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which it is animated； and which at this moment I cannot estimate。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Nicholl； 〃it will follow either a parabola or
a hyperbola。〃
〃Just so；〃 replied Barbicane。 〃With a certain speed it will
assume the parabola； and with a greater the hyperbola。〃
〃I like those grand words；〃 exclaimed Michel Ardan； 〃one knows
directly what they mean。 And pray what is your parabola； if
you please？〃
〃My friend；〃 answered the captain； 〃the parabola is a curve of
the second order； the result of the section of a cone
intersected by a plane parallel to one of the sides。〃
〃Ah！ ah！〃 said Michel； in a satisfied tone。
〃It is very nearly；〃 continued Nicholl； 〃the course described by
a bomb launched from a mortar。〃
〃Perfect！ And the hyperbola？〃
〃The hyperbola； Michel； is a curve of the second order； produced
by the intersection of a conic surface and a plane parallel to
its axis； and constitutes two branches separated one from the other；
both tending indefinitely in the two directions。〃
〃Is it possible！〃 exclaimed Michel Ardan in a serious tone； as
if they had told him of some serious event。 〃What I particularly
like in your definition of the hyperbola （I was going to say
hyperblague） is that it is still more obscure than the word you
pretend to define。〃
Nicholl and Barbicane cared little for Michel Ardan's fun。
They were deep in a scientific discussion。 What curve would
the projectile follow？ was their hobby。 One maintained the
hyperbola； the other the parabola。 They gave each other reasons
bristling with _x_。 Their arguments were couched in language
which made Michel jump。 The discussion was hot； and neither
would give up his chosen curve to his adversary。
This scientific dispute lasted so long that it made Michel
very impatient。
〃Now； gentlemen cosines； will you cease to throw parabolas and
hyperbolas at each other's heads？ I want to understand the only
interesting question in the whole affair。 We shall follow one
or the other of these curves？ Good。 But where will they lead
us to？〃
〃Nowhere；〃 replied Nicholl。
〃How； nowhere？〃
〃Evidently；〃 said Barbicane； 〃they are open curves； which may be
prolonged indefinitely。〃
〃Ah； savants！〃 cried Michel； 〃and what are either the one or the
other to us from the moment we know that they equally lead us
into infinite space？〃
Barbicane and Nicholl could not forbear smiling。 They had just
been creating 〃art for art's sake。〃 Never had so idle a question
been raised at such an inopportune moment。 The sinister truth
remained that； whether hyperbolically or parabolically borne away；
the projectile would never again meet either the earth or the moon。
What would become of these bold travelers in the immediate future？
If they did not die of hunger； if they did not die of thirst；
in some days； when the gas failed； they would die from want of air；
unless the cold had killed them first。 Still； important as it was
to economize the gas； the excessive lowness of the surrounding
temperature obliged them to consume a certain quantity。
Strictly speaking； they could do without its _light_； but not
without its _heat_。 Fortunately the caloric generated by Reiset's
and Regnaut's apparatus raised the temperature of the interior
of the projectile a little； and without much expenditure they
were able to keep it bearable。
But observations had now become very difficult。 the dampness of
the projectile was condensed on the windows and congealed immediately。
This cloudiness had to be dispersed continually。 In any case
they might hope to be able to discover some phenomena of the
highest interest。
But up to this time the disc remained dumb and dark。 It did not
answer the multiplicity of questions put by these ardent minds；
a matter which drew this reflection from Michel； apparently a
just one：
〃If ever we begin this journey over again； we shall do well to
choose the time when the moon is at the full。〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Nicholl； 〃that circumstance will be more favorable。
I allow that the moon； immersed in the sun's rays； will not be
visible during the transit； but instead we should see the earth；
which would be full。 And what is more； if we were drawn round the
moon； as at this moment； we should at least have the advantage of
seeing the invisible part of her disc magnificently lit。〃
〃Well said； Nicholl；〃 replied Michel Ardan。 〃What do you
think； Barbicane？〃
〃I think this；〃 answered the grave president： 〃If ever we begin
this journey again； we shall start at the same time and under
the same conditions。 Suppose we had attained our end； would it
not have been better to have found continents in broad daylight
than a country plunged in utter darkness？ Would not our first
installation have been made under better circumstances？
Yes； evidently。 As to the invisible side； we could have visited
it in our exploring expeditions on the lunar globe。 So that the
time of the full moon was well chosen。 But we ought to have
arrived at the end； and in order to have so arrived； we ought
to have suffered no deviation on the road。〃
〃I have nothing to say to that；〃 answered Michel Ardan。
〃Here is； however； a good opportunity lost of observing the
other side of the moon。〃
But the projectile was now describing in the shadow that
incalculable course which no sight…mark would allow them
to ascertain。 Had its direction been altered； either by the
influence of the lunar attraction； or by the action of some
unknown star？ Barbicane could not say。 But a change had taken
place in the relative position of the vehicle； and Barbicane
verified it about four in the morning。
The change consisted in this； that the base of the projectile
had turned toward the moon's surface； and was so held by a
perpendicular passing through its axis。 The attraction； that is
to say the weight； had brought about this alteration。 The heaviest
part of the projectile inclined toward the invisible disc as if it
would fall upon it。
Was it falling？ Were the travelers attaining that much desired end？
No。 And the observation of a sign…point； quite inexplicable in
itself； showed Barbicane that his projectile was not nearing the
moon； and that it had shifted by following an almost concentric curve。
This point of mark was a luminous brightness； which Nicholl
sighted suddenly； on the limit of the horizon formed by the
black disc。 This point could not be confounded with a star。
It was a reddish incandescence which increased by degrees； a
decided proof that the projectile was shifting toward it and
not falling normally on the surface of the moon。
〃A volcano！ it is a volcano in action！〃 cried Nicholl； 〃a
disemboweling of the interior fires of the moon！ That world is
not quite extinguished。〃
〃Yes； an eruption；〃 replied Barbicane； who was carefully
studying the phenomenon through his night glass。 〃What should
it be； if not a volcano？〃
〃But； then；〃 said Michel Ardan； 〃in order to maintain that
combustion； there must be air。 So the atmosphere does surround
that part of the moon。〃
〃Perhaps so；〃 replied Barbicane； 〃but not necessarily。
The volcano； by the decomposition of certain substances； can