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Updated: May 5, 2025
Servadac laughed, and remarked that they should have the professor talking about the 238th of June, and the 325th of December. It soon became evident that the detached portion was not revolving round the comet, but was gradually retreating into space.
"We must have passed close to Formentera," he said, "when we explored the site of the Balearic Isles; this fragment must be very small; it must be smaller than the remaining splinter of Gibraltar or Ceuta; otherwise, surely it would never have escaped our observation." "However small it may be," replied Servadac, "we must find it. How far off do you suppose it is?"
"Gallia, then, has some internal heat," said Servadac. "And why not, captain?" rejoined the lieutenant. "If our asteroid has carried with it a portion of the old earth's atmosphere, why should it not likewise retain something of its central fire?" "Ah, well!" said the captain, shrugging his shoulders, "I dare say there is caloric enough in our little world to supply the wants of its population."
At the sight of strangers they paused in their music, and simultaneously the dancers, with their victim, alighted gently on the sward. Breathless and half exhausted as was the Jew, he rushed with an effort towards Servadac, and exclaimed in French, marked by a strong Teutonic accent, "Oh, my lord governor, help me, help!
It only awaited the stowage of the passengers. Isaac Hakkabut was the first to take his place in the car. But scarcely had he done so, when Servadac noticed that his waist was encompassed by an enormous girdle that bulged out to a very extraordinary extent. "What's all this, Hakkabut?" he asked.
"So cold, do you think," asked Servadac, "that animal life must be extinct?" "I do not say that, captain," answered the lieutenant; "for, however far our little world may be removed from the sun, I do not see why its temperature should fall below what prevails in those outlying regions beyond our system where sky and air are not."
Without removing his eye from his telescope, Servadac exclaimed: "There is a habitation on the place; I can see an erection of some kind quite distinctly. Who can tell whether we shall not come across a human being?" Lieutenant Procope looked doubtful.
He addressed himself to Servadac, and begged him to tell him the whole truth, piteously adding that surely it was unworthy of a French officer to deceive a poor old man like himself. "Tell you the truth, man!" cried Servadac. "Confound it, I have told you the truth twenty times. Once for all, I tell you now, you have left yourself barely time enough to make your escape to yonder mountain."
"Nothing of the sort! Of course a year must have twelve months!" "Of course," said the captain. "And how many days will make a month?" asked the professor. "I suppose sixty or sixty-two, as the case may be. The days now are only half as long as they used to be," answered the captain. "Servadac, don't be thoughtless!" cried Rosette, with all the petulant impatience of the old pedagogue.
"Far better," replied Servadac; "it is undesirable in every way for any names to be mentioned." Shall we allege a musical dispute? a contention in which I feel bound to defend Wagner, while you are the zealous champion of Rossini?" "I am quite content," answered Servadac, with a smile; and with another low bow they parted.
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