Путешествие на Луну
Attack and Riposte
Helookedsternlyathiminhisturnandsaid:
"Oh!sothereisnoairinthemoon?Andpray,ifyouaresogood,whoventurestoaffirmthat?
"Themenofscience."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Sir,"repliedMichel,"pleasantryapart,Ihaveaprofoundrespectformenofsciencewhodopossessscience,butaprofoundcontemptformenofsciencewhodonot."
"Doyouknowanywhobelongtothelattercategory?"
"Decidedly.InFrancetherearesomewhomaintainthat,mathematically,abirdcannotpossiblyfly;andotherswhodemonstratetheoreticallythatfisheswerenevermadetoliveinwater."
"Ihavenothingtodowithpersonsofthatdescription,andIcanquote,insupportofmystatement,nameswhichyoucannotrefusedeferenceto."
"Then,sir,youwillsadlyembarrassapoorignorant,who,besides,asksnothingbetterthantolearn."
"Why,then,doyouintroducescientificquestionsifyouhaveneverstudiedthem?"askedtheunknownsomewhatcoarsely.
"Forthereasonthat‘heisalwaysbravewhoneversuspectsdanger.’Iknownothing,itistrue;butitispreciselymyveryweaknesswhichconstitutesmystrength."
"Yourweaknessamountstofolly,"retortedtheunknowninapassion.
"Allthebetter,"repliedourFrenchman,"ifitcarriesmeuptothemoon."
Barbicaneandhiscolleaguesdevouredwiththeireyestheintruderwhohadsoboldlyplacedhimselfinantagonismtotheirenterprise.Nobodyknewhim,andthepresident,uneasyastotheresultofsofreeadiscussion,watchedhisnewfriendwithsomeanxiety.
