Первые люди на Луне
Chapter 15 — The Giddy Bridge
Theshorter,thickerSelenitemarchedatfirstonourrightflank,butpresentlycameinfrontofusagain.
Howwellthepictureofthatgroupinghasbittenintomybrain;thebackofCavor’sdowncastheadjustinfrontofme,andthedejecteddroopofhisshoulders,andourguide’sgapingvisage,perpetuallyjerkingabouthim,andthegoad-bearersoneitherside,watchful,yetopen-mouthed—abluemonochrome.Andafterall,Idorememberoneotherthingbesidesthepurelypersonalaffair,whichis,thatasortofguttercamepresentlyacrossthefloorofthecavern,andthenranalongbythesideofthepathofrockwefollowed.Anditwasfullofthatsamebrightblueluminousstuffthatflowedoutofthegreatmachine.Iwalkedclosebesideit,andIcantestifyitradiatednotaparticleofheat.Itwasbrightlyshining,andyetitwasneitherwarmernorcolderthananythingelseinthecavern.
Clang,clang,clang,wepassedrightunderthethumpingleversofanothervastmachine,andsocameatlasttoawidetunnel,inwhichwecouldevenhearthepad,pad,ofourshoelessfeet,andwhich,saveforthetricklingthreadofbluetotherightofus,wasquiteunlit.TheshadowsmadegigantictravestiesofourshapesandthoseoftheSelenitesontheirregularwallandroofofthetunnel.Everandagaincrystalsinthewallsofthetunnelscintillatedlikegems,everandagainthetunnelexpandedintoastalactiticcavern,orgaveoffbranchesthatvanishedintodarkness.
Weseemedtobemarchingdownthattunnelforalongtime.
