roared the bewildered orderly.

"Eureka! I say," repeated Rosette; "and if you don't understand me, you
may go to the devil!"

Without availing himself of this polite invitation, Ben Zoof betook
himself to his master. "Something has happened to the professor,"
he said; "he is rushing about like a madman, screeching and yelling
'Eureka!'"

"Eureka?" exclaimed Servadac. "That means he has made a discovery;" and,
full of anxiety, he hurried off to meet the professor.

But, however great was his desire to ascertain what this discovery
implied, his curiosity was not yet destined to be gratified. The
professor kept muttering in incoherent phrases: "Rascal! he shall pay
for it yet. I will be even with him! Cheat! Thrown me out!" But he did
not vouchsafe any reply to Servadac's inquiries, and withdrew to his
study.

From that day Rosette, for some reason at present incomprehensible,
quite altered his behavior to Isaac Hakkabut, a man for whom he had
always hitherto evinced the greatest repugnance and contempt. All at
once he began to show a remarkable interest in the Jew and his affairs,
paying several visits to the dark little storehouse, making inquiries as
to the state of business and expressing some solicitude about the state
of the exchequer.

The wily Jew was taken somewhat by surprise, but came to an immediate
conclusion that the professor was contemplating borrowing some money; he
was consequently very cautious in all his replies.

It was not Hakkabut's habit ever to advance a loan except at an
extravagant rate of interest, or without demanding far more than an
adequate security. Count Timascheff, a Russian nobleman, was evidently
rich; to him perhaps, for a proper consideration, a loan might be made:
Captain Servadac was a Gascon, and Gascons are proverbially poor; it
would never do to lend any money to him; but here was a professor,
a mere man of science, with circumscribed means; did _he_ expect to
borrow? Certainly Isaac would as soon think of flying, as of lending
money to him. Such were the thoughts that made him receive all Rosette's
approaches with a careful reservation.

It was not long, however, before Hakkabut was to be called upon to apply
his money to a purpose for which he had not reckoned. In his eagerness
to effect sales, he had parted with all the alimentary articles in his
cargo without having the precautionary prudence to reserve enough for
his own consumption. Amongst other things that fai