Путешествие на Луну
The Gun Club
Americansusceptibilityisfastdeclining,andweareallgoingtothedogs."
"Itistootrue,"repliedJ.T.Maston,withfreshviolence;"thereareathousandgroundsforfighting,andyetwedon’tfight.Wesaveupourarmsandlegsforthebenefitofnationswhodon’tknowwhattodowiththem!Butstop—withoutgoingoutofone’swaytofindacauseforwar—didnotNorthAmericaoncebelongtotheEnglish?"
"Undoubtedly,"repliedTomHunter,stampinghiscrutchwithfury.
"Well,then,"repliedJ.T.Maston,"whyshouldnotEnglandinherturnbelongtotheAmericans?"
"Itwouldbebutjustandfair,"returnedColonelBlomsberry.
"GoandproposeittothePresidentoftheUnitedStates,"criedJ.T.Maston,"andseehowhewillreceiveyou."
"Bah!"growledBilsbybetweenthefourteethwhichthewarhadlefthim;"thatwillneverdo!"
"ByJove!"criedJ.T.Maston,"hemustn’tcountonmyvoteatthenextelection!"
"Noronours,"repliedunanimouslyallthebellicoseinvalids.
"Meanwhile,"repliedJ.T.Maston,"allowmetosaythat,ifIcannotgetanopportunitytotrymynewmortarsonarealfieldofbattle,Ishallsaygood-bytothemembersoftheGunClub,andgoandburymyselfintheprairiesofArkansas!"
"Inthatcasewewillaccompanyyou,"criedtheothers.
Matterswereinthisunfortunatecondition,andtheclubwasthreatenedwithapproachingdissolution,whenanunexpectedcircumstanceoccurredtopreventsodeplorableacatastrophe
