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Off on a Comet-Part14_JULES VERNE(1828-1905)_Translated Works(翻译文学)-第2页

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he might fairly claim as neutral territory.

"Now, gentlemen," he began haughtily, "permit me to represent that,



in spite of any loss France may have sustained in the fate

of Algeria, France is ready to answer any provocation that affects



her honor. Here I am the representative of my country, and here,

on neutral ground--"



"Neutral ground?" objected Colonel Murphy; "I beg your pardon.

This, Captain Servadac, is English territory. Do you not see



the English flag?" and, as he spoke, he pointed with national pride

to the British standard floating over the top of the island.



"Pshaw!" cried Servadac, with a contemptuous sneer; "that flag,

you know, has been hoisted but a few short weeks."



"That flag has floated where it is for ages," asserted the colonel.

"An imposture!" shouted Servadac, as he stamped with rage.



Recovering his composure in a degree, he continued:

"Can you suppose that I am not aware that this island on which we



find you is what remains of the Ionian representative republic,

over which you English exercise the right of protection,



but have no claim of government?"

The colonel and the major looked at each other in amazement.



Although Count Timascheff secretly sympathized with Servadac,

he had carefully refrained from taking part in the dispute;



but he was on the point of interfering, when the colonel,

in a greatly subdued tone, begged to be allowed to speak.



"I begin to apprehend," he said, "that you must be la-boring under some

strange mistake. There is no room for questioning that the territory



here is England's--England's by right of conquest; ceded to England

by the Treaty of Utrecht. Three times, indeed--in 1727, 1779, and 1792--



France and Spain have disputed our title, but always to no purpose.

You are, I assure you, at the present moment, as much on English soil



as if you were in London, in the middle of Trafalgar Square."

It was now the turn of the captain and the count to look surprised.



"Are we not, then, in Corfu?" they asked.

"You are at Gibraltar," replied the colonel.



Gibraltar! The word fell like a thunderclap upon their ears.

Gibraltar! the westernextremity of the Mediterranean! Why, had they



not been sailing persistently to the east? Could they be wrong

in imagining that they had reached the Ionian Islands? What new



mystery was this?

Count Timascheff was about to proceed with a more rigorous investigation,



when the attention of all was arrested by a loud outcry.

Turning round, they saw that the crew of the _Dobryna_ was in



hot dispute with the English soldiers. A general altercation

had arisen from a disagreement between the sailor Panofka



and Corporal Pim. It had transpired that the cannon-ball fired

in experiment from the island had not only damaged one of the spars



of the schooner, but had broken Panofka's pipe, and, moreover, had just

grazed his nose, which, for a Russian's, was unusually long.



The discussion over this mishap led to mutual recriminations,

till the sailors had almost come to blows with the garrison.



Servadac was just in the mood to take Panofka's part, which drew

from Major Oliphant the remark that England could not be held



responsible for any accidentalinjury done by her cannon,

and if the Russian's long nose came in the way of the ball,



the Russian must submit to the mischance.

This was too much for Count Timascheff, and having poured



out a torrent of angry invective against the English officers,

he ordered his crew to embark immediately.



"We shall meet again," said Servadac, as they pushed off from shore.

"Whenever you please," was the cool reply.



The geographicalmysteryhaunted the minds of both the count

and the captain, and they felt they could never rest till they



had ascertained what had become of their respective countries.

They were glad to be on board again, that they might r锟絪um?



their voyage of investigation, and in two hours were out of sight




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