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exist on the moon。 Hence the harshness of contrasts； which
only admit of two colors； black and white。 If a Selenite
were to shade his eyes from the sun's rays； the sky would seem
absolutely black； and the stars would shine to him as on the
darkest night。 Judge of the impression produced on Barbicane
and his three friends by this strange scene！ Their eyes
were confused。 They could no longer grasp the respective
distances of the different plains。 A lunar landscape without
the softening of the phenomena of _chiaro…oscuro_ could not be
rendered by an earthly landscape painter； it would be spots of
ink on a white page nothing more。
This aspect was not altered even when the projectile； at the
height of 80@； was only separated from the moon by a distance
of fifty miles； nor even when； at five in the morning； it
passed at less than twenty…five miles from the mountain of
Gioja； a distance reduced by the glasses to a quarter of a mile。
It seemed as if the moon might be touched by the hand！
It seemed impossible that； before long； the projectile would
not strike her； if only at the north pole； the brilliant arch
of which was so distinctly visible on the black sky。
Michel Ardan wanted to open one of the scuttles and throw
himself on to the moon's surface！ A very useless attempt； for
if the projectile could not attain any point whatever of the
satellite； Michel； carried along by its motion； could not attain
it either。
At that moment； at six o'clock； the lunar pole appeared。 The disc
only presented to the travelers' gaze one half brilliantly lit up；
while the other disappeared in the darkness。 Suddenly the
projectile passed the line of demarcation between intense light
and absolute darkness； and was plunged in profound night！
CHAPTER XIV
THE NIGHT OF THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY…FOUR HOURS AND A HALF
At the moment when this phenomenon took place so rapidly； the
projectile was skirting the moon's north pole at less than
twenty…five miles distance。 Some seconds had sufficed to plunge
it into the absolute darkness of space。 The transition was so
sudden； without shade； without gradation of light； without
attenuation of the luminous waves； that the orb seemed to have
been extinguished by a powerful blow。
〃Melted； disappeared！〃 Michel Ardan exclaimed； aghast。
Indeed； there was neither reflection nor shadow。 Nothing more
was to be seen of that disc； formerly so dazzling。 The darkness
was complete。 and rendered even more so by the rays from the stars。
It was 〃that blackness〃 in which the lunar nights are insteeped；
which last three hundred and fifty…four hours and a half at each
point of the disc； a long night resulting from the equality of
the translatory and rotary movements of the moon。 The projectile；
immerged in the conical shadow of the satellite； experienced the
action of the solar rays no more than any of its invisible points。
In the interior； the obscurity was complete。 They could not see
each other。 Hence the necessity of dispelling the darkness。
However desirous Barbicane might be to husband the gas； the
reserve of which was small； he was obliged to ask from it a
fictitious light； an expensive brilliancy which the sun then refused。
〃Devil take the radiant orb！〃 exclaimed Michel Ardan； 〃which
forces us to expend gas； instead of giving us his rays gratuitously。〃
〃Do not let us accuse the sun；〃 said Nicholl； 〃it is not his
fault； but that of the moon； which has come and placed herself
like a screen between us and it。〃
〃It is the sun！〃 continued Michel。
〃It is the moon！〃 retorted Nicholl。
An idle dispute； which Barbicane put an end to by saying：
〃My friends； it is neither the fault of the sun nor of the moon；
it is the fault of the _projectile_； which； instead of rigidly
following its course； has awkwardly missed it。 To be more just；
it is the fault of that unfortunate meteor which has so
deplorably altered our first direction。〃
〃Well；〃 replied Michel Ardan； 〃as the matter is settled； let us
have breakfast。 After a whole night of watching it is fair to
build ourselves up a little。〃
This proposal meeting with no contradiction； Michel prepared the
repast in a few minutes。 But they ate for eating's sake； they
drank without toasts； without hurrahs。 The bold travelers being
borne away into gloomy space； without their accustomed
_cortege_ of rays； felt a vague uneasiness in their hearts。
The 〃strange〃 shadow so dear to Victor Hugo's pen bound them on
all sides。 But they talked over the interminable night of three
hundred and fifty…four hours and a half； nearly fifteen days；
which the law of physics has imposed on the inhabitants of the moon。
Barbicane gave his friends some explanation of the causes and
the consequences of this curious phenomenon。
〃Curious indeed；〃 said they； 〃for； if each hemisphere of the
moon is deprived of solar light for fifteen days； that above
which we now float does not even enjoy during its long night any
view of the earth so beautifully lit up。 In a word she has no
moon （applying this designation to our globe） but on one side of
her disc。 Now if this were the case with the earth if； for
example； Europe never saw the moon； and she was only visible at
the antipodes； imagine to yourself the astonishment of a
European on arriving in Australia。〃
〃They would make the voyage for nothing but to see the moon！〃
replied Michel。
〃Very well！〃 continued Barbicane； 〃that astonishment is reserved
for the Selenites who inhabit the face of the moon opposite to
the earth； a face which is ever invisible to our countrymen of
the terrestrial globe。〃
〃And which we should have seen；〃 added Nicholl； 〃if we had arrived
here when the moon was new； that is to say fifteen days later。〃
〃I will add； to make amends；〃 continued Barbicane； 〃that the
inhabitants of the visible face are singularly favored by nature；
to the detriment of their brethren on the invisible face。
The latter； as you see； have dark nights of 354 hours； without
one single ray to break the darkness。 The other； on the contrary；
when the sun which has given its light for fifteen days sinks
below the horizon； see a splendid orb rise on the opposite horizon。
It is the earth； which is thirteen times greater than the
diminutive moon that we know the earth which developes itself
at a diameter of two degrees； and which sheds a light thirteen
times greater than that qualified by atmospheric strata the
earth which only disappears at the moment when the sun reappears
in its turn！〃
〃Nicely worded！〃 said Michel； 〃slightly academical perhaps。〃
〃It follows； then；〃 continued Barbicane； without knitting his
brows； 〃that the visible face of the disc must be very agreeable
to inhabit； since it always looks on either the sun when the
moon is full； or on the earth when the moon is new。〃
〃But；〃 said Nicholl； 〃that advantage must be well compensated by
the insupportable heat which the light brings with it。〃
〃The inconvenience； in that respect； is the same for the two
faces； for the earth's light is evidently deprived of heat。
But the invisible face is still more searched by the heat than
the visible face。 I say