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Observatory； but the Cambridge Observatory had nevertheless made
a mistake。
The travelers； recovered from this false alarm； breakfasted merrily。
If they ate a good deal； they talked more。 Their confidence was
greater after than before 〃the incident of the algebra。〃
〃Why should we not succeed？〃 said Michel Ardan； 〃why should we
not arrive safely？ We are launched； we have no obstacle before
us； no stones in the way； the road is open； more so than that of
a ship battling with the sea； more open than that of a balloon
battling with the wind； and if a ship can reach its destination；
a balloon go where it pleases； why cannot our projectile attain
its end and aim？〃
〃It _will_ attain it；〃 said Barbicane。
〃If only to do honor to the Americans；〃 added Michel Ardan； 〃the
only people who could bring such an enterprise to a happy termination；
and the only one which could produce a President Barbicane。 Ah； now
we are no longer uneasy； I begin to think； What will become of us？
We shall get right royally weary。〃
Barbicane and Nicholl made a gesture of denial。
〃But I have provided for the contingency； my friends；〃 replied
Michel； 〃you have only to speak； and I have chess； draughts；
cards； and dominoes at your disposal； nothing is wanting but a
billiard…table。〃
〃What！〃 exclaimed Barbicane； 〃you brought away such trifles？〃
〃Certainly；〃 replied Michel； 〃and not only to distract
ourselves； but also with the laudable intention of endowing the
Selenite smoking divans with them。〃
〃My friend；〃 said Barbicane； 〃if the moon is inhabited； its
inhabitants must have appeared some thousands of years before
those of the earth； for we cannot doubt that their star is much
older than ours。 If then these Selenites have existed their
hundreds of thousands of years； and if their brain is of the same
organization of the human brain； they have already invented all
that we have invented； and even what we may invent in future ages。
They have nothing to learn from _us_； and we have everything to
learn from _them_。〃
〃What！〃 said Michel； 〃you believe that they have artists like
Phidias； Michael Angelo； or Raphael？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Poets like Homer； Virgil； Milton； Lamartine； and Hugo？〃
〃I am sure of it。〃
〃Philosophers like Plato； Aristotle； Descartes； Kant？〃
〃I have no doubt of it。〃
〃Scientific men like Archimedes； Euclid； Pascal； Newton？〃
〃I could swear it。〃
〃Comic writers like Arnal； and photographers like like Nadar？〃
〃Certain。〃
〃Then； friend Barbicane； if they are as strong as we are； and
even stronger these Selenites why have they not tried to
communicate with the earth？ why have they not launched a lunar
projectile to our terrestrial regions？〃
〃Who told you that they have never done so？〃 said Barbicane seriously。
〃Indeed；〃 added Nicholl； 〃it would be easier for them than for
us； for two reasons； first； because the attraction on the moon's
surface is six times less than on that of the earth； which would
allow a projectile to rise more easily； secondly； because it
would be enough to send such a projectile only at 8；000 leagues
instead of 80；000； which would require the force of projection
to be ten times less strong。〃
〃Then；〃 continued Michel； 〃I repeat it； why have they not done it？〃
〃And I repeat；〃 said Barbicane； 〃who told you that they have not
done it？〃
〃When？〃
〃Thousands of years before man appeared on earth。〃
〃And the projectile where is the projectile？ I demand to see
the projectile。〃
〃My friend；〃 replied Barbicane； 〃the sea covers five…sixths of
our globe。 From that we may draw five good reasons for
supposing that the lunar projectile； if ever launched； is now at
the bottom of the Atlantic or the Pacific； unless it sped into
some crevasse at that period when the crust of the earth was not
yet hardened。〃
〃Old Barbicane；〃 said Michel； 〃you have an answer for
everything； and I bow before your wisdom。 But there is one
hypothesis that would suit me better than all the others； which
is； the Selenites； being older than we； are wiser； and have not
invented gunpowder。〃
At this moment Diana joined in the conversation by a sonorous barking。
She was asking for her breakfast。
〃Ah！〃 said Michel Ardan； 〃in our discussion we have forgotten
Diana and Satellite。〃
Immediately a good…sized pie was given to the dog； which
devoured it hungrily。
〃Do you see； Barbicane；〃 said Michel； 〃we should have made a
second Noah's ark of this projectile； and borne with us to the
moon a couple of every kind of domestic animal。〃
〃I dare say； but room would have failed us。〃
〃Oh！〃 said Michel； 〃we might have squeezed a little。〃
〃The fact is；〃 replied Nicholl； 〃that cows； bulls； and horses；
and all ruminants； would have been very useful on the lunar
continent； but unfortunately the car could neither have been
made a stable nor a shed。〃
〃Well； we might have at least brought a donkey； only a little
donkey； that courageous beast which old Silenus loved to mount。
I love those old donkeys； they are the least favored animals in
creation； they are not only beaten while alive； but even after
they are dead。〃
〃How do you make that out？〃 asked Barbicane。 〃Why；〃 said
Michel； 〃they make their skins into drums。〃
Barbicane and Nicholl could not help laughing at this ridiculous remark。
But a cry from their merry companion stopped them。 The latter was
leaning over the spot where Satellite lay。 He rose； saying：
〃My good Satellite is no longer ill。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Nicholl。
〃No；〃 answered Michel； 〃he is dead！ There；〃 added he； in a
piteous tone； 〃that is embarrassing。 I much fear； my poor
Diana； that you will leave no progeny in the lunar regions！〃
Indeed the unfortunate Satellite had not survived its wound。
It was quite dead。 Michel Ardan looked at his friends with a
rueful countenance。
〃One question presents itself；〃 said Barbicane。 〃We cannot keep
the dead body of this dog with us for the next forty…eight hours。〃
〃No！ certainly not；〃 replied Nicholl； 〃but our scuttles are
fixed on hinges； they can be let down。 We will open one； and
throw the body out into space。〃
The president thought for some moments； and then said：
〃Yes； we must do so； but at the same time taking very great precautions。〃
〃Why？〃 asked Michel。
〃For two reasons which you will understand；〃 answered Barbicane。
〃The first relates to the air shut up in the projectile； and of
which we must lose as little as possible。〃
〃But we manufacture the air？〃
〃Only in part。 We make only the oxygen； my worthy Michel； and
with regard to that； we must watch that the apparatus does not
furnish the oxygen in too great a quantity； for an excess would
bring us very serious physiological troubles。 But if we make
the oxygen； we do not make the azote； that medium which the
lungs do not absorb； and which ought to remain intact； and that
azote will escape rapidly through the open scuttles。〃
〃Oh！ the time for throwing out poor Satellite？〃 said Michel。
〃Agreed； but we must act quickly。〃
〃And the second reason？〃 asked Michel。
〃The second reason is that we must not let the outer cold； which
is excessive； penetrate the projectile or we shall