登陆注册
4716400000040

第40章

Laussedat, in watching the eclipse of July 18, 1860, probed that the horns of the lunar crescent were rounded and truncated.

Now, this appearance could only have been produced by a deviation of the solar rays in traversing the atmosphere of the moon. There is no other possible explanation of the facts.""But is this established as a fact?"

"Absolutely certain!"

A counter-movement here took place in favor of the hero of the meeting, whose opponent was now reduced to silence. Ardan resumed the conversation; and without exhibiting any exultation at the advantage he had gained, simply said:

"You see, then, my dear sir, we must not pronounce with absolute positiveness against the existence of an atmosphere in the moon.

That atmosphere is, probably, of extreme rarity; nevertheless at the present day science generally admits that it exists.""Not in the mountains, at all events," returned the unknown, unwilling to give in.

"No! but at the bottom of the valleys, and not exceeding a few hundred feet in height.""In any case you will do well to take every precaution, for the air will be terribly rarified.""My good sir, there will always be enough for a solitary individual; besides, once arrived up there, I shall do my best to economize, and not to breathe except on grand occasions!"A tremendous roar of laughter rang in the ears of the mysterious interlocutor, who glared fiercely round upon the assembly.

"Then," continued Ardan, with a careless air, "since we are in accord regarding the presence of a certain atmosphere, we are forced to admit the presence of a certain quantity of water.

This is a happy consequence for me. Moreover, my amiable contradictor, permit me to submit to you one further observation.

We only know _one_ side of the moon's disc; and if there is but little air on the face presented to us, it is possible that there is plenty on the one turned away from us.""And for what reason?"

"Because the moon, under the action of the earth's attraction, has assumed the form of an egg, which we look at from the smaller end. Hence it follows, by Hausen's calculations, that its center of gravity is situated in the other hemisphere.

Hence it results that the great mass of air and water must have been drawn away to the other face of our satellite during the first days of its creation.""Pure fancies!" cried the unknown.

"No! Pure theories! which are based upon the laws of mechanics, and it seems difficult to me to refute them. I appeal then to this meeting, and I put it to them whether life, such as exists upon the earth, is possible on the surface of the moon?"Three hundred thousand auditors at once applauded the proposition.

Ardan's opponent tried to get in another word, but he could not obtain a hearing. Cries and menaces fell upon him like hail.

"Enough! enough!" cried some.

"Drive the intruder off!" shouted others.

"Turn him out!" roared the exasperated crowd.

But he, holding firmly on to the platform, did not budge an inch, and let the storm pass on, which would soon have assumed formidable proportions, if Michel Ardan had not quieted it by a gesture. He was too chivalrous to abandon his opponent in an apparent extremity.

"You wished to say a few more words?" he asked, in a pleasant voice.

"Yes, a thousand; or rather, no, only one! If you persevere in your enterprise, you must be a----""Very rash person! How can you treat me as such? me, who have demanded a cylindro-conical projectile, in order to prevent turning round and round on my way like a squirrel?""But, unhappy man, the dreadful recoil will smash you to pieces at your starting.""My dear contradictor, you have just put your finger upon the true and only difficulty; nevertheless, I have too good an opinion of the industrial genius of the Americans not to believe that they will succeed in overcoming it.""But the heat developed by the rapidity of the projectile in crossing the strata of air?""Oh! the walls are thick, and I shall soon have crossed the atmosphere.""But victuals and water?"

"I have calculated for a twelvemonth's supply, and I shall be only four days on the journey.""But for air to breathe on the road?"

"I shall make it by a chemical process."

同类推荐
  • 羽族单

    羽族单

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 养生肤语

    养生肤语

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 台湾资料清仁宗实录选辑

    台湾资料清仁宗实录选辑

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说十地经卷第一

    佛说十地经卷第一

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 伤寒论翼

    伤寒论翼

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • New Burlesques

    New Burlesques

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 快穿之愿羽君老

    快穿之愿羽君老

    时空管理局,专门为各种人化解心中怨气与不满,当然也有愿望。女主则穿越于各个平行世界,实现他人愿望!
  • 曼徒

    曼徒

    传奇之下,曼巴门徒。陈依这一生最幸运的事情,除了受父母之恩降生于世外,大概就是在那个夏天遇到了那个莫名愿意教自己打球的人。那个人授他以球技,教他以处世。从他踏着同样的轨迹走入NBA的那一刻起,他便谨记——他是门徒,黑曼巴的门徒。
  • 夏见不钟情

    夏见不钟情

    白夏夏不信一见钟情,也不信日久生情,却信那个名叫沈宇卿的人带给她的不朽时光,比一见钟情更浪漫,比日久生情更深刻。沈宇卿冷心冷情惯了,他从没想过,会有一个小东西住进他心里,她很清冷但很软,她会柔柔的笑,让他的心特别痒。无意之中的惊鸿一瞥,他就知道,他逃不掉了。
  • 自信自强的故事(崇尚品德的故事)

    自信自强的故事(崇尚品德的故事)

    美德是“1”,任何名誉、财富等都是“0”,只有写好了前面的“1”,后面才可以有无数个“0”,否则一切都只是“0”。植根于爱的土壤,吸取古今中外伟大先贤的美德智慧,致力于帮助父母、老师和儿童,为中国培育有品格的下一代而努力。
  • 英雄的晨曦

    英雄的晨曦

    他们不知道千军万马,他们只知道兄弟成千上百。他们不知道政局奸诈,他们只知道忠魂可以报国!这就是英雄,可以挑战神的英雄!
  • 腹黑病王宠毒妃

    腹黑病王宠毒妃

    她是镇国公唯一的嫡女也是京城贵族人人皆知的傻子,每天只懂得追着秦王说要成亲,疯疯癫癫,痴痴傻傻。无意中让秦王错手杀死。再次睁开眼睛浑浊褪去,寒光乍现,满脸孤傲。她是二十一世纪的特工军医,为了任务英勇牺牲,灵魂却落入了傻女初夏的身体。丞相府里每个人都为了自己的利益各怀鬼胎,阴险自私,既然初夏已经重生岂是要你们任意欺凌的。既然你们要陷害我,我就让你们生不如死。他是京城里最大的扫把星,废物王爷残疾重病缠身,南江之战失去父亲和未婚妻一夜之间满头白发,年仅十六岁的他一身缟素,身染剧毒,硬是挑起天朝防线的防守,重建风云骑,军医已经告知他还有一年的寿命,一道诏书。痴傻嫡女嫁给了废物王爷,人人耻笑,无不笑谈,红帕下她美目含笑,心如磐石。喜堂上他满头银发,嘴角含笑,心冷如冰,笑看那些侮辱耻笑他的人。深宫后院,斗继母,斗姐妹,为保病榻将死的丈夫,她都斗太子,斗姑嫂,斗奸臣,步步为营,只为自己能有一份安稳的家。只是自己的丈夫不是快有一年要死了吗,怎么现在看着身体强健,虎虎生风,初夏这才发现自己的丈夫是一只披着猪皮的纸老虎,被他吃的死死的。本文男女都强,男女互宠,一对一。求收藏,收藏就是我的动力,大家收藏啊
  • 区块链修仙

    区块链修仙

    被虚拟币当韭菜割的陈洪荒积蓄了一股怨气,魂穿后获得区块链修仙系统,开挂人生,由挖矿开始!新书《我是蜉蝣》发布,多捧场!
  • 学校体育文化论

    学校体育文化论

    本书以文化为大背景,从体育文化的视角,论述了体育文化内涵,外延,要素特征,物质形态,精神形态,价值功能,建设与管理等多方面的问题。
  • 《中华人民共和国公司法》释义及实用指南

    《中华人民共和国公司法》释义及实用指南

    本书有参与《中华人民共和国公司法》立法的同志撰写,逐条对证券法的立法背景、立法旨意、发条内涵、实务中怎样适用均进行了深刻的阐述。为广大读者更设刻的理解立法原意,在法条解释后将全国人大的立法文件特浮起后,同时还附上了近年来相关的重要的司法解释。 本书的体例为三部分:第一部分:释义及实用指南;第二部分:法律文本及立法文件;第三部分:相关司法解释。