The words were not uttered before the professor, fierce as a tiger, had rushed at the Jew, had seized him by the throat, and was shaking him till he was black in the face.
“Help! help!” screamed Hakkabut. “I shall be strangled.”
“Rascal! consummate rascal! thief! villain!” the professor reiterated, and continued to shake the Jew furiously.
Ben Zoof looked on and laughed, making no attempt to interfere; he had no sympathy with either of the two.
The sound of the scuffling, however, drew the attention of Servadac, who, followed by his companions, hastened to the scene. The combatants were soon parted. “What is the meaning of all this?” demanded the captain.
As soon as the professor had recovered his breath, exhausted by his exertions, he said, “The old reprobate, the rascal has cheated us! His steelyard is wrong! He is a thief!”
Captain Servadac looked sternly at Hakkabut.
“How is this, Hakkabut? Is this a fact?”
“No, no—yes—no, your Excellency, only—”
“He is a cheat, a thief!” roared the excited astronomer. “His weights deceive!”