Первые люди на Луне
Chapter 15 — The Giddy Bridge
Theothersstoodreadytofollowafterus.Ourguide’sexpectantfigurereappeared.Hewasreturningtoseewhywehadnotadvanced.
“Whatisthatbeyondthere?”Iasked.
“Ican’tsee.”
“Wecan’tcrossthisatanyprice,”saidI.
“Icouldnotgothreestepsonit,”saidCavor,“evenwithmyhandsfree.”
Welookedateachother’sdrawnfacesinblankconsternation.
“Theycan’tknowwhatitistobegiddy!”saidCavor.
“It’squiteimpossibleforustowalkthatplank.”
“Idon’tbelievetheyseeaswedo.I’vebeenwatchingthem.Iwonderiftheyknowthisissimplyblacknessforus.Howcanwemakethemunderstand?”
“Anyhow,wemustmakethemunderstand.”
IthinkwesaidthesethingswithavaguehalfhopetheSelenitesmightsomehowunderstand.Iknewquiteclearlythatallthatwasneededwasanexplanation.ThenasIsawtheirfaces,Irealisedthatanexplanationwasimpossible.Justhereitwasthatourresemblanceswerenotgoingtobridgeourdifferences.Well,Iwasn’tgoingtowalktheplank,anyhow.Islippedmywristveryquicklyoutofthecoilofchainthatwasloose,andthenbegantotwistmywristsinoppositedirections.Iwasstandingnearesttothebridge,andasIdidthistwooftheSeleniteslaidholdofme,andpulledmegentlytowardsit.
Ishookmyheadviolently.“Nogo,”Isaid,“nouse.Youdon’tunderstand.”
AnotherSeleniteaddedhiscompulsion.Iwasforcedtostepforward.
“I’vegotanidea,”saidCavor;butIknewhisideas.
“Lookhere!”IexclaimedtotheSelenites.
