It was the 22nd of November; the departure was to take place in ten days. One operation alone remained to be accomplished1 to bring all to a happy termination; an operation delicate and perilous2, requiring infinite precautions, and against the success of which Captain Nicholl had laid his third bet. It was, in fact, nothing less than the loading of the Columbiad, and the introduction into it of 400,000 pounds of gun-cotton. Nicholl had thought, not perhaps without reason, that the handling of such formidable quantities of pyroxyle would, in all probability, involve a grave catastrophe3; and at any rate, that this immense mass of eminently4 inflammable matter would inevitably5 ignite when submitted to the pressure of the projectile6.
There were indeed dangers accruing7 as before from the carelessness of the Americans, but Barbicane had set his heart on success, and took all possible precautions. In the first place, he was very careful as to the transportation of the gun-cotton to Stones Hill. He had it conveyed in small quantities, carefully packed in sealed cases. These were brought by rail from Tampa Town to the camp, and from thence were taken to the Columbiad by barefooted workmen, who deposited them in their places by means of cranes placed at the orifice of the cannon8. No steam-engine was permitted to work, and every fire was extinguished within two miles of the works.
Even in November they feared to work by day, lest the sun’s rays acting9 on the gun-cotton might lead to unhappy results. This led to their working at night, by light produced in a vacuum by means of Ruhmkorff’s apparatus10, which threw an artificial brightness into the depths of the Columbiad. There the cartridges11 were arranged with the utmost regularity13, connected by a metallic14 thread, destined15 to communicate to them all simultaneously16 the electric spark, by which means this mass of gun-cotton was eventually to be ignited.
By the 28th of November eight hundred cartridges had been placed in the bottom of the Columbiad. So far the operation had been successful! But what confusion, what anxieties, what struggles were undergone by President Barbicane! In vain had he refused admission to Stones Hill; every day the inquisitive17 neighbors scaled the palisades, some even carrying their imprudence to the point of smoking while surrounded by bales of gun-cotton. Barbicane was in a perpetual state of alarm. J. T. Maston seconded him to the best of his ability, by giving vigorous chase to the intruders, and carefully picking up the still lighted cigar ends which the Yankees threw about. A somewhat difficult task! seeing that more than 300,000 persons were gathered round the enclosure. Michel Ardan had volunteered to superintend the transport of the cartridges to the mouth of the Columbiad; but the president, having surprised him with an enormous cigar in his mouth, while he was hunting out the rash spectators to whom he himself offered so dangerous an example, saw that he could not trust this fearless smoker18, and was therefore obliged to mount a special guard over him.
At last, Providence19 being propitious20, this wonderful loading came to a happy termination, Captain Nicholl’s third bet being thus lost. It remained now to introduce the projectile into the Columbiad, and to place it on its soft bed of gun-cotton.
But before doing this, all those things necessary for the journey had to be carefully arranged in the projectile vehicle. These necessaries were numerous; and had Ardan been allowed to follow his own wishes, there would have been no space remaining for the travelers. It is impossible to conceive of half the things this charming Frenchman wished to convey to the moon. A veritable stock of useless trifles! But Barbicane interfered21 and refused admission to anything not absolutely needed. Several thermometers, barometers22, and telescopes were packed in the instrument case.
The travelers being desirous of examing the moon carefully during their voyage, in order to facilitate their studies, they took with them Boeer and Moeller’s excellent Mappa Selenographica, a masterpiece of patience and observation, which they hoped would enable them to identify those physical features in the moon, with which they were acquainted. This map reproduced with scrupulous23 fidelity24 the smallest details of the lunar surface which faces the earth; the mountains, valleys, craters25, peaks, and ridges12 were all represented, with their exact dimensions, relative positions, and names; from the mountains Doerfel and Leibnitz on the eastern side of the disc, to the Mare26 frigoris of the North Pole.
They took also three rifles and three fowling-pieces, and a large quantity of balls, shot, and powder.
“We cannot tell whom we shall have to deal with,” said Michel Ardan. “Men or beasts may possibly object to our visit. It is only wise to take all precautions.”
These defensive27 weapons were accompanied by pickaxes, crowbars, saws, and other useful implements28, not to mention clothing adapted to every temperature, from that of polar regions to that of the torrid zone.
Ardan wished to convey a number of animals of different sorts, not indeed a pair of every known species, as he could not see the necessity of acclimatizing serpents, tigers, alligators29, or any other noxious30 beasts in the moon. “Nevertheless,” he said to Barbicane, “some valuable and useful beasts, bullocks, cows, horses, and donkeys, would bear the journey very well, and would also be very useful to us.”
“I dare say, my dear Ardan,” replied the president, “but our projectile-vehicle is no Noah’s ark, from which it differs both in dimensions and object. Let us confine ourselves to possibilities.”
After a prolonged discussion, it was agreed that the travelers should restrict themselves to a sporting-dog belonging to Nicholl, and to a large Newfoundland. Several packets of seeds were also included among the necessaries. Michel Ardan, indeed, was anxious to add some sacks full of earth to sow them in; as it was, he took a dozen shrubs31 carefully wrapped up in straw to plant in the moon.
The important question of provisions still remained; it being necessary to provide against the possibility of their finding the moon absolutely barren. Barbicane managed so successfully, that he supplied them with sufficient rations32 for a year. These consisted of preserved meats and vegetables, reduced by strong hydraulic33 pressure to the smallest possible dimensions. They were also supplied with brandy, and took water enough for two months, being confident, from astronomical34 observations, that there was no lack of water on the moon’s surface. As to provisions, doubtless the inhabitants of the earth would find nourishment35 somewhere in the moon. Ardan never questioned this; indeed, had he done so, he would never have undertaken the journey.
“Besides,” he said one day to his friends, “we shall not be completely abandoned by our terrestrial friends; they will take care not to forget us.”
“No, indeed!” replied J. T. Maston.
“Nothing would be simpler,” replied Ardan; “the Columbiad will be always there. Well! whenever the moon is in a favorable condition as to the zenith, if not to the perigee36, that is to say about once a year, could you not send us a shell packed with provisions, which we might expect on some appointed day?”
“Hurrah37! hurrah!” cried J. T. Matson; “what an ingenious fellow! what a splendid idea! Indeed, my good friends, we shall not forget you!”
“I shall reckon upon you! Then, you see, we shall receive news regularly from the earth, and we shall indeed be stupid if we hit upon no plan for communicating with our good friends here!”
These words inspired such confidence, that Michel Ardan carried all the Gun Club with him in his enthusiasm. What he said seemed so simple and so easy, so sure of success, that none could be so sordidly38 attached to this earth as to hesitate to follow the three travelers on their lunar expedition.
All being ready at last, it remained to place the projectile in the Columbiad, an operation abundantly accompanied by dangers and difficulties.
The enormous shell was conveyed to the summit of Stones Hill. There, powerful cranes raised it, and held it suspended over the mouth of the cylinder39.
It was a fearful moment! What if the chains should break under its enormous weight? The sudden fall of such a body would inevitably cause the gun-cotton to explode!
Fortunately this did not happen; and some hours later the projectile-vehicle descended40 gently into the heart of the cannon and rested on its couch of pyroxyle, a veritable bed of explosive eider-down. Its pressure had no result, other than the more effectual ramming41 down of the charge in the Columbiad.
“I have lost,” said the captain, who forthwith paid President Barbicane the sum of three thousand dollars.
Barbicane did not wish to accept the money from one of his fellow-travelers, but gave way at last before the determination of Nicholl, who wished before leaving the earth to fulfill42 all his engagements.
“Now,” said Michel Ardan, “I have only one thing more to wish for you, my brave captain.”
“What is that?” asked Nicholl.
“It is that you may lose your two other bets! Then we shall be sure not to be stopped on our journey!”
收听单词发音 |
1
accomplished
|
|
| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
perilous
|
|
| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
catastrophe
|
|
| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
eminently
|
|
| adv.突出地；显著地；不寻常地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
inevitably
|
|
| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
projectile
|
|
| n.投射物，发射体；adj.向前开进的；推进的；抛掷的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
accruing
|
|
| v.增加( accrue的现在分词 )；（通过自然增长）产生；获得；（使钱款、债务）积累 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
cannon
|
|
| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
acting
|
|
| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
apparatus
|
|
| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
cartridges
|
|
| 子弹( cartridge的名词复数 )； （打印机的）墨盒； 录音带盒； （唱机的）唱头 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
ridges
|
|
| n.脊( ridge的名词复数 )；山脊；脊状突起；大气层的)高压脊 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
regularity
|
|
| n.规律性，规则性；匀称，整齐 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
metallic
|
|
| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
destined
|
|
| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
simultaneously
|
|
| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
inquisitive
|
|
| adj.求知欲强的，好奇的，好寻根究底的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
smoker
|
|
| n.吸烟者，吸烟车厢，吸烟室 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
providence
|
|
| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
propitious
|
|
| adj.吉利的；顺利的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
interfered
|
|
| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
barometers
|
|
| 气压计，晴雨表( barometer的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
scrupulous
|
|
| adj.审慎的，小心翼翼的，完全的，纯粹的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
fidelity
|
|
| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
craters
|
|
| n.火山口( crater的名词复数 )；弹坑等 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
mare
|
|
| n.母马，母驴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
defensive
|
|
| adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
implements
|
|
| n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
alligators
|
|
| n.短吻鳄( alligator的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
noxious
|
|
| adj.有害的，有毒的；使道德败坏的，讨厌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
shrubs
|
|
| 灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
rations
|
|
| 定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
hydraulic
|
|
| adj.水力的；水压的，液压的；水力学的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
astronomical
|
|
| adj.天文学的，（数字）极大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
nourishment
|
|
| n.食物，营养品；营养情况 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
perigee
|
|
| n.近地点 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
hurrah
|
|
| int.好哇，万岁，乌拉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
sordidly
|
|
| adv.肮脏地；污秽地；不洁地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
39
cylinder
|
|
| n.圆筒，柱(面)，汽缸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
descended
|
|
| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
ramming
|
|
| n.打结炉底v.夯实（土等）( ram的现在分词 )；猛撞；猛压；反复灌输 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
fulfill
|
|
| vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |