round the moon-第13章

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projectile　was　perceptibly　nearing　the　moon；　and　evidently
succumbed　to　her　influence　to　a　certain　degree；　though　its
own　velocity　also　drew　it　in　an　oblique　direction。　　From　these
conflicting　influences　resulted　a　line　which　might　become
a　tangent。　　But　it　was　certain　that　the　projectile　would　not
fall　directly　on　the　moon；　for　its　lower　part；　by　reason　of
its　weight；　ought　to　be　turned　toward　her。

Barbicane's　uneasiness　increased　as　he　saw　his　projectile　resist
the　influence　of　gravitation。　　The　Unknown　was　opening　before
him；　the　Unknown　in　interplanetary　space。　　The　man　of　science
thought　he　had　foreseen　the　only　three　hypotheses　possible　the
return　to　the　earth；　the　return　to　the　moon；　or　stagnation　on
the　neutral　line；　and　here　a　fourth　hypothesis；　big　with　all　the
terrors　of　the　Infinite；　surged　up　inopportunely。　　To　face　it
without　flinching；　one　must　be　a　resolute　savant　like　Barbicane；
a　phlegmatic　being　like　Nicholl；　or　an　audacious　adventurer　like
Michel　Ardan。

Conversation　was　started　upon　this　subject。　　Other　men　would
have　considered　the　question　from　a　practical　point　of　view；
they　would　have　asked　themselves　whither　their　projectile
carriage　was　carrying　them。　　Not　so　with　these；　they　sought　for
the　cause　which　produced　this　effect。

〃So　we　have　become　diverted　from　our　route；〃　said　Michel；　〃but　why？〃

〃I　very　much　fear；〃　answered　Nicholl；　〃that；　in　spite　of
all　precautions　taken；　the　Columbiad　was　not　fairly　pointed。
An　error；　however　small；　would　be　enough　to　throw　us　out　of
the　moon's　attraction。〃

〃Then　they　must　have　aimed　badly？〃　asked　Michel。

〃I　do　not　think　so；〃　replied　Barbicane。　　〃The　perpendicularity
of　the　gun　was　exact；　its　direction　to　the　zenith　of　the　spot
incontestible；　and　the　moon　passing　to　the　zenith　of　the　spot；
we　ought　to　reach　it　at　the　full。　　There　is　another　reason；
but　it　escapes　me。〃

〃Are　we　not　arriving　too　late？〃　asked　Nicholl。

〃Too　late？〃　said　Barbicane。

〃Yes；〃　continued　Nicholl。　　〃The　Cambridge　Observatory's　note
says　that　the　transit　ought　to　be　accomplished　in　ninety…seven
hours　thirteen　minutes　and　twenty　seconds；　which　means　to　say；
that　_sooner_　the　moon　will　_not_　be　at　the　point　indicated；　and
_later_　it　will　have　passed　it。〃

〃True；〃　replied　Barbicane。　　〃But　we　started　the　1st　of　December；
at　thirteen　minutes　and　twenty…five　seconds　to　eleven　at　night；
and　we　ought　to　arrive　on　the　5th　at　midnight；　at　the　exact
moment　when　the　moon　would　be　full；　and　we　are　now　at　the
5th　of　December。　　It　is　now　half…past　three　in　the　evening；
half…past　eight　ought　to　see　us　at　the　end　of　our　journey。
Why　do　we　not　arrive？〃

〃Might　it　not　be　an　excess　of　speed？〃　answered　Nicholl；　〃for　we
know　now　that　its　initial　velocity　was　greater　than　they　supposed。〃

〃No！　a　hundred　times；　no！〃　replied　Barbicane。　　〃An　excess　of
speed；　if　the　direction　of　the　projectile　had　been　right；　would
not　have　prevented　us　reaching　the　moon。　　No；　there　has　been
a　deviation。　　We　have　been　turned　out　of　our　course。〃

〃By　whom？　by　what？〃　asked　Nicholl。

〃I　cannot　say；〃　replied　Barbicane。

〃Very　well；　then；　Barbicane；〃　said　Michel；　〃do　you　wish　to　know
my　opinion　on　the　subject　of　finding　out　this　deviation？〃

〃Speak。〃

〃I　would　not　give　half　a　dollar　to　know　it。　　That　we　have
deviated　is　a　fact。　　Where　we　are　going　matters　little；　we　shall
soon　see。　　Since　we　are　being　borne　along　in　space　we　shall　end
by　falling　into　some　center　of　attraction　or　other。〃

Michel　Ardan's　indifference　did　not　content　Barbicane。　　Not　that
he　was　uneasy　about　the　future；　but　he　wanted　to　know　at　any
cost　_why_　his　projectile　had　deviated。

But　the　projectile　continued　its　course　sideways　to　the　moon；
and　with　it　the　mass　of　things　thrown　out。　　Barbicane　could　even
prove；　by　the　elevations　which　served　as　landmarks　upon　the
moon；　which　was　only　two　thousand　leagues　distant；　that　its
speed　was　becoming　uniform　fresh　proof　that　there　was　no　fall。
Its　impulsive　force　still　prevailed　over　the　lunar　attraction；
but　the　projectile's　course　was　certainly　bringing　it　nearer　to
the　moon；　and　they　might　hope　that　at　a　nearer　point　the　weight；
predominating；　would　cause　a　decided　fall。

The　three　friends；　having　nothing　better　to　do；　continued　their
observations；　but　they　could　not　yet　determine　the　topographical
position　of　the　satellite；　every　relief　was　leveled　under　the
reflection　of　the　solar　rays。

They　watched　thus　through　the　side　windows　until　eight　o'clock
at　night。　　The　moon　had　grown　so　large　in　their　eyes　that　it
filled　half　of　the　firmament。　　The　sun　on　one　side；　and　the　orb
of　night　on　the　other；　flooded　the　projectile　with　light。

At　that　moment　Barbicane　thought　he　could　estimate　the　distance
which　separated　them　from　their　aim　at　no　more　than　700　leagues。
The　speed　of　the　projectile　seemed　to　him　to　be　more　than　200
yards；　or　about　170　leagues　a　second。　　Under　the　centripetal
force；　the　base　of　the　projectile　tended　toward　the　moon；　but
the　centrifugal　still　prevailed；　and　it　was　probable　that　its
rectilineal　course　would　be　changed　to　a　curve　of　some　sort；
the　nature　of　which　they　could　not　at　present　determine。

Barbicane　was　still　seeking　the　solution　of　his　insoluble　problem。
Hours　passed　without　any　result。　　The　projectile　was　evidently
nearing　the　moon；　but　it　was　also　evident　that　it　would　never
reach　her。　　As　to　the　nearest　distance　at　which　it　would　pass　her；
that　must　be　the　result　of　two　forces；　attraction　and　repulsion；
affecting　its　motion。

〃I　ask　but　one　thing；〃　said　Michel；　〃that　we　may　pass　near
enough　to　penetrate　her　secrets。〃

〃Cursed　be　the　thing　that　has　caused　our　projectile　to　deviate
from　its　course；〃　cried　Nicholl。

And；　as　if　a　light　had　suddenly　broken　in　upon　his　mind；　Barbicane
answered；　〃Then　cursed　be　the　meteor　which　crossed　our　path。〃

〃What？〃　said　Michel　Ardan。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　exclaimed　Nicholl。

〃I　mean；〃　said　Barbicane　in　a　decided　tone；　〃I　mean　that　our
deviation　is　owing　solely　to　our　meeting　with　this　erring　body。〃

〃But　it　did　not　even　brush　us　as　it　passed；〃　said　Michel。

〃What　does　that　matter？　　Its　mass；　compared　to　that　of　our
projectile；　was　enormous；　and　its　attraction　was　enough　to
influence　our　course。〃

〃So　little？〃　cried　Nicholl。

〃Yes；　Nicholl；　but　however　little　it　might　be；〃　replied
Barbicane；　〃in　a　distance　of　84；000　leagues；　it　wanted　no　more
to　make　us　miss　the　moon。〃





CHAPTER　X


THE　OBSERVERS　OF　THE　MOON


Barbicane　had　evidently　hit　upon　the　only　plausible　reason
of　this　deviation。　　However　slight　it　might　have　been；　it
had　sufficed　to　modify　the　course　of　the　projectile。　　It　was
a　fatality。　　The　bold　attempt　had　miscarried　by　a　fortuitous
circumstance；　and　unless　by　some　exceptional　event；　they　could
now　never　reach　the　moon's　disc。

Would　they　pass　near　enough　to　be　able　to　solve　certain　physical
and　geological　questions　until　then　insoluble？　　This　was　the
question；　and　the　only　one；　which　occupied　the　minds　of　these
bold　travelers。　　As　to　the　fate　in　store　for　themselves；　they
did　not　even　dream　of　it。

But　what　would　become　of　them　amid　these　infinite　solitudes；
these　who　would　soon　want　air？　　A　few　more　days；　and　they　would
fall　stifled　in　this　wandering　projectile。　　But　some　days　to
these　intrepid　fellows　was　a　century；　and　they　devoted　all　their
time　to　observe　that　moon　which　they　no　longer　hoped　to　reach。

The　distance　which　had　then　separated　the　projectile　from　the
satellite　was　estimated　at　about　two　hundred　leagues。　　Under　these
conditions；　as　regards　the　visibility　of　the　details　of　the　disc；
the　travelers　were　farther　from　the　moon　than　are　the　inhabitants
of　earth　with　their　powerful　telescopes。

Indeed；　we　know　that　the　instrument　mounted　by　Lord　Rosse　at
Parsonstown；　which　magnifies　6；500　times；　brings　the　moon　to
within　an　apparent　distance　of　sixteen　leagues。　　And　more　than
that；　with　the　powerful　one　set　up　at　Long's　Peak；　the　orb　of
night；　magnified　48；000　times；　is　brought　to　within　less　than
two　leagues；　and　objects　having　a　diameter　of　thirty　feet　are
seen　very　distinctly。　　So　that；　at　this　distance；　the
topographical　details　of　the　moon；　observed　without　glasses；
could　not　be　determined　with　precision。　　The　eye　caught　the　vast
outline　of　those　immense　depressions　inappropriately　called
〃seas；〃　but　they　could　not　recognize　their　nature。　　The　prominence
of　the　mountains　disappeared　under　the　splendid　irradiation
produced　by　the　reflection　of　the　solar　rays。　　The　eye；　dazzled
as　if　it　was　leaning　over　a　bath　of　molten　silver；　turned　from
it　involuntarily；　but　the　oblong　form　of　the　orb　was　quite　clear。
It　appeared　like　a　gigantic　egg；　with　the　small　end　turned　toward
the　earth。　　Indeed　the　moon；　liquid　and　pliable　in　the　first　days
of　its　formation；　was　originally　a　perfect　sphere；　but　being　soon
drawn　within　the　attraction　of　the　earth；　it　became　elongated
under　the　influence　of　gravitation。　　In　becoming　a　satellite；
she　lost　her　native　purity　of　form；　her　center　of　gravity　was　in
advance　of　the　center　of　her　figure；　and　from　this　fact　some
savants　draw　the　conclusion　that　the　air　and　water　had　taken
refuge　on　the　opposite　surface　of　the　moon；　which　is　never　seen
from　the　earth。　　This　alteration　in　the　primitive　form　of　the
satellite　was　only　perceptible　for　a　few　moments。　　The　distance
of　the　projectile　from　the　moon　diminished　very　rapidly　under
its　speed；　though　that　was　much　less　than　its　initial　velocity
but　eight　or　nine　times　greater　than　that　which　propels　our
express　trains。　　The　oblique　course　of　the　projectile；　from　its
very　obliquity；　gave　Michel　Ardan　some　hopes　of　striking　the
lunar　disc　at　some　point　or　other。　　He　could　not　think　that　they
would　never　reach　it。　　No！　he　could　not　believe　it；　and　this
opinion　he　often　repeated。　　But　Barbicane；　who　was　a　better
judge；　always　answered　him　with　merciless　logic。

〃No；　Michel；　no！　　We　can　only　reach　the　moon　by　a　fall；　and　we
are　not　falling。　　The　centripetal　force　keeps　us　under　the
moon's　influence；　but　the　centrifugal　force　draws　us
irresistibly　away　from　it。〃

This　was　said　in　a　tone　which　quenched　Michel　Ardan's　last　hope。

The　portion　of　the　moon　which　the　projectile　was　nearing　was　the
northern　hemisphere；　that　which　the　selenographic　maps　place
below；　for　these　maps　are　generally　drawn　after　the　outline
given　by　the　glasses；　and　we　know　that　they　reverse　the　objects。
Such　was　the　_Mappa　Selenographica_　of　Boeer　and　Moedler　which
Barbicane　consulted。　　This　northern　hemisphere　presented　vast
plains；　dotted　with　isolated　mountains。

At　midnight　the　moon　was　full。　　At　that　precise　moment　the
travelers　should　have　alighted　upon　it；　if　the　mischievous
meteor　had　not　diverted　their　course。　　The　orb　was　exactly　in
the　condition　determined　by　the　Cambridge　Observatory。　　It　was
mathematically　at　its　perigee；　and　at　the　zenith　of　the
twenty…eighth　parallel。　　An　observer　placed　at　the　bottom　of　the
enormous　Columbiad；　pointed　perpendicularly　to　the　horizon；
would　have　framed　the　moon　in　the　mouth　of　the　gun。　　A　straight
line　drawn　through　the　axis　of　the　piece　would　have　passed
through　the　center　of　the　orb　of　night。　　It　is　needless　to　say；
that　during　the