CHAPTER XVIII. SUSPENSE
When the balloon had reached an elevation of about 2,500 yards,Lieutenant Procope determined to maintain it at that level. A wire-workstove, suspended below the casing, and filled with lighted hay, servedto keep the air in the interior at a proper temperature.
Beneath their feet was extended the basin of the Gallian Sea. Aninconsiderable speck to the north marked the site of Gourbi Island.Ceuta and Gibraltar, which might have been expected in the west, hadutterly disappeared. On the south rose the volcano, the extremity of thepromontory that jutted out from the continent that formed the frameworkof the sea; whilst in every direction the strange soil, with itscommixture of tellurium and gold, gleamed under the sun's rays with aperpetual iridescence.
Apparently rising with them in their ascent, the horizon waswell-defined. The sky above them was perfectly clear; but away in thenorthwest, in opposition to the sun, floated a new sphere, so small thatit could not be an asteroid, but like a dim meteor. It was the fragmentthat the internal convulsion had rent from the surface of the comet,and which was now many thousands of leagues away, pursuing the new orbitinto which it had been projected. During the hours of daylight itwas far from distinct, but after nightfall it would assume a definiteluster.
The object, however, of supreme interest was the great expanse of theterrestrial disc, which was rapidly drawing down obliquely towards them.It totally eclipsed an enormous portion of the firmament above, andapproaching with an ever-increasing velocity, was now within half itsaverage distance from the moon. So close was it, that the two polescould not be embraced in one focus. Irregular patches of greater orless brilliancy alternated on its surface, the brighter betokening thecontinents, the more somber indicating the oceans that absorbed thesolar rays. Above, there were broad white bands, darkened on the sideaverted from the sun, exhibiting a slow but unintermittent movement;these were the vapors that pervaded the terrestrial atmosphere.
But as the aeronauts were being hurried on at a speed of 70 milesa second, this vague aspect of the earth soon developed itself intodefinite outlines. Mountains and plains were no longer confused, thedistinction between sea and shore was more plainly identified, andinstead of being, as it were, depicted on a map, the surface of theearth appeared as though modelled in relief.
Twenty-seven minutes past two, and Gallia is only 72,000 miles from theterrestrial sphere; quicker and quicker is the velocity; ten minuteslater, and they are only 36,000 miles apart!
The whole configuration of the earth is clear.
"Europe! Russia! France!" shout Procope, the count, and Servadac, almostin a breath.
And they are not mistaken. The eastern hemisphere lies before themin the full blaze of light, and there is no possibility of error indistinguishing continent from continent.
The surprise only kindled their emotion to yet keener intensity, and itwould be hard to describe the excitement with which they gazed at thepanorama that was before them. The crisis of peril was close at hand,but imagination overleaped all consideration of danger; and everythingwas absorbed in the one idea that they were again within reach of thatcircle of humanity from which they had supposed themselves severedforever.
And, truly, if they could have paused to study it, that panorama ofthe states of Europe which was outstretched before their eyes, wasconspicuous for the fantastic resemblances with which Nature on the onehand, and international relations on the other, have associated them.There was England, marching like some stately dame towards the east,trailing her ample skirts and coroneted with the cluster of her littleislets; Sweden and Norway, with their bristling spine of mountains,seemed like a splendid lion eager to spring down from the bosom of theice-bound north; Russia, a gigantic polar bear, stood with its headtowards Asia, its left paw resting upon Turkey, its right upon MountCaucasus; Austria resembled a huge cat curled up and sleeping a watchfulsleep; Spain, with Portugal as a pennant, like an unfurled banner,floated from the extremity of the continent; Turkey, like an insolentcock, appeared to clutch the shores of Asia with the one claw, and theland of Greece with the other; Italy, as it were a foot and leg encasedin a tight-fitting boot, was juggling deftly with the islands of Sicily,Sardinia, and Corsica; Prussia, a formidable hatchet imbedded in theheart of Germany, its edge just grazing the frontiers of France; whilstFrance itself suggested a vigorous torso with Paris at its breast.
All at once Ben Zoof breaks the silence: "Montmartre! I see Montmartre!"And, smile at the absurdity as others might, nothing could induce theworthy orderly to surrender his belief that he could actually make outthe features of his beloved home.
The only individual whose soul seemed unstirred by the approaching earthwas Palmyrin Rosette. Leaning over the side of the car, he kept his eyesfixed upon the abandoned comet, now floating about a mile and a halfbelow him, bright in the general irradiation which was flooding thesurrounding space.
Chronometer in hand, Lieutenant Procope stood marking the minutes andseconds as they fled; and the stillness which had once again fallen uponthem all was only broken by his order to replenish the stove, that themontgolfier might retain its necessary level. Servadac and the countcontinued to gaze upon the earth with an eagerness that almost amountedto awe. The balloon was slightly in the rear of Gallia, a circumstancethat augured somewhat favorably, because it might be presumed that ifthe comet preceded the balloon in its contact with the earth, therewould be a break in the suddenness of transfer from one atmosphere tothe other.
The next question of anxiety was, where would the balloon alight? Ifupon _terra firma_, would it be in a place where adequate resources forsafety would be at hand? If upon the ocean, would any passing vessel bewithin hail to rescue them from their critical position? Truly, as thecount observed to his comrades, none but a Divine Pilot could steer themnow.
"Forty-two minutes past!" said the lieutenant, and his voice seemed tothrill through the silence of expectation.
There were not 20,000 miles between the comet and the earth!
The calculated time of impact was 2 hours 47 minutes 35.6 seconds. Fiveminutes more and collision must ensue!
But was it so? Just at this moment, Lieutenant Procope observed that thecomet deviated sensibly in an oblique course. Was it possible that afterall collision would not occur?
The deviation, however, was not great; it did not justify anyanticipation that Gallia would merely graze the earth, as it had donebefore; it left it certain that the two bodies would inevitably impinge.
"No doubt," said Ben Zoof, "this time we shall stick together."
Another thought occurred. Was it not only too likely that, in the fusionof the two atmospheres, the balloon itself, in which they were beingconveyed, would be rent into ribbons, and every one of its passengershurled into destruction, so that not a Gallian should survive to tellthe tale of their strange peregrinations?
Moments were precious; but Hector Servadac resolved that he would adopta device to secure that at least some record of their excursion in solardistances should survive themselves.
Tearing a leaf from his note-book, he wrote down the name of the comet,the list of the fragments of the earth it had carried off, the namesof his companions, and the date of the comet's aphelion; and havingsubscribed it with his signature, turned to Nina and told her he musthave the carrier-pigeon which was nestling in her bosom.
The child's eyes filled with tears; she did not say a word, butimprinting a kiss upon its soft plumage, she surrendered it at once, andthe message was hurriedly fastened to its neck. The bird wheeled roundand round in a few circles that widened in their diameter, and quicklysunk to an altitude in the comet's atmosphere much inferior to theballoon.
Some minutes more were thus consumed and the interval of distance wasreduced to less than 8,000 miles.
The velocity became inconceivably great, but the increased rate ofmotion was in no way perceptible; there was nothing to disturb theequilibrium of the car in which they were making their aerial adventure.
"Forty-si
x minutes!" announced the lieutenant.
The glowing expanse of the earth's disc seemed like a vast funnel,yawning to receive the comet and its atmosphere, balloon and all, intoits open mouth.
"Forty-seven!" cried Procope.
There was half a minute yet. A thrill ran through every vein. Avibration quivered through the atmosphere. The montgolfier, elongatedto its utmost stretch, was manifestly being sucked into a vortex. Everypassenger in the quivering car involuntarily clung spasmodically to itssides, and as the two atmospheres amalgamated, clouds accumulated inheavy masses, involving all around in dense obscurity, while flashes oflurid flame threw a weird glimmer on the scene.
In a mystery every one found himself upon the earth again. They couldnot explain it, but here they were once more upon terrestrial soil; ina swoon they had left the earth, and in a similar swoon they had comeback!
Of the balloon not a vestige remained, and contrary to previouscomputation, the comet had merely grazed the earth, and was traversingthe regions of space, again far away!