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done at sea, and I have kept some distance to windward of the island; we can
bear straight down upon it whenever we like."
"Bear down then, now; and as quickly as you can."
The yawl was at once put with her head to the northeast and Captain Servadac,
in defiance of the icy blast, remained standing at the bow, his gaze fixed on
the horizon.
All at once his eye brightened.
"Look! look!" he exclaimed, pointing to a faint outline that broke the
monotony of the circle that divided the plain from the sky.
In an instant the lieutenant had seized his telescope.
"I see what you mean," said he; "it is a pylone that has been used for some
geodesic survey."
The next moment the sail was filled, and the yawl was bearing down upon the
object with inconceivable swiftness, both Captain Servadac and the lieutenant
too excited to utter a word. Mile after mile the distance rapidly grew less,
and as they drew nearer the pylone they could see that it was erected on a low
mass of rocks that was the sole interruption to the dull level of the field of
ice. No wreath of smoke rose above the little island; it was manifestly
impossible, they conceived, that any human being could there have survived the
cold; the sad presentiment forced itself upon their minds that it was a mere
cairn to which they had been hurrying.
Ten minutes later, and they were so near the rock that the lieutenant took in
his sail, convinced that the impetus already attained would be sufficient to
carry him to the land. Servadac's heart bounded as he caught sight of a
fragment of blue canvas fluttering in the wind from the top of the pylone: it
was all that now remained of the French national standard. At the foot of the
pylone stood a miserable shed, its shutters tightly closed. No other
habitation was to be seen; the entire island was less than a quarter of a mile
in circumference; and the conclusion was irresistible that it was the sole
surviving remnant of Formentera, once a member of the Balearic Archipelago.
To leap on shore, to clamber over the slippery stones, and to reach the cabin
was but the work of a few moments. The wormeaten door was bolted on the
inside. Servadac began to knock with all his might. No answer. Neither
shouting nor knocking could draw forth a reply.
Off on a Comet
Page 94
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CHAPTER XXIV. A SLEDGERIDE
90
"Let us force it open, Procope!" he said.
The two men put their shoulders to the door, which soon yielded to their
vigorous efforts, and they found themselves inside the shed, and in almost
total darkness. By opening a shutter they admitted what daylight they could.
At first sight the wretched place seemed to be deserted; the little grate
contained the ashes of a fire long since extinguished; all looked black and
desolate. Another instant's investigation, however, revealed a bed in the
extreme corner, and extended on the bed a human form.
"Dead!" sighed Servadac; "dead of cold and hunger!"
Lieutenant Procope bent down and anxiously contemplated the body.
"No; he is alive!" he said, and drawing a small flask from his pocket he
poured a few drops of brandy between the lips of the senseless man.
There was a faint sigh, followed by a feeble voice, which uttered the one
word, "Gallia?"
"Yes, yes! Gallia!" echoed Servadac, eagerly.
"My comet, my comet!" said the voice, so low as to be almost inaudible, and
the unfortunate man relapsed again into unconsciousness.
"Where have I seen this man?" thought Servadac to himself; "his face is
strangely familiar to me."
But it was no time for deliberation. Not a moment was to be lost in getting
the unconscious astronomer away from his desolate quarters. He was soon
conveyed to the yawl; his books, his scanty wardrobe, his papers, his
instruments, and the blackboard which had served for his calculations, were
quickly collected; the wind, by a fortuitous Providence, had shifted into a
favorable quarter; they set their sail with all speed, and ere long were on
their journey back from Formentera.
Thirtysix hours later, the brave travelers were greeted by the acclamations of
their fellowcolonists, who had been most anxiously awaiting their
reappearance, and the still senseless savant
, who had neither opened his eyes nor spoken a word throughout the journey,
was safely deposited in the warmth and security of the great hall of Nina's
Hive.
END OF FIRST BOOK
BOOK II
CHAPTER I. THE ASTRONOMER
By the return of the expedition, conveying its contribution from Formentera,
the known population of Gallia was raised to a total of thirtysix.
On learning the details of his friends' discoveries, Count Timascheff did not [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]