round the moon-第27章

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Maston　and　his　companions　had　reached　the　bottom　of　the　Pacific；
but　they　saw　nothing　but　an　arid　desert；　no　longer　animated　by
either　fauna　or　flora。　　By　the　light　of　their　lamps；　furnished
with　powerful　reflectors；　they　could　see　the　dark　beds　of　the
ocean　for　a　considerable　extent　of　view；　but　the　projectile　was
nowhere　to　be　seen。

The　impatience　of　these　bold　divers　cannot　be　described；　and
having　an　electrical　communication　with　the　corvette；　they　made
a　signal　already　agreed　upon；　and　for　the　space　of　a　mile　the
Susquehanna　moved　their　chamber　along　some　yards　above　the　bottom。

Thus　they　explored　the　whole　submarine　plain；　deceived　at　every
turn　by　optical　illusions　which　almost　broke　their　hearts。
Here　a　rock；　there　a　projection　from　the　ground；　seemed　to　be
the　much…sought…for　projectile；　but　their　mistake　was　soon
discovered；　and　then　they　were　in　despair。

〃But　where　are　they？　where　are　they？〃　cried　J。　T。　Maston。　　And　the
poor　man　called　loudly　upon　Nicholl；　Barbicane；　and　Michel　Ardan；
as　if　his　unfortunate　friends　could　either　hear　or　answer　him
through　such　an　impenetrable　medium！　　The　search　continued　under
these　conditions　until　the　vitiated　air　compelled　the　divers　to　ascend。

The　hauling　in　began　about　six　in　the　evening；　and　was　not　ended
before　midnight。

〃To…morrow；〃　said　J。　T。　Maston；　as　he　set　foot　on　the　bridge　of
the　corvette。

〃Yes；〃　answered　Captain　Blomsberry。

〃And　on　another　spot？〃

〃Yes。〃

J。　T。　Maston　did　not　doubt　of　their　final　success；　but　his
companions；　no　longer　upheld　by　the　excitement　of　the　first
hours；　understood　all　the　difficulty　of　the　enterprise。
What　seemed　easy　at　San　Francisco；　seemed　here　in　the　wide
ocean　almost　impossible。　　The　chances　of　success　diminished　in
rapid　proportion；　and　it　was　from　chance　alone　that　the　meeting
with　the　projectile　might　be　expected。

The　next　day；　the　24th；　in　spite　of　the　fatigue　of　the　previous
day；　the　operation　was　renewed。　　The　corvette　advanced　some
minutes　to　westward；　and　the　apparatus；　provided　with　air；　bore
the　same　explorers　to　the　depths　of　the　ocean。

The　whole　day　passed　in　fruitless　research；　the　bed　of　the　sea
was　a　desert。　　The　25th　brought　no　other　result；　nor　the　26th。

It　was　disheartening。　　They　thought　of　those　unfortunates　shut
up　in　the　projectile　for　twenty…six　days。　　Perhaps　at　that
moment　they　were　experiencing　the　first　approach　of　suffocation；
that　is；　if　they　had　escaped　the　dangers　of　their　fall。　　The　air
was　spent；　and　doubtless　with　the　air　all　their　_morale_。

〃The　air；　possibly；〃　answered　J。　T。　Maston　resolutely；　〃but
their　_morale_　never！〃

On　the　28th；　after　two　more　days　of　search；　all　hope　was　gone。
This　projectile　was　but　an　atom　in　the　immensity　of　the　ocean。
They　must　give　up　all　idea　of　finding　it。

But　J。　T。　Maston　would　not　hear　of　going　away。　　He　would　not
abandon　the　place　without　at　least　discovering　the　tomb　of
his　friends。　　But　Commander　Blomsberry　could　no　longer　persist；
and　in　spite　of　the　exclamations　of　the　worthy　secretary；　was
obliged　to　give　the　order　to　sail。

On　the　29th　of　December；　at　nine　A。M。；　the　Susquehanna；　heading
northeast；　resumed　her　course　to　the　bay　of　San　Francisco。

It　was　ten　in　the　morning；　the　corvette　was　under　half…steam；　as
it　was　regretting　to　leave　the　spot　where　the　catastrophe　had
taken　place；　when　a　sailor；　perched　on　the　main…top…gallant
crosstrees；　watching　the　sea；　cried　suddenly：

〃A　buoy　on　the　lee　bow！〃

The　officers　looked　in　the　direction　indicated；　and　by　the　help
of　their　glasses　saw　that　the　object　signalled　had　the
appearance　of　one　of　those　buoys　which　are　used　to　mark　the
passages　of　bays　or　rivers。　　But；　singularly　to　say；　a　flag
floating　on　the　wind　surmounted　its　cone；　which　emerged　five
or　six　feet　out　of　water。　　This　buoy　shone　under　the　rays
of　the　sun　as　if　it　had　been　made　of　plates　of　silver。
Commander　Blomsberry；　J。　T。　Maston；　and　the　delegates　of　the　Gun
Club　were　mounted　on　the　bridge；　examining　this　object　straying
at　random　on　the　waves。

All　looked　with　feverish　anxiety；　but　in　silence。　　None　dared
give　expression　to　the　thoughts　which　came　to　the　minds　of　all。

The　corvette　approached　to　within　two　cables'　lengths　of　the　object。

A　shudder　ran　through　the　whole　crew。　　That　flag　was　the
American　flag！

At　this　moment　a　perfect　howling　was　heard；　it　was　the　brave　J。
T。　Maston　who　had　just　fallen　all　in　a　heap。　　Forgetting　on　the
one　hand　that　his　right　arm　had　been　replaced　by　an　iron　hook；
and　on　the　other　that　a　simple　gutta…percha　cap　covered　his
brain…box；　he　had　given　himself　a　formidable　blow。

They　hurried　toward　him；　picked　him　up；　restored　him　to　life。
And　what　were　his　first　words？

〃Ah！　trebly　brutes！　quadruply　idiots！　quintuply　boobies　that　we　are！〃

〃What　is　it？〃　exclaimed　everyone　around　him。

〃What　is　it？〃

〃Come；　speak！〃

〃It　is；　simpletons；〃　howled　the　terrible　secretary；　〃it　is　that
the　projectile　only　weighs　19；250　pounds！〃

〃Well？〃

〃And　that　it　displaces　twenty…eight　tons；　or　in　other　words
56；000　pounds；　and　that　consequently　_it　floats_！〃

Ah！　what　stress　the　worthy　man　had　laid　on　the　verb　〃float！〃
And　it　was　true！　　All；　yes！　all　these　savants　had　forgotten
this　fundamental　law；　namely；　that　on　account　of　its　specific
lightness；　the　projectile；　after　having　been　drawn　by　its　fall
to　the　greatest　depths　of　the　ocean；　must　naturally　return　to
the　surface。　　And　now　it　was　floating　quietly　at　the　mercy　of
the　waves。

The　boats　were　put　to　sea。　　J。　T。　Maston　and　his　friends　had
rushed　into　them！　　Excitement　was　at　its　height！　　Every　heart
beat　loudly　while　they　advanced　to　the　projectile。　　What　did
it　contain？　　Living　or　dead？

Living；　yes！　living；　at　least　unless　death　had　struck
Barbicane　and　his　two　friends　since　they　had　hoisted　the　flag。
Profound　silence　reigned　on　the　boats。　　All　were　breathless。
Eyes　no　longer　saw。　　One　of　the　scuttles　of　the　projectile　was　open。
Some　pieces　of　glass　remained　in　the　frame；　showing　that　it　had
been　broken。　　This　scuttle　was　actually　five　feet　above　the　water。

A　boat　came　alongside；　that　of　J。　T。　Maston；　and　J。　T。　Maston
rushed　to　the　broken　window。

At　that　moment　they　heard　a　clear　and　merry　voice；　the　voice　of
Michel　Ardan；　exclaiming　in　an　accent　of　triumph：

〃White　all；　Barbicane；　white　all！〃

Barbicane；　Michel　Ardan；　and　Nicholl　were　playing　at　dominoes！





CHAPTER　XXIII


THE　END


We　may　remember　the　intense　sympathy　which　had　accompanied　the
travelers　on　their　departure。　　If　at　the　beginning　of　the
enterprise　they　had　excited　such　emotion　both　in　the　old　and
new　world；　with　what　enthusiasm　would　they　be　received　on
their　return！　　The　millions　of　spectators　which　had　beset
the　peninsula　of　Florida；　would　they　not　rush　to　meet　these
sublime　adventurers？　　Those　legions　of　strangers；　hurrying　from
all　parts　of　the　globe　toward　the　American　shores；　would　they
leave　the　Union　without　having　seen　Barbicane；　Nicholl；　and
Michel　Ardan？　　No！　and　the　ardent　passion　of　the　public　was
bound　to　respond　worthily　to　the　greatness　of　the　enterprise。
Human　creatures　who　had　left　the　terrestrial　sphere；　and　returned
after　this　strange　voyage　into　celestial　space；　could　not　fail
to　be　received　as　the　prophet　Elias　would　be　if　he　came　back
to　earth。　　To　see　them　first；　and　then　to　hear　them；　such　was
the　universal　longing。

Barbicane；　Michel　Ardan；　Nicholl；　and　the　delegates　of　the　Gun
Club；　returning　without　delay　to　Baltimore；　were　received　with
indescribable　enthusiasm。　　The　notes　of　President　Barbicane's
voyage　were　ready　to　be　given　to　the　public。　　The　New　York
_Herald_　bought　the　manuscript　at　a　price　not　yet　known；　but
which　must　have　been　very　high。　　Indeed；　during　the　publication
of　〃A　Journey　to　the　Moon；〃　the　sale　of　this　paper　amounted　to
five　millions　of　copies。　　Three　days　after　the　return　of
the　travelers　to　the　earth；　the　slightest　detail　of　their
expedition　was　known。　　There　remained　nothing　more　but　to　see
the　heroes　of　this　superhuman　enterprise。

The　expedition　of　Barbicane　and　his　friends　round　the　moon　had
enabled　them　to　correct　the　many　admitted　theories　regarding　the
terrestrial　satellite。　　These　savants　had　observed　_de　visu_；
and　under　particular　circumstances。　　They　knew　what　systems
should　be　rejected；　what　retained　with　regard　to　the　formation
of　that　orb；　its　origin；　its　habitability。　　Its　past；　present；
and　future　had　even　given　up　their　last　secrets。　　Who　could
advance　objections　against　conscientious　observers；　who　at　less
than　twenty…four　miles　distance　had　marked　that　curious　mountain
of　Tycho；　the　strangest　system　of　lunar　orography？　　How　answer
those　savants　whose　sight　had　penetrated　the　abyss　of
Pluto's　circle？　　How　contradict　those　bold　ones　whom　the　chances
of　their　enterprise　had　borne　over　that　invisible　face　of　the
disc；　which　no　human　eye　until　then　had　ever　seen？　　It　was　now
their　turn　to　impose　some　limit　on　that　selenographic　science；
which　had　reconstructed　the　lunar　world　as　Cuvier　did　the
skeleton　of　a　fossil；　and　say；　〃The　moon　_was_　this；　a　habitable
world；　inhabited　before　the　earth。　　The　moon　_is_　that；　a　world
uninhabitable；　and　now　uninhabited。〃

To　celebrate　the　return　of　its　most　illustrious　member　and　his
two　companions；　the　Gun　Club　decided　upon　giving　a　banquet；　but
a　banquet　worthy　of　the　conquerors；　worthy　of　the　American
people；　and　under　such　conditions　that　all　the　inhabitants　of
the　Union　could　directly　take　part　in　it。

All　the　head　lines　of　railroads　in　the　States　were　joined　by
flying　rails；　and　on　all　the　platforms；　lined　with　the　same
flags；　and　decorated　with　the　same　ornaments；　were　tables　laid
and　all　served　alike。　　At　certain　hours；　successively
calculated；　marked　by　electric　clocks　which　beat　the　seconds　at
the　same　time；　the　population　were　invited　to　take　their　places
at　the　banquet　tables。　　For　four　days；　from　the　5th　to　the　9th
of　January；　the　trains　were　stopped　as　they　are　on　Sundays　on
the　railways　of　the　United　States；　and　every　road　was　open。
One　engine　only　at　full　speed；　drawing　a　triumphal　carriage；　had
the　right　of　traveling　for　those　four　days　on　the　railroads　of
the　United　States。

The　engine　was　manned　by　a　driver　and　a　stoker；　and　bore；　by
special　favor；　the　Hon。　J。　T。　Maston；　secretary　of　the　Gun　Club。
The　carriage　was　reserved　for　President　Barbicane；　Colonel
Nicholl；　and　Michel　Ardan。　　At　the　whistle　of　the　driver；　amid
the　hurrahs；　and　all　the　admiring　vociferations　of　the　American
language；　the　train　left　the　platform　of　Baltimore。　　It　traveled
at　a　speed　of　one　hundred　and　sixty　miles　in　the　hour。　　But　what
was　this　speed　compared　with　that　which　had　carried　the　three
heroes　from　the　mouth　of　the　Columbiad？

Thus　they　sped　from　one　town　to　the　other；　finding　whole
populations　at　table　on　their　road；　saluting　them　with　the　same
acclamations；　lavishing　the　same　bravos！　　They　traveled　in　this
way　through　the　east　of　the　Union；　Pennsylvania；　Connecticut；
Massachusetts；　Vermont；　Maine；　and　New　Hampshire；　the　north　and
west　by　New　York；　Ohio；　Michigan；　and　Wisconsin；　returning　to
the　south　by　Illinois；　Missouri；　Arkansas；　Texas；　and　Louisiana；
they　went　to　the　south