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certain denizens of the seas maintain life at enormous depths, and there
support a pressure equal to that of fifty or sixty atmospheres without being
crushed; that several aquatic insects, insensible to temperature, are met with
equally among boiling springs and in the frozen plains of the
Polar Sea; in fine, that we cannot help recognizing in nature a diversity of
means of operation oftentimes incomprehensible, but not the less real. If I
were a chemist, I would tell him that the aerolites, bodies evidently formed
exteriorly of our terrestrial globe, have, upon analysis, revealed
indisputable traces of carbon, a substance which owes its origin solely to
organized beings, and which, according to the experiments of
Reichenbach, must necessarily itself have been endued with animation. And
lastly, were I a theologian, I would tell him that the scheme of the Divine
Redemption, according to St. Paul, seems to be applicable, not merely to the
earth, but to all the celestial worlds. But, unfortunately, I am neither
theologian, nor chemist, nor naturalist, nor philosopher; therefore, in my
absolute ignorance of the great laws which govern the universe, I confine
myself to saying in reply, `I do not know whether the worlds are inhabited or
not: and since I do not know, I am going to see!'"
Whether Michel Ardan's antagonist hazarded any further arguments or not it is
impossible to say, for the uproarious shouts of the crowd would not allow any
expression of opinion to gain a hearing.
On silence being restored, the triumphant orator contented himself with adding
the following remarks:
"Gentlemen, you will observe that I have but slightly touched upon this great
question. There is another altogether different line of argument in favor of
the habitability of the stars, which I omit for the present. I only desire to
call attention to one point. To those who maintain that the planets are _not_
inhabited one may reply: You might be perfectly in the right, if you could
only show that the earth is the best possible
FROM EARTH TO THE MOON
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world, in spite of what Voltaire has said. She has but _one_
satellite, while Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn, Neptune have each several, an
advantage by no means to be despised. But that which renders our own globe so
uncomfortable is the inclination of its axis to the plane of its orbit. Hence
the inequality of days and nights; hence the disagreeable diversity of the
seasons.
On the surface of our unhappy spheroid we are always either too hot or too
cold; we are frozen in winter, broiled in summer;
it is the planet of rheumatism, coughs, bronchitis; while on the surface of
Jupiter, for example, where the axis is but slightly inclined, the inhabitants
may enjoy uniform temperatures.
It possesses zones of perpetual springs, summers, autumns, and winters; every
Jovian may choose for himself what climate he likes, and there spend the whole
of his life in security from all variations of temperature. You will, I am
sure, readily admit this superiority of Jupiter over our own planet, to say
nothing of his years, which each equal twelve of ours!
Under such auspices and such marvelous conditions of existence, it appears to
me that the inhabitants of so fortunate a world must be in every respect
superior to ourselves. All we require, in order to attain such perfection, is
the mere trifle of having an axis of rotation less inclined to the plane of
its orbit!"
"Hurrah!" roared an energetic voice, "let us unite our efforts, invent the
necessary machines, and rectify the earth's axis!"
A thunder of applause followed this proposal, the author of which was, of
course, no other than J. T. Maston. And, in all probability, if the truth
must be told, if the Yankees could only have found a point of application for
it, they would have constructed a lever capable of raising the earth and
rectifying its axis. It was just this deficiency which baffled these daring
mechanicians.
CHAPTER XX
ATTACK AND RIPOSTE
As soon as the excitement had subsided, the following words were heard uttered
in a strong and determined voice:
"Now that the speaker has favored us with so much imagination, would he be so
good as to return to his subject, and give us a little practical view of the
question?"
All eyes were directed toward the person who spoke. He was a little dried-up
man, of an active figure, with an American
"goatee" beard. Profiting by the different movements in the crowd, he had
managed by degrees to gain the front row of spectators.
There, with arms crossed and stern gaze, he watched the hero of the meeting.
After having put his question he remained silent,
FROM EARTH TO THE MOON
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and appeared to take no notice of the thousands of looks directed toward
himself, nor of the murmur of disapprobation excited by his words. Meeting at
first with no reply, he repeated his question with marked emphasis, adding,
"We are here to talk about the _moon_ and not about the _earth_."
"You are right, sir," replied Michel Ardan; "the discussion has become
irregular. We will return to the moon."
"Sir," said the unknown, "you pretend that our satellite is inhabited.
Very good, but if Selenites do exist, that race of beings assuredly must live
without breathing, for-- I warn you for your own sake--
there is not the smallest particle of air on the surface of the moon."
At this remark Ardan pushed up his shock of red hair; he saw that he was on
the point of being involved in a struggle with this person upon the very gist
of the whole question. He looked sternly at him in his turn and said:
"Oh! so there is no air in the moon? And pray, if you are so good, who
ventures to affirm that?
"The men of science."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Sir," replied Michel, "pleasantry apart, I have a profound respect for men of
science who do possess science, but a profound contempt for men of science who
do not."
"Do you know any who belong to the latter category?" [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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