round the moon-第22章

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certainly　_not_　fortifications；　any　more　than　they　are　the
ancient　beds　of　dried…up　rivers；　for；　on　one　side；　the　waters；
so　slight　on　the　moon's　surface；　could　never　have　worn　such
drains　for　themselves；　and；　on　the　other；　they　often　cross
craters　of　great　elevation。

We　must；　however；　allow　that　Michel　Ardan　had　〃an　idea；〃　and
that；　without　knowing　it；　he　coincided　in　that　respect　with
Julius　Schmidt。

〃Why；〃　said　he；　〃should　not　these　unaccountable　appearances　be
simply　phenomena　of　vegetation？〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Barbicane　quickly。

〃Do　not　excite　yourself；　my　worthy　president；〃　replied　Michel；
〃might　it　not　be　possible　that　the　dark　lines　forming　that
bastion　were　rows　of　trees　regularly　placed？〃

〃You　stick　to　your　vegetation；　then？〃　said　Barbicane。

〃I　like；〃　retorted　Michel　Ardan；　〃to　explain　what　you　savants
cannot　explain；　at　least　my　hypotheses　has　the　advantage　of
indicating　why　these　rifts　disappear；　or　seem　to　disappear；　at
certain　seasons。〃

〃And　for　what　reason？〃

〃For　the　reason　that　the　trees　become　invisible　when　they　lose
their　leaves；　and　visible　again　when　they　regain　them。〃

〃Your　explanation　is　ingenious；　my　dear　companion；〃　replied
Barbicane；　〃but　inadmissible。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because；　so　to　speak；　there　are　no　seasons　on　the　moon's　surface；
and　that；　consequently；　the　phenomena　of　vegetation　of　which　you
speak　cannot　occur。〃

Indeed；　the　slight　obliquity　of　the　lunar　axis　keeps　the　sun　at
an　almost　equal　height　in　every　latitude。　　Above　the　equatorial
regions　the　radiant　orb　almost　invariably　occupies　the　zenith；
and　does　not　pass　the　limits　of　the　horizon　in　the　polar
regions；　thus；　according　to　each　region；　there　reigns　a
perpetual　winter；　spring；　summer；　or　autumn；　as　in　the　planet
Jupiter；　whose　axis　is　but　little　inclined　upon　its　orbit。

What　origin　do　they　attribute　to　these　rifts？　　That　is　a
question　difficult　to　solve。　　They　are　certainly　anterior　to　the
formation　of　craters　and　circles；　for　several　have　introduced
themselves　by　breaking　through　their　circular　ramparts。　　Thus　it
may　be　that；　contemporary　with　the　later　geological　epochs；　they
are　due　to　the　expansion　of　natural　forces。

But　the　projectile　had　now　attained　the　fortieth　degree　of　lunar
latitude；　at　a　distance　not　exceeding　40　miles。　　Through　the
glasses　objects　appeared　to　be　only　four　miles　distant。

At　this　point；　under　their　feet；　rose　Mount　Helicon；　1；520　feet
high；　and　round　about　the　left　rose　moderate　elevations；
enclosing　a　small　portion　of　the　〃Sea　of　Rains；〃　under　the　name
of　the　Gulf　of　Iris。　　The　terrestrial　atmosphere　would　have　to
be　one　hundred　and　seventy　times　more　transparent　than　it　is；
to　allow　astronomers　to　make　perfect　observations　on　the　moon's
surface；　but　in　the　void　in　which　the　projectile　floated　no
fluid　interposed　itself　between　the　eye　of　the　observer　and
the　object　observed。　　And　more；　Barbicane　found　himself　carried
to　a　greater　distance　than　the　most　powerful　telescopes　had
ever　done　before；　either　that　of　Lord　Rosse　or　that　of　the
Rocky　Mountains。　　He　was；　therefore；　under　extremely　favorable
conditions　for　solving　that　great　question　of　the　habitability
of　the　moon；　but　the　solution　still　escaped　him；　he　could
distinguish　nothing　but　desert　beds；　immense　plains；　and　toward
the　north；　arid　mountains。　　Not　a　work　betrayed　the　hand　of　man；
not　a　ruin　marked　his　course；　not　a　group　of　animals　was　to　be
seen　indicating　life；　even　in　an　inferior　degree。　　In　no　part
was　there　life；　in　no　part　was　there　an　appearance　of　vegetation。
Of　the　three　kingdoms　which　share　the　terrestrial　globe　between
them；　one　alone　was　represented　on　the　lunar　and　that　the　mineral。

〃Ah；　indeed！〃　said　Michel　Ardan；　a　little　out　of　countenance；
〃then　you　see　no　one？〃

〃No；〃　answered　Nicholl；　〃up　to　this　time；　not　a　man；　not　an
animal；　not　a　tree！　　After　all；　whether　the　atmosphere　has　taken
refuge　at　the　bottom　of　cavities；　in　the　midst　of　the　circles；
or　even　on　the　opposite　face　of　the　moon；　we　cannot　decide。〃

〃Besides；〃　added　Barbicane；　〃even　to　the　most　piercing　eye　a　man
cannot　be　distinguished　farther　than　three　and　a　half　miles　off；
so　that；　if　there　are　any　Selenites；　they　can　see　our　projectile；
but　we　cannot　see　them。〃

Toward　four　in　the　morning；　at　the　height　of　the　fiftieth
parallel；　the　distance　was　reduced　to　300　miles。　　To　the　left
ran　a　line　of　mountains　capriciously　shaped；　lying　in　the
full　light。　　To　the　right；　on　the　contrary；　lay　a　black　hollow
resembling　a　vast　well；　unfathomable　and　gloomy；　drilled　into
the　lunar　soil。

This　hole　was　the　〃Black　Lake〃；　it　was　Pluto；　a　deep　circle
which　can　be　conveniently　studied　from　the　earth；　between　the
last　quarter　and　the　new　moon；　when　the　shadows　fall　from　west
to　east。

This　black　color　is　rarely　met　with　on　the　surface　of
the　satellite。　　As　yet　it　has　only　been　recognized　in　the　depths
of　the　circle　of　Endymion；　to　the　east　of　the　〃Cold　Sea；〃　in　the
northern　hemisphere；　and　at　the　bottom　of　Grimaldi's　circle；　on
the　equator；　toward　the　eastern　border　of　the　orb。

Pluto　is　an　annular　mountain；　situated　in　51@　north　latitude；
and　9@　east　longitude。　　Its　circuit　is　forty…seven　miles　long
and　thirty…two　broad。

Barbicane　regretted　that　they　were　not　passing　directly　above
this　vast　opening。　　There　was　an　abyss　to　fathom；　perhaps　some
mysterious　phenomenon　to　surprise；　but　the　projectile's　course
could　not　be　altered。　　They　must　rigidly　submit。　　They　could　not
guide　a　balloon；　still　less　a　projectile；　when　once　enclosed
within　its　walls。　　Toward　five　in　the　morning　the　northern
limits　of　the　〃Sea　of　Rains〃　was　at　length　passed。　　The　mounts
of　Condamine　and　Fontenelle　remained　one　on　the　right；　the
other　on　the　left。　　That　part　of　the　disc　beginning　with　60@　was
becoming　quite　mountainous。　　The　glasses　brought　them　to　within
two　miles；　less　than　that　separating　the　summit　of　Mont　Blanc
from　the　level　of　the　sea。　　The　whole　region　was　bristling　with
spikes　and　circles。　　Toward　the　60@　Philolaus　stood　predominant
at　a　height　of　5；550　feet　with　its　elliptical　crater；　and　seen
from　this　distance；　the　disc　showed　a　very　fantastical　appearance。
Landscapes　were　presented　to　the　eye　under　very　different
conditions　from　those　on　the　earth；　and　also　very　inferior　to　them。

The　moon　having　no　atmosphere；　the　consequences　arising　from
the　absence　of　this　gaseous　envelope　have　already　been　shown。
No　twilight　on　her　surface；　night　following　day　and　day　following
night　with　the　suddenness　of　a　lamp　which　is　extinguished　or
lighted　amid　profound　darkness　no　transition　from　cold　to
heat；　the　temperature　falling　in　an　instant　from　boiling　point
to　the　cold　of　space。

Another　consequence　of　this　want　of　air　is　that　absolute
darkness　reigns　where　the　sun's　rays　do　not　penetrate。
That　which　on　earth　is　called　diffusion　of　light；　that　luminous
matter　which　the　air　holds　in　suspension；　which　creates　the
twilight　and　the　daybreak；　which　produces　the　_umbrae_　and
_penumbrae_；　and　all　the　magic　of　_chiaro…oscuro_；　does　not
exist　on　the　moon。　　Hence　the　harshness　of　contrasts；　which
only　admit　of　two　colors；　black　and　white。　　If　a　Selenite
were　to　shade　his　eyes　from　the　sun's　rays；　the　sky　would　seem
absolutely　black；　and　the　stars　would　shine　to　him　as　on　the
darkest　night。　　Judge　of　the　impression　produced　on　Barbicane
and　his　three　friends　by　this　strange　scene！　　Their　eyes
were　confused。　　They　could　no　longer　grasp　the　respective
distances　of　the　different　plains。　　A　lunar　landscape　without
the　softening　of　the　phenomena　of　_chiaro…oscuro_　could　not　be
rendered　by　an　earthly　landscape　painter；　it　would　be　spots　of
ink　on　a　white　page　nothing　more。

This　aspect　was　not　altered　even　when　the　projectile；　at　the
height　of　80@；　was　only　separated　from　the　moon　by　a　distance
of　fifty　miles；　nor　even　when；　at　five　in　the　morning；　it
passed　at　less　than　twenty…five　miles　from　the　mountain　of
Gioja；　a　distance　reduced　by　the　glasses　to　a　quarter　of　a　mile。
It　seemed　as　if　the　moon　might　be　touched　by　the　hand！
It　seemed　impossible　that；　before　long；　the　projectile　would
not　strike　her；　if　only　at　the　north　pole；　the　brilliant　arch
o