The pressure of air inside the helmet automatically regulated the
supply, which was not permitted to circulate through the other portions
of the dress. The reasons for this precaution were very simple. Granted
the absence of atmosphere on the moon, any air in the dress, which was
woven of a cunning compound of silk and asbestos, would instantly expand
with irresistible force, burst the covering, and expose the limbs of the
explorers to a cold which would be infinitely more destructive than the
hottest of earthly fires. It would wither them to nothing in a moment.
A human hand or foot--we won't say anything about faces--exposed to the
summer or winter temperature of the moon--that is to say, to its
sunlight and its darkness--would be shrivelled into dry bone in a
moment, and therefore Lord Redgrave, foreseeing this, had provided the
breathing-dresses. Lastly, the two helmets were connected, for purposes
of conversation, by a light wire, the two ends of which were connected
with a little telephonic receiver and transmitter inside each of the
head-dresses.
"Well, now I think we're ready," said Redgrave, putting his hand on the
lever which opened the outer door.
His voice sounded a little queer and squeaky over the wire, and for the
matter of that so did Zaidie's as she replied:
"Yes, I'm ready, I think.
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