round the moon-第7章

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〃Well！〃　replied　Nicholl；　every　calculation　made；　_v_　zero；　that
is　to　say；　the　speed　necessary　for　the　projectile　on　leaving　the
atmosphere；　to　enable　it　to　reach　the　equal　point　of　attraction；
ought　to　be〃

〃Yes？〃　said　Barbicane。

〃Twelve　thousand　yards。〃

〃What！〃　exclaimed　Barbicane；　starting；　〃you　say〃

〃Twelve　thousand　yards。〃

〃The　devil！〃　cried　the　president；　making　a　gesture　of　despair。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　asked　Michel　Ardan；　much　surprised。

〃What　is　the　matter！　why；　if　at　this　moment　our　speed　had
already　diminished　one…third　by　friction；　the　initiatory　speed
ought　to　have　been〃

〃Seventeen　thousand　yards。〃

〃And　the　Cambridge　Observatory　declared　that　twelve　thousand
yards　was　enough　at　starting；　and　our　projectile；　which　only
started　with　that　speed〃

〃Well？〃　asked　Nicholl。

〃Well；　it　will　not　be　enough。〃

〃Good。〃

〃We　shall　not　be　able　to　reach　the　neutral　point。〃

〃The　deuce！〃

〃We　shall　not　even　get　halfway。〃

〃In　the　name　of　the　projectile！〃　exclaimed　Michel　Ardan；　jumping
as　if　it　was　already　on　the　point　of　striking　the　terrestrial　globe。

〃And　we　shall　fall　back　upon　the　earth！〃





CHAPTER　V


THE　COLD　OF　SPACE


This　revelation　came　like　a　thunderbolt。　　Who　could　have
expected　such　an　error　in　calculation？　　Barbicane　would　not
believe　it。　　Nicholl　revised　his　figures：　they　were　exact。
As　to　the　formula　which　had　determined　them；　they　could　not
suspect　its　truth；　it　was　evident　that　an　initiatory　velocity　of
seventeen　thousand　yards　in　the　first　second　was　necessary　to
enable　them　to　reach　the　neutral　point。

The　three　friends　looked　at　each　other　silently。　　There　was　no
thought　of　breakfast。　　Barbicane；　with　clenched　teeth；　knitted
brows；　and　hands　clasped　convulsively；　was　watching　through
the　window。　　Nicholl　had　crossed　his　arms；　and　was　examining
his　calculations。　　Michel　Ardan　was　muttering：

〃That　is　just　like　these　scientific　men：　　they　never　do　anything　else。
I　would　give　twenty　pistoles　if　we　could　fall　upon　the　Cambridge
Observatory　and　crush　it；　together　with　the　whole　lot　of　dabblers
in　figures　which　it　contains。〃

Suddenly　a　thought　struck　the　captain；　which　he　at　once
communicated　to　Barbicane。

〃Ah！〃　said　he；　〃it　is　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　we　have
already　been　gone　thirty…two　hours；　more　than　half　our　passage
is　over；　and　we　are　not　falling　that　I　am　aware　of。〃

Barbicane　did　not　answer；　but　after　a　rapid　glance　at　the
captain；　took　a　pair　of　compasses　wherewith　to　measure　the
angular　distance　of　the　terrestrial　globe；　then　from　the　lower
window　he　took　an　exact　observation；　and　noticed　that　the
projectile　was　apparently　stationary。　　Then　rising　and　wiping
his　forehead；　on　which　large　drops　of　perspiration　were
standing；　he　put　some　figures　on　paper。　　Nicholl　understood　that
the　president　was　deducting　from　the　terrestrial　diameter　the
projectile's　distance　from　the　earth。　　He　watched　him　anxiously。

〃No；〃　exclaimed　Barbicane；　after　some　moments；　〃no；　we　are　not
falling！　no；　we　are　already　more　than　50；000　leagues　from　the　earth。
We　have　passed　the　point　at　which　the　projectile　would　have　stopped
if　its　speed　had　only　been　12；000　yards　at　starting。　　We　are　still
going　up。〃

〃That　is　evident；〃　replied　Nicholl；　〃and　we　must　conclude　that
our　initial　speed；　under　the　power　of　the　400；000　pounds　of
gun…cotton；　must　have　exceeded　the　required　12；000　yards。
Now　I　can　understand　how；　after　thirteen　minutes　only；　we　met　the
second　satellite；　which　gravitates　round　the　earth　at　more　than
2；000　leagues'　distance。〃

〃And　this　explanation　is　the　more　probable；〃　added　Barbicane；
〃Because；　in　throwing　off　the　water　enclosed　between　its
partition…breaks；　the　projectile　found　itself　lightened　of　a
considerable　weight。〃

〃Just　so；〃　said　Nicholl。

〃Ah；　my　brave　Nicholl；　we　are　saved！〃

〃Very　well　then；〃　said　Michel　Ardan　quietly；　〃as　we　are　safe；
let　us　have　breakfast。〃

Nicholl　was　not　mistaken。　　The　initial　speed　had　been；　very
fortunately；　much　above　that　estimated　by　the　Cambridge
Observatory；　but　the　Cambridge　Observatory　had　nevertheless　made
a　mistake。

The　travelers；　recovered　from　this　false　alarm；　breakfasted　merrily。
If　they　ate　a　good　deal；　they　talked　more。　　Their　confidence　was
greater　after　than　before　〃the　incident　of　the　algebra。〃

〃Why　should　we　not　succeed？〃　said　Michel　Ardan；　〃why　should　we
not　arrive　safely？　　We　are　launched；　we　have　no　obstacle　before
us；　no　stones　in　the　way；　the　road　is　open；　more　so　than　that　of
a　ship　battling　with　the　sea；　more　open　than　that　of　a　balloon
battling　with　the　wind；　and　if　a　ship　can　reach　its　destination；
a　balloon　go　where　it　pleases；　why　cannot　our　projectile　attain
its　end　and　aim？〃

〃It　_will_　attain　it；〃　said　Barbicane。

〃If　only　to　do　honor　to　the　Americans；〃　added　Michel　Ardan；　〃the
only　people　who　could　bring　such　an　enterprise　to　a　happy　termination；
and　the　only　one　which　could　produce　a　President　Barbicane。　　Ah；　now
we　are　no　longer　uneasy；　I　begin　to　think；　What　will　become　of　us？
We　shall　get　right　royally　weary。〃

Barbicane　and　Nicholl　made　a　gesture　of　denial。

〃But　I　have　provided　for　the　contingency；　my　friends；〃　replied
Michel；　〃you　have　only　to　speak；　and　I　have　chess；　draughts；
cards；　and　dominoes　at　your　disposal；　nothing　is　wanting　but　a
billiard…table。〃

〃What！〃　exclaimed　Barbicane；　〃you　brought　away　such　trifles？〃

〃Certainly；〃　replied　Michel；　〃and　not　only　to　distract
ourselves；　but　also　with　the　laudable　intention　of　endowing　the
Selenite　smoking　divans　with　them。〃

〃My　friend；〃　said　Barbicane；　〃if　the　moon　is　inhabited；　its
inhabitants　must　have　appeared　some　thousands　of　years　before
those　of　the　earth；　for　we　cannot　doubt　that　their　star　is　much
older　than　ours。　　If　then　these　Selenites　have　existed　their
hundreds　of　thousands　of　years；　and　if　their　brain　is　of　the　same
organization　of　the　human　brain；　they　have　already　invented　all
that　we　have　invented；　and　even　what　we　may　invent　in　future　ages。
They　have　nothing　to　learn　from　_us_；　and　we　have　everything　to
learn　from　_them_。〃

〃What！〃　said　Michel；　〃you　believe　that　they　have　artists　like
Phidias；　Michael　Angelo；　or　Raphael？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Poets　like　Homer；　Virgil；　Milton；　Lamartine；　and　Hugo？〃

〃I　am　sure　of　it。〃

〃Philosophers　like　Plato；　Aristotle；　Descartes；　Kant？〃

〃I　have　no　doubt　of　it。〃

〃Scientific　men　like　Archimedes；　Euclid；　Pascal；　Newton？〃

〃I　could　swear　it。〃

〃Comic　writers　like　Arnal；　and　photographers　like　like　Nadar？〃

〃Certain。〃

〃Then；　friend　Barbicane；　if　they　are　as　strong　as　we　are；　and
even　stronger　these　Selenites　why　have　they　not　tried　to
communicate　with　the　earth？　why　have　they　not　launched　a　lunar
projectile　to　our　terrestrial　regions？〃

〃Who　told　you　that　they　have　never　done　so？〃　said　Barbicane　seriously。

〃Indeed；〃　added　Nicholl；　〃it　would　be　easier　for　them　than　for
us；　for　two　reasons；　first；　because　the　attraction　on　the　moon's
surface　is　six　times　less　than　on　that　of　the　earth；　which　would
allow　a　projectile　to　rise　more　easily；　secondly；　because　it
would　be　enough　to　send　such　a　projectile　only　at　8；000　leagues
instead　of　80；000；　which　would　require　the　force　of　projection
to　be　ten　times　less　strong。〃

〃Then；〃　continued　Michel；　〃I　repeat　it；　why　have　they　not　done　it？〃

〃And　I　repeat；〃　said　Barbicane；　〃who　told　you　that　they　have　not
done　it？〃

〃When？〃

〃Thousands　of　years　before　man　appeared　on　earth。〃

〃And　the　projectile　where　is　the　projectile？　　I　demand　to　see
the　projectile。〃

〃My　friend；〃　replied　Barbicane；　〃the　sea　covers　five…sixths　of
our　globe。　　From　that　we　may　draw　five　good　reasons　for
supposing　that　the　lunar　projectile；　if　ever　launched；　is　now　at
the　bottom　of　the　Atlantic　or　the　Pacific；　unless　it　sped　into
some　crevasse　at　that　period　when　the　crust　of　the　earth　was　not
yet　hardened。〃

〃Old　Barbicane；〃　said　Michel；　〃you　have　an　answer　for
everything；　and　I　bow　before　your　wisdom。　　But　there　is　one
hypothesis　that　would　suit　me　better　than　all　the　others；　which
is；　the　Selenites；　being　older　than　we；　are　wiser；　and　have　not
invented　gunpowder。〃

At　this　moment　Diana　joined　in　the　conversation　by　a　sonorous　barking。
She　was　asking　for　her　breakfast。

〃Ah！〃　said　Michel　Ardan；　〃in　our　discussion　we　have　forgotten
Diana　and　Satellite。〃

Immediately　a　good…sized　pie　was　given　to　the　dog；　which
devoured　it　hungrily。

〃Do　you　see；　Barbicane；〃　said　Michel；　〃we　should　have　made　a
second　Noah's　ark　of　this　projectile；　and　borne　with　us　to　the
moon　a　couple　of　every　kind　of　domestic　animal。〃

〃I　dare　say；　but　room　would　have　failed　us。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Michel；　〃we　might　have　squeezed　a　little。〃

〃The　fact　is；〃　replied　Nicholl；　〃that　cows；　bulls；　and　horses；
and　all　ruminants；　would　have　been　very　useful　on　the　lunar
continent；　but　unfortunately　the　car　could　neither　have　been
made　a　stable　nor　a　shed。〃

〃Well；　we　might　have　at　least　brought　a　donkey；　only　a　little
donkey；　that　courageous　beast　which　old　Silenus　loved　to　mount。
I　love　those　old　donkeys；　they　are　the　least　favored　animals　in
creation；　they　are　not　only　beaten　while　alive；　but　even　after
they　are　dead。〃

〃How　do　you　make　that　out？〃　asked　Barbicane。　　〃Why；〃　said
Michel；　〃they　make　their　skins　into　drums。〃

Barbicane　and　Nicholl　could　not　help　laughing　at　this　ridiculous　remark。
But　a　cry　from　their　merry　companion　stopped　them。　　The　latter　was
leaning　over　the　spot　where　Satellite　lay。　　He　rose；　saying：

〃My　good　Satellite　is　no　longer　ill。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Nicholl。

〃No；〃　answered　Michel；　〃he　is　dead！　　There；〃　added　he；　in　a
piteous　tone；　〃that　is　embarrassing。　　I　much　fear；　my　poor
Diana；　that　you　will　leave　no　progeny　in　the　lunar　regions！〃

Indeed　the　unfortunate　Satellite　had　not　survived　its　wound。
It　was　quite　dead。　　Michel　Ardan　looked　at　his　friends　with　a
rueful　countenance。

〃One　question　presents　itself；〃　said　Barbicane。　　〃We　cannot　keep
the　dead　body　of　this　dog　with　us　for　the　next　forty…eight　hours。〃

〃No！　certainly　not；〃　replied　Nicholl；　〃but　our　scuttles　are
fixed　on　hinges；　they　can　be　let　down。　　We　will　open　one；　and
throw　the　body　out　into　space。〃

The　president　thought　for　some　moments；　and　then　said：

〃Yes；　we　must　do　so；　but　at　the　same　time　taking　very　great　precautions。〃

〃Why？〃　asked　Michel。

〃For　two　reasons　which　you　will　understand；〃　answered　Barbicane。
〃The　first　relates　to　the　air　shut　up　in　the　projectile；　and　of
which　we　must　lose　as　little　as　possible。〃

〃But　we　manufacture　the　air？〃

〃Only　in　part。　　We　make　only　the　oxygen；　my　worthy　Michel；　and
with　regard　to　that；　we　must　watch　that　the　apparatus　does　not
furnish　the　oxygen　in　too　great　a　quantity；　for　an　excess　would
bring　us　very　serious　physiological　troubles。　　But　if　we　make
the　oxygen；　we　do　not　make　the　azote；　that　medium　which　the
lungs　do　not　absorb；　and　which　ought　to　remain　intact；　and　that
azote　will　escape　rapidly　through　the　open　scuttles。〃

〃Oh！　the　time　for　throwing　out　poor　Satellite？〃　said　Michel。

〃Agreed；　but　we　must　act　quickly。〃

〃And　the　second　reason？〃　asked　Michel。

〃The　second　reason　is　that　we　must　not　let　the　outer　cold；　which
is　excessive；　penetrate　the　projectile　or　w