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The three friends looked at each other with a disconcerted air。
It was quite an inexplicable phenomenon。 The projectile had
started； and consequently there must have been a detonation。
〃Let us first find out where we are；〃 said Barbicane； 〃and let
down this panel。〃
This very simple operation was soon accomplished。
The nuts which held the bolts to the outer plates of the
right…hand scuttle gave way under the pressure of the
English wrench。 These bolts were pushed outside； and the
buffers covered with India…rubber stopped up the holes which let
them through。 Immediately the outer plate fell back upon its
hinges like a porthole； and the lenticular glass which closed
the scuttle appeared。 A similar one was let into the thick
partition on the opposite side of the projectile； another in the
top of the dome； and finally a fourth in the middle of the base。
They could； therefore； make observations in four different
directions； the firmament by the side and most direct windows；
the earth or the moon by the upper and under openings in
the projectile。
Barbicane and his two companions immediately rushed to the
uncovered window。 But it was lit by no ray of light。
Profound darkness surrounded them； which； however； did not
prevent the president from exclaiming：
〃No； my friends； we have not fallen back upon the earth； no； nor
are we submerged in the Gulf of Mexico。 Yes！ we are mounting
into space。 See those stars shining in the night； and that
impenetrable darkness heaped up between the earth and us！〃
〃Hurrah！ hurrah！〃 exclaimed Michel Ardan and Nicholl in one voice。
Indeed； this thick darkness proved that the projectile had left
the earth； for the soil； brilliantly lit by the moon…beams would
have been visible to the travelers； if they had been lying on
its surface。 This darkness also showed that the projectile had
passed the atmospheric strata； for the diffused light spread in
the air would have been reflected on the metal walls； which
reflection was wanting。 This light would have lit the window；
and the window was dark。 Doubt was no longer possible； the
travelers had left the earth。
〃I have lost；〃 said Nicholl。
〃I congratulate you；〃 replied Ardan。
〃Here are the nine thousand dollars；〃 said the captain； drawing
a roll of paper dollars from his pocket。
〃Will you have a receipt for it？〃 asked Barbicane； taking the sum。
〃If you do not mind；〃 answered Nicholl； 〃it is more business…like。〃
And coolly and seriously； as if he had been at his strong…box；
the president drew forth his notebook； tore out a blank leaf；
wrote a proper receipt in pencil； dated and signed it with the
usual flourish； ＇1＇ and gave it to the captain； who carefully placed
it in his pocketbook。 Michel Ardan； taking off his hat； bowed to
his two companions without speaking。 So much formality under such
circumstances left him speechless。 He had never before seen
anything so 〃American。〃
＇1＇ This is a purely French habit。
This affair settled； Barbicane and Nicholl had returned to the
window； and were watching the constellations。 The stars looked
like bright points on the black sky。 But from that side they
could not see the orb of night； which； traveling from east to
west； would rise by degrees toward the zenith。 Its absence drew
the following remark from Ardan：
〃And the moon； will she perchance fail at our rendezvous？〃
〃Do not alarm yourself；〃 said Barbicane； 〃our future globe is at
its post； but we cannot see her from this side； let us open the other。〃
〃As Barbicane was about leaving the window to open the opposite
scuttle； his attention was attracted by the approach of a
brilliant object。 It was an enormous disc； whose colossal
dimension could not be estimated。 Its face； which was turned to
the earth； was very bright。 One might have thought it a small
moon reflecting the light of the large one。 She advanced with
great speed； and seemed to describe an orbit round the earth；
which would intersect the passage of the projectile。 This body
revolved upon its axis； and exhibited the phenomena of all
celestial bodies abandoned in space。
〃Ah！〃 exclaimed Michel Ardan； 〃What is that？ another projectile？〃
Barbicane did not answer。 The appearance of this enormous body
surprised and troubled him。 A collision was possible； and might
be attended with deplorable results； either the projectile would
deviate from its path； or a shock； breaking its impetus； might
precipitate it to earth； or； lastly； it might be irresistibly
drawn away by the powerful asteroid。 The president caught at a
glance the consequences of these three hypotheses； either of
which would； one way or the other； bring their experiment to an
unsuccessful and fatal termination。 His companions stood
silently looking into space。 The object grew rapidly as it
approached them； and by an optical illusion the projectile
seemed to be throwing itself before it。
〃By Jove！〃 exclaimed Michel Ardan； 〃we shall run into one another！〃
Instinctively the travelers drew back。 Their dread was great；
but it did not last many seconds。 The asteroid passed several
hundred yards from the projectile and disappeared； not so much
from the rapidity of its course； as that its face being opposite
the moon； it was suddenly merged into the perfect darkness of space。
〃A happy journey to you；〃 exclaimed Michel Ardan； with a sigh
of relief。 〃Surely infinity of space is large enough for a poor
little projectile to walk through without fear。 Now； what is
this portentous globe which nearly struck us？〃
〃I know；〃 replied Barbicane。
〃Oh； indeed！ you know everything。〃
〃It is；〃 said Barbicane； 〃a simple meteorite； but an enormous one；
which the attraction of the earth has retained as a satellite。〃
〃Is it possible！〃 exclaimed Michel Ardan； 〃the earth then has
two moons like Neptune？〃
〃Yes； my friends； two moons； though it passes generally for
having only one； but this second moon is so small； and its
speed so great； that the inhabitants of the earth cannot see it。
It was by noticing disturbances that a French astronomer； M。 Petit；
was able to determine the existence of this second satellite and
calculate its elements。 According to his observations； this
meteorite will accomplish its revolution around the earth in
three hours and twenty minutes； which implies a wonderful rate
of speed。〃
〃Do all astronomers admit the existence of this satellite？〃
asked Nicholl。
〃No；〃 replied Barbicane； 〃but if； like us； they had met it； they
could no longer doubt it。 Indeed； I think that this meteorite；
which； had it struck the projectile； would have much embarrassed
us； will give us the means of deciding what our position in
space is。〃
〃How？〃 said Ardan。
〃Because its distance is known； and when we met it； we were
exactly four thousand six hundred and fifty miles from the
surface of the terrestrial globe。〃
〃More than two thousand French leagues；〃 exclaimed Michel Ardan。
〃That beats the express trains of the pitiful globe called the earth。〃
〃I should think so；〃 replied Nicholl； consulting his
chronometer； 〃it is eleven o'clock； and it is only thirteen
minutes since we left the Am