Путешествие на Луну
Attack and Riposte
"Letusproceed,"repliedArdan,withperfectcoolness,"andcometooneimportantfact.AskillfulFrenchastronomer,M.Laussedat,inwatchingtheeclipseofJuly18,1860,probedthatthehornsofthelunarcrescentwereroundedandtruncated.Now,thisappearancecouldonlyhavebeenproducedbyadeviationofthesolarraysintraversingtheatmosphereofthemoon.Thereisnootherpossibleexplanationofthefacts."
"Butisthisestablishedasafact?"
"Absolutelycertain!"
Acounter-movementheretookplaceinfavoroftheheroofthemeeting,whoseopponentwasnowreducedtosilence.Ardanresumedtheconversation;andwithoutexhibitinganyexultationattheadvantagehehadgained,simplysaid:
"Yousee,then,mydearsir,wemustnotpronouncewithabsolutepositivenessagainsttheexistenceofanatmosphereinthemoon.Thatatmosphereis,probably,ofextremerarity;neverthelessatthepresentdaysciencegenerallyadmitsthatitexists."
"Notinthemountains,atallevents,"returnedtheunknown,unwillingtogivein.
"No!butatthebottomofthevalleys,andnotexceedingafewhundredfeetinheight."
"Inanycaseyouwilldowelltotakeeveryprecaution,fortheairwillbeterriblyrarified."
"Mygoodsir,therewillalwaysbeenoughforasolitaryindividual;besides,oncearrivedupthere,Ishalldomybesttoeconomize,andnottobreatheexceptongrandoccasions!"
Atremendousroaroflaughterrangintheearsofthemysteriousinterlocutor,whoglaredfiercelyroundupontheassembly.
