round the moon-第2部分

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journey　in　the　projectile　car　which　is　here　related　in　its　most
dramatic　as　well　as　in　its　most　singular　details。　　This　recital
will　destroy　many　illusions　and　surmises；　but　it　will　give　a
true　idea　of　the　singular　changes　in　store　for　such　an
enterprise；　it　will　bring　out　the　scientific　instincts　of
Barbicane；　the　industrious　resources　of　Nicholl；　and　the
audacious　humor　of　Michel　Ardan。　　Besides　this；　it　will　prove
that　their　worthy　friend；　Joseph　T。　Maston；　was　wasting　his
time；　while　leaning　over　the　gigantic　telescope　he　watched　the
course　of　the　moon　through　the　starry　space。





CHAPTER　I


TWENTY　MINUTES　PAST　TEN　TO　FORTY…SEVEN　MINUTES　PAST　TEN　P。　M。

As　ten　o'clock　struck；　Michel　Ardan；　Barbicane；　and　Nicholl；
took　leave　of　the　numerous　friends　they　were　leaving　on　the　earth。
The　two　dogs；　destined　to　propagate　the　canine　race　on　the　lunar
continents；　were　already　shut　up　in　the　projectile。

The　three　travelers　approached　the　orifice　of　the　enormous
cast…iron　tube；　and　a　crane　let　them　down　to　the　conical　top　of
the　projectile。　　There；　an　opening　made　for　the　purpose　gave
them　access　to　the　aluminum　car。　　The　tackle　belonging　to　the
crane　being　hauled　from　outside；　the　mouth　of　the　Columbiad　was
instantly　disencumbered　of　its　last　supports。

Nicholl；　once　introduced　with　his　companions　inside　the
projectile；　began　to　close　the　opening　by　means　of　a　strong
plate；　held　in　position　by　powerful　screws。　　Other　plates；
closely　fitted；　covered　the　lenticular　glasses；　and　the
travelers；　hermetically　enclosed　in　their　metal　prison；　were
plunged　in　profound　darkness。

〃And　now；　my　dear　companions；〃　said　Michel　Ardan；　〃let　us
make　ourselves　at　home；　I　am　a　domesticated　man　and　strong
in　housekeeping。　　We　are　bound　to　make　the　best　of　our　new
lodgings；　and　make　ourselves　comfortable。　　And　first　let　us
try　and　see　a　little。　　Gas　was　not　invented　for　moles。〃

So　saying；　the　thoughtless　fellow　lit　a　match　by　striking　it　on
the　sole　of　his　boot；　and　approached　the　burner　fixed　to　the
receptacle；　in　which　the　carbonized　hydrogen；　stored　at　high
pressure；　sufficed　for　the　lighting　and　warming　of　the
projectile　for　a　hundred　and　forty…four　hours；　or　six　days　and
six　nights。　　The　gas　caught　fire；　and　thus　lighted　the
projectile　looked　like　a　comfortable　room　with　thickly　padded
walls；　furnished　with　a　circular　divan；　and　a　roof　rounded　in
the　shape　of　a　dome。

Michel　Ardan　examined　everything；　and　declared　himself　satisfied
with　his　installation。

〃It　is　a　prison；〃　said　he；　〃but　a　traveling　prison；　and；　with
the　right　of　putting　my　nose　to　the　window；　I　could　well　stand
a　lease　of　a　hundred　years。　　You　smile；　Barbicane。　　Have　you　any
_arriere…pensee_？　　Do　you　say　to　yourself；　‘This　prison　may　be
our　tomb？'　　Tomb；　perhaps；　still　I　would　not　change　it　for
Mahomet's；　which　floats　in　space　but　never　advances　an　inch！〃

While　Michel　Ardan　was　speaking；　Barbicane　and　Nicholl　were
making　their　last　preparations。

Nicholl's　chronometer　marked　twenty　minutes　past　ten　P。M。　when
the　three　travelers　were　finally　enclosed　in　their　projectile。
This　chronometer　was　set　within　the　tenth　of　a　second　by　that　of
Murchison　the　engineer。　　Barbicane　consulted　it。

〃My　friends；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　twenty　minutes　past　ten。　　At　forty…
seven　minutes　past　ten　Murchison　will　launch　the　electric　spark
on　the　wire　which　communicates　with　the　charge　of　the　Columbiad。
At　that　precise　moment　we　shall　leave　our　spheroid。　　Thus　we
still　have　twenty…seven　minutes　to　remain　on　the　earth。〃

〃Twenty…six　minutes　thirteen　seconds；〃　replied　the　methodical　Nicholl。

〃Well！〃　exclaimed　Michel　Ardan；　in　a　good…humored　tone；　〃much
may　be　done　in　twenty…six　minutes。　　The　gravest　questions　of
morals　and　politics　may　be　discussed；　and　even　solved。
Twenty…six　minutes　well　employed　are　worth　more　than　twenty…six
years　in　which　nothing　is　done。　　Some　seconds　of　a　Pascal　or　a
Newton　are　more　precious　than　the　whole　existence　of　a　crowd　of
raw　simpletons〃

〃And　you　conclude；　then；　you　everlasting　talker？〃　asked　Barbicane。

〃I　conclude　that　we　have　twenty…six　minutes　left；〃　replied　Ardan。

〃Twenty…four　only；〃　said　Nicholl。

〃Well；　twenty…four；　if　you　like；　my　noble　captain；〃　said　Ardan；
〃twenty…four　minutes　in　which　to　investigate〃

〃Michel；〃　said　Barbicane；　〃during　the　passage　we　shall　have
plenty　of　time　to　investigate　the　most　difficult　questions。
For　the　present　we　must　occupy　ourselves　with　our　departure。〃

〃Are　we　not　ready？〃

〃Doubtless；　but　there　are　still　some　precautions　to　be　taken；
to　deaden　as　much　as　possible　the　first　shock。〃

〃Have　we　not　the　water…cushions　placed　between　the　partition…
breaks；　whose　elasticity　will　sufficiently　protect　us？〃

〃I　hope　so；　Michel；〃　replied　Barbicane　gently；　〃but　I　am　not　sure。〃

〃Ah；　the　joker！〃　exclaimed　Michel　Ardan。　　〃He　hopes！He　is　not
sure！　and　he　waits　for　the　moment　when　we　are　encased　to　make
this　deplorable　admission！　　I　beg　to　be　allowed　to　get　out！〃

〃And　how？〃　asked　Barbicane。

〃Humph！〃　said　Michel　Ardan；　〃it　is　not　easy；　we　are　in　the
train；　and　the　guard's　whistle　will　sound　before　twenty…four
minutes　are　over。〃

〃Twenty；〃　said　Nicholl。

For　some　moments　the　three　travelers　looked　at　each　other。
Then　they　began　to　examine　the　objects　imprisoned　with　them。

〃Everything　is　in　its　place；〃　said　Barbicane。　　〃We　have　now　to
decide　how　we　can　best　place　ourselves　to　resist　the　shock。
Position　cannot　be　an　indifferent　matter；　and　we　must；　as　much
as　possible；　prevent　the　rush　of　blood　to　the　head。〃

〃Just　so；〃　said　Nicholl。

〃Then；〃　replied　Michel　Ardan；　ready　to　suit　the　action　to　the
word；　〃let　us　put　our　heads　down　and　our　feet　in　the　air；　like
the　clowns　in　the　grand　circus。〃

〃No；〃　said　Barbicane；　〃let　us　stretch　ourselves　on　our　sides；　we
shall　resist　the　shock　better　that　way。　　Remember　that；　when　the
projectile　starts；　it　matters　little　whether　we　are　in　it　or
before　it；　it　amounts　to　much　the　same　thing。〃

〃If　it　is　only　‘much　the　same　thing；'　I　may　cheer　up；〃　said
Michel　Ardan。

〃Do　you　approve　of　my　idea；　Nicholl？〃　asked　Barbicane。

〃Entirely；〃　replied　the　captain。　　〃We've　still　thirteen　minutes
and　a　half。〃

〃That　Nicholl　is　not　a　man；〃　exclaimed　Michel；　〃he　is　a
chronometer　with　seconds；　an　escape；　and　eight　holes。〃

But　his　companions　were　not　listening；　they　were　taking　up　their
last　positions　with　the　most　perfect　coolness。　　They　were　like
two　methodical　travelers　in　a　car；　seeking　to　place　themselves
as　comfortably　as　possible。

We　might　well　ask　ourselves　of　what　materials　are　the　hearts　of
these　Americans　made；　to　whom　the　approach　of　the　most　frightful
danger　added　no　pulsation。

Three　thick　and　solidly…made　couches　had　been　placed　in
the　projectile。　　Nicholl　and　Barbicane　placed　them　in　the
center　of　the　disc　forming　the　floor。　　There　the　three
travelers　were　to　stretch　themselves　some　moments　before
their　departure。

During　this　time；　Ardan；　not　being　able　to　keep　still；　turned　in
his　narrow　prison　like　a　wild　beast　in　a　cage；　chatting　with　his
friends；　speaking　to　the　dogs　Diana　and　Satellite；　to　whom；　as
may　be　seen；　he　had　given　significant　names。

〃Ah；　Diana！　　Ah；　Satellite！〃　he　exclaimed；　teasing　them；　〃so　you
are　going　to　show　the　moon…dogs　the　good　habits　of　the　dogs　of
the　earth！　　That　will　do　honor　to　the　canine　race！　　If　ever　we
do　come　down　again；　I　will　bring　a　cross　type　of　‘moon…dogs；'
which　will　make　a　stir！〃

〃If　there　_are_　dogs　in　the　moon；〃　said　Barbicane。

〃There　are；〃　said　Michel　Ardan；　〃just　as　there　are　horses；　cows；
donkeys；　and　chickens。　　I　bet　that　we　shall　find　chickens。〃

〃A　hundred　dollars　we　shall　find　none！〃　said　Nicholl。

〃Done；　my　captain！〃　replied　Ardan；　clasping　Nicholl's　hand。
〃But；　by　the　bye；　you　have　already　lost　three　bets　with　our
president；　as　the　necessary　funds　for　the　enterprise　have　been
found；　as　the　operation　of　casting　has　been　successful；　and
lastly；　as　the　Columbiad　has　been　loaded　without　accident；　six
thousand　dollars。〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Nicholl。　　〃Thirty…seven　minutes　six　seconds　past　ten。〃

〃It　is　understood；　captain。　　Well；　before　another　quarter　of　an
hour　you　will　have　to　count　nine　thousand　dollars　to　the
president；　four　thousand　because　the　Columbiad　will　not　burst；
and　five　thousand　because　the　projectile　will　rise　more　than　six
miles　in　the　air。〃

〃I　have　the　dollars；〃　replied　Nicholl；　slapping　the　pocket　of
this　coat。　　〃I　only　ask　to　be　allowed　to　pay。〃

〃Come；　Nicholl。　　I　see　that　you　are　a　man　of　method；　which
I　could　never　be；　but　indeed　you　have　made　a　series　of　bets
of　very　little　advantage　to　yourself；　allow　me　to　tell　you。〃

〃And　why？〃　asked　Nicholl。

〃Because；　if　you　gain　the　first；　the　Columbiad　will　have　burst；
and　the　projectile　with　it；　and　Barbicane　will　no　longer　be
there　to　reimburse　your　dollars。〃

〃My　stake　is　deposited　at　the　bank　in　Baltimore；〃　replied
Barbicane　simply；　〃and　if　Nicholl　is　not　there；　it　will　go　to
his　heirs。〃

〃Ah；　you　practical　men！〃　exclaimed　Michel　Ardan；　〃I　admire　you
the　more　for　not　being　able　to　understand　you。〃

〃Forty…two　minutes　past　ten！〃　said　Nicholl。

〃Only　five　minutes　more！〃　answered　Barbicane。

〃Yes；