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Divisions and multiplications grew under his fingers. Barbicane followed him with his eyes, whilst Michel Ardan compressed a coming headache with his two hands. "Well, what do you make it?" asked Barbicane after several minutes' silence. "I make it 11,051 metres in the first second." "What do you say?" said Barbicane, starting. "Eleven thousand and fifty-one metres."
The three friends looked at each other silently. There was no thought of breakfast. Barbicane, with clenched teeth, knitted brows, and hands clasped convulsively, was watching through the window. Nicholl had crossed his arms, and was examining his calculations. Michel Ardan was muttering: "That is just like these scientific men: they never do anything else.
Scattered groups of inquirers at length condensed themselves into a compact crowd, which made straight for the residence of President Barbicane. That worthy individual was keeping quiet with the intention of watching events as they arose.
From that day forward Impey Barbicane became one of the greatest citizens of the United States, a kind of Washington of science. A single trait of feeling, taken from many others, will serve to show the point which this homage of a whole people to a single individual attained.
The mercury would have frozen in its cup, for it does not keep liquid below 44° below zero. But Barbicane had provided himself with a spirit thermometer, on the Walferdin system, which gives the minima of excessively low temperature. Before beginning the experiment this instrument was compared with an ordinary thermometer, and Barbicane prepared to employ it.
When the bullet starts it will not much matter whether we are inside or in front." "If it comes to 'not much matter' I am more reassured," answered Michel Ardan. "Do you approve of my idea, Nicholl?" asked Barbicane. "Entirely," answered the captain. "Still thirteen minutes and a-half." "Nicholl is not a man," exclaimed Michel; "he is a chronometer marking the seconds, and with eight holes in "
The chances were in favor of the travelers. If its speed was utterly annulled on this dead point, a decided movement toward the moon would suffice, however slight, to determine its fall. "Five minutes to one," said Nicholl. "All is ready," replied Michel Ardan, directing a lighted match to the flame of the gas. "Wait!" said Barbicane, holding his chronometer in his hand.
Still, Barbicane was a long time coming to himself, which frightened his friends, who did not spare friction. "He breathes though," said Nicholl, putting his ear to the chest of the wounded man. "Yes," replied Ardan, "he breathes like a man who has some notion of that daily operation. Rub, Nicholl; let us rub harder."
This means, used with judgment, restored Nicholl, who opened his eyes, and instantly recovering his presence of mind, seized Ardan's hand and looked around him. "And Barbicane?" said he. "Each in turn," replied Michel Ardan. "I began with you, Nicholl, because you were on the top. Now let us look to Barbicane."
"Since there is nothing else to be done," said Nicholl, "I make a proposition." "What is it?" asked Barbicane. "I propose to go to sleep." "What a motion!" exclaimed Michel Ardan. "It is forty hours since we closed our eyes," said Nicholl. "Some hours of sleep will restore our strength." "Never," interrupted Michel. "Well," continued Nicholl, "every one to his taste; I shall go to sleep."
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