Путешествие на Луну
The New Citizen of the United States
Gallobservedthatinsanepersonsunderwentanaccessionoftheirdisordertwiceineverymonth,attheepochsofnewandfullmoon.Infact,numerousobservationsmadeuponfevers,somnambulisms,andotherhumanmaladies,seemtoprovethatthemoondoesexercisesomemysteriousinfluenceuponman."
"Butthehowandthewherefore?"askedBarbicane.
"Well,IcanonlygiveyoutheanswerwhichAragoborrowedfromPlutarch,whichisnineteencenturiesold.‘Perhapsthestoriesarenottrue!’"
Intheheightofhistriumph,MichelArdanhadtoencounteralltheannoyancesincidentaltoamanofcelebrity.Managersofentertainmentswantedtoexhibithim.BarnumofferedhimamilliondollarstomakeatouroftheUnitedStatesinhisshow.Asforhisphotographs,theyweresoldofallsize,andhisportraittakenineveryimaginableposture.Morethanhalfamillioncopiesweredisposedofinanincrediblyshortspaceoftime.
Butitwasnotonlythemenwhopaidhimhomage,butthewomenaswell.Hemighthavemarriedwellahundredtimesover,ifhehadbeenwillingtosettleinlife.Theoldmaids,inparticular,offortyyearsandupward,anddryinproportion,devouredhisphotographsdayandnight.Theywouldhavemarriedhimbyhundreds,evenifhehadimposeduponthemtheconditionofaccompanyinghimintospace.Hehad,however,nointentionoftransplantingaraceofFranco-Americansuponthesurfaceofthemoon.
Hethereforedeclinedalloffers.
