From that position to a search for the reason for the formations on the Moon’s surface and to the question why and with what object those unknown comrades drew those figures would be a short step quickly taken. Would it be with the idea of entering into communication with us? The hypothesis would not be absurd. It would be put forward, it would be discussed, it would be rejected as far-fetched and defended as ingenious. And after all, why not? Why should the inhabitants of the Moon not be more curious than we, more intelligent, of higher aspirations, less stuck in the bog of material necessities? Why should they not suppose that the Earth can be inhabited as well as their own world, and why should these geometrical appeals not be made with the object of asking us whether we exist? Besides, it is not difficult to reply. We are shown a triangle, we reproduce it here. A circle is traced, we imitate it. And so communication is established between the Heavens and the Earth for the first time since the beginning of the world. Geometry being the same for all the inhabitants of the universe, and twice two making four in all the regions of infinite space, and the three angles of a triangle always being equivalent to two right angles, signals thus exchanged between the Earth and the Moon would not even have the obscurity of the hieroglyphics deciphered by Champollion, and the communication, once established, would become regular and fertile. Besides, the Moon is close by. Its distance of 240 thousand miles is only thirty times the diameter of the earth, and many a rural postman has covered that amount of ground on foot during the course of his life. A telegram would arrive there in a second and a quarter, and light takes the same time to cover that distance. The Moon is a celestial province joined to our destiny by Nature herself. Up to now we have noticed nothing on the Moon which might lead us to suspect the existence of a thinking humanity inhabiting that small celestial island. Tet the astronomers who specially observe our satellite and who study its singular aspects with attention and perseverance are generally of opinion that that heavenly body is not as dead as it seems. We must not forget that in the present state of optical science it is difficult in practice to apply to the study of the Moon a magnification greater than a thousand times. To see our satellite a thousand times closer than it really is still leaves it at a distance of 240 miles. Now, what can be distinguished at such a distance?