Первые люди на Луне

           Hecameforwardthreestepsandpausedforatime.Hismovementsseemedabsolutelynoiseless.Thenhecameforwardagain.Hewalkedlikeabird,hisfeetfelloneinfrontoftheother.Hesteppedoutoftherayoflightthatcamethroughthedoorway,anditseemedasthoughhevanishedaltogetherintheshadow.

           Foramomentmyeyessoughthiminthewrongplace,andthenIperceivedhimstandingfacingusbothinthefulllight.OnlythehumanfeaturesIhadattributedtohimwerenotthereatall!

           OfcourseIoughttohaveexpectedthat,onlyIdidn’t.Itcametomeasanabsolute,foramomentanoverwhelmingshock.Itseemedasthoughitwasn’taface,asthoughitmustneedsbeamask,ahorror,adeformity,thatwouldpresentlybedisavowedorexplained.Therewasnonose,andthethinghaddullbulgingeyesattheside—inthesilhouetteIhadsupposedtheywereears.Therewerenoears....Ihavetriedtodrawoneoftheseheads,butIcannot.Therewasamouth,downwardlycurved,likeahumanmouthinafacethatstaresferociously....

           Theneckonwhichtheheadwaspoisedwasjointedinthreeplaces,almostliketheshortjointsinthelegofacrab.ThejointsofthelimbsIcouldnotsee,becauseoftheputtee-likestrapsinwhichtheywereswathed,andwhichformedtheonlyclothingthebeingwore.

           Therethethingwas,lookingatus!

           Atthetimemymindwastakenupbythemadimpossibilityofthecreature.Isupposehealsowasamazed,andwithmorereason,perhaps,foramazementthanwe.Only,confoundhim!hedidnotshowit