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Off on a Comet-Part4_JULES VERNE(1828-1905)_Translated Works(翻译文学)-第2页

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which on the previous evening had bounded the yellow stream, as it murmured

peacefully along the fertile plain, had now become the shore of a tumultuous



ocean, its azure waters extending westwards far as the eye could reach,

and annihilating the tract of country which had hitherto formed the district



of Mostaganem. The shore coincided exactly with what had been the right

bank of the Shelif, and in a slightly curved line ran north and south,



whilst the adjacent groves and meadows all retained their previous positions.

But the river-bank had become the shore of an unknown sea.



Eager to throw some light upon the mystery, Servadac hurriedly made

his way through the oleander bushes that overhung the shore, took up



some water in the hollow of his hand, and carried it to his lips.

"Salt as brine!" he exclaimed, as soon as he had tasted it.



"The sea has undoubtedly swallowed up all the western part of Algeria."

"It will not last long, sir," said Ben Zoof. "It is, probably,



only a severe flood."

The captain shook his head. "Worse than that, I fear, Ben Zoof," he replied



with emotion. "It is a catastrophe that may have very serious consequences.

What can have become of all my friends and fellow-officers?"



Ben Zoof was silent. Rarely had he seen his master so much agitated;

and though himself inclined to receive these phenomena with



philosophic indifference, his notions of military duty caused

his countenance to reflect the captain's expression of amazement.



But there was little time for Servadac to examine the changes which a few

hours had wrought. The sun had already reached the eastern horizon,



and just as though it were crossing the ecliptic under the tropics,

it sank like a cannon ball into the sea. Without any warning,



day gave place to night, and earth, sea, and sky were immediately

wrapped in profound obscurity.



CHAPTER VI

THE CAPTAIN MAKES AN EXPLORATION



Hector Servadac was not the man to remain long unnerved by any

untoward event. It was part of his character to discover the why



and the wherefore of everything that came under his observation,

and he would have faced a cannon ball the more unflinchingly



from understanding the dynamic force by which it was propelled.

Such being his temperament, it may well be imagined that he was



anxious not to remain long in ignorance of the cause of the phenomena

which had been so startling in their consequences.



"We must inquire into this to-morrow," he exclaimed, as darkness

fell suddenly upon him. Then, after a pause, he added:



"That is to say, if there is to be a to-morrow; for if I were

to be put to the torture, I could not tell what has become



of the sun."

"May I ask, sir, what we are to do now?" put in Ben Zoof.



"Stay where we are for the present; and when daylight appears--

if it ever does appear--we will explore the coast to the west and south,



and return to the gourbi. If we can find out nothing else,

we must at least discover where we are."



"Meanwhile, sir, may we go to sleep?"

"Certainly, if you like, and if you can."



Nothing loath to avail himself of his master's permission, Ben Zoof

crouched down in an angle of the shore, threw his arms over his eyes,



and very soon slept the sleep of the ignorant, which is often sounder

than the sleep of the just. Overwhelmed by the questions that crowded



upon his brain, Captain Servadac could only wander up and down the shore.

Again and again he asked himself what the catastrophe could portend.



Had the towns of Algiers, Oran, and Mostaganem escaped the inundation?

Could he bring himself to believe that all the inhabitants, his friends,



and comrades had perished; or was it not more probable that the Mediterranean

had merely invaded the region of the mouth of the Shelif? But this



supposition did not in the least explain the other physical disturbances.




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