Путешествие на Луну

           There,onthosevastplains,theyweretodescribeenormousgeometricfigures,drawnincharactersofreflectingluminosity,amongwhichwasthepropositionregardingthe‘squareofthehypothenuse,’commonlycalledthe‘Ass’sBridge’bytheFrench.‘Everyintelligentbeing,’saidthegeometrician,‘mustunderstandthescientificmeaningofthatfigure.TheSelenites,dotheyexist,willrespondbyasimilarfigure;and,acommunicationbeingthusonceestablished,itwillbeeasytoformanalphabetwhichshallenableustoconversewiththeinhabitantsofthemoon.’SospoketheGermangeometrician;buthisprojectwasneverputintopractice,anduptothepresentdaythereisnobondinexistencebetweentheEarthandhersatellite.ItisreservedforthepracticalgeniusofAmericanstoestablishacommunicationwiththesiderealworld.Themeansofarrivingthitheraresimple,easy,certain,infallible—andthatisthepurposeofmypresentproposal."

           Astormofacclamationsgreetedthesewords.Therewasnotasinglepersoninthewholeaudiencewhowasnotovercome,carriedaway,liftedoutofhimselfbythespeaker’swords!

           Long-continuedapplauseresoundedfromallsides.

           Assoonastheexcitementhadpartiallysubsided,Barbicaneresumedhisspeechinasomewhatgravervoice.

           "Youknow,"saidhe,"whatprogressartillerysciencehasmadeduringthelastfewyears,andwhatadegreeofperfectionfirearmsofeverykindhavereached