going over again, my knowledge of medicine, surgery, history, geography, botany, mineralogy, conchology, geodesy, chemistry, natural philosophy, mechanics, and hydrography, why I accept, of course." "Then," said Shandon, disappointed, "you do not know where the _Forward_ is bound for?" "Yes, I do; it is bound for where there is something to learn, to discover, and to compare--where we shall meet with other customs, other countries, other nations, to study in the exercise of their functions; it is going, in short, where I have never been." "But I want to know something more definite than that," cried Shandon. "Well, I have heard that we are bound for the Northern Seas." "At least," asked Shandon, "you know the captain?" "Not the least bit in the world! But he is an honest fellow, you may believe me."