themselves by breaking through their circular ramparts。 Thus it
may be that； contemporary with the later geological epochs； they
are due to the expansion of natural forces。
But the projectile had now attained the fortieth degree of lunar
latitude； at a distance not exceeding 40 miles。 Through the
glasses objects appeared to be only four miles distant。
At this point； under their feet； rose Mount Helicon； 1；520 feet
high； and round about the left rose moderate elevations；
enclosing a small portion of the 〃Sea of Rains；〃 under the name
of the Gulf of Iris。 The terrestrial atmosphere would have to
be one hundred and seventy times more transparent than it is；
to allow astronomers to make perfect observations on the moon's
surface； but in the void in which the projectile floated no
fluid interposed itself between the eye of the observer and
the object observed。 And more； Barbicane found himself carried
to a greater distance than the most powerful telescopes had
ever done before； either that of Lord Rosse or that of the
Rocky Mountains。 He was； therefore； under extremely favorable
conditions for solving that great question of the habitability
of the moon； but the solution still escaped him； he could
distinguish nothing but desert beds； immense plains； and toward
the north； arid mountains。 Not a work betrayed the hand of man；
not a ruin marked his course； not a group of animals was to be
seen indicating life； even in an inferior degree。 In no part
was there life； in no part was there an appearance of vegetation。
Of the three kingdoms which share the terrestrial globe between
them； one alone was represented on the lunar and that the mineral。
〃Ah； indeed！〃 said Michel Ardan； a little out of countenance；
〃then you see no one？〃
〃No；〃 answered Nicholl； 〃up to this time； not a man； not an
animal； not a tree！ After all； whether the atmosphere has taken
refuge at the bottom of cavities； in the midst of the circles；
or even on the opposite face of the moon； we cannot decide。〃
〃Besides；〃 added Barbicane； 〃even to the most piercing eye a man
cannot be distinguished farther than three and a half miles off；
so that； if there are any Selenites； they can see our projectile；
but we cannot see them。〃
Toward four in the morning； at the height of the fiftieth
parallel； the distance was reduced to 300 miles。 To the left
ran a line of mountains capriciously shaped； lying in the
full light。 To the right； on the contrary； lay a black hollow
resembling a vast well； unfathomable and gloomy； drilled into
the lunar soil。
This hole was the 〃Black Lake〃； it was Pluto； a deep circle
which can be conveniently studied from the earth； between the
last quarter and the new moon； when the shadows fall from west
to east。
This black color is rarely met with on the surface of
the satellite。 As yet it has only been recognized in the depths
of the circle of Endymion； to the east of the 〃Cold Sea；〃 in the
northern hemisphere； and at the bottom of Grimaldi's circle； on
the equator； toward the eastern border of the orb。
Pluto is an annular mountain； situated in 51@ north latitude；
and 9@ east longitude。 Its circuit is forty…seven miles long
and thirty…two broad。
Barbicane regretted that they were not passing directly above
this vast opening。 There was an abyss to fathom； perhaps some
mysterious phenomenon to surprise； but the projectile's course
could not be altered。 They must rigidly submit。 They could not
guide a balloon； still less a projectile； when once enclosed
within its walls。 Toward five in the morning the northern
limits of the 〃Sea of Rains〃 was at length passed。 The mounts
of Condamine and Fontenelle remained one on the right； the
other on the left。 That part of the disc beginning with 60@ was
becoming quite mountainous。 The glasses brought them to within
two miles； less than that separating the summit of Mont Blanc
from the level of the sea。 The whole region was bristling with
spikes and circles。 Toward the 60@ Philolaus stood predominant
at a height of 5；550 feet with its elliptical crater； and seen
from this distance； the disc showed a very fantastical appearance。
Landscapes were presented to the eye under very different
conditions from those on the earth； and also very inferior to them。
The moon having no atmosphere； the consequences arising from
the absence of this gaseous envelope have already been shown。
No twilight on her surface； night following day and day following
night with the suddenness of a lamp which is extinguished or
lighted amid profound darkness no transition from cold to
heat； the temperature falling in an instant from boiling point
to the cold of space。
Another consequence of this want of air is that absolute
darkness reigns where the sun's rays do not penetrate。
That which on earth is called diffusion of light； that luminous
matter which the air holds in suspension； which creates the
twilight and the daybreak； which produces the _umbrae_ and
_penumbrae_； and all the magic of _chiaro…oscuro_； does not
exist on the moon。 Hence the harshness of contrasts； which
only admit of two colors； black and white。 If a Selenite
were to shade his eyes from the sun's rays； the sky would seem
absolutely black； and the stars would shine to him as on the
darkest night。 Judge of the impression produced on Barbicane
and his three friends by this strange scene！ Their eyes
were confused。 They could no longer grasp the respective
distances of the different plains。 A lunar landscape without
the softening of the phenomena of _chiaro…oscuro_ could not be
rendered by an earthly landscape painter； it would be spots of
ink on a white page nothing more。
This aspect was not altered even when the projectile； at the
height of 80@； was only separated from the moon by a distance
of fifty miles； nor even when； at five in the morning； it
passed at less than twenty…five miles from the mountain of
Gioja； a distance reduced by the glasses to a quarter of a mile。
It seemed as if the moon might be touched by the hand！
It seemed impossible that； before long； the projectile would
not strike her； if only at the north pole； the brilliant arch
of which was so distinctly visible on the black sky。
Michel Ardan wanted to open one of the scuttles and throw
himself on to the moon's surface！ A very useless attempt； for
if the projectile could not attain any point whatever of the
satellite； Michel； carried along by its motion； could not attain
it either。
At that moment； at six o'clock； the lunar pole appeared。 The disc
only presented to the travelers' gaze one half brilliantly lit up；
while the other disappeared in the darkness。 Suddenly the
projectile passed the line of demarcation between intense light
and absolute darkness； and was plunged in profound night！
CHAPTER XIV
THE NIGHT OF THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY…FOUR HOURS AND A HALF
At the moment when this phenomenon took place so rapidly； the
projectile was skirting the moon's north pole at less than
twenty…five miles distance。 Some seconds had sufficed to plunge
it into the absolute darkness of space。 The transition was so
sudden； without shade； without gradation of light； without
attenuation of the luminous waves； that the orb seemed to have
been extinguished by a powerful blow。
〃Melted； disappeared！〃 Michel Ardan exclaimed； aghast。
Indeed； there was neither reflection nor shadow。 Nothing more
was to be seen of that disc； formerly so dazzling。 The darkness
was complete。 and rendered even more so by the rays from the stars。
It was 〃that blackness〃 in which the lunar nights are insteeped；
which last three hundred and fifty…four hours and a half at each
point of the disc； a long night resulting from the equality of
the translatory and rotary movements of the moon。 The projectile；
immerged in the conical shadow of the satellite； experienced the
action of the solar rays no more than any of its invisible points。
In the interior； the obscurity was complete。 They could not see
each other。 Hence the necessity of dispelling the darkness。
However desirous Barbicane might be to husband the gas； the
reserve of which was small； he was obliged to ask from it a
fictitious light； an expensive brilliancy which the sun then refused。
〃Devil take the radiant orb！〃 exclaimed Michel Ardan； 〃which
forces us to expend gas； instead of giving us his rays gratuitously。〃
〃Do not let us accuse the sun；〃 said Nicholl； 〃it is not his
fault； but that of the moon； which has come and placed herself
like a screen between us and it。〃
〃It is the sun！〃 continued Michel。
〃It is the moon！〃 retorted Nicholl。
An idle dispute； which Barbicane put an end to by saying：
〃My friends； it is neither the fault of the sun nor of the moon；
it is the fault of the _projectile_； which； instead of rigidly
following its course； has awkwardly missed it。 To be more just；
it is the fault of that unfortunate meteor which has so
deplorably altered our first direction。〃
〃Well；〃 replied Michel Ardan； 〃as the matter is settled； let us
have breakfast。 After a whole night of watching it is fair to
build ourselves up a little。〃
This proposal meeting with no contradiction； Michel prepared the
repast in a few minutes。 But they ate for eating's sake； they
drank without toasts； without hurrahs。 The bold travelers being
borne away into gloomy space； without their accustomed
_cortege_ of rays； felt a vague uneasiness in their hearts。
The 〃strange〃 shadow so dear to Victor Hugo's pen bound them on
all sides。 But they talked over the interminable night of three
hundred and fifty…four hours and a half； nearly fifteen days；
which the law of physics has imposed on the inhabitants of the moon。
Barbicane gave his friends some explanation of the causes and
the consequences of this curious phenomenon。
〃Curious indeed；〃 said they； 〃for； if each hemisphere of the
moon is deprived of solar light for fifteen days； that above
which we now float does not even enjoy during its long night any
view of the earth so beautifully lit up。 In a word she has no
moon （applying this designation to our globe） but on one side of
her disc。 Now if this were the case with the earth if