the works of edgar allan poe-1-第11节

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variation　in　question。　But　again。　The　real　diameter　of　the　same　
comet's　nebulosity　is　observed　to　contract　rapidly　as　it　approaches　
the　sun；　and　dilate　with　equal　rapidity　in　its　departure　towards　its　
aphelion。　Was　I　not　justifiable　in　supposing　with　M。　Valz；　that　this　
apparent　condensation　of　volume　has　its　origin　in　the　compression　of　
the　same　ethereal　medium　I　have　spoken　of　before；　and　which　is　only　
denser　in　proportion　to　its　solar　vicinity？　The　lenticular…shaped　
phenomenon；　also　called　the　zodiacal　light；　was　a　matter　worthy　of　
attention。　This　radiance；　so　apparent　in　the　tropics；　and　which　
cannot　be　mistaken　for　any　meteoric　lustre；　extends　from　the　horizon　
obliquely　upward；　and　follows　generally　the　direction　of　the　sun's　
equator。　It　appeared　to　me　evidently　in　the　nature　of　a　rare　
atmosphere　extending　from　the　sun　outward；　beyond　the　orbit　of　Venus　
at　least；　and　I　believed　indefinitely　farther。｛*2｝　Indeed；　this　
medium　I　could　not　suppose　confined　to　the　path　of　the　comet's　
ellipse；　or　to　the　immediate　neighborhood　of　the　sun。　It　was　easy；　on　
the　contrary；　to　imagine　it　pervading　the　entire　regions　of　our　
planetary　system；　condensed　into　what　we　call　atmosphere　at　the　
planets　themselves；　and　perhaps　at　some　of　them　modified　by　
considerations；　so　to　speak；　purely　geological。

Having　adopted　this　view　of　the　subject；　I　had　little　further　
hesitation。　Granting　that　on　my　passage　I　should　meet　with　atmosphere　
essentially　the　same　as　at　the　surface　of　the　earth；　I　conceived　
that；　by　means　of　the　very　ingenious　apparatus　of　M。　Grimm；　I　should　
readily　be　enabled　to　condense　it　in　sufficient　quantity　for　the　
purposes　of　respiration。　This　would　remove　the　chief　obstacle　in　a　
journey　to　the　moon。　I　had　indeed　spent　some　money　and　great　labor　in　
adapting　the　apparatus　to　the　object　intended；　and　confidently　looked　
forward　to　its　successful　application；　if　I　could　manage　to　complete　
the　voyage　within　any　reasonable　period。　This　brings　me　back　to　the　
rate　at　which　it　might　be　possible　to　travel。

〃It　is　true　that　balloons；　in　the　first　stage　of　their　ascensions　
from　the　earth；　are　known　to　rise　with　a　velocity　comparatively　
moderate。　Now；　the　power　of　elevation　lies　altogether　in　the　superior　
lightness　of　the　gas　in　the　balloon　compared　with　the　atmospheric　
air；　and；　at　first　sight；　it　does　not　appear　probable　that；　as　the　
balloon　acquires　altitude；　and　consequently　arrives　successively　in　
atmospheric　strata　of　densities　rapidly　diminishing　　I　say；　it　does　
not　appear　at　all　reasonable　that；　in　this　its　progress　upwards；　the　
original　velocity　should　be　accelerated。　On　the　other　hand；　I　was　not　
aware　that；　in　any　recorded　ascension；　a　diminution　was　apparent　in　
the　absolute　rate　of　ascent；　although　such　should　have　been　the　case；　
if　on　account　of　nothing　else；　on　account　of　the　escape　of　gas　
through　balloons　ill…constructed；　and　varnished　with　no　better　
material　than　the　ordinary　varnish。　It　seemed；　therefore；　that　the　
effect　of　such　escape　was　only　sufficient　to　counterbalance　the　
effect　of　some　accelerating　power。　I　now　considered　that；　provided　in　
my　passage　I　found　the　medium　I　had　imagined；　and　provided　that　it　
should　prove　to　be　actually　and　essentially　what　we　denominate　
atmospheric　air；　it　could　make　comparatively　little　difference　at　
what　extreme　state　of　rarefaction　I　should　discover　it　　that　is　to　
say；　in　regard　to　my　power　of　ascending　　for　the　gas　in　the　balloon　
would　not　only　be　itself　subject　to　rarefaction　partially　similar　（in　
proportion　to　the　occurrence　of　which；　I　could　suffer　an　escape　of　so　
much　as　would　be　requisite　to　prevent　explosion）；　but；　being　what　it　
was；　would；　at　all　events；　continue　specifically　lighter　than　any　
compound　whatever　of　mere　nitrogen　and　oxygen。　In　the　meantime；　the　
force　of　gravitation　would　be　constantly　diminishing；　in　proportion　
to　the　squares　of　the　distances；　and　thus；　with　a　velocity　
prodigiously　accelerating；　I　should　at　length　arrive　in　those　distant　
regions　where　the　force　of　the　earth's　attraction　would　be　superseded　
by　that　of　the　moon。　In　accordance　with　these　ideas；　I　did　not　think　
it　worth　while　to　encumber　myself　with　more　provisions　than　would　be　
sufficient　for　a　period　of　forty　days。

〃There　was　still；　however；　another　difficulty；　which　occasioned　me　
some　little　disquietude。　It　has　been　observed；　that；　in　balloon　
ascensions　to　any　considerable　height；　besides　the　pain　attending　
respiration；　great　uneasiness　is　experienced　about　the　head　and　body；　
often　accompanied　with　bleeding　at　the　nose；　and　other　symptoms　of　an　
alarming　kind；　and　growing　more　and　more　inconvenient　in　proportion　
to　the　altitude　attained。｛*3｝　This　was　a　reflection　of　a　nature　
somewhat　startling。　Was　it　not　probable　that　these　symptoms　would　
increase　indefinitely；　or　at　least　until　terminated　by　death　itself？　
I　finally　thought　not。　Their　origin　was　to　be　looked　for　in　the　
progressive　removal　of　the　customary　atmospheric　pressure　upon　the　
surface　of　the　body；　and　consequent　distention　of　the　superficial　
blood…vessels　　not　in　any　positive　disorganization　of　the　animal　
system；　as　in　the　case　of　difficulty　in　breathing；　where　the　
atmospheric　density　is　chemically　insufficient　for　the　due　renovation　
of　blood　in　a　ventricle　of　the　heart。　Unless　for　default　of　this　
renovation；　I　could　see　no　reason；　therefore；　why　life　could　not　be　
sustained　even　in　a　vacuum；　for　the　expansion　and　compression　of　
chest；　commonly　called　breathing；　is　action　purely　muscular；　and　the　
cause；　not　the　effect；　of　respiration。　In　a　word；　I　conceived　that；　
as　the　body　should　become　habituated　to　the　want　of　atmospheric　
pressure；　the　sensations　of　pain　would　gradually　diminish　　and　to　
endure　them　while　they　continued；　I　relied　with　confidence　upon　the　
iron　hardihood　of　my　constitution。

〃Thus；　may　it　please　your　Excellencies；　I　have　detailed　some；　though　
by　no　means　all；　the　considerations　which　led　me　to　form　the　project　
of　a　lunar　voyage。　I　shall　now　proceed　to　lay　before　you　the　result　
of　an　attempt　so　apparently　audacious　in　conception；　and；　at　all　
events；　so　utterly　unparalleled　in　the　annals　of　mankind。

〃Having　attained　the　altitude　before　mentioned；　that　is　to　say　three　
miles　and　three…quarters；　I　threw　out　from　the　car　a　quantity　of　
feathers；　and　found　that　I　still　ascended　with　sufficient　rapidity；　
there　was；　therefore；　no　necessity　for　discharging　any　ballast。　I　was　
glad　of　this；　for　I　wished　to　retain　with　me　as　much　weight　as　I　
could　carry；　for　reasons　which　will　be　explained　in　the　sequel。　I　as　
yet　suffered　no　bodily　inconvenience；　breathing　with　great　freedom；　
and　feeling　no　pain　whatever　in　the　head。　The　cat　was　lying　very　
demurely　upon　my　coat；　which　I　had　taken　off；　and　eyeing　the　pigeons　
with　an　air　of　nonchalance。　These　latter　being　tied　by　the　leg；　to　
prevent　their　escape；　were　busily　employed　in　picking　up　some　grains　
of　rice　scattered　for　them　in　the　bottom　of　the　car。

〃At　twenty　minutes　past　six　o'clock；　the　barometer　showed　an　
elevation　of　26；400　feet；　or　five　miles　to　a　fraction。　The　prospect　
seemed　unbounded。　Indeed；　it　is　very　easily　calculated　by　means　of　
spherical　geometry；　what　a　great　extent　of　the　earth's　area　I　beheld。　
The　convex　surface　of　any　segment　of　a　sphere　is；　to　the　entire　
surface　of　the　sphere　itself；　as　the　versed　sine　of　the　segment　to　
the　diameter　of　the　sphere。　Now；　in　my　case；　the　versed　sine　　that　
is　to　say；　the　thickness　of　the　segment　beneath　me　　was　about　equal　
to　my　elevation；　or　the　elevation　of　the　point　of　sight　above　the　
surface。　〃As　five　miles；　then；　to　eight　thousand；〃　would　express　the　
proportion　of　the　earth's　area　seen　by　me。　In　other　words；　I　beheld　
as　much　as　a　sixteen…hundredth　part　of　the　whole　surface　of　the　
globe。　The　sea　appeared　unruffled　as　a　mirror；　although；　by　means　of　
the　spy…glass；　I　could　perceive　it　to　be　in　a　state　of　violent　
agitation。　The　ship　was　no　longer　visible；　having　drifted　away；　
apparently　to　the　eastward。　I　now　began　to　experience；　at　intervals；　
severe　pain　in　the　head；　especially　about　the　ears　　still；　however；　
breathing　with　tolerable　freedom。　The　cat　and　pigeons　seemed　to　
suffer　no　inconvenience　whatsoever。

〃At　twenty　minutes　before　seven；　the　balloon　entered　a　long　series　of　
dense　cloud；　which　put　me　to　great　trouble；　by　damaging　my　condensing　
apparatus　and　wetting　me　to　the　skin。　This　was；　to　be　sure；　a　
singular　recontre；　for　I　had　not　believed　it　possible　that　a　cloud　of　
this　nature　could　be　sustained　at　so　great　an　elevation。　I　thought　it　
best；　however；　to　throw　out　two　five…pound　pieces　of　ballast；　
reserving　still　a　weight　of　one　hundred　and　sixty…five　pounds。　Upon　
so　doing；　I　soon　rose　above　the　difficulty；　and　perceived　
immediately；　that　I　had　obtained　a　great　increase　in　my　rate　of　
ascent。　In　a　few　seconds　after　my　leaving　the　cloud；　a　flash　of　vivid　
lightning　shot　from　one　end　of　it　to　the　other；　and　caused　it　to　
kindle　up；　throughout　its　vast　extent；　like　a　mass　of　ignited　and　
glowing　charcoal。　This；　it　must　be　remembered；　was　in　the　broad　light　
of　day。　No　fancy　may　picture　the