round the moon-第4章
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that Barbicane recovered his senses。 He opened his eyes； sat up；
took his two friends by the hands； and his first words were
〃Nicholl； are we moving？〃
Nicholl and Ardan looked at each other； they had not yet
troubled themselves about the projectile； their first thought
had been for the traveler； not for the car。
〃Well； are we really moving？〃 repeated Michel Ardan。
〃Or quietly resting on the soil of Florida？〃 asked Nicholl。
〃Or at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico？〃 added Michel Ardan。
〃What an idea！〃 exclaimed the president。
And this double hypothesis suggested by his companions had the
effect of recalling him to his senses。 In any case they could
not decide on the position of the projectile。 Its apparent
immovability； and the want of communication with the outside；
prevented them from solving the question。 Perhaps the projectile
was unwinding its course through space。 Perhaps after a short
rise it had fallen upon the earth； or even in the Gulf of Mexico
a fall which the narrowness of the peninsula of Florida would
render not impossible。
The case was serious； the problem interesting； and one that must
be solved as soon as possible。 Thus； highly excited； Barbicane's
moral energy triumphed over physical weakness； and he rose to
his feet。 He listened。 Outside was perfect silence； but the
thick padding was enough to intercept all sounds coming from
the earth。 But one circumstance struck Barbicane； viz。； that
the temperature inside the projectile was singularly high。
The president drew a thermometer from its case and consulted it。
The instrument showed 81@ Fahr。
〃Yes；〃 he exclaimed； 〃yes； we are moving！ This stifling heat；
penetrating through the partitions of the projectile； is
produced by its friction on the atmospheric strata。 It will
soon diminish； because we are already floating in space； and
after having nearly stifled； we shall have to suffer intense cold。
〃What！〃 said Michel Ardan。 〃According to your showing； Barbicane；
we are already beyond the limits of the terrestrial atmosphere？〃
〃Without a doubt； Michel。 Listen to me。 It is fifty…five
minutes past ten； we have been gone about eight minutes； and if
our initiatory speed has not been checked by the friction； six
seconds would be enough for us to pass through the forty miles
of atmosphere which surrounds the globe。〃
〃Just so；〃 replied Nicholl； 〃but in what proportion do you
estimate the diminution of speed by friction？〃
〃In the proportion of one…third； Nicholl。 This diminution is
considerable； but according to my calculations it is nothing less。
If； then； we had an initiatory speed of 12；000 yards； on leaving
the atmosphere this speed would be reduced to 9；165 yards。 In any
case we have already passed through this interval； and〃
〃And then；〃 said Michel Ardan； 〃friend Nicholl has lost his two
bets： four thousand dollars because the Columbiad did not burst；
five thousand dollars because the projectile has risen more than
six miles。 Now； Nicholl； pay up。〃
〃Let us prove it first；〃 said the captain； 〃and we will
pay afterward。 It is quite possible that Barbicane's reasoning
is correct； and that I have lost my nine thousand dollars。 But a
new hypothesis presents itself to my mind； and it annuls the wager。〃
〃What is that？〃 asked Barbicane quickly。
〃The hypothesis that； for some reason or other； fire was never
set to the powder； and we have not started at all。〃
〃My goodness； captain；〃 exclaimed Michel Ardan； 〃that hypothesis
is not worthy of my brain！ It cannot be a serious one。 For have
we not been half annihilated by the shock？ Did I not recall you
to life？ Is not the president's shoulder still bleeding from the
blow it has received？〃
〃Granted；〃 replied Nicholl； 〃but one question。〃
〃Well； captain？〃
〃Did you hear the detonation； which certainly ought to be loud？〃
〃No；〃 replied Ardan； much surprised； 〃certainly I did not hear
the detonation。〃
〃And you； Barbicane？〃
〃Nor I； either。〃
〃Very well；〃 said Nicholl。
〃Well now；〃 murmured the president 〃why did we not hear the detonation？〃
The three friends looked at each other with a disconcerted air。
It was quite an inexplicable phenomenon。 The projectile had
started； and consequently there must have been a detonation。
〃Let us first find out where we are；〃 said Barbicane； 〃and let
down this panel。〃
This very simple operation was soon accomplished。
The nuts which held the bolts to the outer plates of the
right…hand scuttle gave way under the pressure of the
English wrench。 These bolts were pushed outside； and the
buffers covered with India…rubber stopped up the holes which let
them through。 Immediately the outer plate fell back upon its
hinges like a porthole； and the lenticular glass which closed
the scuttle appeared。 A similar one was let into the thick
partition on the opposite side of the projectile； another in the
top of the dome； and finally a fourth in the middle of the base。
They could； therefore； make observations in four different
directions； the firmament by the side and most direct windows；
the earth or the moon by the upper and under openings in
the projectile。
Barbicane and his two companions immediately rushed to the
uncovered window。 But it was lit by no ray of light。
Profound darkness surrounded them； which； however； did not
prevent the president from exclaiming：
〃No； my friends； we have not fallen back upon the earth； no； nor
are we submerged in the Gulf of Mexico。 Yes！ we are mounting
into space。 See those stars shining in the night； and that
impenetrable darkness heaped up between the earth and us！〃
〃Hurrah！ hurrah！〃 exclaimed Michel Ardan and Nicholl in one voice。
Indeed； this thick darkness proved that the projectile had left
the earth； for the soil； brilliantly lit by the moon…beams would
have been visible to the travelers； if they had been lying on
its surface。 This darkness also showed that the projectile had
passed the atmospheric strata； for the diffused light spread in
the air would have been reflected on the metal walls； which
reflection was wanting。 This light would have lit the window；
and the window was dark。 Doubt was no longer possible； the
travelers had left the earth。
〃I have lost；〃 said Nicholl。
〃I congratulate you；〃 replied Ardan。
〃Here are the nine thousand dollars；〃 said the captain； drawing
a roll of paper dollars from his pocket。
〃Will you have a receipt for it？〃 asked Barbicane； taking the sum。
〃If you do not mind；〃 answered Nicholl； 〃it is more business…like。〃
And coolly and seriously； as if he had been at his strong…box；
the president drew forth his notebook； tore out a blank leaf；
wrote a proper receipt in pencil； dated and signed it with the
usual flourish； ＇1＇ and gave it to the captain； who carefully placed
it in his pocketbook。 Michel Ardan； taking off his hat； bowed to
his two companions without speaking。 So much formality under such
circumstances left him speechless。 He had never before seen
anything so 〃American。〃
＇1＇ This is a purely French habit。
This affair settled； Barbicane and Nicholl had returned to the
window； and were watching the constellations。 The stars looked
like bright points on the black sky。 But from that side they
could not see the orb of night； which； traveling from east to
west； would rise by degrees toward the zenith。 Its absence drew
the following remark from Ardan：
〃And the moon； will she perchance fail at our rendezvous？〃
〃Do not alarm yourself；〃 said Barbicane； 〃our future globe is at
its post； but we cannot see her from this side； let us open the other。〃
〃As Barbicane was about leaving the window to open the opposite
scuttle； his attention was attracted by the approach of a
brilliant object。 It was an enormous disc； whose colossal
dimension could not be estimated。 Its face； which was turned to
the earth； was very bright。 One might have thought it a small
moon reflecting the light of the large one。 She advanced with
great speed； and seemed to describe an orbit round the earth；
which would intersect the passage of the projectile。 This body
revolved upon its axis； and exhibited the phenomena of all
cele
