THE NEW CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES.
That same day all America heard of the affair of Captain Nicholl and
President Barbicane, as well as its singular _denouement_. From that
day forth, Michel Ardan had not one moment's rest. Deputations from all
corners of the Union harassed him without cessation or intermission.
He was compelled to receive them all, whether he would or no. How many
hands he shook, how many people he was "hail-fellow-well-met" with, it
is impossible to guess! Such a triumphal result would have intoxicated
any other man; but he managed to keep himself in a state of delightful
_semi_-tipsiness.
Among the deputations of all kinds which assailed him, that of "The
Lunatics" were careful not to forget what they owed to the future
conqueror of the moon. One day, certain of these poor people, so numerous
in America, came to call upon him, and requested permission to return
with him to their native country.
"Singular hallucination!" said he to Barbicane, after having dismissed
the deputation with promises to convey numbers of messages to friends in
the moon. "Do you believe in the influence of the moon upon distempers?"
"Scarcely!"
"No more do I, despite some remarkable recorded facts of history. For
instance, during an epidemic in 1693, a large number of persons died
at the very moment of an eclipse. The celebrated Bacon always fainted
during an eclipse. Charles VI. relapsed six times into madness during
the year 1399, sometimes during the new, sometimes during the full
moon. Gall observed that insane persons underwent an accession of their
disorder twice in every month, at the epochs of new and full moon. In
fact, numerous observations made upon fevers, somnambulisms, and other
human maladies, seem to prove that the moon does exercise some mysterious
influence upon man."
"But the how and the wherefore?" asked Barbicane.
"Well, I can only give you the answer which Arago borrowed from Plutarch,
which is nineteen centuries old. 'Perhaps the stories are not true!'"
In the height of his triumph, Michel Ardan had to encounter all the
annoyances incidental to a man of celebrity. Managers of entertainments
wanted to exhibit him. Barnum offered him a million dollars to make the
tour of the United States in his show. As for his photographs, they were
sold of all sizes, and his portrait taken in every imaginable posture.
More than half a million copies were disposed of in an incredibly short
space of time.
But it was not only the men who paid him homage, but the women also. He
might have married well a hundred times over, if he had been willing to
settle in life. The old maids, in particular, of forty years and upwards,
and dry in proportion, devoured his photographs day and night. They
would have married him by hundreds, even if he had imposed upon them the
condition of accompanying him into space. He had, however, no intention
of transplanting a race of Franco-Americans upon the surface of the moon.
He therefore declined all offers.
As soon as he could withdraw from these somewhat embarrassing
demonstrations, he went, accompanied by his friends, to pay a visit to
the Columbiad. He was highly gratified by his inspection, and made the
descent to the bottom of the tube of this gigantic machine which was
presently to launch him to the regions of the moon.
It is necessary here to mention a proposal of J. T. Maston's. When the
secretary of the Gun Club found that Barbicane and Nicholl accepted the
proposal of Michel Ardan, he determined to join them, and make one of
a snug party of four. So one day he determined to be admitted as one
of the travellers. Barbicane, pained at having to refuse him, gave him
clearly to understand that the projectile could not possibly contain
so many passengers. Maston, in despair, went in search of Michel Ardan,
who counselled him to resign himself to the situation, adding one or two
arguments _ad hominem_.
"You see, old fellow," he said, "you must not take what I say in bad part;
but really, between ourselves, you are in too incomplete a condition to
appear in the moon!"
"Incomplete?" shrieked the valiant invalid.
"Yes, my dear fellow! imagine our meeting some of the inhabitants up
there! Would you like to give them such a melancholy notion of what goes
on down here? to teach them what war is, to inform them that we employ
our time chiefly in devouring each other, in smashing arms and legs, and
that too on a globe which is capable of supporting a hundred billions of
inhabitants, and which actually does contain nearly two hundred millions?
Why, my worthy friend, we should have to turn you out of doors!"
"But still, if you arrive there in pieces, you will be as _incomplete_
as I am."
"Unquestionably," replied Michel Ardan; "but we shall not."
In fact, a preparatory experiment, tried on the 18th October, had yielded
the best results and caused the most well-grounded hopes of success.
Barbicane, desirous of obtaining some notion of the effect of the shock
at the moment of the projectile's departure, had procured a 38-inch
mortar from the arsenal of Pensacola. He had this placed on the bank of
Hillisborough Roads, in order that the shell might fall back into the
sea, and the shock be thereby destroyed. His object was to ascertain the
extent of the shock of departure, and not that of the return.
A hollow projectile had been prepared for this curious experiment. A thick
padding fastened upon a kind of elastic network, made of the best steel,
lined the inside of the walls. It was a veritable _nest_ most carefully
wadded.
"What a pity I can't find room in there," said J. T. Maston, regretting
that his height did not allow of his trying the adventure.
Within this shell were shut up a large cat, and a squirrel belonging to
J. T. Maston, and of which he was particularly fond. They were desirous,
however, of ascertaining how this little animal, least of all others
subject to giddiness, would endure this experimental voyage.
The mortar was charged with 160 lbs. of powder, and the shell placed in
the chamber. On being fired, the projectile rose with great velocity,
described a majestic parabola, attained a height of about a thousand
feet, and with a graceful curve descended in the midst of the vessels
that lay there at anchor.
Without a moment's loss of time a small boat put off in the direction of
its fall; some active divers plunged into the water and attached ropes
to the handles of the shell, which was quickly dragged on board. Five
minutes did not elapse between the moment of enclosing the animals and
that of unscrewing the coverlid of their prison.
Ardan, Barbicane, Maston, and Nicholl were present on board the boat,
and assisted at the operation with an interest which may readily be
comprehended. Hardly had the shell been opened when the cat leaped out,
slightly bruised, but full of life, and exhibiting no signs whatever of
having made an aerial expedition. No trace, however, of the squirrel
could be discovered. The truth at last became apparent;—the cat had
eaten its fellow-traveller!
J. T. Maston grieved much for the loss of his poor squirrel, and proposed
to add its case to that of other martyrs to science.
After this experiment all hesitation, all fear disappeared.
Illustration: THE CAT TAKEN OUT OF THE SHELL.
Besides, Barbicane's plans would ensure greater perfection for his
projectile, and go far to annihilate altogether the effects of the shock.
Nothing now remained but to go!
Two days later Michel Ardan received a message from the President of the
United States, an honour of which he showed himself especially sensible.
After the example of his illustrious fellow-countryman, the Marquis de
la Fayette, the government had decreed to him the title of "Citizen of
the United States of America."