round the moon-第38章

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the　right　of　traveling　for　those　four　days　on　the　railroads　of
the　United　States。

The　engine　was　manned　by　a　driver　and　a　stoker；　and　bore；　by
special　favor；　the　Hon。　J。　T。　Maston；　secretary　of　the　Gun　Club。
The　carriage　was　reserved　for　President　Barbicane；　Colonel
Nicholl；　and　Michel　Ardan。　　At　the　whistle　of　the　driver；　amid
the　hurrahs；　and　all　the　admiring　vociferations　of　the　American
language；　the　train　left　the　platform　of　Baltimore。　　It　traveled
at　a　speed　of　one　hundred　and　sixty　miles　in　the　hour。　　But　what
was　this　speed　compared　with　that　which　had　carried　the　three
heroes　from　the　mouth　of　the　Columbiad？

Thus　they　sped　from　one　town　to　the　other；　finding　whole
populations　at　table　on　their　road；　saluting　them　with　the　same
acclamations；　lavishing　the　same　bravos！　　They　traveled　in　this
way　through　the　east　of　the　Union；　Pennsylvania；　Connecticut；
Massachusetts；　Vermont；　Maine；　and　New　Hampshire；　the　north　and
west　by　New　York；　Ohio；　Michigan；　and　Wisconsin；　returning　to
the　south　by　Illinois；　Missouri；　Arkansas；　Texas；　and　Louisiana；
they　went　to　the　southeast　by　Alabama　and　Florida；　going　up　by
Georgia　and　the　Carolinas；　visiting　the　center　by　Tennessee；
Kentucky；　Virginia；　and　Indiana；　and；　after　quitting　the
Washington　station；　re…entered　Baltimore；　where　for　four　days
one　would　have　thought　that　the　United　States　of　America　were
seated　at　one　immense　banquet；　saluting　them　simultaneously　with
the　same　hurrahs！　　The　apotheosis　was　worthy　of　these　three
heroes　whom　fable　would　have　placed　in　the　rank　of　demigods。

And　now　will　this　attempt；　unprecedented　in　the　annals　of
travels；　lead　to　any　practical　result？　　Will　direct
communication　with　the　moon　ever　be　established？　　Will　they
ever　lay　the　foundation　of　a　traveling　service　through　the
solar　world？　　Will　they　go　from　one　planet　to　another；　from
Jupiter　to　Mercury；　and　after　awhile　from　one　star　to　another；
from　the　Polar　to　Sirius？　　Will　this　means　of　locomotion　allow
us　to　visit　those　suns　which　swarm　in　the　firmament？

To　such　questions　no　answer　can　be　given。　　But　knowing　the　bold
ingenuity　of　the　Anglo…Saxon　race；　no　one　would　be　astonished　if
the　Americans　seek　to　make　some　use　of　President　Barbicane's　attempt。

Thus；　some　time　after　the　return　of　the　travelers；　the　public
received　with　marked　favor　the　announcement　of　a　company；
limited；　with　a　capital　of　a　hundred　million　of　dollars；　divided
into　a　hundred　thousand　shares　of　a　thousand　dollars　each；　under
the　name　of　the　〃National　Company　of　Interstellary　Communication。〃
President；　Barbicane；　vice…president；　Captain　Nicholl；　secretary；
J。　T。　Maston；　director　of　movements；　Michel　Ardan。

And　as　it　is　part　of　the　American　temperament　to　foresee
everything　in　business；　even　failure；　the　Honorable　Harry
Trolloppe；　judge　commissioner；　and　Francis　Drayton；　magistrate；
were　nominated　beforehand！







The　End