Off on a Comet! a Journey through Planetary Space
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CHAPTER XIX. BACK AGAIN
"In Algeria, captain?"
"Yes, Ben Zoof, in Algeria; and not far from Mostaganem." Such were thefirst words which, after their return to consciousness, were exchangedbetween Servadac and his orderly.
They had resided so long in the province that they could not for amoment be mistaken as to their whereabouts, and although they wereincapable of clearing up the mysteries that shrouded the miracle, yetthey were convinced at the first glance that they had been returned tothe earth at the very identical spot where they had quitted it.
In fact, they were scarcely more than a mile from Mostaganem, and inthe course of an hour, when they had all recovered from the bewildermentoccasioned by the shock, they started off in a body and made their wayto the town. It was a matter of extreme surprise to find no symptom ofthe least excitement anywhere as they went along. The population wasperfectly calm; every one was pursuing his ordinary avocation; thecattle were browsing quietly upon the pastures that were moist with thedew of an ordinary January morning. It was about eight o'clock; the sunwas rising in the east; nothing could be noticed to indicate thatany abnormal incident had either transpired or been expected by theinhabitants. As to a collision with a comet, there was not the faintesttrace of any such phenomenon crossing men's minds, and awakening, asit surely would, a panic little short of the certified approach of themillennium.
"Nobody expects us," said Servadac; "that is very certain."
"No, indeed," answered Ben Zoof, with a sigh; he was manifestlydisappointed that his return to Mostaganem was not welcomed with atriumphal reception.
They reached the Mascara gate. The first persons that Servadacrecognized were the two friends that he had invited to be his seconds inthe duel two years ago, the colonel of the 2nd Fusiliers and the captainof the 8th Artillery. In return to his somewhat hesitating salutation,the colonel greeted him heartily, "Ah! Servadac, old fellow! is it you?"
"I, myself," said the captain.
"Where on earth have you been to all this time? In the name of peace,what have you been doing with yourself?"
"You would never believe me, colonel," answered Servadac, "if I were totell you; so on that point I had better hold my tongue."
"Hang your mysteries!" said the colonel; "tell me, where have you been?"
"No, my friend, excuse me," replied Servadac; "but shake hands with mein earnest, that I may be sure I am not dreaming." Hector Servadachad made up his mind, and no amount of persuasion could induce him todivulge his incredible experiences.
Anxious to turn the subject, Servadac took the earliest opportunity ofasking, "And what about Madame de L----?"
"Madame de L-----!" exclaimed the colonel, taking the words out of hismouth; "the lady is married long ago; you did not suppose that she wasgoing to wait for you. 'Out of sight, out of mind,' you know."
"True," replied Servadac; and turning to the count he said, "Do you hearthat? We shall not have to fight our duel after all."
"Most happy to be excused," rejoined the count. The rivals took eachother by the hand, and were united henceforth in the bonds of a sincereand confiding friendship.
"An immense relief," said Servadac to himself, "that I have no occasionto finish that confounded rondo!"
It was agreed between the captain and the count that it would bedesirable in every way to maintain the most rigid silence upon thesubject of the inexplicable phenomena which had come within theirexperience. It was to them both a subject of the greatest perplexity tofind that the shores of the Mediterranean had undergone no change,but they coincided in the opinion that it was prudent to keep theirbewilderment entirely to themselves. Nothing induced them to break theirreserve.
The very next day the small community was broken up.
The _Dobryna's_ crew, with the count and the lieutenant, started forRussia, and the Spaniards, provided, by the count's liberality, with acompetency that ensured them from want, were despatched to their nativeshores. The leave taking was accompanied by genuine tokens of regard andgoodwill.
For Isaac Hakkabut alone there was no feeling of regret. Doubly ruinedby the loss of his tartan, and by the abandonment of his fortune, hedisappeared entirely from the scene. It is needless to say that noone troubled himself to institute a search after him, and, as Ben Zoofsententiously remarked, "Perhaps old Jehoram is making money in Americaby exhibiting himself as the latest arrival from a comet!"
But however great was the reserve which Captain Servadac might makeon his part, nothing could induce Professor Rosette to conceal hisexperiences. In spite of the denial which astronomer after astronomergave to the appearance of such a comet as Gallia at all, and of itsbeing refused admission to the catalogue, he published a voluminoustreatise, not only detailing his own adventures, but setting forth, withthe most elaborate precision, all the elements which settled its periodand its orbit. Discussions arose in scientific circles; an overwhelmingmajority decided against the representations of the professor; anunimportant minority declared themselves in his favor, and a pamphletobtained some degree of notice, ridiculing the whole debate under thetitle of "The History of an Hypothesis." In reply to this impertinentcriticism of his labors, Rosette issued a rejoinder full with the mostvehement expressions of indignation, and reiterating his asseverationthat a fragment of Gibraltar was still traversing the regions of space,carrying thirteen Englishmen upon its surface, and concluding by sayingthat it was the great disappointment of his life that he had not beentaken with them.
Pablo and little Nina were adopted, the one by Servadac, the otherby the count, and under the supervision of their guardians, were welleducated and cared for. Some years later, Colonel, no longer Captain,Servadac, his hair slightly streaked with grey, had the pleasure ofseeing the handsome young Spaniard united in marriage to the Italian,now grown into a charming girl, upon whom the count bestowed an ampledowry; the young people's happiness in no way marred by the fact thatthey had not been destined, as once seemed likely, to be the Adam andEve of a new world.
The career of the comet was ever a mystery which neither Servadac norhis orderly could eliminate from the regions of doubt. Anyhow, they werefirmer and more confiding friends than ever.
One day, in the environs of Montmartre, where they were secure fromeavesdroppers, Ben Zoof incidentally referred to the experiences inthe depths of Nina's Hive; but stopped short and said, "However, thosethings never happened, sir, did they?"
His master could only reply, "Confound it, Ben Zoof! What is a man tobelieve?"
Note: I have omitted the designation "V. IX. Verne" from those pageswhere it appeared as the last line; I have also made the followingchanges to the text:
PAGE LINE ORIGINAL CHANGED TO 16 10 o'clock. o'clock." 18 4 singe single 85 6 Parfait!!! Parfait!!!" 87 5 asteriod asteroid 130 13 colonly colony 143 17 tin tain 161 30 Europe. Europe." 179 15 Leiutenant Lieutenant 241 14 coud could