Had this path been disturbed by that dangerous meteor?
There was every reason to fear so--though, disturbance or no disturbance, the curve it described should still be one strictly in accordance with the laws of Mechanical Philosophy.

Whether it was a parabola or a hyperbola, however, or whether it was disturbed or not, made very little difference as, in any case, the Projectile was bound to quit pretty soon the cone of the shadow, at a point directly opposite to where it had entered it.
This cone could not possibly be of very great extent, considering the very slight ratio borne by the Moon's diameter when compared with the Sun's.

Still, to all appearances, the Projectile seemed to be quite as deeply immersed in the shadow as ever, and there was apparently not the slightest sign of such a state of things coming soon to an end.

At what rate was the Projectile now moving?
Hard to say, but certainly not slowly, certainly rapidly enough to be out of the shadow by this time, if describing a curve rigidly parabolic.

Was the curve therefore _not_ parabolic?
Another puzzling problem and sadly bewildering to poor Barbican, who had now almost lost his reason by attempting to clear up questions that were proving altogether too profound for his overworked brains.
Not that he ever thought of taking rest.