Подорож на Місяць
One Enemy v. Twenty-Five Millions of Friends
OnthatdaythePhiladelphiairon-forgerthenbelievedhimselfvictorious,andcouldnotevincecontemptenoughforhisrival;butwhentheotherafterwardsubstitutedforconicalshotsimple600-poundshells,atverymoderatevelocity,thecaptainwasobligedtogivein.Infact,theseprojectilesknockedhisbestmetalplatetoshivers.
Matterswereatthisstage,andvictoryseemedtorestwiththeshot,whenthewarcametoanendontheverydaywhenNichollhadcompletedanewarmor-plateofwroughtsteel.Itwasamasterpieceofitskind,andbiddefiancetoalltheprojectilesoftheworld.ThecaptainhaditconveyedtothePolygonatWashington,challengingthepresidentoftheGunClubtobreakit.Barbicane,peacehavingbeendeclared,declinedtotrytheexperiment.
Nicholl,nowfurious,offeredtoexposehisplatetotheshockofanyshot,solid,hollow,round,orconical.Refusedbythepresident,whodidnotchoosetocompromisehislastsuccess.
Nicholl,disgustedbythisobstinacy,triedtotemptBarbicanebyofferinghimeverychance.Heproposedtofixtheplatewithintwohundredyardsofthegun.Barbicanestillobstinateinrefusal.Ahundredyards?Notevenseventy-five!
"Atfiftythen!"roaredthecaptainthroughthenewspapers."Attwenty-fiveyards!andI’llstandbehind!"
Barbicanereturnedforanswerthat,evenifCaptainNichollwouldbesogoodastostandinfront,hewouldnotfireanymore.
