round the moon-第24章

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opposition_。　　These　eclipses；　caused　by　the　interposition　of　the
earth　between　the　moon　and　the　sun；　can　last　_two　hours_；　during
which　time；　by　reason　of　the　rays　refracted　by　its　atmosphere；
the　terrestrial　globe　can　appear　as　nothing　but　a　black　point
upon　the　sun。

〃So；〃　said　Nicholl；　〃there　is　a　hemisphere；　that　invisible
hemisphere　which　is　very　ill　supplied；　very　ill　treated；
by　nature。〃

〃Never　mind；〃　replied　Michel；　〃if　we　ever　become　Selenites；　we
will　inhabit　the　visible　face。　　I　like　the　light。〃

〃Unless；　by　any　chance；〃　answered　Nicholl；　〃the　atmosphere　should
be　condensed　on　the　other　side；　as　certain　astronomers　pretend。〃

〃That　would　be　a　consideration；〃　said　Michel。

Breakfast　over；　the　observers　returned　to　their　post。　　They　tried
to　see　through　the　darkened　scuttles　by　extinguishing　all　light
in　the　projectile；　but　not　a　luminous　spark　made　its　way　through
the　darkness。

One　inexplicable　fact　preoccupied　Barbicane。　　Why；　having　passed
within　such　a　short　distance　of　the　moonabout　twenty…five
miles　only　why　the　projectile　had　not　fallen？　　If　its　speed
had　been　enormous；　he　could　have　understood　that　the　fall　would
not　have　taken　place；　but；　with　a　relatively　moderate　speed；
that　resistance　to　the　moon's　attraction　could　not　be　explained。
Was　the　projectile　under　some　foreign　influence？　　Did　some　kind
of　body　retain　it　in　the　ether？　　It　was　quite　evident　that　it
could　never　reach　any　point　of　the　moon。　　Whither　was　it　going？
Was　it　going　farther　from；　or　nearing；　the　disc？　　Was　it　being
borne　in　that　profound　darkness　through　the　infinity　of　space？
How　could　they　learn；　how　calculate；　in　the　midst　of　this　night？
All　these　questions　made　Barbicane　uneasy；　but　he　could　not
solve　them。

Certainly；　the　invisible　orb　was　_there_；　perhaps　only　some　few
miles　off；　but　neither　he　nor　his　companions　could　see　it。
If　there　was　any　noise　on　its　surface；　they　could　not　hear　it。
Air；　that　medium　of　sound；　was　wanting　to　transmit　the　groanings
of　that　moon　which　the　Arabic　legends　call　〃a　man　already　half
granite；　and　still　breathing。〃

One　must　allow　that　that　was　enough　to　aggravate　the　most
patient　observers。　　It　was　just　that　unknown　hemisphere　which
was　stealing　from　their　sight。　　That　face　which　fifteen　days
sooner；　or　fifteen　days　later；　had　been；　or　would　be；　splendidly
illuminated　by　the　solar　rays；　was　then　being　lost　in　utter　darkness。
In　fifteen　days　where　would　the　projectile　be？　　Who　could　say？
Where　would　the　chances　of　conflicting　attractions　have　drawn
it　to？　　The　disappointment　of　the　travelers　in　the　midst　of　this
utter　darkness　may　be　imagined。　　All　observation　of　the　lunar
disc　was　impossible。　　The　constellations　alone　claimed　all　their
attention；　and　we　must　allow　that　the　astronomers　Faye；　Charconac；
and　Secchi；　never　found　themselves　in　circumstances　so　favorable
for　their　observation。

Indeed；　nothing　could　equal　the　splendor　of　this　starry　world；
bathed　in　limpid　ether。　　Its　diamonds　set　in　the　heavenly　vault
sparkled　magnificently。　　The　eye　took　in　the　firmament　from　the
Southern　Cross　to　the　North　Star；　those　two　constellations　which
in　12；000　years；　by　reason　of　the　succession　of　equinoxes；　will
resign　their　part　of　the　polar　stars；　the　one　to　Canopus　in　the
southern　hemisphere；　the　other　to　Wega　in　the　northern。
Imagination　loses　itself　in　this　sublime　Infinity；　amid　which
the　projectile　was　gravitating；　like　a　new　star　created　by　the
hand　of　man。　　From　a　natural　cause；　these　constellations　shone
with　a　soft　luster；　they　did　not　twinkle；　for　there　was　no
atmosphere　which；　by　the　intervention　of　its　layers　unequally
dense　and　of　different　degrees　of　humidity；　produces
this　scintillation。　　These　stars　were　soft　eyes；　looking　out
into　the　dark　night；　amid　the　silence　of　absolute　space。

Long　did　the　travelers　stand　mute；　watching　the　constellated
firmament；　upon　which　the　moon；　like　a　vast　screen；　made　an
enormous　black　hole。　　But　at　length　a　painful　sensation　drew
them　from　their　watchings。　　This　was　an　intense　cold；　which　soon
covered　the　inside　of　the　glass　of　the　scuttles　with　a　thick
coating　of　ice。　　The　sun　was　no　longer　warming　the　projectile
with　its　direct　rays；　and　thus　it　was　losing　the　heat　stored　up
in　its　walls　by　degrees。　　This　heat　was　rapidly　evaporating　into
space　by　radiation；　and　a　considerably　lower　temperature　was
the　result。　　The　humidity　of　the　interior　was　changed　into　ice
upon　contact　with　the　glass；　preventing　all　observation。

Nicholl　consulted　the　thermometer；　and　saw　that　it　had　fallen　to
seventeen　degrees　（Centigrade）　below　zero。　＇3＇　　So　that；　in　spite
of　the　many　reasons　for　economizing；　Barbicane；　after　having
begged　light　from　the　gas；　was　also　obliged　to　beg　for　heat。
The　projectile's　low　temperature　was　no　longer　endurable。
Its　tenants　would　have　been　frozen　to　death。

＇3＇　1@　Fahrenheit。

〃Well！〃　observed　Michel；　〃we　cannot　reasonably　complain　of　the
monotony　of　our　journey！　　What　variety　we　have　had；　at　least
in　temperature。　　Now　we　are　blinded　with　light　and　saturated　with
heat；　like　the　Indians　of　the　Pampas！　now　plunged　into　profound
darkness；　amid　the　cold；　like　the　Esquimaux　of　the　north　pole。
No；　indeed！　we　have　no　right　to　complain；　nature　does　wonders　in
our　honor。〃

〃But；〃　asked　Nicholl；　〃what　is　the　temperature　outside？〃

〃Exactly　that　of　the　planetary　space；〃　replied　Barbicane。

〃Then；〃　continued　Michel　Ardan；　〃would　not　this　be　the　time　to
make　the　experiment　which　we　dared　not　attempt　when　we　were
drowned　in　the　sun's　rays？

〃It　is　now　or　never；〃　replied　Barbicane；　〃for　we　are　in　a　good
position　to　verify　the　temperature　of　space；　and　see　if　Fourier
or　Pouillet's　calculations　are　exact。〃

〃In　any　case　it　is　cold；〃　said　Michel。　　〃See！　the　steam　of　the
interior　is　condensing　on　the　glasses　of　the　scuttles。　　If　the　fall
continues；　the　vapor　of　our　breath　will　fall　in　snow　around　us。〃

〃Let　us　prepare　a　thermometer；〃　said　Barbicane。

We　may　imagine　that　an　ordinary　thermometer　would　afford　no
result　under　the　circumstances　in　which　this　instrument　was　to
be　exposed。　　The　mercury　would　have　been　frozen　in　its　ball；
as　below　42@　Fahrenheit　below　zero　it　is　no　longer　liquid。
But　Barbicane　had　furnished　himself　with　a　spirit　thermometer
on　Wafferdin's　system；　which　gives　the　minima　of　excessively
low　temperatures。

Before　beginning　the　experiment；　this　instrument　was　compared
with　an　ordinary　one；　and　then　Barbicane　prepared　to　use　it。

〃How　shall　we　set　about　it？〃　asked　Nicholl。

〃Nothing　is　easier；〃　replied　Michel　Ardan；　who　was　never　at　a　loss。
〃We　open　the　scuttle　rapidly；　throw　out　the　instrument；　it　follows
the　projectile　with　exemplary　docility；　and　a　quarter　of　an　hour
after；　draw　it　in。〃

〃With　the　hand？〃　asked　Barbicane。

〃With　the　hand；〃　replied　Michel。

〃Well；　then；　my　friend；　do　not　expose　yourself；〃　answered
Barbicane；　〃for　the　hand　that　you　draw　in　again　will　be　nothing
but　a　stump　frozen　and　deformed　by　the　frightful　cold。〃

〃Really！〃

〃You　will　feel　as　if　you　had　had　a　terrible　burn；　like　that　of
iron　at　a　white　heat；　for　whether　the　heat　leaves　our　bodies
briskly　or　enters　briskly；　it　is　exactly　the　same　thing。
Besides；　I　am　not　at　all　certain　that　the　objects　we　have　thrown
out　are　still　following　us。〃

〃Why　not？〃　asked　Nicholl。

〃Because；　if　we　are　passing　through　an　atmosphere　of　the
slightest　density；　these　objects　will　be　retarded。　　Again；　the
darkness　prevents　our　seeing　if　they　still　float　around　us。
But　in　order　not　to　expose　ourselves　to　the　loss　of　our
thermometer；　we　will　fasten　it；　and　we　can　then　more　easily
pull　it　back　again。〃

Barbicane's　advice　was　followed。　　Through　the　scuttle　rapidly
opened；　Nicholl　threw　out　the　instrument；　which　was　held　by　a
short　cord；　so　that　it　might　be　more　easily　drawn　up。　　The　scuttle
had　not　been　opened　more　than　a　second；　but　that　second　had　sufficed
to　let　in　a　most　intense　cold。

〃The　devil！〃　exclaimed　Michel　Ardan；　〃it　is　cold　enough　to
freeze　a　white　bear。〃

Barbicane　waited　until　half　an　hour　had　elapsed；　which　was　more
than　time　enough　to　allow　the　instrument　to　fall　to　the　level　of
the　surrounding　temperature。　　Then　it