round the moon-第29部分

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Nicholl　were　obstinately　plunged　in　their　calculations；　Michel
going　and　coming　between　the　narrow　walls；　and　watching　that
impassive　moon　with　a　longing　eye。

At　times　recollections　of　the　earth　crossed　their　minds。　　They　saw
once　more　their　friends　of　the　Gun　Club；　and　the　dearest　of　all；
J。　T。　Maston。　　At　that　moment；　the　honorable　secretary　must　be
filling　his　post　on　the　Rocky　Mountains。　　If　he　could　see　the
projectile　through　the　glass　of　his　gigantic　telescope；　what
would　he　think？　　After　seeing　it　disappear　behind　the　moon's
south　pole；　he　would　see　them　reappear　by　the　north　pole！
They　must　therefore　be　a　satellite　of　a　satellite！　　Had　J。　T。
Maston　given　this　unexpected　news　to　the　world？　　Was　this　the
_denouement_　of　this　great　enterprise？

But　the　day　passed　without　incident。　　The　terrestrial
midnight　arrived。　　The　8th　of　December　was　beginning。
One　hour　more；　and　the　point　of　equal　attraction　would
be　reached。　　What　speed　would　then　animate　the　projectile？
They　could　not　estimate　it。　　But　no　error　could　vitiate
Barbicane's　calculations。　　At　one　in　the　morning　this　speed
ought　to　be　and　would　be　_nil_。

Besides；　another　phenomenon　would　mark　the　projectile's
stopping…point　on　the　neutral　line。　　At　that　spot　the　two
attractions；　lunar　and　terrestrial；　would　be　annulled。
Objects　would　〃weigh〃　no　more。　　This　singular　fact；　which　had
surprised　Barbicane　and　his　companions　so　much　in　going；　would
be　repeated　on　their　return　under　the　very　same　conditions。
At　this　precise　moment　they　must　act。

Already　the　projectile's　conical　top　was　sensibly　turned　toward
the　lunar　disc；　presented　in　such　a　way　as　to　utilize　the　whole
of　the　recoil　produced　by　the　pressure　of　the　rocket　apparatus。
The　chances　were　in　favor　of　the　travelers。　　If　its　speed　was
utterly　annulled　on　this　dead　point；　a　decided　movement　toward
the　moon　would　suffice；　however　slight；　to　determine　its　fall。

〃Five　minutes　to　one；〃　said　Nicholl。

〃All　is　ready；〃　replied　Michel　Ardan；　directing　a　lighted　match
to　the　flame　of　the　gas。

〃Wait！〃　said　Barbicane；　holding　his　chronometer　in　his　hand。

At　that　moment　weight　had　no　effect。　　The　travelers　felt　in
themselves　the　entire　disappearance　of　it。　　They　were　very　near
the　neutral　point；　if　they　did　not　touch　it。

〃One　o'clock；〃　said　Barbicane。

Michel　Ardan　applied　the　lighted　match　to　a　train　in
communication　with　the　rockets。　　No　detonation　was　heard　in
the　inside；　for　there　was　no　air。　　But；　through　the　scuttles；
Barbicane　saw　a　prolonged　smoke；　the　flames　of　which　were
immediately　extinguished。

The　projectile　sustained　a　certain　shock；　which　was　sensibly
felt　in　the　interior。

The　three　friends　looked　and　listened　without　speaking；　and
scarcely　breathing。　　One　might　have　heard　the　beating　of　their
hearts　amid　this　perfect　silence。

〃Are　we　falling？〃　asked　Michel　Ardan；　at　length。

〃No；〃　said　Nicholl；　〃since　the　bottom　of　the　projectile　is　not
turning　to　the　lunar　disc！〃

At　this　moment；　Barbicane；　quitting　his　scuttle；　turned　to　his
two　companions。　　He　was　frightfully　pale；　his　forehead　wrinkled；
and　his　lips　contracted。

〃We　are　falling！〃　said　he。

〃Ah！〃　cried　Michel　Ardan；　〃on　to　the　moon？〃

〃On　to　the　earth！〃

〃The　devil！〃　exclaimed　Michel　Ardan；　adding　philosophically；
〃well；　when　we　came　into　this　projectile　we　were　very　doubtful
as　to　the　ease　with　which　we　should　get　out　of　it！〃

And　now　this　fearful　fall　had　begun。　　The　speed　retained　had
borne　the　projectile　beyond　the　dead　point。　　The　explosion　of
the　rockets　could　not　divert　its　course。　　This　speed　in　going
had　carried　it　over　the　neutral　line；　and　in　returning　had　done
the　same　thing。　　The　laws　of　physics　condemned　it　_to　pass
through　every　point　which　it　had　already　gone　through_。　　It　was
a　terrible　fall；　from　a　height　of　160；000　miles；　and　no　springs
to　break　it。　　According　to　the　laws　of　gunnery；　the　projectile
must　strike　the　earth　with　a　speed　equal　to　that　with　which　it
left　the　mouth　of　the　Columbiad；　a　speed　of　16；000　yards　in　the
last　second。

But　to　give　some　figures　of　comparison；　it　has　been　reckoned
that　an　object　thrown　from　the　top　of　the　towers　of　Notre　Dame；
the　height　of　which　is　only　200　feet；　will　arrive　on　the
pavement　at　a　speed　of　240　miles　per　hour。　　Here　the　projectile
must　strike　the　earth　with　a　speed　of　115；200　miles　per　hour。

〃We　are　lost！〃　said　Michel　coolly。

〃Very　well！　if　we　die；〃　answered　Barbicane；　with　a　sort　of
religious　enthusiasm；　〃the　results　of　our　travels　will　be
magnificently　spread。　It　is　His　own　secret　that　God　will
tell　us！　　In　the　other　life　the　soul　will　want　to　know　nothing；
either　of　machines　or　engines！　　It　will　be　identified　with
eternal　wisdom！〃

〃In　fact；〃　interrupted　Michel　Ardan；　〃the　whole　of　the　other
world　may　well　console　us　for　the　loss　of　that　inferior　orb
called　the　moon！〃

Barbicane　crossed　his　arms　on　his　breast；　with　a　motion　of
sublime　resignation；　saying　at　the　same　time：

〃The　will　of　heaven　be　done！〃





CHAPTER　XX


THE　SOUNDINGS　OF　THE　SUSQUEHANNA


Well；　lieutenant；　and　our　soundings？〃

〃I　think；　sir；　that　the　operation　is　nearing　its　completion；〃
replied　Lieutenant　Bronsfield。　　〃But　who　would　have　thought　of
finding　such　a　depth　so　near　in　shore；　and　only　200　miles　from
the　American　coast？〃

〃Certainly；　Bronsfield；　there　is　a　great　depression；〃　said
Captain　Blomsberry。　　〃In　this　spot　there　is　a　submarine　valley
worn　by　Humboldt's　current；　which　skirts　the　coast　of　America　as
far　as　the　Straits　of　Magellan。〃

〃These　great　depths；〃　continued　the　lieutenant；　〃are　not
favorable　for　laying　telegraphic　cables。　　A　level　bottom；　like
that　supporting　the　American　cable　between　Valentia　and
Newfoundland；　is　much　better。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；　Bronsfield。　　With　your　permission；
lieutenant；　where　are　we　now？〃

〃Sir；　at　this　moment　we　have　3；508　fathoms　of　line　out；　and　the
ball　which　draws　the　sounding　lead　has　not　yet　touched　the
bottom；　for　if　so；　it　would　have　come　up　of　itself。〃

〃Brook's　apparatus　is　very　ingenious；〃　said　Captain　Blomsberry；
〃it　gives　us　very　exact　soundings。〃

〃Touch！〃　cried　at　this　moment　one　of　the　men　at　the　forewheel；
who　was　superintending　the　operation。

The　captain　and　the　lieutenant　mounted　the　quarterdeck。

〃What　depth　have　we？〃　asked　the　captain。

〃Three　thousand　six　hundred　and　twenty…seven　fathoms；〃　replied
the　lieutenant；　entering　it　in　his　notebook。

〃Well；　Bronsfield；〃　said　the　captain；　〃I　will　take　down
the　result。　　Now　haul　in　the　sounding　line。　　It　will　be　the
work　of　some　hours。　　In　that　time　the　engineer　can　light　the
furnaces；　and　we　shall　be　ready　to　start　as　soon　as　you
have　finished。　　It　is　ten　o'clock；　and　with　your　permission；
lieutenant；　I　will　turn　in。〃

〃Do　so；　sir；　do　so！〃　replied　the　lieutenant　obligingly。

The　captain　of　the　Susquehanna；　as　brave　a　man　as　need　be；　and
the　humble　servant　of　his　officers；　returned　to　his　cabin；　took
a　brandy…grog；　which　earned　for　the　steward　no　end　of　praise；
and　turned　in；　not　without　having　complimented　his　servant　upon
his　making　beds；　and　slept　a　peaceful　sleep。

It　was　then　ten　at　night。　　The　eleventh　day　of　the　month　of
December　was　drawing　to　a　close　in　a　magnificent　night。

The　Susquehanna；　a　corvette　of　500　horse…power；　of　the　United
States　navy；　was　occupied　in　taking　soundings　in　the　Pacific
Ocean　about　200　miles　off　the　American　coast；　following　that
long　peninsula　which　stretches　down　the　coast　of　Mexico。

The　wind　had　dropped　by　degrees。　　There　was　no　disturbance　in
the　air。　　The　pennant　hung　motionless　from　the　maintop…gallant…
mast　truck。

Captain　Jonathan　Blomsberry　（cousin…german　of　Colonel
Blomsberry；　one　of　the　most　ardent　supporters　of　the　Gun　Club；
who　had　married　an　aunt　of　the　captain　and　daughter　of　an
honorable　Kentucky　merchant）　Captain　Blomsberry　could　not　have
wished　for　finer　weather　in　which　to　bring　to　a　close　his
delicate　operations　of　sounding。　　His　corvette　had　not　even　felt
the　great　tempest；　which　by　sweeping　away　the　groups　of　clouds
on　the　Rocky　Mountains；　had　allowed　them　to　observe　the　course
of　the　famous　projectile。

Everything　went　well；　and　with　all　the　fervor　of　a　Presbyterian；
he　did　not　forget　to　thank　heaven　for　it。　　The　series　of
soundings　taken　by　the　Susquehanna；　had　for　its　aim　the　finding
of　a　favorable　spot　for　the　laying　of　a　submarine　cable　to
connect　the　Hawaiian　Islands　with　the　coast　of　America。

It　was　a　great　undertaking；　due　to　the　instigation　of　a
powerful　company。　　Its　managing　director；　the　intelligent　Cyrus
Field；　purposed　even　covering　all　the　islands　of　Oceanica　with
a　vast　electrical　network；　an　immense　enterprise；　and　one　worthy
of　American　genius。

To　the　corvette　Susquehanna　had　been　confided　the　first
operations　of　sounding。　　It　was　on　the　night　of　the　11th…12th　of
December；　she　was　in　exactly　27@　7'　north　latitude；　and　41@　37'
west　longitude；　on　the　meridian　of　Washington。

The　moon；　then　in　her　last　quarter；　was　beginning　to　rise　above
the　horizon。

After　the　departure　of　Captain　Blomsberry；　the　lieutenant　and
some　officers　were　standing　together　on　the　poop。　　On　the
appearance　of　the　moon；　their　thoughts　turned　to　t