round the moon-第3章

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to　get　on　their　feet。　　But　first　let　us　light　up。〃

Ardan　felt　the　tide　of　life　return　by　degrees。　　His　blood　became
calm；　and　returned　to　its　accustomed　circulation。　　Another　effort
restored　his　equilibrium。　　He　succeeded　in　rising；　drew　a　match
from　his　pocket；　and　approaching　the　burner　lighted　it。
The　receiver　had　not　suffered　at　all。　　The　gas　had　not　escaped。
Besides；　the　smell　would　have　betrayed　it；　and　in　that　case
Michel　Ardan　could　not　have　carried　a　lighted　match　with
impunity　through　the　space　filled　with　hydrogen。　　The　gas　mixing
with　the　air　would　have　produced　a　detonating　mixture；　and　the
explosion　would　have　finished　what　the　shock　had　perhaps　begun。
When　the　burner　was　lit；　Ardan　leaned　over　the　bodies　of　his
companions：　　they　were　lying　one　on　the　other；　an　inert　mass；
Nicholl　above；　Barbicane　underneath。

Ardan　lifted　the　captain；　propped　him　up　against　the　divan；　and
began　to　rub　vigorously。　　This　means；　used　with　judgment；
restored　Nicholl；　who　opened　his　eyes；　and　instantly　recovering
his　presence　of　mind；　seized　Ardan's　hand　and　looked　around　him。

〃And　Barbicane？〃　said　he。

〃Each　in　turn；〃　replied　Michel　Ardan。　　〃I　began　with　you；
Nicholl；　because　you　were　on　the　top。　　Now　let　us　look
to　Barbicane。〃　　Saying　which；　Ardan　and　Nicholl　raised　the
president　of　the　Gun　Club　and　laid　him　on　the　divan。　　He　seemed
to　have　suffered　more　than　either　of　his　companions；　he　was
bleeding；　but　Nicholl　was　reassured　by　finding　that　the
hemorrhage　came　from　a　slight　wound　on　the　shoulder；　a　mere
graze；　which　he　bound　up　carefully。

Still；　Barbicane　was　a　long　time　coming　to　himself；　which
frightened　his　friends；　who　did　not　spare　friction。

〃He　breathes　though；〃　said　Nicholl；　putting　his　ear　to　the　chest
of　the　wounded　man。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Ardan；　〃he　breathes　like　a　man　who　has　some
notion　of　that　daily　operation。　　Rub；　Nicholl；　let　us　rub　harder。〃
And　the　two　improvised　practitioners　worked　so　hard　and　so　well
that　Barbicane　recovered　his　senses。　　He　opened　his　eyes；　sat　up；
took　his　two　friends　by　the　hands；　and　his　first　words　were

〃Nicholl；　are　we　moving？〃

Nicholl　and　Ardan　looked　at　each　other；　they　had　not　yet
troubled　themselves　about　the　projectile；　their　first　thought
had　been　for　the　traveler；　not　for　the　car。

〃Well；　are　we　really　moving？〃　repeated　Michel　Ardan。

〃Or　quietly　resting　on　the　soil　of　Florida？〃　asked　Nicholl。

〃Or　at　the　bottom　of　the　Gulf　of　Mexico？〃　added　Michel　Ardan。

〃What　an　idea！〃　exclaimed　the　president。

And　this　double　hypothesis　suggested　by　his　companions　had　the
effect　of　recalling　him　to　his　senses。　　In　any　case　they　could
not　decide　on　the　position　of　the　projectile。　　Its　apparent
immovability；　and　the　want　of　communication　with　the　outside；
prevented　them　from　solving　the　question。　　Perhaps　the　projectile
was　unwinding　its　course　through　space。　　Perhaps　after　a　short
rise　it　had　fallen　upon　the　earth；　or　even　in　the　Gulf　of　Mexico
a　fall　which　the　narrowness　of　the　peninsula　of　Florida　would
render　not　impossible。

The　case　was　serious；　the　problem　interesting；　and　one　that　must
be　solved　as　soon　as　possible。　　Thus；　highly　excited；　Barbicane's
moral　energy　triumphed　over　physical　weakness；　and　he　rose　to
his　feet。　　He　listened。　　Outside　was　perfect　silence；　but　the
thick　padding　was　enough　to　intercept　all　sounds　coming　from
the　earth。　　But　one　circumstance　struck　Barbicane；　viz。；　that
the　temperature　inside　the　projectile　was　singularly　high。
The　president　drew　a　thermometer　from　its　case　and　consulted　it。
The　instrument　showed　81@　Fahr。

〃Yes；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃yes；　we　are　moving！　　This　stifling　heat；
penetrating　through　the　partitions　of　the　projectile；　is
produced　by　its　friction　on　the　atmospheric　strata。　　It　will
soon　diminish；　because　we　are　already　floating　in　space；　and
after　having　nearly　stifled；　we　shall　have　to　suffer　intense　cold。

〃What！〃　said　Michel　Ardan。　　〃According　to　your　showing；　Barbicane；
we　are　already　beyond　the　limits　of　the　terrestrial　atmosphere？〃

〃Without　a　doubt；　Michel。　　Listen　to　me。　　It　is　fifty…five
minutes　past　ten；　we　have　been　gone　about　eight　minutes；　and　if
our　initiatory　speed　has　not　been　checked　by　the　friction；　six
seconds　would　be　enough　for　us　to　pass　through　the　forty　miles
of　atmosphere　which　surrounds　the　globe。〃

〃Just　so；〃　replied　Nicholl；　〃but　in　what　proportion　do　you
estimate　the　diminution　of　speed　by　friction？〃

〃In　the　proportion　of　one…third；　Nicholl。　　This　diminution　is
considerable；　but　according　to　my　calculations　it　is　nothing　less。
If；　then；　we　had　an　initiatory　speed　of　12；000　yards；　on　leaving
the　atmosphere　this　speed　would　be　reduced　to　9；165　yards。　　In　any
case　we　have　already　passed　through　this　interval；　and〃

〃And　then；〃　said　Michel　Ardan；　〃friend　Nicholl　has　lost　his　two
bets：　　four　thousand　dollars　because　the　Columbiad　did　not　burst；
five　thousand　dollars　because　the　projectile　has　risen　more　than
six　miles。　　Now；　Nicholl；　pay　up。〃

〃Let　us　prove　it　first；〃　said　the　captain；　〃and　we　will
pay　afterward。　　It　is　quite　possible　that　Barbicane's　reasoning
is　correct；　and　that　I　have　lost　my　nine　thousand　dollars。　　But　a
new　hypothesis　presents　itself　to　my　mind；　and　it　annuls　the　wager。〃

〃What　is　that？〃　asked　Barbicane　quickly。

〃The　hypothesis　that；　for　some　reason　or　other；　fire　was　never
set　to　the　powder；　and　we　have　not　started　at　all。〃

〃My　goodness；　captain；〃　exclaimed　Michel　Ardan；　〃that　hypothesis
is　not　worthy　of　my　brain！　　It　cannot　be　a　serious　one。　　For　have
we　not　been　half　annihilated　by　the　shock？　　Did　I　not　recall　you
to　life？　　Is　not　the　president's　shoulder　still　bleeding　from　the
blow　it　has　received？〃

〃Granted；〃　replied　Nicholl；　〃but　one　question。〃

〃Well；　captain？〃

〃Did　you　hear　the　detonation；　which　certainly　ought　to　be　loud？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Ardan；　much　surprised；　〃certainly　I　did　not　hear
the　detonation。〃

〃And　you；　Barbicane？〃

〃Nor　I；　either。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Nicholl。

〃Well　now；〃　murmured　the　president　〃why　did　we　not　hear　the　detonation？〃

The　three　friends　looked　at　each　other　with　a　disconcerted　air。
It　was　quite　an　inexplicable　phenomenon。　　The　projectile　had
started；　and　consequently　there　must　have　been　a　detonation。

〃Let　us　first　find　out　where　we　are；〃　said　Barbicane；　〃and　let
down　this　panel。〃

This　very　simple　operation　was　soon　accomplished。

The　nuts　which　held　the　bolts　to　the　outer　plates　of　the
right…hand　scuttle　gave　way　under　the　pressure　of　the
English　wrench。　　These　bolts　were　pushed　outside；　and　the
buffers　covered　with　India…rubber　stopped　up　the　holes　which　let
them　through。　　Immediately　the　outer　plate　fell　back　upon　its
hinges　like　a　porthole；　and　the　lenticular　glass　which　closed
the　scuttle　appeared。　　A　similar　one　was　let　into　the　thick
partition　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　projectile；　another　in　the
top　of　the　dome；　and　finally　a　fourth　in　the　middle　of　the　base。
They　could；　therefore；　make　observations　in　four　different
directions；　the　firmament　by　the　side　and　most　direct　windows；
the　earth　or　the　moon　by　the　upper　and　under　openings　in
the　projectile。

Barbicane　and　his　two　companions　immediately　rushed　to　the
uncovered　window。　　But　it　was　lit　by　no　ray　of　light。
Profound　darkness　surrounded　them；　which；　however；　did　not
prevent　the　president　from　exclaiming：

〃No；　my　friends；　we　have　not　fallen　back　upon　the　earth；　no；　nor
are　we　submerged　in　the　Gulf　of　Mexico。　　Yes！　we　are　mounting
into　space。　　See　those　stars　shining　in　the　night；　and　that
impenetrable　darkness　heaped　up　between　the　earth　and　us！〃

〃Hurrah！　hurrah！〃　exclaimed　Michel　Ardan　and　Nicholl　in　one　voice。

Indeed；　this　thick　darkness　proved　that　the　projectile　had　left
the　earth；　for　the　soil；　brilliantly　lit　by　the　moon…beams　would
have　been　visible　to　the　travelers；　if　they　had　been　lying　on
its　surface。　　This　darkness　also　showed　that　the　projectile　had
passed　the　atmospheric　strata；　for　the　diffused　light　spread　in
the　air　would　have　been　reflected　on　the　metal　walls；　which
reflection　was　wanting。　　This　light　would　have　lit　the　window；
and　the　window　was　dark。　　Doubt　was　no　longer　possible；　the
travelers　had　left　the　earth。

〃I　have　lost；〃　said　Nicholl。

〃I　congratulate　you；〃　replied　Ardan。

〃Here　are　the　nine　thousand　dollars；〃　said　the　captain；　drawing
a　roll　of　paper　dollars　from　his　pocket。

〃Will　you　have　a　receipt　for　it？〃　asked　Barbicane；　taking　the　sum。

〃If　you　do　not　mind；〃　answered　Nicholl；　〃it　is　more　business…like。〃

And　coolly　and　seriously；　as　if　he　had　been　at　his　strong…box；
the　president　drew　forth　his　notebook；　tore　out　a　blank　leaf；
wrote　a　proper　receipt　in　pencil；　dated　and　signed　it　with　the
usual　flourish；　＇1＇　and　gave　it　to　the　captain；　who　carefully　placed
it　in　his　pocketbook。　　Michel　Ardan；　taking　off　his　hat；　bowed　to
his　two　companions　without　speaking。　　So　much　formality　under　such
circumstances　left　him　speechless。　　He　had　never　before　seen
anything　so　〃American。〃

＇1＇　This　is　a　purely　French　habit。

This　affair　settled；　Barbicane　and　Nicholl　had　returned　to　the
window；　and　were　watching　the　constellations。　　The　stars　looked
like　bright　points　on　the　black　sky。　　But　from　that　side　they
could　not　see　the　orb　of　night；　which；　traveling　from　east　to
west；　would　rise　by　degrees　toward　the　zenith。　　Its　absence　drew
the　following　remark　from　Ardan：

〃And　the　moon；　will　she　perchance　fail　at　our　rendezvous？〃

〃Do　not　alarm　yourself；〃　said　Barbicane；　〃our　future　globe　is　at
its　post；　but　we　cannot　see　her　from　this　side；　let　us　open　the　other。〃

〃As　Barbicane　was　about　leaving　the　window　to　open　the　opposite
scuttle；　his　attention　was　attracted　by　the　approach　of　a
brilliant　object。　　It　was　an　enormous　disc；　whose　colossal
dimension　could　not　be　estimated。　　Its　face；　which　was　turned　to
the　earth；　was　very　bright。　　One　might　have　thought　it　a　small
moon　reflecting　the　light　of　the　large　one。　　She　advanced　with
great　speed；　and　seemed　to　describe　an　orbit　round　the　earth；
which　would　intersect　the　passage　of　the　projectile。　　This　body
revolved　upon　its　axis；　and　exhibited　the　phenomena　of　all
celestial　bodies　abandoned　in　space。

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Michel　Ardan；　〃What　is　that？　another　projectile？〃

Barbicane　did　not　answer。　　The　appearance　of　this　enormous　body
surprised　and　troubled　him。　　A　collision　was　possible；　and　might
be　attended　with　deplorable　results；　either　the　projectile　would
deviate　from　its　path；　or　a　shock；　breaking　its　impetus；　might
precipitate　it　to　earth；　or；　lastly；　it　might　be　irresistibly
drawn　away　by　the　powerful　asteroid。　　The　president　caught　at　a
glance　the　consequences　of　these　three　hypotheses；　either　of
which　would；　one　way　or　the　other；　bring　their　experiment　to　an
unsuccessful　and　fatal　termination。　　His　companions　stood
silently　looking　into　space。　　The　object　grew　rapidly　as　it
approached　them；　and　by　an　optical　illusion　the　projectile
seemed　to　be　throwing　itself　before　it。

〃By　Jove！〃　exclaimed　Michel　Ardan；　〃we　shall　run　into　one　another！〃

Instinctively　the　travelers　drew　back。　　Their　dread　was　great；
but　it　did　not　last　many　seconds。　　The　asteroid　passed　several
hundred　yards　from　the　projectile　an