round the moon-第23节

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us　to？〃

〃Nowhere；〃　replied　Nicholl。

〃How；　nowhere？〃

〃Evidently；〃　said　Barbicane；　〃they　are　open　curves；　which　may　be
prolonged　indefinitely。〃

〃Ah；　savants！〃　cried　Michel；　〃and　what　are　either　the　one　or　the
other　to　us　from　the　moment　we　know　that　they　equally　lead　us
into　infinite　space？〃

Barbicane　and　Nicholl　could　not　forbear　smiling。　　They　had　just
been　creating　〃art　for　art's　sake。〃　　Never　had　so　idle　a　question
been　raised　at　such　an　inopportune　moment。　　The　sinister　truth
remained　that；　whether　hyperbolically　or　parabolically　borne　away；
the　projectile　would　never　again　meet　either　the　earth　or　the　moon。

What　would　become　of　these　bold　travelers　in　the　immediate　future？
If　they　did　not　die　of　hunger；　if　they　did　not　die　of　thirst；
in　some　days；　when　the　gas　failed；　they　would　die　from　want　of　air；
unless　the　cold　had　killed　them　first。　　Still；　important　as　it　was
to　economize　the　gas；　the　excessive　lowness　of　the　surrounding
temperature　obliged　them　to　consume　a　certain　quantity。
Strictly　speaking；　they　could　do　without　its　_light_；　but　not
without　its　_heat_。　　Fortunately　the　caloric　generated　by　Reiset's
and　Regnaut's　apparatus　raised　the　temperature　of　the　interior
of　the　projectile　a　little；　and　without　much　expenditure　they
were　able　to　keep　it　bearable。

But　observations　had　now　become　very　difficult。　　the　dampness　of
the　projectile　was　condensed　on　the　windows　and　congealed　immediately。
This　cloudiness　had　to　be　dispersed　continually。　　In　any　case
they　might　hope　to　be　able　to　discover　some　phenomena　of　the
highest　interest。

But　up　to　this　time　the　disc　remained　dumb　and　dark。　　It　did　not
answer　the　multiplicity　of　questions　put　by　these　ardent　minds；
a　matter　which　drew　this　reflection　from　Michel；　apparently　a
just　one：

〃If　ever　we　begin　this　journey　over　again；　we　shall　do　well　to
choose　the　time　when　the　moon　is　at　the　full。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Nicholl；　〃that　circumstance　will　be　more　favorable。
I　allow　that　the　moon；　immersed　in　the　sun's　rays；　will　not　be
visible　during　the　transit；　but　instead　we　should　see　the　earth；
which　would　be　full。　　And　what　is　more；　if　we　were　drawn　round　the
moon；　as　at　this　moment；　we　should　at　least　have　the　advantage　of
seeing　the　invisible　part　of　her　disc　magnificently　lit。〃

〃Well　said；　Nicholl；〃　replied　Michel　Ardan。　　〃What　do　you
think；　Barbicane？〃

〃I　think　this；〃　answered　the　grave　president：　　〃If　ever　we　begin
this　journey　again；　we　shall　start　at　the　same　time　and　under
the　same　conditions。　　Suppose　we　had　attained　our　end；　would　it
not　have　been　better　to　have　found　continents　in　broad　daylight
than　a　country　plunged　in　utter　darkness？　　Would　not　our　first
installation　have　been　made　under　better　circumstances？
Yes；　evidently。　　As　to　the　invisible　side；　we　could　have　visited
it　in　our　exploring　expeditions　on　the　lunar　globe。　　So　that　the
time　of　the　full　moon　was　well　chosen。　　But　we　ought　to　have
arrived　at　the　end；　and　in　order　to　have　so　arrived；　we　ought
to　have　suffered　no　deviation　on　the　road。〃

〃I　have　nothing　to　say　to　that；〃　answered　Michel　Ardan。
〃Here　is；　however；　a　good　opportunity　lost　of　observing　the
other　side　of　the　moon。〃

But　the　projectile　was　now　describing　in　the　shadow　that
incalculable　course　which　no　sight…mark　would　allow　them
to　ascertain。　　Had　its　direction　been　altered；　either　by　the
influence　of　the　lunar　attraction；　or　by　the　action　of　some
unknown　star？　　Barbicane　could　not　say。　　But　a　change　had　taken
place　in　the　relative　position　of　the　vehicle；　and　Barbicane
verified　it　about　four　in　the　morning。

The　change　consisted　in　this；　that　the　base　of　the　projectile
had　turned　toward　the　moon's　surface；　and　was　so　held　by　a
perpendicular　passing　through　its　axis。　　The　attraction；　that　is
to　say　the　weight；　had　brought　about　this　alteration。　　The　heaviest
part　of　the　projectile　inclined　toward　the　invisible　disc　as　if　it
would　fall　upon　it。

Was　it　falling？　　Were　the　travelers　attaining　that　much　desired　end？
No。　　And　the　observation　of　a　sign…point；　quite　inexplicable　in
itself；　showed　Barbicane　that　his　projectile　was　not　nearing　the
moon；　and　that　it　had　shifted　by　following　an　almost　concentric　curve。

This　point　of　mark　was　a　luminous　brightness；　which　Nicholl
sighted　suddenly；　on　the　limit　of　the　horizon　formed　by　the
black　disc。　　This　point　could　not　be　confounded　with　a　star。
It　was　a　reddish　incandescence　which　increased　by　degrees；　a
decided　proof　that　the　projectile　was　shifting　toward　it　and
not　falling　normally　on　the　surface　of　the　moon。

〃A　volcano！　it　is　a　volcano　in　action！〃　cried　Nicholl；　〃a
disemboweling　of　the　interior　fires　of　the　moon！　　That　world　is
not　quite　extinguished。〃

〃Yes；　an　eruption；〃　replied　Barbicane；　who　was　carefully
studying　the　phenomenon　through　his　night　glass。　　〃What　should
it　be；　if　not　a　volcano？〃

〃But；　then；〃　said　Michel　Ardan；　〃in　order　to　maintain　that
combustion；　there　must　be　air。　　So　the　atmosphere　does　surround
that　part　of　the　moon。〃

〃Perhaps　so；〃　replied　Barbicane；　〃but　not　necessarily。

The　volcano；　by　the　decomposition　of　certain　substances；　can
provide　its　own　oxygen；　and　thus　throw　flames　into　space。　　It　seems
to　me　that　the　deflagration；　by　the　intense　brilliancy　of　the
substances　in　combustion；　is　produced　in　pure　oxygen。　　We　must
not　be　in　a　hurry　to　proclaim　the　existence　of　a　lunar　atmosphere。〃

The　fiery　mountain　must　have　been　situated　about　the　45@　south
latitude　on　the　invisible　part　of　the　disc；　but；　to　Barbicane's
great　displeasure；　the　curve　which　the　projectile　was　describing
was　taking　it　far　from　the　point　indicated　by　the　eruption。
Thus　he　could　not　determine　its　nature　exactly。　　Half　an　hour
after　being　sighted；　this　luminous　point　had　disappeared　behind
the　dark　horizon；　but　the　verification　of　this　phenomenon　was
of　considerable　consequence　in　their　selenographic　studies。
It　proved　that　all　heat　had　not　yet　disappeared　from　the　bowels
of　this　globe；　and　where　heat　exists；　who　can　affirm　that　the
vegetable　kingdom；　nay；　even　the　animal　kingdom　itself；　has　not
up　to　this　time　resisted　all　destructive　influences？　　The　existence
of　this　volcano　in　eruption；　unmistakably　seen　by　these　earthly
savants；　would　doubtless　give　rise　to　many　theories　favorable
to　the　grave　question　of　the　habitability　of　the　moon。

Barbicane　allowed　himself　to　be　carried　away　by　these　reflections。
He　forgot　himself　in　a　deep　reverie　in　which　the　mysterious
destiny　of　the　lunar　world　was　uppermost。　　He　was　seeking　to
combine　together　the　facts　observed　up　to　that　time；　when　a　new
incident　recalled　him　briskly　to　reality。　　This　incident　was　more
than　a　cosmical　phenomenon；　it　was　a　threatened　danger；　the
consequence　of　which　might　be　disastrous　in　the　extreme。

Suddenly；　in　the　midst　of　the　ether；　in　the　profound　darkness；　an
enormous　mass　appeared。　　It　was　like　a　moon；　but　an　incandescent
moon　whose　brilliancy　was　all　the　more　intolerable　as　it　cut
sharply　on　the　frightful　darkness　of　space。　　This　mass；　of　a
circular　form；　threw　a　light　which　filled　the　projectile。
The　forms　of　Barbicane；　Nicholl；　and　Michel　Ardan；　bathed　in
its　white　sheets；　assumed　that　livid　spectral　appearance　which
physicians　produce　with　the　fictitious　light　of　alcohol
impregnated　with　salt。

〃By　Jove！〃　cried　Michel　Ardan；　〃we　are　hideous。　　What　is　that
ill…conditioned　moon？〃

〃A　meteor；〃　replied　Barbicane。

〃A　meteor　burning　in　space？〃

〃Yes。〃

This　shooting　globe　suddenly　appearing　in　shadow　at　a　distance
of　at　most　200　miles；　ought；　according　to　Barbicane；　to　have　a
diameter　of　2；000　yards。　　It　advanced　at　a　speed　of　about　one
mile　and　a　half　per　second。　　It　cut　the　projectile's　path　and
must　reach　it　in　some　minutes。　　As　it　approached　it　grew　to
enormous　proportions。

Imagine；　if　possible；　the　situation　of　the　travelers！　　It　is
impossible　to　describe　it。　　In　spite　of　their　courage；　their
_sang…froid_；　their　carelessness　of　danger；　they　were　mute；
motionless　with　stiffened　limbs；　a　prey　to　frightful　terror。
Their　projectile；　the　course　of　which　they　could　not　alter；　was
rushing　straight　on　this　ignited　mass；　more　intense　than　the
open　mouth　of　an　oven。　　It　seemed　as　though　they　were　being
precipitated　toward　an　abyss　of　fire。

Barbicane　had　seized　the　hands　of　his　two　companions；　and　all
three　looked　through　their　half…open　eyelids　upon　that　asteroid
heated　to　a　white　heat。　　If　thought　was　not　destroyed　within
them；　if　their　brains　still　worked　amid　all　this　awe；　they　must
have　given　themselves　up　for　lost。

Two　minutes　after　the　sudden　appearance　of　the　meteor　（to　them
two　centuries　of　anguish）　the　projectile　seemed　almost　about　to
strike　it；　when　the　globe　of　fire　burst　like　a　bomb；　but　without
making　any　noise　in　that　void　where　sound；　which　is　but　the
agitation　of　the　layers　of　air；　could　not　be　generated。

Nicholl　uttered　a　cry；　and　he　and　his　companions　rushed　to
the　scuttle。　　What　a　sight！　　What　pen　can　describe　it？
What　palette　is　rich　enough　in　colors　to　reproduce　so　magnificent
a　spectacle？

It　was　like　the　opening　of　a　crater；　like　the　scattering　of　an
immense　conflagration。　　Thousands　of　luminous　fragments　lit　up
and