Путешествие на Луну
President Barbicane’s Communication
"Forsomemonthspast,mybravecolleagues,"continuedBarbicane,"Ihavebeenaskingmyselfwhether,whileconfiningourselvestoourownparticularobjects,wecouldnotenteruponsomegrandexperimentworthyofthenineteenthcentury;andwhethertheprogressofartillerysciencewouldnotenableustocarryitouttoasuccessfulissue.Ihavebeenconsidering,working,calculating;andtheresultofmystudiesistheconvictionthatwearesafetosucceedinanenterprisewhichtoanyothercountrywouldappearwhollyimpracticable.Thisproject,theresultoflongelaboration,istheobjectofmypresentcommunication.Itisworthyofyourselves,worthyoftheantecedentsoftheGunClub;anditcannotfailtomakesomenoiseintheworld."
Athrillofexcitementranthroughthemeeting.
Barbicane,havingbyarapidmovementfirmlyfixedhishatuponhishead,calmlycontinuedhisharangue:
"Thereisnooneamongyou,mybravecolleagues,whohasnotseentheMoon,or,atleast,heardspeakofit.Don’tbesurprisedifIamabouttodiscoursetoyouregardingtheQueenoftheNight.ItisperhapsreservedforustobecometheColumbusesofthisunknownworld.Onlyenterintomyplans,andsecondmewithallyourpower,andIwillleadyoutoitsconquest,anditsnameshallbeaddedtothoseofthethirty-sixstateswhichcomposethisGreatUnion."
"ThreecheersfortheMoon!"roaredtheGunClub,withonevoice.
