Путешествие на Луну
The Projectile-Vehicle
Theupperpartsofthewallswerelinedwithathickpaddingofleather,fasteneduponspringsofthebeststeel,behindwhichtheescapetubeswerecompletelyconcealed;thusallimaginableprecautionshadbeentakenforavertingthefirstshock;andiftheydidgetcrushed,theymust,asMichelArdansaid,bemadeofverybadmaterials.
Theentranceintothismetallictowerwasbyanarrowaperturecontrivedinthewallofthecone.Thiswashermeticallyclosedbyaplateofaluminum,fastenedinternallybypowerfulscrew-pressure.Thetravelerscouldthereforequittheirprisonatpleasure,assoonastheyshouldreachthemoon.
Lightandviewweregivenbymeansoffourthicklenticularglassscuttles,twopiercedinthecircularwallitself,thethirdinthebottom,thefourthinthetop.Thesescuttlesthenwereprotectedagainsttheshockofdeparturebyplatesletintosolidgrooves,whichcouldeasilybeopenedoutwardbyunscrewingthemfromtheinside.Reservoirsfirmlyfixedcontainedwaterandthenecessaryprovisions;andfireandlightwereprocurablebymeansofgas,containedinaspecialreservoirunderapressureofseveralatmospheres.Theyhadonlytoturnatap,andforsixhoursthegaswouldlightandwarmthiscomfortablevehicle.
Therenowremainedonlythequestionofair;forallowingfortheconsumptionofairbyBarbicane,histwocompanions,andtwodogswhichheproposedtakingwithhim,itwasnecessarytorenewtheairoftheprojectile.Nowairconsistsprincipallyoftwenty-onepartsofoxygenandseventy-nineofnitrogen.
