It was nine o’clock before the festivities came to an end, and by that time the company, heated by the high temperature of the hall, and by their own exertions, felt the want of a little fresh air. Accordingly the greater portion of the party, escorted by Ben Zoof, made their way into one of the adjacent galleries that led to the shore. Servadac, with the count and lieutenant, did not follow immediately; but shortly afterwards they proceeded to join them, when on their way they were startled by loud cries from those in advance. Their first impression was that they were cries of distress, and they were greatly relieved to find that they were shouts of delight, which the dryness and purity of the atmosphere caused to re-echo like a volley of musketry. Reaching the mouth of the gallery, they found the entire group pointing with eager interest to the sky. “Well, Ben Zoof,” asked the captain, “what’s the matter now?” “Oh, your Excellency,” ejaculated the orderly, “look there! look there! The moon! the moon’s come back!” And, sure enough, what was apparently the moon was rising above the mists of evening. CHAPTER XXII. A FROZEN OCEAN The moon! She had disappeared for weeks; was she now returning? Had she been faithless to the earth? and had she now approached to be a satellite of the new-born world? “Impossible!” said Lieutenant Procope; “the earth is millions and millions of leagues away, and it is not probable that the moon has ceased to revolve about her.” “Why not?” remonstrated Servadac. “It would not be more strange than the other phenomena which we have lately witnessed. Why should not the moon have fallen within the limits of Gallia’s attraction, and become her satellite?” “Upon that supposition,” put in the count, “I should think that it would be altogether unlikely that three months would elapse without our seeing her.” “Quite incredible!” continued Procope. “And there is another thing which totally disproves the captain’s hypothesis; the magnitude of Gallia is far too insignificant for her power of attraction to carry off the moon.” “But,” persisted Servadac, “why should not the same convulsion that tore us away from the earth have torn away the moon as well? After wandering about as she would for a while in the solar regions, I do not see why she should not have attached herself to us.” The lieutenant repeated his conviction that it was not likely. “But why not?” again asked Servadac impetuously. “Because, I tell you, the mass of Gallia is so inferior to that of the moon, that Gallia would become the moon’s satellite; the moon could not possibly become hers.” “Assuming, however,” continued Servadac, “such to be the case--” “I am afraid,” said the lieutenant, interrupting him, “that I cannot assume anything of the sort even for a moment.” Servadac smiled good-humoredly.