as given the name of Gallia."

It still remained a puzzle to them all why the astronomer should
apparently be interested in the comet so much more than in the new
little world in which their strange lot was cast.

"Can you explain this?" asked the count.

"There is no accounting for the freaks of philosophers, you know," said
Servadac; "and have I not told you that this philosopher in particular
is one of the most eccentric beings in creation?"

"Besides," added the lieutenant, "it is exceedingly likely that his
observations had been going on for some considerable period before the
convulsion happened."

Thus, the general conclusion arrived at by the Gallian Academy of
Science was this: That on the night of the 31st of December, a comet,
crossing the ecliptic, had come into collision with the earth, and that
the violence of the shock had separated a huge fragment from the
globe, which fragment from that date had been traversing the remote
inter-planetary regions. Palmyrin Rosette would doubtless confirm their
solution of the phenomenon.

CHAPTER II. A REVELATION

To the general population of the colony the arrival of the stranger was
a matter of small interest. The Spaniards were naturally too indolent
to be affected in any way by an incident that concerned themselves so
remotely; while the Russians felt themselves simply reliant on their
master, and as long as they were with him were careless as to where or
how they spent their days. Everything went on with them in an accustomed
routine; and they lay down night after night, and awoke to their
avocations morning after morning, just as if nothing extraordinary had
occurred.

All night long Ben Zoof would not leave the professor's bedside. He had
constituted himself sick nurse, and considered his reputation at stake
if he failed to set his patient on his feet again. He watched every
movement, listened to every breath, and never failed to administer
the strongest cordials upon the slightest pretext. Even in his sleep
Rosette's irritable nature revealed itself. Ever and again, sometimes
in a tone of uneasiness, and sometimes with the expression of positive
anger, the name of Gallia escaped his lips, as though he were dreaming
that his claim to the discovery of the comet was being contested or
denied; but although his attendant was on the alert to gather all he
could, he was able to catch nothing in the incoherent sentences that
served to throw any real light