From the Earth to the Moon direct in ninety-seven hours and twenty minutes, and a trip round it . nswer, continued Michel impatiently. Tliere is nothing to answer, said Nicholl. Is there nothiug to try ? No, answered Barhicane. Do you pretend to fight againstthe impossihle ? Why not ? Do one Frenchman and two Americans shrinkfrom such a word ? But what would you do? Subdue this motion which is bearing us away. Subdue it? Yes, continued Michel, getting animated, or else alter it,and employ it to the accomplishment of our own ends. And how? That is your afHiir. If artillerymen are not masters of
From the Earth to the Moon direct in ninety-seven hours and twenty minutes, and a trip round it . nswer, continued Michel impatiently. Tliere is nothing to answer, said Nicholl. Is there nothiug to try ? No, answered Barhicane. Do you pretend to fight againstthe impossihle ? Why not ? Do one Frenchman and two Americans shrinkfrom such a word ? But what would you do? Subdue this motion which is bearing us away. Subdue it? Yes, continued Michel, getting animated, or else alter it,and employ it to the accomplishment of our own ends. And how? That is your afHiir. If artillerymen are not masters of theirprojectile they are not artillerymen. If the projectile is to com-mand the gunner, we had better ram the gunner into the faith! fine savants ! who do not know what is to become of usafter inducing me— Inducing you! cried Barhicane and Nicholl. Inducingyou ! What do you mean by that ? No recrimination, said Michel. I do not complain; thetrip has pleased me, the projectile agrees with me; but let us doall that is humanly possible to do to fall somewhere, even it oniyou the moon.*. AROUND THE WERE THE OBJECTS WHICHHAD BEEN THROWN OUT. [p. 291.] A STRUGGLE AGAINST THE IMPOSSIBLE. 291 We ask no better, my worthy Michel, replied Barbicane, but means fail us. We cannot alter the motion of the projectile ?No. * Nor diminish its speed ? No. Not even by lightening it, as they lighten an overloadedvessel ? What would you throw out? said NichoU. We have noballast on board; and indeed it seems to me that if lightened itwould go much quickei\ Slower. Quicker. Neither slower nor quicker, said Barbicane, Avishing tomake his two friends agr^e: for we float in space, and must nolonger consider specific weight. Very well, cried Michel Ardan in a decided voice; thenthere remains but one thing to is it? said NichoU. Breakfxst, answered the cool, audacious Frenchman, whoalways brought up this solution at the most difiicult juncture. In any case, if this operation h
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