ervadac took the earliest opportunity of
asking, "And what about Madame de L----?"

"Madame de L-----!" exclaimed the colonel, taking the words out of his
mouth; "the lady is married long ago; you did not suppose that she was
going to wait for you. 'Out of sight, out of mind,' you know."

"True," replied Servadac; and turning to the count he said, "Do you hear
that? We shall not have to fight our duel after all."

"Most happy to be excused," rejoined the count. The rivals took each
other by the hand, and were united henceforth in the bonds of a sincere
and confiding friendship.

"An immense relief," said Servadac to himself, "that I have no occasion
to finish that confounded rondo!"

It was agreed between the captain and the count that it would be
desirable in every way to maintain the most rigid silence upon the
subject of the inexplicable phenomena which had come within their
experience. It was to them both a subject of the greatest perplexity to
find that the shores of the Mediterranean had undergone no change,
but they coincided in the opinion that it was prudent to keep their
bewilderment entirely to themselves. Nothing induced them to break their
reserve.

The very next day the small community was broken up.

The _Dobryna's_ crew, with the count and the lieutenant, started for
Russia, and the Spaniards, provided, by the count's liberality, with a
competency that ensured them from want, were despatched to their native
shores. The leave taking was accompanied by genuine tokens of regard and
goodwill.

For Isaac Hakkabut alone there was no feeling of regret. Doubly ruined
by the loss of his tartan, and by the abandonment of his fortune, he
disappeared entirely from the scene. It is needless to say that no
one troubled himself to institute a search after him, and, as Ben Zoof
sententiously remarked, "Perhaps old Jehoram is making money in America
by exhibiting himself as the latest arrival from a comet!"

But however great was the reserve which Captain Servadac might make
on his part, nothing could induce Professor Rosette to conceal his
experiences. In spite of the denial which astronomer after astronomer
gave to the appearance of such a comet as Gallia at all, and of its
being refused admission to the catalogue, he published a voluminous
treatise, not only detailing his own adventures, but setting forth, with
the most elaborate precision, all the elements which settled its period
and its orbit. Discussion