round the moon-第23章

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It　seemed　impossible　that；　before　long；　the　projectile　would
not　strike　her；　if　only　at　the　north　pole；　the　brilliant　arch
of　which　was　so　distinctly　visible　on　the　black　sky。

Michel　Ardan　wanted　to　open　one　of　the　scuttles　and　throw
himself　on　to　the　moon's　surface！　　A　very　useless　attempt；　for
if　the　projectile　could　not　attain　any　point　whatever　of　the
satellite；　Michel；　carried　along　by　its　motion；　could　not　attain
it　either。

At　that　moment；　at　six　o'clock；　the　lunar　pole　appeared。　　The　disc
only　presented　to　the　travelers'　gaze　one　half　brilliantly　lit　up；
while　the　other　disappeared　in　the　darkness。　　Suddenly　the
projectile　passed　the　line　of　demarcation　between　intense　light
and　absolute　darkness；　and　was　plunged　in　profound　night！





CHAPTER　XIV


THE　NIGHT　OF　THREE　HUNDRED　AND　FIFTY…FOUR　HOURS　AND　A　HALF

At　the　moment　when　this　phenomenon　took　place　so　rapidly；　the
projectile　was　skirting　the　moon's　north　pole　at　less　than
twenty…five　miles　distance。　　Some　seconds　had　sufficed　to　plunge
it　into　the　absolute　darkness　of　space。　　The　transition　was　so
sudden；　without　shade；　without　gradation　of　light；　without
attenuation　of　the　luminous　waves；　that　the　orb　seemed　to　have
been　extinguished　by　a　powerful　blow。

〃Melted；　disappeared！〃　Michel　Ardan　exclaimed；　aghast。

Indeed；　there　was　neither　reflection　nor　shadow。　　Nothing　more
was　to　be　seen　of　that　disc；　formerly　so　dazzling。　　The　darkness
was　complete。　and　rendered　even　more　so　by　the　rays　from　the　stars。
It　was　〃that　blackness〃　in　which　the　lunar　nights　are　insteeped；
which　last　three　hundred　and　fifty…four　hours　and　a　half　at　each
point　of　the　disc；　a　long　night　resulting　from　the　equality　of
the　translatory　and　rotary　movements　of　the　moon。　　The　projectile；
immerged　in　the　conical　shadow　of　the　satellite；　experienced　the
action　of　the　solar　rays　no　more　than　any　of　its　invisible　points。

In　the　interior；　the　obscurity　was　complete。　　They　could　not　see
each　other。　　Hence　the　necessity　of　dispelling　the　darkness。
However　desirous　Barbicane　might　be　to　husband　the　gas；　the
reserve　of　which　was　small；　he　was　obliged　to　ask　from　it　a
fictitious　light；　an　expensive　brilliancy　which　the　sun　then　refused。

〃Devil　take　the　radiant　orb！〃　exclaimed　Michel　Ardan；　〃which
forces　us　to　expend　gas；　instead　of　giving　us　his　rays　gratuitously。〃

〃Do　not　let　us　accuse　the　sun；〃　said　Nicholl；　〃it　is　not　his
fault；　but　that　of　the　moon；　which　has　come　and　placed　herself
like　a　screen　between　us　and　it。〃

〃It　is　the　sun！〃　continued　Michel。

〃It　is　the　moon！〃　retorted　Nicholl。

An　idle　dispute；　which　Barbicane　put　an　end　to　by　saying：

〃My　friends；　it　is　neither　the　fault　of　the　sun　nor　of　the　moon；
it　is　the　fault　of　the　_projectile_；　which；　instead　of　rigidly
following　its　course；　has　awkwardly　missed　it。　　To　be　more　just；
it　is　the　fault　of　that　unfortunate　meteor　which　has　so
deplorably　altered　our　first　direction。〃

〃Well；〃　replied　Michel　Ardan；　〃as　the　matter　is　settled；　let　us
have　breakfast。　　After　a　whole　night　of　watching　it　is　fair　to
build　ourselves　up　a　little。〃

This　proposal　meeting　with　no　contradiction；　Michel　prepared　the
repast　in　a　few　minutes。　　But　they　ate　for　eating's　sake；　they
drank　without　toasts；　without　hurrahs。　　The　bold　travelers　being
borne　away　into　gloomy　space；　without　their　accustomed
_cortege_　of　rays；　felt　a　vague　uneasiness　in　their　hearts。
The　〃strange〃　shadow　so　dear　to　Victor　Hugo's　pen　bound　them　on
all　sides。　　But　they　talked　over　the　interminable　night　of　three
hundred　and　fifty…four　hours　and　a　half；　nearly　fifteen　days；
which　the　law　of　physics　has　imposed　on　the　inhabitants　of　the　moon。

Barbicane　gave　his　friends　some　explanation　of　the　causes　and
the　consequences　of　this　curious　phenomenon。

〃Curious　indeed；〃　said　they；　〃for；　if　each　hemisphere　of　the
moon　is　deprived　of　solar　light　for　fifteen　days；　that　above
which　we　now　float　does　not　even　enjoy　during　its　long　night　any
view　of　the　earth　so　beautifully　lit　up。　　In　a　word　she　has　no
moon　（applying　this　designation　to　our　globe）　but　on　one　side　of
her　disc。　　Now　if　this　were　the　case　with　the　earth　if；　for
example；　Europe　never　saw　the　moon；　and　she　was　only　visible　at
the　antipodes；　imagine　to　yourself　the　astonishment　of　a
European　on　arriving　in　Australia。〃

〃They　would　make　the　voyage　for　nothing　but　to　see　the　moon！〃
replied　Michel。

〃Very　well！〃　continued　Barbicane；　〃that　astonishment　is　reserved
for　the　Selenites　who　inhabit　the　face　of　the　moon　opposite　to
the　earth；　a　face　which　is　ever　invisible　to　our　countrymen　of
the　terrestrial　globe。〃

〃And　which　we　should　have　seen；〃　added　Nicholl；　〃if　we　had　arrived
here　when　the　moon　was　new；　that　is　to　say　fifteen　days　later。〃

〃I　will　add；　to　make　amends；〃　continued　Barbicane；　〃that　the
inhabitants　of　the　visible　face　are　singularly　favored　by　nature；
to　the　detriment　of　their　brethren　on　the　invisible　face。
The　latter；　as　you　see；　have　dark　nights　of　354　hours；　without
one　single　ray　to　break　the　darkness。　　The　other；　on　the　contrary；
when　the　sun　which　has　given　its　light　for　fifteen　days　sinks
below　the　horizon；　see　a　splendid　orb　rise　on　the　opposite　horizon。
It　is　the　earth；　which　is　thirteen　times　greater　than　the
diminutive　moon　that　we　know　the　earth　which　developes　itself
at　a　diameter　of　two　degrees；　and　which　sheds　a　light　thirteen
times　greater　than　that　qualified　by　atmospheric　strata　the
earth　which　only　disappears　at　the　moment　when　the　sun　reappears
in　its　turn！〃

〃Nicely　worded！〃　said　Michel；　〃slightly　academical　perhaps。〃

〃It　follows；　then；〃　continued　Barbicane；　without　knitting　his
brows；　〃that　the　visible　face　of　the　disc　must　be　very　agreeable
to　inhabit；　since　it　always　looks　on　either　the　sun　when　the
moon　is　full；　or　on　the　earth　when　the　moon　is　new。〃

〃But；〃　said　Nicholl；　〃that　advantage　must　be　well　compensated　by
the　insupportable　heat　which　the　light　brings　with　it。〃

〃The　inconvenience；　in　that　respect；　is　the　same　for　the　two
faces；　for　the　earth's　light　is　evidently　deprived　of　heat。
But　the　invisible　face　is　still　more　searched　by　the　heat　than
the　visible　face。　　I　say　that　for　_you_；　Nicholl；　because　Michel
will　probably　not　understand。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Michel。

〃Indeed；〃　continued　Barbicane；　〃when　the　invisible　face　receives
at　the　same　time　light　and　heat　from　the　sun；　it　is　because　the
moon　is　new；　that　is　to　say；　she　is　situated　between　the　sun　and
the　earth。　　It　follows；　then；　considering　the　position　which　she
occupies　in　opposition　when　full；　that　she　is　nearer　to　the　sun
by　twice　her　distance　from　the　earth；　and　that　distance　may　be
estimated　at　the　two…hundredth　part　of　that　which　separates　the
sun　from　the　earth；　or　in　round　numbers　400；000　miles。　　So　that
invisible　face　is　so　much　nearer　to　the　sun　when　she　receives
its　rays。〃

〃Quite　right；〃　replied　Nicholl。

〃On　the　contrary；〃　continued　Barbicane。

〃One　moment；〃　said　Michel；　interrupting　his　grave　companion。

〃What　do　you　want？〃

〃I　ask　to　be　allowed　to　continue　the　explanation。〃

〃And　why？〃

〃To　prove　that　I　understand。〃

〃Get　along　with　you；〃　said　Barbicane；　smiling。

〃On　the　contrary；〃　said　Michel；　imitating　the　tone　and　gestures
of　the　president；　〃on　the　contrary；　when　the　visible　face　of　the
moon　is　lit　by　the　sun；　it　is　because　the　moon　is　full；　that　is
to　say；　opposite　the　sun　with　regard　to　the　earth。　　The　distance
separating　it　from　the　radiant　orb　is　then　increased　in　round
numbers　to　400；000　miles；　and　the　heat　which　she　receives　must
be　a　little　less。〃

〃Very　well　said！〃　exclaimed　Barbicane。　　〃Do　you　know；　Michel；
that；　for　an　amateur；　you　are　intelligent。〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Michel　coolly；　〃we　are　all　so　on　the　Boulevard
des　Italiens。〃

Barbicane　gravely　grasped　the　hand　of　his　amiable　companion；　and
continued　to　enumerate　the　advantages　reserved　for　the　inhabitants
of　the　visible　face。

Among　others；　he　mentioned　eclipses　of　the　sun；　which　only　take
place　on　this　side　of　the　lunar　disc；　since；　in　order　that　they
may　take　place；　it　is　necessary　for　the　moon　to　be　_in
opposition_。　　These　eclipses；　caused　by　the　interposition　of　the
earth　betwee