[meteorite-list] Hector Servadec

[VisualThinker7 at aol.com]

I read this book with the title translated as 'Off on a Comet'. 
As I understood the story at the time, the comet passed so close to Earth  
that people, animals and even a ship were sucked up by it's gravity. At the end, 
 they returned to Earth when the comet returned, and they all piled into a  
homemade balloon which was captured by Earth's gravity. 
I seem to remember the Jewish character being simpy referred to as 'the  
jew', though he did have a name. Pretty repulsive, by modern  standards. For 
example: 
 
"Oh, your Excellency, my lord, I did not know that it "was you," whined the  
Jew, but without emerging any farther from his cabin. 
and
"After considerable hesitation, but still keeping his hold upon the  
cabin-door, the Jew made up his mind to step outside. "What do you want?" he  
inquired, timorously."
and
"Imagining that at least half his property was to be confiscated, the Jew  
began to break out into his usual formula about being a poor man and having  
nothing to spare; but Servadac, without heeding his complainings, went on: "We  
are not going to ruin you, you know." 
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