"Hans Phaall" - читать интересную книгу автора (Poe Edgar Allan)

could manage to complete the voyage within any reasonable period. This
brings me back to the rate at which it might be possible to travel.
It is true that balloons, in the first stage of their ascensions
from the earth, are known to rise with a velocity comparatively
moderate. Now, the power of elevation lies altogether in the
superior lightness of the gas in the balloon compared with the
atmospheric air; and, at first sight, it does not appear probable
that, as the balloon acquires altitude, and consequently arrives
successively in atmospheric strata of densities rapidly
diminishing- I say, it does not appear at all reasonable that, in
this its progress upwards, the original velocity should be
accelerated. On the other hand, I was not aware that, in any
recorded ascension, a diminution was apparent in the absolute rate
of ascent; although such should have been the case, if on account of
nothing else, on account of the escape of gas through balloons
ill-constructed, and varnished with no better material than the
ordinary varnish. It seemed, therefore, that the effect of such escape
was only sufficient to counterbalance the effect of some
accelerating power. I now considered that, provided in my passage I
found the medium I had imagined, and provided that it should prove
to be actually and essentially what we denominate atmospheric air,
it could make comparatively little difference at what extreme state of
rarefaction I should discover it- that is to say, in regard to my
power of ascending- for the gas in the balloon would not only be
itself subject to rarefaction partially similar (in proportion to the
occurrence of which, I could suffer an escape of so much as would be
requisite to prevent explosion), but, being what it was, would, at all
events, continue specifically lighter than any compound whatever of
mere nitrogen and oxygen. In the meantime, the force of gravitation
would be constantly diminishing, in proportion to the squares of the
distances, and thus, with a velocity prodigiously accelerating, I
should at length arrive in those distant regions where the force of
the earth's attraction would be superseded by that of the moon. In
accordance with these ideas, I did not think it worth while to
encumber myself with more provisions than would be sufficient for a
period of forty days.
There was still, however, another difficulty, which occasioned me
some little disquietude. It has been observed, that, in balloon
ascensions to any considerable height, besides the pain attending
respiration, great uneasiness is experienced about the head and
body, often accompanied with bleeding at the nose, and other
symptoms of an alarming kind, and growing more and more inconvenient
in proportion to the altitude attained.* This was a reflection of a
nature somewhat startling. Was it not probable that these symptoms
would increase indefinitely, or at least until terminated by death
itself? I finally thought not. Their origin was to be looked for in
the progressive removal of the customary atmospheric pressure upon the
surface of the body, and consequent distention of the superficial
blood-vessels- not in any positive disorganization of the animal
system, as in the case of difficulty in breathing, where the