"Jules Vernes - Off on a Comet" - читать интересную книгу автора (Verne Jules)

WORKS
of
JULES VERNE
Vol. IX

Off on a Comet Or

Hector Servadac
EDITED BY
CHARLES F. HORNE, Ph.D.
Professor of English, College of the City of New York;.INTRODUCTION TO VOLUME NINE OF THE
WORKS OF JULES VERNE
Among so many effective and artistic tales, it is difficult to give a
preference to one over all the rest. Yet, certainly, even amid Verne's
remarkable works, his "Off on a Comet" must be given high rank. Perhaps
this story will be remembered when even "Round the World in Eighty Days"
and "Michael Strogoff" have been obliterated by centuries of time. At least,
of the many books since written upon the same theme as Verne's, no one
has yet succeeded in equaling or even approaching it.
In one way "Off on a Comet" shows a marked contrast to Verne' earlier
books. Not only does it invade a region more remote than even the "Trip to
the Moon," but the author here abandons his usual scrupulously scientific
attitude. In order that he may escort us through the depths of
immeasurable space, show us what astronomy really knows of conditions
there and upon the other planets, Verne asks us to accept a situation
frankly impossible. The earth and a comet are brought twice into collision
without mankind in general, or even our astronomers, becoming conscious
of the fact. Moreover several people from widely scattered places are carried
off by the comet and returned uninjured. Yet further, the comet snatches
for the convenience of its travelers, both air and water. Little, useful tracts
of earth are picked up and, as it were, turned over and clapped down right
side up again upon the comet's surface. Even ships pass uninjured through
this remarkable somersault. These events all belong frankly to the realm of
fairyland.
If the situation were reproduced in actuality, if ever a comet should
come into collision with the earth, we can conceive two scientifically
possible results. If the comet were of such attenuation, such almost
infinitesimal mass as some of these celestial wanderers seem to be, we can
imagine our earth self-protective and possibly unharmed. If, on the other
hand, the comet had even a hundredth part of the size and solidity and
weight which Verne confers upon his monster so as to give his travelers a
home - in that case the collision would be unspeakably disastrous -especially
to the unlucky individuals who occupied the exact point of
contact.
But once granted the initial and the closing extravagance, the departure
and return of his characters, the alpha and omega of his tale, how closely
the author clings to facts between! How closely he follows, and imparts to
his readers, the scientific probabilities of the universe beyond our earth,
the actual knowledge so hard won by our astronomers! Other authors who,
since Verne, have told of trips through the planetary and stellar universe