Подорож на Місяць
The New Citizen of the United States
Assoonashecouldwithdrawfromthesesomewhatembarrassingdemonstrations,hewent,accompaniedbyhisfriends,topayavisittotheColumbiad.Hewashighlygratifiedbyhisinspection,andmadethedescenttothebottomofthetubeofthisgiganticmachinewhichwaspresentlytolaunchhimtotheregionsofthemoon.ItisnecessaryheretomentionaproposalofJ.T.Maston’s.WhenthesecretaryoftheGunClubfoundthatBarbicaneandNichollacceptedtheproposalofMichelArdan,hedeterminedtojointhem,andmakeoneofasmugpartyoffour.Soonedayhedeterminedtobeadmittedasoneofthetravelers.Barbicane,painedathavingtorefusehim,gavehimclearlytounderstandthattheprojectilecouldnotpossiblycontainsomanypassengers.Maston,indespair,wentinsearchofMichelArdan,whocounseledhimtoresignhimselftothesituation,addingoneortwoargumentsadhominem.
"Yousee,oldfellow,"hesaid,"youmustnottakewhatIsayinbadpart;butreally,betweenourselves,youareintooincompleteaconditiontoappearinthemoon!"
"Incomplete?"shriekedthevaliantinvalid.
