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Off on a Comet-Part33_JULES VERNE(1828-1905)_Translated Works(翻译文学)-第2页

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"But who can say what that limit will be? Remember that we have not yet



reached our maximum of cold," replied Procope.

"Indeed, I hope not!" exclaimed the professor; "where would



be the use of our traveling 200,000,000 leagues from the sun,

if we are only to experience the same temperature as we should



find at the poles of the earth?"

"Fortunately for us, however, professor," said the lieutenant,



with a smile, "the temperature of the remotest space never descends

beyond 70 degrees below zero."



"And as long as there is no wind," added Servadac, "we may pass comfortably

through the winter, without a single attack of catarrh."



Lieutenant Procope proceeded to impart to the count his anxiety about

the situation of his yacht. He pointed out that by the constant superposition



of new deposits of ice, the vessel would be elevated to a great height,

and consequently in the event of a thaw, it must be exposed to a calamity



similar to those which in polar seas cause destruction to so many whalers.

There was no time now for concerting measures offhand to prevent



the disaster, for the other members of the party had already

reached the spot where the _Hansa_ lay bound in her icy trammels.



A flight of steps, recently hewn by Hakkabut himself, gave access

for the present to the gangway, but it was evident that some



different contrivance would have to be resorted to when the tartan

should be elevated perhaps to a hundred feet.



A thin curl of blue smoke issued from the copperfunnel that

projected above the mass of snow which had accumulated upon



the deck of the _Hansa_. The owner was sparing of his fuel,

and it was only the non-conducting layer of ice enveloping



the tartan that rendered the internal temperature endurable.

"Hi! old Nebuchadnezzar, where are you?" shouted Ben Zoof,



at the full strength of his lungs.

At the sound of his voice, the cabin door opened, and the Jew's



head and shoulders protruded onto the deck.

CHAPTER VI



MONEY AT A PREMIUM

"Who's there? I have nothing here for anyone. Go away!"



Such was the inhospitable greeting with which Isaac Hakkabut

received his visitors.



"Hakkabut! do you take us for thieves?" asked Servadac,

in tones of stern displeasure.



"Oh, your Excellency, my lord, I did not know that it "was you,"

whined the Jew, but without emerging any farther from his cabin.



"Now, old Hakkabut, come out of your shell! Come and show the governor

proper respect, when he gives you the honor of his company," cried Ben Zoof,



who by this time had clambered onto the deck.

After considerablehesitation, but still keeping his hold upon



the cabin-door, the Jew made up his mind to step outside.

"What do you want?" he inquired, timorously.



"I want a word with you," said Servadac, "but I do not want to stand

talking out here in the cold."



Followed by the rest of the party, he proceeded to mount the steps.

The Jew trembled from head to foot. "But I cannot let you into my cabin.



I am a poor man; I have nothing to give you," he moaned piteously.

"Here he is!" laughed Ben Zoof, contemptuously; "he is beginning his



chapter of lamentations over again. But standing out here will never do.

Out of the way, old Hakkabut, I say! out of the way!" and, without more ado,



he thrust the astonished Jew on one side and opened the door of the cabin.

Servadac, however, declined to enter until he had taken the pains to explain



to the owner of the tartan that he had no intention of laying violent hands

upon his property, and that if the time should ever come that his cargo



was in requisition for the common use, he should receive a proper price

for his goods, the same as he would in Europe.



"Europe, indeed!" muttered the Jew maliciously between his teeth.

"European prices will not do for me. I must have Gallian prices--



and of my own fixing, too!"

So large a portion of the vessel had been appropriated to the cargo



that the space reserved for the cabin was of most meager dimensions.

In one corner of the compartment stood a small iron stove, in which



smoldered a bare handful of coals; in another was a trestle-board

which served as a bed; two or three stools and a rickety deal table,






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