The New Citizen of the United States

           ThatsamedayallAmericaheardoftheaffairofCaptainNichollandPresidentBarbicane,aswellasitssingulardenouement.Fromthatdayforth,MichelArdanhadnotonemoment’srest.DeputationsfromallcornersoftheUnionharassedhimwithoutcessationorintermission.Hewascompelledtoreceivethemall,whetherhewouldorno.Howmanyhandsheshook,howmanypeoplehewas"hail-fellow-well-met"with,itisimpossibletoguess!Suchatriumphalresultwouldhaveintoxicatedanyotherman;buthemanagedtokeephimselfinastateofdelightfulsemi-tipsiness.

           Amongthedeputationsofallkindswhichassailedhim,thatof"TheLunatics"werecarefulnottoforgetwhattheyowedtothefutureconquerorofthemoon.Oneday,certainofthesepoorpeople,sonumerousinAmerica,cametocalluponhim,andrequestedpermissiontoreturnwithhimtotheirnativecountry.

           "Singularhallucination!"saidhetoBarbicane,afterhavingdismissedthedeputationwithpromisestoconveynumbersofmessagestofriendsinthemoon."Doyoubelieveintheinfluenceofthemoonupondistempers?"

           "Scarcely!"

           "NomoredoI,despitesomeremarkablerecordedfactsofhistory.Forinstance,duringanepidemicin1693,alargenumberofpersonsdiedattheverymomentofaneclipse.ThecelebratedBaconalwaysfaintedduringaneclipse.CharlesVIrelapsedsixtimesintomadnessduringtheyear1399,sometimesduringthenew,sometimesduringthefullmoon.