第15章

"Then we must build a boat， and go in search of those who do not come in search of us.""Very good. But what sort of a sailor are you？""Everyone can be a sailor when he must，" said Servadac calmly.

Ben Zoof said no more. For several succeeding days he scanned the horizon unintermittently with his telescope. His watching was in vain.

No ship appeared upon the desert sea. "By the name of a Kabyle！"he broke out impatiently， "his Excellency is grossly negligent！"Although the days and nights had become reduced from twenty-four hours to twelve， Captain Servadac would not accept the new condition of things， but resolved to adhere to the computations of the old calendar.

Notwithstanding， therefore， that the sun had risen and set twelve times since the commencement of the new year， he persisted in calling the following day the 6th of January. His watch enabled him to keep an accurate account of the passing hours.

In the course of his life， Ben Zoof had read a few books.

After pondering one day， he said： "It seems to me， captain， that you have turned into Robinson Crusoe， and that I am your man Friday. I hope I have not become a negro.""No，" replied the captain. "Your complexion isn't the fairest in the world， but you are not black yet.""Well， I had much sooner be a white Friday than a black one，"rejoined Ben Zoof.

Still no ship appeared； and Captain Servadac， after the example of all previous Crusoes， began to consider it advisable to investigate the resources of his domain. The new territory of which he had become the monarch he named Gourbi Island. It had a superficial area of about nine hundred square miles.

Bullocks， cows， goats， and sheep existed in considerable numbers；and as there seemed already to be an abundance of game， it was hardly likely that a future supply would fail them.

The condition of the cereals was such as to promise a fine ingathering of wheat， maize， and rice； so that for the governor and his population， with their two horses， not only was there ample provision， but even if other human inhabitants besides themselves should yet be discovered， there was not the remotest prospect of any of them perishing by starvation.

From the 6th to the 13th of January the rain came down in torrents； and， what was quite an unusual occurrence at this season of the year， several heavy storms broke over the island.

In spite， however， of the continual downfall， the heavens still remained veiled in cloud. Servadac， moreover， did not fail to observe that for the season the temperature was unusually high； and， as a matter still more surprising， that it kept steadily increasing， as though the earth were gradually and continuously approximating to the sun.

In proportion to the rise of temperature， the light also assumed greater intensity； and if it had not been for the screen of vapor interposed between the sky and the island， the irradiation which would have illumined all terrestrial objects would have been vivid beyond all precedent.

But neither sun， moon， nor star ever appeared； and Servadac's irritation and annoyance at being unable to identify any one point of the firmament may be more readily imagined than described.

On one occasion Ben Zoof endeavored to mitigate his master's impatience by exhorting him to assume the resignation， even if he did not feel the indifference， which he himself experienced；but his advice was received with so angry a rebuff that he retired in all haste， abashed， to r閟um？his watchman's duty， which he performed with exemplary perseverance.

Day and night， with the shortest possible intervals of rest， despite wind， rain， and storm， he mounted guard upon the cliff--but all in vain. Not a speck appeared upon the desolate horizon.

To say the truth， no vessel could have stood against the weather.

The hurricane raged with tremendous fury， and the waves rose to a height that seemed to defy calculation. Never， even in the second era of creation， when， under the influence of internal heat， the waters rose in vapor to descend in deluge back upon the world， could meteorological phenomena have been developed with more impressive intensity.

But by the night of the 13th the tempest appeared to have spent its fury；the wind dropped； the rain ceased as if by a spell； and Servadac， who for the last six days had confined himself to the shelter of his roof， hastened to join Ben Zoof at his post upon the cliff.