Путешествие на Луну
Attack and Riposte
Buthe,holdingfirmlyontotheplatform,didnotbudgeaninch,andletthestormpasson,whichwouldsoonhaveassumedformidableproportions,ifMichelArdanhadnotquieteditbyagesture.Hewastoochivalroustoabandonhisopponentinanapparentextremity.
"Youwishedtosayafewmorewords?"heasked,inapleasantvoice.
"Yes,athousand;orrather,no,onlyone!Ifyoupersevereinyourenterprise,youmustbea——"
"Veryrashperson!Howcanyoutreatmeassuch?me,whohavedemandedacylindro-conicalprojectile,inordertopreventturningroundandroundonmywaylikeasquirrel?"
"But,unhappyman,thedreadfulrecoilwillsmashyoutopiecesatyourstarting."
"Mydearcontradictor,youhavejustputyourfingeruponthetrueandonlydifficulty;nevertheless,IhavetoogoodanopinionoftheindustrialgeniusoftheAmericansnottobelievethattheywillsucceedinovercomingit."
"Buttheheatdevelopedbytherapidityoftheprojectileincrossingthestrataofair?"
"Oh!thewallsarethick,andIshallsoonhavecrossedtheatmosphere."
"Butvictualsandwater?"
"Ihavecalculatedforatwelvemonth’ssupply,andIshallbeonlyfourdaysonthejourney."
"Butforairtobreatheontheroad?"
"Ishallmakeitbyachemicalprocess."
"Butyourfallonthemoon,supposingyoueverreachit?"
"Itwillbesixtimeslessdangerousthanasuddenfallupontheearth,becausetheweightwillbeonlyone-sixthasgreatonthesurfaceofthemoon."
