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Updated: June 17, 2025
The story may destroy many illusions, prejudices and conjectures; but it will at least give correct ideas of the strange incidents to which such an enterprise is exposed, and it will certainly bring out in strong colors the effects of Barbican's scientific conceptions, M'Nicholl's mechanical resources, and Ardan's daring, eccentric, but brilliant and effective combinations.
"Well, no; I can't say that I did hear any report." "Did you, friend Barbican?" "No," replied Barbican, promptly. "I heard no report whatever." His answer was ready, but his look was quite as disconcerted as Ardan's. "Well, friend Barbican and friend Michael," said the Captain, very drily as he leered wickedly at both, "put that and that together and tell me what you make of it."
Since we are being borne along in space we shall end by falling into some center of attraction or other." Michel Ardan's indifference did not content Barbicane. Not that he was uneasy about the future, but he wanted to know at any cost why his projectile had deviated. But the projectile continued its course sideways to the moon, and with it the mass of things thrown out.
Even these brave adventurers had not the courage to suppose the contrary! "Five minutes to one o'clock," said M'Nicholl, his eyes never quitting his watch. "Ready?" asked Barbican of Ardan. "Ay, ay, sir!" was Ardan's reply, as he made sure that the electric apparatus to discharge the rockets was in perfect working order. "Wait till I give the word," said Barbican, pulling out his chronometer.
In a few seconds his breath came back in full blast, but the idea of talking when only deaf men were listening was so disconcerting as to leave him actually unable to get off another syllable. I am rather inclined to believe myself that not one word of Ardan's rhapsody had been ever heard by Barbican or M'Nicholl.
Safe from that, I could say, 'Fate, do your worst! Besides, I don't believe in the infallibility of your ellipsic. It may prove just as unreliable as the hyperbola. And it is no harm to hope that it may!" From present appearances there was very little to justify Ardan's hope.
"Go on, most generous of men, for you prophesy in the most agreeable manner." "Ah, it is too much!" exclaimed Michel Ardan's adversary, "and I do not know why I go on with so childish a discussion. Go on with your mad enterprise as you like. It is not your fault." "Fire away." "No, another must bear the responsibility of your acts." "Who is that, pray?" asked Michel Ardan in an imperious voice.
The words "possible" and "impossible" always grated on Ardan's ears. If he had been a lexicographer, he would have rigidly excluded them from his dictionary, both as meaningless and useless. He was preparing an answer for Barbican, when he was cut out by a sudden observation from M'Nicholl.
The following answer might easily have been given to Michel Ardan's remark: Yes, other satellites, on account of their greater proximity, have made the study of them easier. The inhabitants of Saturn, Jupiter, and Uranus, if they exist, have been able to establish communication with their moons much more easily.
I should like to hear one of you trying to explain the cause, the reason, the principle, the philosophy of such tremendous cataclysms!" Barbican's only reply was a series of nods, for in truth he had not heard a single word of Ardan's philosophic explosion.
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