round the moon-第7章

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the　sun；　the　earth；　and　the　moon；　are　all　in　one　and　the　same
straight　line。　　Then　the　_nodes_　coincide　with　the　_phases_　of
the　moon；　and　there　is　an　eclipse。　　If　we　had　started　when　there
was　an　eclipse　of　the　moon；　all　our　passage　would　have　been　in
the　shadow；　which　would　have　been　a　pity。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because；　though　we　are　floating　in　space；　our　projectile；
bathed　in　the　solar　rays；　will　receive　light　and　heat。
It　economizes　the　gas；　which　is　in　every　respect　a　good　economy。〃

Indeed；　under　these　rays　which　no　atmosphere　can　temper；　either
in　temperature　or　brilliancy；　the　projectile　grew　warm　and
bright；　as　if　it　had　passed　suddenly　from　winter　to　summer。
The　moon　above；　the　sun　beneath；　were　inundating　it　with　their　fire。

〃It　is　pleasant　here；〃　said　Nicholl。

〃I　should　think　so；〃　said　Michel　Ardan。　　〃With　a　little　earth
spread　on　our　aluminum　planet　we　should　have　green　peas　in
twenty…four　hours。　　I　have　but　one　fear；　which　is　that　the
walls　of　the　projectile　might　melt。〃

〃Calm　yourself；　my　worthy　friend；〃　replied　Barbicane；　〃the
projectile　withstood　a　very　much　higher　temperature　than　this　as
it　slid　through　the　strata　of　the　atmosphere。　　I　should　not　be
surprised　if　it　did　not　look　like　a　meteor　on　fire　to　the　eyes
of　the　spectators　in　Florida。〃

〃But　then　J。　T。　Maston　will　think　we　are　roasted！〃

〃What　astonishes　me；〃　said　Barbicane；　〃is　that　we　have　not　been。
That　was　a　danger　we　had　not　provided　for。〃

〃I　feared　it；〃　said　Nicholl　simply。

〃And　you　never　mentioned　it；　my　sublime　captain；〃　exclaimed
Michel　Ardan；　clasping　his　friend's　hand。

Barbicane　now　began　to　settle　himself　in　the　projectile　as　if　he
was　never　to　leave　it。　　One　must　remember　that　this　aerial　car
had　a　base　with　a　_superficies_　of　fifty…four　square　feet。
Its　height　to　the　roof　was　twelve　feet。　　Carefully　laid　out　in
the　inside；　and　little　encumbered　by　instruments　and　traveling
utensils；　which　each　had　their　particular　place；　it　left　the
three　travelers　a　certain　freedom　of　movement。　　The　thick　window
inserted　in　the　bottom　could　bear　any　amount　of　weight；　and
Barbicane　and　his　companions　walked　upon　it　as　if　it　were　solid
plank；　but　the　sun　striking　it　directly　with　its　rays　lit　the
interior　of　the　projectile　from　beneath；　thus　producing　singular
effects　of　light。

They　began　by　investigating　the　state　of　their　store　of　water
and　provisions；　neither　of　which　had　suffered；　thanks　to　the
care　taken　to　deaden　the　shock。　　Their　provisions　were　abundant；
and　plentiful　enough　to　last　the　three　travelers　for　more　than
a　year。　　Barbicane　wished　to　be　cautious；　in　case　the　projectile
should　land　on　a　part　of　the　moon　which　was　utterly　barren。
As　to　water　and　the　reserve　of　brandy；　which　consisted　of　fifty
gallons；　there　was　only　enough　for　two　months；　but　according　to
the　last　observations　of　astronomers；　the　moon　had　a　low；　dense；
and　thick　atmosphere；　at　least　in　the　deep　valleys；　and　there
springs　and　streams　could　not　fail。　　Thus；　during　their　passage；
and　for　the　first　year　of　their　settlement　on　the　lunar
continent；　these　adventurous　explorers　would　suffer　neither
hunger　nor　thirst。

Now　about　the　air　in　the　projectile。　　There；　too；　they　were　secure。
Reiset　and　Regnaut's　apparatus；　intended　for　the　production　of
oxygen；　was　supplied　with　chlorate　of　potassium　for　two　months。
They　necessarily　consumed　a　certain　quantity　of　gas；　for　they
were　obliged　to　keep　the　producing　substance　at　a　temperature
of　above　400@。　　But　there　again　they　were　all　safe。　　The　apparatus
only　wanted　a　little　care。　　But　it　was　not　enough　to　renew　the
oxygen；　they　must　absorb　the　carbonic　acid　produced　by　expiration。
During　the　last　twelve　hours　the　atmosphere　of　the　projectile　had
become　charged　with　this　deleterious　gas。　　Nicholl　discovered
the　state　of　the　air　by　observing　Diana　panting　painfully。
The　carbonic　acid；　by　a　phenomenon　similar　to　that　produced　in
the　famous　Grotto　del　Cane；　had　collected　at　the　bottom　of　the
projectile　owing　to　its　weight。　　Poor　Diana；　with　her　head　low；
would　suffer　before　her　masters　from　the　presence　of　this　gas。
But　Captain　Nicholl　hastened　to　remedy　this　state　of　things；
by　placing　on　the　floor　several　receivers　containing　caustic
potash；　which　he　shook　about　for　a　time；　and　this　substance；
greedy　of　carbonic　acid；　soon　completely　absorbed　it；　thus
purifying　the　air。

An　inventory　of　instruments　was　then　begun。　　The　thermometers
and　barometers　had　resisted；　all　but　one　minimum　thermometer；
the　glass　of　which　was　broken。　　An　excellent　aneroid　was　drawn
from　the　wadded　box　which　contained　it　and　hung　on　the　wall。
Of　course　it　was　only　affected　by　and　marked　the　pressure　of　the
air　inside　the　projectile；　but　it　also　showed　the　quantity　of
moisture　which　it　contained。　　At　that　moment　its　needle
oscillated　between　25。24　and　25。08。

It　was　fine　weather。

Barbicane　had　also　brought　several　compasses；　which　he　found　intact。
One　must　understand　that　under　present　conditions　their　needles
were　acting　_wildly_；　that　is　without　any　_constant_　direction。
Indeed；　at　the　distance　they　were　from　the　earth；　the　magnetic
pole　could　have　no　perceptible　action　upon　the　apparatus；　but
the　box　placed　on　the　lunar　disc　might　perhaps　exhibit　some
strange　phenomena。　　In　any　case　it　would　be　interesting　to　see
whether　the　earth's　satellite　submitted　like　herself　to　its
magnetic　influence。

A　hypsometer　to　measure　the　height　of　the　lunar　mountains；　a
sextant　to　take　the　height　of　the　sun；　glasses　which　would　be
useful　as　they　neared　the　moon；　all　these　instruments　were
carefully　looked　over；　and　pronounced　good　in　spite　of　the
violent　shock。

As　to　the　pickaxes　and　different　tools　which　were　Nicholl's
especial　choice；　as　to　the　sacks　of　different　kinds　of　grain　and
shrubs　which　Michel　Ardan　hoped　to　transplant　into　Selenite
ground；　they　were　stowed　away　in　the　upper　part　of　the　projectile。
There　was　a　sort　of　granary　there；　loaded　with　things　which　the
extravagant　Frenchman　had　heaped　up。　　What　they　were　no　one　knew；
and　the　good…tempered　fellow　did　not　explain。　　Now　and　then　he
climbed　up　by　cramp…irons　riveted　to　the　walls；　but　kept　the
inspection　to　himself。　　He　arranged　and　rearranged；　he　plunged
his　hand　rapidly　into　certain　mysterious　boxes；　singing　in　one
of　the　falsest　of　voices　an　old　French　refrain　to　enliven
the　situation。

Barbicane　observed　with　some　interest　that　his　guns　and　other
arms　had　not　been　damaged。　　These　were　important；　because；
heavily　loaded；　they　were　to　help　lessen　the　fall　of　the
projectile；　when　drawn　by　the　lunar　attraction　（after　having
passed　the　point　of　neutral　attraction）　on　to　the　moon's
surface；　a　fall　which　ought　to　be　six　times　less　rapid　than　it
would　have　been　on　the　earth's　surface；　thanks　to　the　difference
of　bulk。　　The　inspection　ended　with　general　satisfaction；　when
each　returned　to　watch　space　through　the　side　windows　and　the
lower　glass　coverlid。

There　was　the　same　view。　　The　whole　extent　of　the　celestial
sphere　swarmed　with　stars　and　constellations　of　wonderful
purity；　enough　to　drive　an　astronomer　out　of　his　mind！　　On　one
side　the　sun；　like　the　mouth　of　a　lighted　oven；　a　dazzling　disc
without　a　halo；　standing　out　on　the　dark　background　of　the　sky！
On　the　other；　the　moon　returning　its　fire　by　reflection；　and
apparently　motionless　in　the　midst　of　the　starry　world。　　Then；　a
large　spot　seemingly　nailed　to　the　firmament；　bordered　by　a
silvery　cord；　it　was　the　earth！　　Here　and　there　nebulous　masses
like　large　flakes　of　starry　snow；　and　from　the　zenith　to　the　nadir；
an　immense　ring　formed　by　an　impalpable　dust　of　stars；　the　〃Milky
Way；〃　in　the　midst　of　which　the　sun　ranks　only　as　a　star　of　the
fourth　magnitude。　　The　observers　could　not　take　their　eyes　from
this　novel　spectacle；　of　which　no　description　could　give　an
adequate　idea。　　What　reflections　it　suggested！　　What　emotions
hitherto　unknown　awoke　in　their　souls！　　Barbicane　wished　to　begin
the　relation　of　his　journey　while　under　its　first　impressions；
and　hour　after　hour　took　notes　of　all　facts　happening　in　the
beginning　of　the　enterprise。　　He　wrote　quietly；　with　his　large
square　writing；　in　a　business…like　style。

Dur