But no
remarkable difference had so far been perceived by terrestrial
observers; and none could now be detected by our travellers. Therefore
the Moon must have found in herself alone the principle of her shape and
of her superficial development--that is, she owed nothing to external
influences. "Arago was perfectly right, therefore," concluded Barbican,
"in the remarkable opinion to which he gave expression thirty years ago:
'No external action whatever has contributed to the formation of the
Moon's diversified surface.'"
"But don't you think, Barbican," asked the Captain, "that every force,
internal or external, that might modify the Moon's shape, has ceased
long ago?"
"I am rather inclined to that opinion," said Barbican; "it is not,
however, a new one. Descartes maintained that as the Earth is an extinct
Sun, so is the Moon an extinct Earth. My own opinion at present is that
the Moon is now the image of death, but I can't say if she has ever been
the abode of life."
"The abode of life!" cried Ardan, who had great repugnance in accepting
the idea that the Moon was no better than a heap of cinders and ashes;
"why, look there! If those are not as neat a set of the ruins of an
abandoned city as ever I saw, I should like to know what they are!"
[Illustration: ONCE MORE THE PIPES OF AN AQUEDUCT.
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