round the moon-第15部分

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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　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；　Barbic