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.

That same day, all America heard about the affair between Captain Nicholl and President Barbicane, and its unusual ending. From then on, Michel Ardan had no rest. Delegations from every corner of the Union bothered him constantly. He had to receive them all, whether he wanted to or not. It is impossible to guess how many hands he shook or how many people he greeted like an old friend! Such a triumph would have intoxicated any other man. But Ardan managed to remain delightfully semi-tipsy.

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.

Among the many delegations that besieged him was one from “The Lunatics.” They were careful not to forget what they owed the future conqueror of the moon. One day, some of these poor people came to visit him. There were many of them in America. They asked 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?”

“What a strange delusion!” he said to Barbicane. He had sent the delegation away after promising to carry many messages to their friends on the moon. “Do you believe the moon affects illnesses?”

“Scarcely!”

“Hardly!”

“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.”

“Neither do I, despite some remarkable facts recorded in history. For instance, during an epidemic in 1693, many people died at the very moment of an eclipse. The famous Bacon always fainted during an eclipse. In 1399, Charles VI relapsed into madness six times, sometimes during a new moon and sometimes during a full moon. Gall observed that the condition of people with mental illness worsened twice a month, at the new and full moon. Many observations of fevers, sleepwalking, and other human ailments seem to show that the moon does have some mysterious influence on people.”

“But the how and the wherefore?” asked Barbicane.

“But how and why?” 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!’”

“Well, I can only give you the answer Arago borrowed from Plutarch. It 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 a tour of the United States in his show. As for his photographs, they were sold of all size, and his portrait taken in every imaginable posture. More than half a million copies were disposed of in an incredibly short space of time.

At the height of his triumph, Michel Ardan faced all the annoyances that come with fame. Entertainment managers wanted to put him on display. Barnum offered him a million dollars to tour the United States with his show. Photographs of Ardan were sold in all sizes, showing him in every imaginable pose. More than half a million copies sold in an incredibly short time.

But it was not only the men who paid him homage, but the women as well. 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 upward, 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.

But men were not the only ones who admired him. Women admired him too. He could have married well a hundred times over if he had been willing to settle down. Unmarried women of forty and older were especially devoted to him. The older they were, the more dried up they were. They devoured his photographs day and night. Hundreds of them would have married him, even if he had required them to accompany him into space. He had no intention, however, of establishing a race of Franco-Americans on the moon.

He therefore declined all offers.

So he turned down 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 smug party of four. So one day he determined to be admitted as one of the travelers. 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 counseled him to resign himself to the situation, adding one or two arguments ad hominem.

As soon as he could get away from these somewhat embarrassing displays, he went with his friends to visit the Columbiad. He was delighted by what he saw. He descended to the bottom of the gigantic machine’s tube. The Columbiad would soon launch him toward the moon. A proposal by J. T. Maston must be mentioned here. When the Gun Club’s secretary learned that Barbicane and Nicholl had accepted Michel Ardan’s proposal, he decided to join them. He wanted to make up a cozy party of four. So one day he decided to seek a place among the travelers. Barbicane was pained to refuse him, but he made it clear that the projectile could not possibly hold so many passengers. In despair, Maston went to Michel Ardan. Ardan advised him to accept the situation, adding one or two ad hominem arguments.

“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!”

“You see, my friend,” he said, “you must not take offense at what I say. But honestly, between ourselves, you are too incomplete to appear on the moon!”

“Incomplete?” shrieked the valiant invalid.

“Incomplete?” shrieked the brave man, who was ill.

“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!”

“Yes, my dear fellow! Imagine meeting some of the inhabitants up there! Would you want to give them such a gloomy idea of what happens down here? Would you teach them about war? Would you tell them that we spend most of our time devouring each other and smashing arms and legs? And all this on a globe capable of supporting a hundred billion inhabitants, but which actually has nearly two hundred million! Why, my good friend, we would have to throw you out!”

“But still, if you arrive there in pieces, you will be as incomplete as I am.”

“But still, if you arrive there in pieces, you'll be as incomplete as I am.”

“Unquestionably,” replied Michel Ardan; “but we shall not.”

“Definitely,” replied Michel Ardan, “but we won’t.”

In fact, a preparatory experiment, tried on the 18th of 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.

In fact, a preliminary experiment on October 18 had produced excellent results and given good reason to hope for success. Barbicane wanted to get some idea of the shock when the projectile was fired. He had obtained a 38-inch mortar from the arsenal of Pensacola. He had it placed on the bank of Hillisborough Roads so the shell would fall into the sea, eliminating the shock of its return. He wanted to measure the shock of firing, not the shock of the shell’s 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.

A hollow projectile had been prepared for this unusual experiment. Thick padding lined its walls, fastened to an elastic network made of the finest steel. It was a real nest, very carefully padded.

“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.

“What a pity I can’t fit in there,” said J. T. Maston. He regretted that he was too tall to join 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.

Inside the shell were a large cat and a squirrel belonging to J. T. Maston, who was especially fond of it. The squirrel was less prone to dizziness than any other animal. However, they wanted to see how it would endure this experimental voyage.

The mortar was charged with 160 pounds 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.

The mortar was loaded with 160 pounds of powder, and the shell was placed in the chamber. When fired, the shell rose at great speed in a majestic arc, reaching a height of about a thousand feet. Then it curved gracefully down among the vessels anchored there.

Without a moment’s loss of time a small boat put off in the direction of its fall; some 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.

A small boat set out immediately toward the spot where the shell had fallen. Some divers plunged into the water and attached ropes to the shell’s handles. The shell was quickly hauled on board. Less than five minutes passed between the animals being enclosed and the lid of their prison being unscrewed.

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-traveler!

Ardan, Barbicane, Maston, and Nicholl were on board the boat. They watched the operation with understandable interest. As soon as the shell was opened, the cat leaped out. It was slightly bruised but full of life, and showed no signs of having traveled through the air. There was no trace of the squirrel, however. At last, the truth became clear: the cat had eaten its fellow traveler!

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.

J. T. Maston was deeply saddened by the loss of his poor squirrel. He proposed adding its case to those of other martyrs to science.

After this experiment all hesitation, all fear disappeared. 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!

After this experiment, all hesitation and fear disappeared. Besides, Barbicane’s plans would make his projectile even better and almost completely eliminate the effects of the shock. All that remained was to go!

Two days later Michel Ardan received a message from the President of the United States, an honor of which he showed himself especially sensible.

Two days later, Michel Ardan received a message from the President of the United States. He showed that he was especially touched by the honor.

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.”

Like his distinguished fellow countryman, the Marquis de la Fayette, he had been granted the title of “Citizen of the United States of America” by the government.