Attack and Riposte

           Assoonastheexcitementhadsubsided,thefollowingwordswereheardutteredinastronganddeterminedvoice:

           "Nowthatthespeakerhasfavoreduswithsomuchimagination,wouldhebesogoodastoreturntohissubject,andgiveusalittlepracticalviewofthequestion?"

           Alleyesweredirectedtowardthepersonwhospoke.Hewasalittledried-upman,ofanactivefigure,withanAmerican"goatee"beard.Profitingbythedifferentmovementsinthecrowd,hehadmanagedbydegreestogainthefrontrowofspectators.There,witharmscrossedandsterngaze,hewatchedtheheroofthemeeting.Afterhavingputhisquestionheremainedsilent,andappearedtotakenonoticeofthethousandsoflooksdirectedtowardhimself,norofthemurmurofdisapprobationexcitedbyhiswords.Meetingatfirstwithnoreply,herepeatedhisquestionwithmarkedemphasis,adding,"Weareheretotalkaboutthemoonandnotabouttheearth."

           "Youareright,sir,"repliedMichelArdan;"thediscussionhasbecomeirregular.Wewillreturntothemoon."

           "Sir,"saidtheunknown,"youpretendthatoursatelliteisinhabited.Verygood,butifSelenitesdoexist,thatraceofbeingsassuredlymustlivewithoutbreathing,for—Iwarnyouforyourownsake—thereisnotthesmallestparticleofaironthesurfaceofthemoon."

           AtthisremarkArdanpusheduphisshockofredhair;hesawthathewasonthepointofbeinginvolvedinastrugglewiththispersonupontheverygistofthewholequestion.