round the moon-第14节

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other　celestial　bodies　whose　effect　could　not　be　set　down　as　zero。
Indeed；　the　projectile's　course　was　being　traced　between
the　earth　and　the　moon。　　As　it　distanced　the　earth；　the
terrestrial　attraction　diminished：　but　the　lunar　attraction
rose　in　proportion。　　There　must　come　a　point　where　these　two
attractions　would　neutralize　each　other：　　the　projectile　would
possess　weight　no　longer。　　If　the　moon's　and　the　earth's
densities　had　been　equal；　this　point　would　have　been　at　an　equal
distance　between　the　two　orbs。　　But　taking　the　different
densities　into　consideration；　it　was　easy　to　reckon　that　this
point　would　be　situated　at　47/60ths　of　the　whole　journey；
_i。e。_；　at　78；514　leagues　from　the　earth。　　At　this　point；　a　body
having　no　principle　of　speed　or　displacement　in　itself；　would
remain　immovable　forever；　being　attracted　equally　by　both　orbs；
and　not　being　drawn　more　toward　one　than　toward　the　other。

Now　if　the　projectile's　impulsive　force　had　been　correctly
calculated；　it　would　attain　this　point　without　speed；　having
lost　all　trace　of　weight；　as　well　as　all　the　objects　within　it。
What　would　happen　then？　　Three　hypotheses　presented　themselves。

1。　Either　it　would　retain　a　certain　amount　of　motion；　and　pass
the　point　of　equal　attraction；　and　fall　upon　the　moon　by　virtue
of　the　excess　of　the　lunar　attraction　over　the　terrestrial。

2。　Or；　its　speed　failing；　and　unable　to　reach　the　point　of　equal
attraction；　it　would　fall　upon　the　moon　by　virtue　of　the　excess
of　the　lunar　attraction　over　the　terrestrial。

3。　Or；　lastly；　animated　with　sufficient　speed　to　enable　it　to
reach　the　neutral　point；　but　not　sufficient　to　pass　it；　it　would
remain　forever　suspended　in　that　spot　like　the　pretended　tomb　of
Mahomet；　between　the　zenith　and　the　nadir。

Such　was　their　situation；　and　Barbicane　clearly　explained　the
consequences　to　his　traveling　companions；　which　greatly
interested　them。　　But　how　should　they　know　when　the　projectile
had　reached　this　neutral　point　situated　at　that　distance；
especially　when　neither　themselves；　nor　the　objects　enclosed　in
the　projectile；　would　be　any　longer　subject　to　the　laws　of　weight？

Up　to　this　time；　the　travelers；　while　admitting　that　this　action
was　constantly　decreasing；　had　not　yet　become　sensible　to　its
total　absence。

But　that　day；　about　eleven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　Nicholl
having　accidentally　let　a　glass　slip　from　his　hand；　the　glass；
instead　of　falling；　remained　suspended　in　the　air。

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Michel　Ardan；　〃that　is　rather　an　amusing　piece
of　natural　philosophy。〃

And　immediately　divers　other　objects；　firearms　and　bottles；
abandoned　to　themselves；　held　themselves　up　as　by　enchantment。
Diana　too；　placed　in　space　by　Michel；　reproduced；　but　without
any　trick；　the　wonderful　suspension　practiced　by　Caston　and
Robert　Houdin。　　Indeed　the　dog　did　not　seem　to　know　that　she　was
floating　in　air。

The　three　adventurous　companions　were　surprised　and　stupefied；
despite　their　scientific　reasonings。　　They　felt　themselves　being
carried　into　the　domain　of　wonders！　they　felt　that　weight　was
really　wanting　to　their　bodies。　　If　they　stretched　out　their
arms；　they　did　not　attempt　to　fall。　　Their　heads　shook　on
their　shoulders。　　Their　feet　no　longer　clung　to　the　floor　of
the　projectile。　　They　were　like　drunken　men　having　no　stability
in　themselves。

Fancy　has　depicted　men　without　reflection；　others　without　shadow。
But　here　reality；　by　the　neutralizations　of　attractive　forces；
produced　men　in　whom　nothing　had　any　weight；　and　who　weighed
nothing　themselves。

Suddenly　Michel；　taking　a　spring；　left　the　floor　and　remained
suspended　in　the　air；　like　Murillo's　monk　of　the　_Cusine　des　Anges_。

The　two　friends　joined　him　instantly；　and　all　three　formed　a
miraculous　〃Ascension〃　in　the　center　of　the　projectile。

〃Is　it　to　be　believed？　is　it　probable？　is　it　possible？〃
exclaimed　Michel；　〃and　yet　it　is　so。　　Ah！　if　Raphael　had　seen　us
thus；　what　an　‘Assumption'　he　would　have　thrown　upon　canvas！〃

〃The　‘Assumption'　cannot　last；〃　replied　Barbicane。　　〃If　the
projectile　passes　the　neutral　point；　the　lunar　attraction　will
draw　us　to　the　moon。〃

〃Then　our　feet　will　be　upon　the　roof；〃　replied　Michel。

〃No；〃　said　Barbicane；　〃because　the　projectile's　center　of
gravity　is　very　low；　it　will　only　turn　by　degrees。〃

〃Then　all　our　portables　will　be　upset　from　top　to　bottom；　that
is　a　fact。〃

〃Calm　yourself；　Michel；〃　replied　Nicholl；　〃no　upset　is　to　be
feared；　not　a　thing　will　move；　for　the　projectile's　evolution
will　be　imperceptible。〃

〃Just　so；〃　continued　Barbicane；　〃and　when　it　has　passed　the
point　of　equal　attraction；　its　base；　being　the　heavier；　will
draw　it　perpendicularly　to　the　moon；　but；　in　order　that　this
phenomenon　should　take　place；　we　must　have　passed　the　neutral　line。〃

〃Pass　the　neutral　line；〃　cried　Michel；　〃then　let　us　do　as　the
sailors　do　when　they　cross　the　equator。〃

A　slight　side　movement　brought　Michel　back　toward　the　padded
side；　thence　he　took　a　bottle　and　glasses；　placed　them　〃in
space〃　before　his　companions；　and；　drinking　merrily；　they
saluted　the　line　with　a　triple　hurrah。　　The　influence　of　these
attractions　scarcely　lasted　an　hour；　the　travelers　felt
themselves　insensibly　drawn　toward　the　floor；　and　Barbicane
fancied　that　the　conical　end　of　the　projectile　was　varying　a
little　from　its　normal　direction　toward　the　moon。　　By　an　inverse
motion　the　base　was　approaching　first；　the　lunar　attraction　was
prevailing　over　the　terrestrial；　the　fall　toward　the　moon　was
beginning；　almost　imperceptibly　as　yet；　but　by　degrees　the
attractive　force　would　become　stronger；　the　fall　would　be　more
decided；　the　projectile；　drawn　by　its　base；　would　turn　its　cone
to　the　earth；　and　fall　with　ever…increasing　speed　on　to　the
surface　of　the　Selenite　continent；　their　destination　would　then
be　attained。　　Now　nothing　could　prevent　the　success　of　their
enterprise；　and　Nicholl　and　Michel　Ardan　shared　Barbicane's　joy。

Then　they　chatted　of　all　the　phenomena　which　had　astonished　them
one　after　the　other；　particularly　the　neutralization　of　the　laws
of　weight。　　Michel　Ardan；　always　enthusiastic；　drew　conclusions
which　were　purely　fanciful。

〃Ah；　my　worthy　friends；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃what　progress　we　should
make　if　on　earth　we　could　throw　off　some　of　that　weight；　some　of
that　chain　which　binds　us　to　her；　it　would　be　the　prisoner　set
at　liberty；　no　more　fatigue　of　either　arms　or　legs。　　Or；　if　it
is　true　that　in　order　to　fly　on　the　earth's　surface；　to　keep
oneself　suspended　in　the　air　merely　by　the　play　of　the　muscles；
there　requires　a　strength　a　hundred　and　fifty　times　greater　than
that　which　we　possess；　a　simple　act　of　volition；　a　caprice；
would　bear　us　into　space；　if　attraction　did　not　exist。〃

〃Just　so；〃　said　Nicholl；　smiling；　〃if　we　could　succeed　in
suppressing　weight　as　they　suppress　pain　by　anaesthesia；
that　would　change　the　face　of　modern　society！〃

〃Yes；〃　cried　Michel；　full　of　his　subject；　〃destroy　weight；　and
no　more　burdens！〃

〃Well　said；〃　replied　Barbicane；　〃but　if　nothing　had　any　weight；
nothing　would　keep　in　its　place；　not　even　your　hat　on　your　head；
worthy　Michel；　nor　your　house；　whose　stones　only　adhere　by
weight；　nor　a　boat；　whose　stability　on　the　waves　is　only　caused
by　weight；　not　even　the　ocean；　whose　waves　would　no　longer　be
equalized　by　terrestrial　attraction；　and　lastly；　not　even　the
atmosphere；　whose　atoms；　being　no　longer　held　in　their　places；
would　disperse　in　space！〃

〃That　is　tiresome；〃　retorted　Michel；　〃nothing　like　these
matter…of…fact　people　for　bringing　one　back　to　the　bare　reality。〃

〃But　console　yourself；　Michel；〃　continued　Barbicane；　〃for　if　no
orb　exists　from　whence　all　laws　of　weight　are　banished；　you　are
at　least　going　to　visit　one　where　it　is　much　less　than　on　the　earth。〃

〃The　moon？〃

〃Yes；　the　moon；　on　whose　surface　objects　weigh　six　times　less
than　on　the　earth；　a　phenomenon　easy　to　prove。〃

〃And　we　shall　feel　it？〃　asked　Michel。

〃Evidently；　as　two　hundred　pounds　will　only　weigh　thirty　pounds
on　the　surface　of　the　moon。〃

〃And　our　muscular　strength　will　not　diminish？〃

〃Not　at　all；　instead　of　jumping　one　yard　high；　you　will　rise
eighteen　feet　high。〃

〃But　we　shall　be　regular　Herculeses　in　the　moon！〃　exclaimed　Michel。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Nicholl；　〃for　if　the　height　of　the　Selenites　is
in　proportion　to　the　density　of　their　globe；　they　will　be
scarcely　a　foot　high。〃

〃Lilliputians！〃　ejaculated　Michel；　〃I　shall　play　the　part
of　Gulliver。　　We　are　going　to　realize　the　fable　of　the　giants。
This　is　the　advantage　of　leaving　one's　own　planet　and
over…running　the　solar　world。〃

〃One　moment；　Michel；〃　answered　Barbicane；　〃if　you　wish　to　play
the　part　of　Gulliver；　only　visit　the　inferior　planets；　such　as
Mercury；　Venus；　or　Mars；　whose　density　is　a　little　less　than
that　of　the　earth；　but　do　not　venture　into　the　great　planets；
Jupiter；　Saturn；　Uranus；　Neptune；　for　there　the　order　will　be
changed；　and　you　will　become　Lilliputian。〃

〃And　in　the　sun？〃

〃In　the　sun；　if　its　density　is　thirteen　hundred　and　twenty…four
thousand　times　greater；　and　the　attraction　is　twenty…seven　times
greater　than　on　the　surface　of　our　globe；　keeping　everything　in
proportion；　the　inh