Chapter 31 Chapter Seven Borrowing the Scale

Not long after Ben-Zoff called, the small door of the back cabin opened, and Isaac leaned half his body out from the door. "Who's here?" he asked aloud. "What do you want from me? I can't get anything cheap here." This is how Isaac came to welcome the guests of Servadac. "Well, Isaac!" said Servadac bluntly, "you take us all for thieves." "Ah, it's you, Mr. Governor!" Isaac said with a smile as he was still standing inside the door. "It's Mr. Governor." Ben-Zov, who had already stepped onto the deck, said loudly, "You should be very honored to have a distinguished guest. Come out to greet him soon?"

Isaac came out at last, but still stood by the door, leaving it ajar so that it could be closed immediately in case of danger. "What did you come to see me for?" he asked. "I have something to talk to you about, Isaac," said the captain. "You can't shut us out in the cold, can you?" "What? You want to come in?" Isaac said, making no secret of his uneasiness about their presence. "Yes, we want to go in and have a talk with you." Said Captain Servadac, he stepped on the steps in the snow and walked to the deck.Others followed suit.

"I have nothing to give you." Isaac said with a sad face, "I'm just a poor man!" "Shut up your tricks, miser! Open the door," said Ben-Zoff.Then, he rushed forward to hold Isaac's neck, pushed him aside unceremoniously, and opened the door. Servadac walked in, then turned around and said to Isaac: "Listen, Isaac. We didn't come here to rob you of your goods. But I'll take this opportunity to say to you again: When we all need your goods, it's in everyone's interest that I will The goods were requisitioned without hesitation. Of course, we will pay you at the European rates."

"According to the European price!" Isaac gritted his teeth and said, "No! It must be based on Gallia's price, that is, according to my price." At this time, Selvadak and others had already descended into the cabin of the Hansa.The cabin is narrow and most of the place is stacked with cargo.There was a stove in the corner, and two pieces of coal were burning in the hearth, as if they would never go out.Opposite the fire was a bed.At the far end of the cabin was a cupboard.The cupboard door was closed and locked.In addition, there were a few wooden benches, a pine table of acceptable dirtiness, and some usual utensils.All the furnishings are very shabby, but it is quite suitable for Isaac's personality.

After Ben-Zov entered the cabin, after Isaac closed the door, he first threw a few lumps of coal into the furnace, because the temperature in the cabin was too low.But these few pieces of coal made Isaac cry out in distress. He would rather freeze himself into a popsicle than burn another piece of coal.He nagged and cursed, but no one paid him any attention.Ben-Zov stood by the stove, fanned the hearth a few times, and after a while, a few coals were blazing.Everyone found a random place in the cabin, and sat down casually, waiting for Servadac to talk to Isaac about their purpose of coming here this time.

Isaac stood motionless, his hands clenched tightly together.Just like a death row awaiting final judgment. "Mr. Isaac," said Captain Servadac solemnly, "we have come here today to ask you for a favor." "help?" "Yes, for everyone's business." "I have nothing to do with you! . . . " "Listen to me, don't always be so resentful. We are not here to blackmail you." "But you ask me, poor old man, how can I help you?" cried Isaac, tearfully. "That's what happened..." Selvadak ignored his words and continued.

He made this opening statement so solemnly that Isaac almost thought it.They came this time to usurp all his property. "Briefly," continued Servadac, "we need a scale right now. Could you lend us yours?" "Borrow a scale!" he cried, almost as if borrowing thousands of francs from him. "You want to borrow a scale?" "Yes, a scale for weighing things!" Professor Rosset added. , he was already irritated by these endless conversations. "Don't you have a scale?" said Prokop. "You don't need to ask, he has it," Ben-Zov said.

"Yes, I have..." Isaac could not continue. "So Mr. Isaac, could you lend us your scale?" "Borrow?" Isaac shouted, "Mr. Governor, you said to borrow from me...?" "Only for one day," said Professor Rosset, "for only one day, Isaac. I will never repay you." "However, this thing is so delicate, and the weather is so cold, it will be damaged if you are not careful." Isaac said. "Ah, Yan Sheng who loves money like his life!" Professor Rosset scolded. "Besides, you may have to use it to weigh very heavy things!"

"You probably think we're going to call a mountain by it, miser," said Ben-Zoff. "Isn't it a mountain!" said Rosette, "we shall use it to call Gallia." "My God!" Isaac exclaimed in agony.Of course, the purpose of his posturing is obvious. Captain Servadac had no choice but to come out and explain the matter clearly. "Mr. Isaac," he said, "we're borrowing this scale from you for weighing a kilo at most." "A kilo! That makes a huge difference." "Also, with the weakening of Gallia's gravity, the kilogram has decreased significantly. So you don't have to worry about breaking your scale."

"That's for sure, Mr. Governor..." Isaac said, "but let me borrow..." "Since you don't want to borrow it," Timashev intervened, "then sell it to us." "Sell! Sell you the scale!" cried Isaac. "Tell me what to weigh later. I don't have a scale. I only have a small scale. But this one scale, you have to get it." Walk." Ben-Zov wondered why Captain Servadac didn't immediately strangle this odious fellow who dared to contradict him.But Servadac negotiated with him calmly and tried every means to get him to lend the scale.

"Mr. Isaac," he said to him again pleasantly, "I don't think you want to lend us the scale." "Ah! I'd like to borrow it, but can I, Mr. Governor?" "And don't want to sell." "Never sell!" "Then can you rent it to us?" His eyes suddenly brightened. "Then you have to take care of it," he said loudly. "that's for sure." "You still have to give me a security deposit." "Row." "How much can you pay?" "Your scales are only worth twenty francs, but I'd like to give a hundred francs as a deposit. That's enough..." "So-so, the governor lost his life. You should know that this is the only scale in the new world of Gallia. Well, let's count it as a hundred francs. However, the hundred francs should be paid in gold coins." "Okay, just use gold coins." "We have agreed, I will rent it to you for a day." "Yes, one day." "What about the rent?" "Twenty francs will be enough," said Count Ironmachef. "There are so many of you, let me consider it bad luck!" Isaac clasped his hands tightly, showing a very painful look. Isaac was secretly happy when the deal was concluded.The rent was twenty francs, and the security deposit was one hundred francs, all paid in French or Russian ducats.How can there be such a cheap thing in the world! Isaac glanced at everyone with a suspicious look, stood up and looked for the scale. "A real miser," said Count Ironmashev. "Exactly," said Captain Servadac. "This guy is like no other in the world." After a while, Isaac arrived, carefully holding a scale in both hands. This is a spring scale.Hang the thing to be weighed on the scale hook, and the pointer will mark its weight on the scale plate.As Professor Rosset said.This scale is not affected by gravity.Because it was brought from the earth.A thing weighing one kilogram weighs one kilogram on the earth, but how much would it weigh on the planet Gallia?The mystery looks like it will soon be solved. The gold market of one hundred and twenty francs has been handed over to Isaac, and Isaac immediately carefully put the money into his pocket.Ben-Zoff picked up the scale, and everyone got up and left. Professor Rosset suddenly remembered that he needed two more things, so he stopped and said: "No, the scale alone can't solve the problem. You need to lend it to us..." When Isaac heard this, he trembled with fright. "We also need to lend us a ruler and a kilogram." "I am very sorry, sir, but there is nothing I can do about it," said Isaac. This time, he was telling the truth.There are indeed no rulers and kilograms on the Hansa.He regretted this very much, otherwise he would have taken advantage of it again. Professor Rosset was extremely annoyed, and looked at everyone viciously, as if it was their fault.But he also did it out of a sense of anxiety, for without these two things his calculations could not have been brought to a successful conclusion. "It seems that I have to find another way." He scratched his head with his hands and said. Resignedly, he began to climb up the gangway.Everyone followed behind him.When they were about to reach the deck, the crisp sound of silver coins suddenly came from the cabin. Isaac was putting the money he had just received in a drawer of the cabinet. As soon as Rosette heard the sound, she turned round and went down the ladder again.Everyone didn't understand what was going on, but they had to follow him back to the cabin. "You have silver coins!" He quickly went up and grabbed Isaac's sleeve and said. "I... have silver coins..." Isaac stammered pale, as if he had encountered a robber. "Excellent! You have silver coins here," said Professor Rosset cheerfully. "Is it French silver coins? . . . five francs a piece? . . . " "Yes...no..." Isaac replied in a daze. Isaac tried to close the drawer, but it was too late.Rosette has pressed it tightly with one hand.Seeing this situation, Captain Servadac, Earl Ironmashv, and Second Officer Prokop all looked at each other in blank dismay. They didn't know what Rosset was trying to do, but they felt that he must have some reason, so they silently stayed aside, and Let's see how the play plays out. "I need these silver coins!" said Rosette. "Impossible!" Isaac screamed, as if wanting his life. "I tell you, I must have the money!" said Rosette. "You can't even kill me!" Isaac screamed wildly. Servadac felt that he had to come out and speak.He smiled and said to the professor: "My dear teacher, leave this matter to me." "Mr. Governor, please decide for me." Isaac was already sobbing. "Stop it, Mr. Isaac," said the captain, and then turned to Rosseter again.road: Do you want some five-franc pieces? " "Yes. Forty coins." what!Two hundred francs. ’ Isaac muttered. "I want ten two-franc pieces and twenty fifty centimes. Silver pieces." "Another thirty francs," said Isaac sadly. "It's two hundred and thirty francs, isn't it?" said Captain Servadac. "Exactly," said Rosset. "That's easy," said Servadac.Then he turned to Count Iron Mashev: "Mr. Earl, do you have enough money with you? I want to mortgage the silver coins Mr. Rosset needs." "You can use my money," said Count Ironmashev, "but all I have now are banknotes." "No paper money. I never want paper money," cried Isaac. "Paper money is worth nothing in Gallia." "Could it be that silver coins are worth money here?" Earl Ironmashev asked coldly. "Mr. Isaac," said Servadac, "I have been very polite to you so far. I tell you, don't make me angry. In any case, you will take the two hundred Lend us thirty francs in silver." "You are all robbers!" Isaac cursed. He wanted to swear even worse, but Ben-Zov's big hand was already on his neck. "Let him go, Ben-Zov," said Captain Servadac. "Let him go. He'll do what I want." "impossible!……" "Mr. Isaac, how much interest do you need to lend us those silver coins?" Isaac suddenly turned his worries into joy, and exclaimed: "Loan lending! Loan lending to you!..." "Yes, how much interest do you want?" "Mr. Governor," Isaac said with a smile on his face, "You know, silver coins are not easy to get, especially this thing is really rare in Gallia now." "Don't go around in circles... tell me, how much interest do you want?" Selvadak asked impatiently. "Then Monsieur Governor..." said Isaac, "I want ten francs in interest." "Borrow a day?" "Of course, borrow a day..." Before he had finished speaking, Count Ironmashev threw a few rubles on the table.Isaac picked up the money and counted it hastily.Although it was paper money, this considerable amount finally made the insatiable usurer get his wish. The silver coins of two hundred and thirty francs were finally handed over to Rosette.A satisfied smile appeared on Rosette's face. As for Isaac, he made a lot of money on the debt: 1.8 times the interest.If things go on like this, it won't be long before he becomes Gallia's millionaire. Everyone got up and left.I saw Professor Rosset said: "Gentlemen, with these two hundred and thirty francs in silver, the question concerning the ruler and the kilogram is satisfactorily settled."