Путешествие на Луну
A Monster Meeting
"Gentlemen,"resumedtheorator,"Irepeatthatthedistancebetweentheearthandhersatelliteisameretrifle,andundeservingofseriousconsideration.Iamconvincedthatbeforetwentyyearsareoverone-halfofourearthwillhavepaidavisittothemoon.Now,myworthyfriends,ifyouhaveanyquestiontoputtome,youwill,Ifear,sadlyembarrassapoormanlikemyself;stillIwilldomybesttoansweryou."
UptothispointthepresidentoftheGunClubhadbeensatisfiedwiththeturnwhichthediscussionhadassumed.Itbecamenow,however,desirabletodivertArdanfromquestionsofapracticalnature,withwhichhewasdoubtlessfarlessconversant.Barbicane,therefore,hastenedtogetinaword,andbeganbyaskinghisnewfriendwhetherhethoughtthatthemoonandtheplanetswereinhabited.
"Youputbeforemeagreatproblem,myworthypresident,"repliedtheorator,smiling."Still,menofgreatintelligence,suchasPlutarch,Swedenborg,BernardindeSt.Pierre,andothershave,ifImistakenot,pronouncedintheaffirmative.Lookingatthequestionfromthenaturalphilosopher’spointofview,Ishouldsaythatnothinguselessexistedintheworld;and,replyingtoyourquestionbyanother,Ishouldventuretoassert,thatiftheseworldsarehabitable,theyeitherare,havebeen,orwillbeinhabited."
"Noonecouldanswermorelogicallyorfairly,"repliedthepresident."Thequestionthenrevertstothis:Aretheseworldshabitable?FormyownpartIbelievetheyare."
