Chapter 19 Chapter XIX

There were ten Spaniards who came to Gulbi Island on the Hansa, and one of them was a twelve-year-old boy named Pablo.Ben-Zov had already told them that Servadac was the governor here, so they greeted him respectfully as soon as Servadac came to the glade.After he was gone, they resumed their work. After Selvadak and the others left the woods, they walked towards the seaside where the Hansa was moored, and Isaac followed far behind. Now, the situation on Galia planet has been basically clarified.The land brought from the earth, besides the island of Goulbi, there are four small islands.This is Gibraltar occupied by the British, Ceuta abandoned by the Spaniards, Maddalena where the little Italian girl lived, and the Mausoleum of St. Louis on the former Tunisian coast.These islands are all located in the Sea of ​​Galia.The Gallia Sea is only half the size of the original Mediterranean Sea, and it is surrounded by many rocks with strange rock structures and unknown compositions.

Of these islands only two are now inhabited, Gibraltar, occupied by thirteen Englishmen, and Gulby Island, with twenty-two inhabitants.In addition to these islands, there may be a small island that has not yet been discovered, and the mysterious scholar who wrote the note may live there.Thus there may have been a total of thirty-six inhabitants on the new planet Galia. Even if all these inhabitants were to settle on Gulby Island some day, the three hundred and fifty hectares of fertile land on the island would be sufficient to support them.The question is, when will the fields on the island turn green and produce crops, in other words, how long will it take for the planet Gallia to shake off its long and severe winter and start heading towards the sun.

So these Galians were now considering two questions: First, was Galia moving in an elliptical orbit that would allow them to one day be closer to the sun?Second, if it is indeed an elliptical orbit, then what is the eccentricity of this orbit, that is to say, when can Galia cross the aphelion and go to the side of the sun? Unfortunately, they don't have any instruments to observe now, so they can't give any definite answers to these questions. Therefore, the only way is to rationally use the existing resources on the island.There are still some sugar, wine, canned food and other foodstuffs on board the Dobrina, which Earl Iron Mashev has donated, which can be used by everyone for two months.As for the various commodities on board the Hansa, sooner or later, whether Isaac wanted to or not, they would have to be brought out.In addition, the grain and cattle and sheep on the island, if used properly, can also be eaten by everyone for several years.

When Captain Selvadak walked towards the sea with Earl Timashev and others, they naturally talked about these issues.Then, Earl Iron Mashev said to Servadak: "Captain, those people have just called you governor, and I think you should take this position. You are French, and Goulby Island is a remnant of the French colony, so you deserve this position. So many people Together, there should always be a head. My people and I will definitely respect you." "Okay, Mr. Earl." Servadac replied bluntly, "In that case, I have no choice but to be polite. I will take all responsibilities. I believe that we will cooperate very well, people. People will do their best for everyone's cause. Anyway, in my opinion, the most difficult period is over. Even if we never return to Earth, we will always have the ability to deal with various difficult situations."

As he spoke, he stretched out his hand to the count, who held his hand tightly and nodded affectionately to him.This was the first time the two of them shook hands since they met this time.Neither of them mentioned the unpleasant past, and it should never be. "There is an important question to be settled at once," said Servadac. "Shall we tell the Spaniards the truth?" "That's absolutely unnecessary, Governor." Ben-Zov protested vigorously. "These people are lazy. Once they know the real situation, they will be even more disheartened. You will have nothing to do with them."

"Also," Prokop's second mate added, "these people are very ignorant. I think that if you want to tell them about the universe, that's not playing the piano against the cow." "Yes!" said Servadac, "if they could understand me, they would not be so terribly afraid. The Spaniards, like the Orientals, do have a little fatalism, but they are not necessarily pessimistic." So much! Is it true that all you need to do is strum the guitar and dance the fandango? What do you think, count?" "My opinion," replied Timashev, "is to tell Ervadak the truth."

"It would be great if Isaac let us use it." Prokop's second mate replied with a nod. "What do you think he's going to do with it? Once he learns that no Moroccan, French, or Arab will buy from him from now on, what will he do but give it to us? " "I can't say that. But, anyway, he will ask you to pay for it." "We'll give him money, Second Officer. We'll put the Old Continent as collateral." "Captain," Prokop's second officer said again, "you can requisition these goods..." "No, Second Officer. The guy is German, and I don't like being treated the way Germans do to him. Besides, he needs us more than we need him before long. When he learns that he is now in a new planet, and when there is likely no hope of returning to Earth, he will become negotiable."

"I hope so," said Prokop's second mate, "but we can't let the ship stay here. With the westerly wind, it will die. Besides, the sea will freeze soon, and the ship is so thin, How can it withstand the extrusion of ice cubes." "Okay. Then you take a few people and drive it to Port Sharif." "Let's talk about it tomorrow. It's getting dark," Prokop's second mate said. The two of them disembarked after turning around on the Hansa.At the same time, it was decided to let everyone go to the stone house for a meeting, and notify the Spaniards on the way.Servadac asked Isaac to go with him.He didn't say anything, but timidly asked his Hansa to take a look.

An hour later, the twenty-two inhabitants of Gulby Island were in the stone house.It was the first time for little Pablo to meet Nina, and Nina was very happy to have such a little partner from now on. Captain Servadac spoke first.He told them, in a language that both Jews and Spaniards could understand, that he was going to tell them about his difficult situation.But before talking about these things, he hopes that everyone will be brave enough to dedicate themselves and help each other. The Spaniards listened silently, not understanding what was expected of them.At this moment, Negret stood up and asked the captain:

"Mr. Governor, before we promise you to do what you want, my partner and I would like to know when you will take us back to Spain?" "It's not so cheap to take them back to Spain!" Isaac said in fluent French, "Mr. Governor, don't listen to him. They haven't paid the money they owe me. They arrived in my boat Come here, promised to pay twenty riyals each. There were ten of them, and they owed me two hundred riyals. If you want a witness, I can..." "Calm down, miser!" Ben-Zov called to him. "They'll give you money," said Servadak.

"That's the only thing to do," said Isaac. "If the Russian gentleman would lend me two or three sailors to take my ship to Algiers, I'd pay them too, but at a price. It can't be too high..." "Algiers!" Ben-Zoff cried again, out of control, "you know..." "Let me tell them the situation! Ben-Zov," said Servadak. Then he said to them in Spanish: "My friends, listen to me first. For a strange reason that we have not yet understood, we have left Spain, Italy, France, and all of Europe. The only land left on the earth is this small island where you are now. We have left the earth, probably on a fragment of the earth. It is difficult to say whether we will return to the earth in the future." Do the Spaniards understand this speech?It seems difficult to say.Negret made Selvadak repeat it again. Selvadak tried his best to speak plainly, and used some of their common figurative metaphors, finally explaining to them the situation everyone is currently facing.In any case, after they got together and talked with each other for a while, they didn't think the matter was so great. As for Isaac, after hearing what Servadac said, he didn't say a word.I saw him biting his lips tightly, as if he was afraid that he would not laugh out loud. Servadac turned to him and asked him if he still wanted to sail to Algiers now. Isaac smiled, but turned sideways again so that the Spaniards could not see his face.Then he said to Count Ironmashev in Russian: "These words are not true, but the governor is just joking with everyone, don't you think so?" The count made no secret of his dislike for this guy, and turned his head away with a look of contempt. Isaac then turned to Servadac and said to him in French: "You can only fool the Spaniards with these vivid stories of yours. I will not be fooled." As he spoke, he walked up to little Nina and said to her in Italian: "Little girl, tell me, are these words true?" Then he shrugged and walked out. "It's so strange that this old guy can speak several languages!" Ben Yizoff said. "Yes," said Servadac, "but it doesn't matter whether he speaks French, Russian, Spanish, Italian, or German, whenever he speaks any of these languages, it's for money."