Argosy, Volume XXIII — Index Page, 1897 — page 187: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A MONTH IN THE MOON. 757 Gertrude looked in the direction her uncle indicated, and saw, to her delight, France, situated between the clearly defined line of Italy and the two little white spots that were the Britannic Isles. They now returned to the drawing room, as the hour of breakfast had come. -““T really feel cold already!’’ cried Gertrude, surprised at a fit of-shivering, which was now an unusual sensation with her. ‘Tt is cold, and no mistake!’’ answered the doctor. ‘‘I fancy that we stand two or three degrees below zero already ; and see ! the baronet’s teeth are chattering.’’ ““T! The idea!’ exclaimed Sir Bucephalus. ‘‘I can assure you, my dear doctor,’’ he continued, ‘‘I have gone through much worse cold than this. Why, I went up Mont Blanc in nothing warmer than a woolen vest !’’ The baronet prided himself on his hardihood, and never wore an overcoat, even in the depth of winter, taking good care, though, to be clothed in flan- nel from head to foot. ‘‘T congratulate you, my dear sir, if you are impervious to cold,’’ an- swered the doctor ironically. ‘‘I can’t flatter myself to that extent, and I own that I should not be sorry to see a good fire, for I am simply frozen.’’ Just as he finished speaking, his words were suddenly emphasized by a loud report inside the walls. ‘What is that?’’ asked Gertrude. ‘“Only a stone bursting,’’ replied Norbert simply. ‘‘ It is freezing hard enough to make the pipes burst, as we say on the earth, and one of our stones, slightly damp still, probably has burst like a shell. Fortunately, there are very few of them in the obseryatory walls ; otherwise we should be _ treated to a perfect concert of reports. But the pyrite employed in the con- struction will not burst, for it 1s perfectly water tight, and almost as ductile as metal.’’ ‘“Anyhow, we must prepare for severe weather,’’ said the doctor. ‘“‘TIf it is as bad as this only an hour after sunset, what will it be in twenty or thirty hours’ time! I doubt very much if we shall be able to stand it.’’ ; ‘‘ If it comes-to the worst,’’ replied Norbert, ‘‘ we can but migrate to the sunlit hemisphere. But I hope we shall not be compelled to do so, for judging by the cold when I was there with Kaddour, ten degrees below zero, I think we shall be able to bear the cold here.”’ ‘* Bear cold ten degrees below zero !’’ cried the doctor. ‘‘ You must have graduated at the same school as Sir Bucephalus !’’ ‘Get out two or three hot stones, Virgil,’’ said Norbert; ‘‘ they will warm us somewhat. .Madenioiselle Gertrude had better open her trunk, too, and take out her shawls and mantles.”’ ‘“T am rather badly off in that respect,’’ said Gertrude. ‘‘ I did not think I should require much at Suakim and Khartoum.’’ ‘*Well,’’ answered Norbert, ‘‘in that case we must turn out our wardrobes and see if we cannot find some warm coverings for you and Fatima.”’ But Sir Bucephalus shook his head. a (©) =) Ichooks.co