round the moon-第12章

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projectile　passes　the　neutral　point；　the　lunar　attraction　will
draw　us　to　the　moon。〃

〃Then　our　feet　will　be　upon　the　roof；〃　replied　Michel。

〃No；〃　said　Barbicane；　〃because　the　projectile's　center　of
gravity　is　very　low；　it　will　only　turn　by　degrees。〃

〃Then　all　our　portables　will　be　upset　from　top　to　bottom；　that
is　a　fact。〃

〃Calm　yourself；　Michel；〃　replied　Nicholl；　〃no　upset　is　to　be
feared；　not　a　thing　will　move；　for　the　projectile's　evolution
will　be　imperceptible。〃

〃Just　so；〃　continued　Barbicane；　〃and　when　it　has　passed　the
point　of　equal　attraction；　its　base；　being　the　heavier；　will
draw　it　perpendicularly　to　the　moon；　but；　in　order　that　this
phenomenon　should　take　place；　we　must　have　passed　the　neutral　line。〃

〃Pass　the　neutral　line；〃　cried　Michel；　〃then　let　us　do　as　the
sailors　do　when　they　cross　the　equator。〃

A　slight　side　movement　brought　Michel　back　toward　the　padded
side；　thence　he　took　a　bottle　and　glasses；　placed　them　〃in
space〃　before　his　companions；　and；　drinking　merrily；　they
saluted　the　line　with　a　triple　hurrah。　　The　influence　of　these
attractions　scarcely　lasted　an　hour；　the　travelers　felt
themselves　insensibly　drawn　toward　the　floor；　and　Barbicane
fancied　that　the　conical　end　of　the　projectile　was　varying　a
little　from　its　normal　direction　toward　the　moon。　　By　an　inverse
motion　the　base　was　approaching　first；　the　lunar　attraction　was
prevailing　over　the　terrestrial；　the　fall　toward　the　moon　was
beginning；　almost　imperceptibly　as　yet；　but　by　degrees　the
attractive　force　would　become　stronger；　the　fall　would　be　more
decided；　the　projectile；　drawn　by　its　base；　would　turn　its　cone
to　the　earth；　and　fall　with　ever…increasing　speed　on　to　the
surface　of　the　Selenite　continent；　their　destination　would　then
be　attained。　　Now　nothing　could　prevent　the　success　of　their
enterprise；　and　Nicholl　and　Michel　Ardan　shared　Barbicane's　joy。

Then　they　chatted　of　all　the　phenomena　which　had　astonished　them
one　after　the　other；　particularly　the　neutralization　of　the　laws
of　weight。　　Michel　Ardan；　always　enthusiastic；　drew　conclusions
which　were　purely　fanciful。

〃Ah；　my　worthy　friends；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃what　progress　we　should
make　if　on　earth　we　could　throw　off　some　of　that　weight；　some　of
that　chain　which　binds　us　to　her；　it　would　be　the　prisoner　set
at　liberty；　no　more　fatigue　of　either　arms　or　legs。　　Or；　if　it
is　true　that　in　order　to　fly　on　the　earth's　surface；　to　keep
oneself　suspended　in　the　air　merely　by　the　play　of　the　muscles；
there　requires　a　strength　a　hundred　and　fifty　times　greater　than
that　which　we　possess；　a　simple　act　of　volition；　a　caprice；
would　bear　us　into　space；　if　attraction　did　not　exist。〃

〃Just　so；〃　said　Nicholl；　smiling；　〃if　we　could　succeed　in
suppressing　weight　as　they　suppress　pain　by　anaesthesia；
that　would　change　the　face　of　modern　society！〃

〃Yes；〃　cried　Michel；　full　of　his　subject；　〃destroy　weight；　and
no　more　burdens！〃

〃Well　said；〃　replied　Barbicane；　〃but　if　nothing　had　any　weight；
nothing　would　keep　in　its　place；　not　even　your　hat　on　your　head；
worthy　Michel；　nor　your　house；　whose　stones　only　adhere　by
weight；　nor　a　boat；　whose　stability　on　the　waves　is　only　caused
by　weight；　not　even　the　ocean；　whose　waves　would　no　longer　be
equalized　by　terrestrial　attraction；　and　lastly；　not　even　the
atmosphere；　whose　atoms；　being　no　longer　held　in　their　places；
would　disperse　in　space！〃

〃That　is　tiresome；〃　retorted　Michel；　〃nothing　like　these
matter…of…fact　people　for　bringing　one　back　to　the　bare　reality。〃

〃But　console　yourself；　Michel；〃　continued　Barbicane；　〃for　if　no
orb　exists　from　whence　all　laws　of　weight　are　banished；　you　are
at　least　going　to　visit　one　where　it　is　much　less　than　on　the　earth。〃

〃The　moon？〃

〃Yes；　the　moon；　on　whose　surface　objects　weigh　six　times　less
than　on　the　earth；　a　phenomenon　easy　to　prove。〃

〃And　we　shall　feel　it？〃　asked　Michel。

〃Evidently；　as　two　hundred　pounds　will　only　weigh　thirty　pounds
on　the　surface　of　the　moon。〃

〃And　our　muscular　strength　will　not　diminish？〃

〃Not　at　all；　instead　of　jumping　one　yard　high；　you　will　rise
eighteen　feet　high。〃

〃But　we　shall　be　regular　Herculeses　in　the　moon！〃　exclaimed　Michel。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Nicholl；　〃for　if　the　height　of　the　Selenites　is
in　proportion　to　the　density　of　their　globe；　they　will　be
scarcely　a　foot　high。〃

〃Lilliputians！〃　ejaculated　Michel；　〃I　shall　play　the　part
of　Gulliver。　　We　are　going　to　realize　the　fable　of　the　giants。
This　is　the　advantage　of　leaving　one's　own　planet　and
over…running　the　solar　world。〃

〃One　moment；　Michel；〃　answered　Barbicane；　〃if　you　wish　to　play
the　part　of　Gulliver；　only　visit　the　inferior　planets；　such　as
Mercury；　Venus；　or　Mars；　whose　density　is　a　little　less　than
that　of　the　earth；　but　do　not　venture　into　the　great　planets；
Jupiter；　Saturn；　Uranus；　Neptune；　for　there　the　order　will　be
changed；　and　you　will　become　Lilliputian。〃

〃And　in　the　sun？〃

〃In　the　sun；　if　its　density　is　thirteen　hundred　and　twenty…four
thousand　times　greater；　and　the　attraction　is　twenty…seven　times
greater　than　on　the　surface　of　our　globe；　keeping　everything　in
proportion；　the　inhabitants　ought　to　be　at　least　two　hundred
feet　high。〃

〃By　Jove！〃　exclaimed　Michel；　〃I　should　be　nothing　more　than　a
pigmy；　a　shrimp！〃

〃Gulliver　with　the　giants；〃　said　Nicholl。

〃Just　so；〃　replied　Barbicane。

〃And　it　would　not　be　quite　useless　to　carry　some　pieces　of
artillery　to　defend　oneself。〃

〃Good；〃　replied　Nicholl；　〃your　projectiles　would　have　no　effect
on　the　sun；　they　would　fall　back　upon　the　earth　after　some　minutes。〃

〃That　is　a　strong　remark。〃

〃It　is　certain；〃　replied　Barbicane；　〃the　attraction　is　so　great
on　this　enormous　orb；　that　an　object　weighing　70；000　pounds　on
the　earth　would　weigh　but　1；920　pounds　on　the　surface　of　the　sun。
If　you　were　to　fall　upon　it　you　would　weigh　let　me　see　about
5；000　pounds；　a　weight　which　you　would　never　be　able　to　raise　again。〃

〃The　devil！〃　said　Michel；　〃one　would　want　a　portable　crane。
However；　we　will　be　satisfied　with　the　moon　for　the　present；
there　at　least　we　shall　cut　a　great　figure。　　We　will　see　about
the　sun　by　and　by。〃





CHAPTER　IX


THE　CONSEQUENCES　OF　A　DEVIATION


Barbicane　had　now　no　fear　of　the　issue　of　the　journey；　at　least
as　far　as　the　projectile's　impulsive　force　was　concerned；　its
own　speed　would　carry　it　beyond　the　neutral　line；　it　would
certainly　not　return　to　earth；　it　would　certainly　not　remain
motionless　on　the　line　of　attraction。　　One　single　hypothesis
remained　to　be　realized；　the　arrival　of　the　projectile　at　its
destination　by　the　action　of　the　lunar　attraction。

It　was　in　reality　a　fall　of　8；296　leagues　on　an　orb；　it　is　true；
where　weight　could　only　be　reckoned　at　one　sixth　of　terrestrial
weight；　a　formidable　fall；　nevertheless；　and　one　against　which
every　precaution　must　be　taken　without　delay。

These　precautions　were　of　two　sorts；　some　to　deaden　the　shock
when　the　projectile　should　touch　the　lunar　soil；　others　to　delay
the　fall；　and　consequently　make　it　less　violent。

To　deaden　the　shock；　it　was　a　pity　that　Barbicane　was　no　longer
able　to　employ　the　means　which　had　so　ably　weakened　the　shock　at
departure；　that　is　to　say；　by　water　used　as　springs　and　the
partition　breaks。

The　partitions　still　existed；　but　water　failed；　for　they　could
not　use　their　reserve；　which　was　precious；　in　case　during　the
first　days　the　liquid　element　should　be　found　wanting　on　lunar　soil。

And　indeed　this　reserve　would　have　been　quite　insufficient　for
a　spring。　　The　layer　of　water　stored　in　the　projectile　at
the　time　of　starting　upon　their　journey　occupied　no　less　than
three　feet　in　depth；　and　spread　over　a　surface　of　not　less　than
fifty…four　square　feet。　　Besides；　the　cistern　did　not　contain
one…fifth　part　of　it；　they　must　therefore　give　up　this　efficient
means　of　deadening　the　shock　of　arrival。　　Happily；　Barbicane；
not　content　with　employing　water；　had　furnished　the　movable　disc
with　strong　spring　plugs；　destined　to　lessen　the　shock　against
the　base　after　the　breaking　of　the　horizontal　partitions。
These　plugs　still　existed；　they　had　only　to　readjust　them　and
replace　the　movable　disc；　every　piece；　easy　to　handle；　as　their
weight　was　now　scarcely　felt；　was　quickly　mounted。

The　different　pieces　were　fitted　without　trouble；　it　being　only
a　matter　of　bolts　and　screws；　tools　were　not　wanting；　and　soon
the　reinstated　disc　lay　on　steel　plugs；　like　a　table　on　its　legs。
One　inconvenience　resulted　from　the　replacing　of　the　disc；
the　lower　window　was　blocked　up；　thus　it　was　impossible　for
the　travelers　to　observe　the　moon　from　that　opening　while
they　were　being　precipitated　perpendicularly　upon　her；　but　they
were　obliged　to　give　it　up；　even　by　the　side　openings　they　could
still　see　vast　lunar　regions；　as　an　aeronaut　sees　the　earth　from
his　car。

This　replacing　of　the　disc　was　at　least　an　hour's　work。　　It　was
past　twelve　when　all　preparations　were　finished。　　Barbicane　took
fresh　observations　on　the　inclination　of　the　projectile；　but　to
his　annoyance　it　had　not　turned　over　sufficiently　for　its　fall；
it　seemed　to　take　a　curve　parallel　to　the　lunar　disc。　　The　orb
of　night　shone　splendidly　into　space；　while　opposite；　the　orb　of
day　blazed　with　fire。

Their　situation　began　to　make　them　uneasy。

〃Are　we　reaching　our　destination？〃　said　Nicholl。

〃Let　us　act　as　if　we　were　about　reaching　it；〃　replied　Barbicane。

〃You　are　sceptical；〃　retorted　Michel　Ardan。　　〃We　shall　arrive；
and　that；　too；　quicker　than　we　like。〃

This　answer　brought　Barbicane　back　to　his　preparations；　and　he
occupied　himself　with　placing　the　contrivances　intended　to　break
their　descent。　　We　may　remember　the　scene　of　the　meeting　held　at
Tampa　Town；　in　Florida；　when　Captain　Nicholl　came　forward　as
Barbicane's　enemy　and　Michel　Ardan's　adversary。　　To　Captain
Nicholl's　maintaining　that　the　projectile　would　smash　like　glass；
Michel　replied　that　he　would　break　their　fall　by　means　of　rockets
properly　placed。

Thus；　powerful　fireworks；　taking　their　starting…point　from　the
base　and　bursting　outside；　could；　by　producing　a　recoil；　check
to　a　certain　degree　the　projectile's　speed。　　These　rockets　were
to　burn　in　space；　it　is　true；　but　oxygen　would　not　fail　them；
for　they　could　supply　themselves　with　it；　like　the　lunar
volcanoes；　the　burning　of　which　has　never　yet　been　stopped　by
the　want　of　atmosphere　round　the　moon。

Barbicane　had　accordingly　supplied　himself　with　these　fireworks；
enclosed　in　little　steel　guns；　which　could　be　screwed　on　to　the
base　of　the　projectile。　　Inside；　these　guns　were　flush　with　the
bottom；　outside；　they　protruded　about　eighteen　inches。　　There　were
twenty　of　them。　　An　opening　left　in　the　disc　allowed　them　to　light
the　match　with　which　each　was　provided。　　All　the　effect　was
felt　outside。　　The　burning　mixture　had　already　been　rammed
into　each　gun。　　They　had；　then；　nothing　to　do　but　raise　the
metallic　buffers　fixed　in　the　base；　and　replace　them　by　the
guns；　which　fitted　closely　in　their　places。

This　new　work　was　finished　about　three　o'clock；　and　after　taking
all　these　precautions　there　remained　but　to　wait。　　But　the
projectile　was　perceptibly　nearing　the　moon；　and　evidently
succumbed　to　her　inf