Путешествие на Луну
How a Frenchman Manages an Affair
AsforthetraceswhichBarbicaneoughttohaveleftofhispassagethroughthewood,therewasnotavestigeofthemvisible:sotheyfollowedthebarelyperceptiblepathsalongwhichIndianshadtrackedsomeenemy,andwhichthedensefoliagedarklyovershadowed.
Afteranhourspentinvainpursuitthetwostoppedinintensifiedanxiety.
"Itmustbeallover,"saidMaston,discouraged."AmanlikeBarbicanewouldnotdodgewithhisenemy,orensnarehim,wouldnotevenmaneuver!Heistooopen,toobrave.Hehasgonestraightahead,rightintothedanger,anddoubtlessfarenoughfromthebushmanforthewindtopreventhishearingthereportoftherifles."
"Butsurely,"repliedMichelArdan,"sinceweenteredthewoodweshouldhaveheard!"
"Andwhatifwecametoolate?"criedMastonintonesofdespair.
ForonceArdanhadnoreplytomake,heandMastonresumingtheirwalkinsilence.Fromtimetotime,indeed,theyraisedgreatshouts,callingalternatelyBarbicaneandNicholl,neitherofwhom,however,answeredtheircries.Onlythebirds,awakenedbythesound,flewpastthemanddisappearedamongthebranches,whilesomefrighteneddeerfledprecipitatelybeforethem.
Foranotherhourtheirsearchwascontinued.Thegreaterpartofthewoodhadbeenexplored.Therewasnothingtorevealthepresenceofthecombatants.Theinformationofthebushmanwasafteralldoubtful,andArdanwasabouttoproposetheirabandoningthisuselesspursuit,whenallatonceMastonstopped.
