Off on a Comet (43 page)

Of the balloon not a vestige remained, and contrary to previous
computation, the comet had merely grazed the earth, and was traversing
the regions of space, again far away!

"In Algeria, captain?"

"Yes, Ben Zoof, in Algeria; and not far from Mostaganem." Such were the
first words which, after their return to consciousness, were exchanged
between Servadac and his orderly.

They had resided so long in the province that they could not for a
moment be mistaken as to their whereabouts, and although they were
incapable of clearing up the mysteries that shrouded the miracle, yet
they were convinced at the first glance that they had been returned to
the earth at the very identical spot where they had quitted it.

In fact, they were scarcely more than a mile from Mostaganem, and in
the course of an hour, when they had all recovered from the bewilderment
occasioned by the shock, they started off in a body and made their way
to the town. It was a matter of extreme surprise to find no symptom of
the least excitement anywhere as they went along. The population was
perfectly calm; every one was pursuing his ordinary avocation; the
cattle were browsing quietly upon the pastures that were moist with the
dew of an ordinary January morning. It was about eight o'clock; the sun
was rising in the east; nothing could be noticed to indicate that
any abnormal incident had either transpired or been expected by the
inhabitants. As to a collision with a comet, there was not the faintest
trace of any such phenomenon crossing men's minds, and awakening, as
it surely would, a panic little short of the certified approach of the
millennium.

"Nobody expects us," said Servadac; "that is very certain."

"No, indeed," answered Ben Zoof, with a sigh; he was manifestly
disappointed that his return to Mostaganem was not welcomed with a
triumphal reception.

They reached the Mascara gate. The first persons that Servadac
recognized were the two friends that he had invited to be his seconds in
the duel two years ago, the colonel of the 2nd Fusiliers and the captain
of 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 to
tell 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 me
in earnest, that I may be sure I am not dreaming." Hector Servadac
had made up his mind, and no amount of persuasion could induce him to
divulge his incredible experiences.

Anxious to turn the subject, Servadac took the earliest opportunity of
asking, "And what about Madame de L—?"

"Madame de L——!" exclaimed the colonel, taking the words out of his
mouth; "the lady is married long ago; you did not suppose that she was
going to wait for you. 'Out of sight, out of mind,' you know."

"True," replied Servadac; and turning to the count he said, "Do you hear
that? We shall not have to fight our duel after all."

"Most happy to be excused," rejoined the count. The rivals took each
other by the hand, and were united henceforth in the bonds of a sincere
and confiding friendship.

"An immense relief," said Servadac to himself, "that I have no occasion
to finish that confounded rondo!"

It was agreed between the captain and the count that it would be
desirable in every way to maintain the most rigid silence upon the
subject of the inexplicable phenomena which had come within their
experience. It was to them both a subject of the greatest perplexity to
find that the shores of the Mediterranean had undergone no change,
but they coincided in the opinion that it was prudent to keep their
bewilderment entirely to themselves. Nothing induced them to break their
reserve.

The very next day the small community was broken up.

The
Dobryna's
crew, with the count and the lieutenant, started for
Russia, and the Spaniards, provided, by the count's liberality, with a
competency that ensured them from want, were despatched to their native
shores. The leave taking was accompanied by genuine tokens of regard and
goodwill.

For Isaac Hakkabut alone there was no feeling of regret. Doubly ruined
by the loss of his tartan, and by the abandonment of his fortune, he
disappeared entirely from the scene. It is needless to say that no
one troubled himself to institute a search after him, and, as Ben Zoof
sententiously remarked, "Perhaps old Jehoram is making money in America
by exhibiting himself as the latest arrival from a comet!"

But however great was the reserve which Captain Servadac might make
on his part, nothing could induce Professor Rosette to conceal his
experiences. In spite of the denial which astronomer after astronomer
gave to the appearance of such a comet as Gallia at all, and of its
being refused admission to the catalogue, he published a voluminous
treatise, not only detailing his own adventures, but setting forth, with
the most elaborate precision, all the elements which settled its period
and its orbit. Discussions arose in scientific circles; an overwhelming
majority decided against the representations of the professor; an
unimportant minority declared themselves in his favor, and a pamphlet
obtained some degree of notice, ridiculing the whole debate under the
title of "The History of an Hypothesis." In reply to this impertinent
criticism of his labors, Rosette issued a rejoinder full with the most
vehement expressions of indignation, and reiterating his asseveration
that a fragment of Gibraltar was still traversing the regions of space,
carrying thirteen Englishmen upon its surface, and concluding by saying
that it was the great disappointment of his life that he had not been
taken with them.

Pablo and little Nina were adopted, the one by Servadac, the other
by the count, and under the supervision of their guardians, were well
educated and cared for. Some years later, Colonel, no longer Captain,
Servadac, his hair slightly streaked with grey, had the pleasure of
seeing the handsome young Spaniard united in marriage to the Italian,
now grown into a charming girl, upon whom the count bestowed an ample
dowry; the young people's happiness in no way marred by the fact that
they had not been destined, as once seemed likely, to be the Adam and
Eve of a new world.

The career of the comet was ever a mystery which neither Servadac nor
his orderly could eliminate from the regions of doubt. Anyhow, they were
firmer and more confiding friends than ever.

One day, in the environs of Montmartre, where they were secure from
eavesdroppers, Ben Zoof incidentally referred to the experiences in
the depths of Nina's Hive; but stopped short and said, "However, those
things never happened, sir, did they?"

His master could only reply, "Confound it, Ben Zoof! What is a man to
believe?"