Путешествие на Луну

           Thenensuedgrumbling,discontent,murmurs;theyblamedthepresident,taxedhimwithdictatorialconduct.Hisproceedingsweredeclared"un-American."TherewasverynearlyariotroundStonesHill;butBarbicaneremainedinflexible.When,however,theColumbiadwasentirelyfinished,thisstateofcloseddoorscouldnolongerbemaintained;besidesitwouldhavebeenbadtaste,andevenimprudence,toaffrontthepublicfeeling.Barbicane,therefore,openedtheenclosuretoallcomers;but,truetohispracticaldisposition,hedeterminedtocoinmoneyoutofthepubliccuriosity.

           Itwassomething,indeed,tobeenabledtocontemplatethisimmenseColumbiad;buttodescendintoitsdepths,thisseemedtotheAmericanstheneplusultraofearthlyfelicity.Consequently,therewasnotonecuriousspectatorwhowasnotwillingtogivehimselfthetreatofvisitingtheinteriorofthisgreatmetallicabyss.Basketssuspendedfromsteam-cranespermittedthemtosatisfytheircuriosity.Therewasaperfectmania.Women,children,oldmen,allmadeitapointofdutytopenetratethemysteriesofthecolossalgun.Thefareforthedescentwasfixedatfivedollarsperhead;anddespitethishighcharge,duringthetwomonthswhichprecededtheexperiment,theinfluxofvisitorsenabledtheGunClubtopocketnearlyfivehundredthousanddollars!

           ItisneedlesstosaythatthefirstvisitorsoftheColumbiadwerethemembersoftheGunClub.Thisprivilegewasjustlyreservedforthatillustriousbody.Theceremonytookplaceonthe25thofSeptember