Первые люди на Луне
Chapter 16 — Points of View
Irememberonce,whenIaskedyouwhyyouconductedalltheseresearches,yousaidyouwantedyourF.R.S.,andtohavethestuffcalledCavorite,andthingslikethat.Youknowperfectlywellyoudidn’tdoitforthat;butatthetimemyquestiontookyoubysurprise,andyoufeltyououghttohavesomethingtolooklikeamotive.Reallyyouconductedresearchesbecauseyouhadto.It’syourtwist.”
“Perhapsitis—”
“Itisn’tonemaninamillionhasthattwist.Mostmenwant—well,variousthings,butveryfewwantknowledgeforitsownsake.Idon’t,Iknowperfectlywell.Now,theseSelenitesseemtobeadriving,busysortofbeing,buthowdoyouknowthateventhemostintelligentwilltakeaninterestinusorourworld?Idon’tbelievethey’llevenknowwehaveaworld.Theynevercomeoutatnight—they’dfreezeiftheydid.They’veprobablyneverseenanyheavenlybodyatallexcepttheblazingsun.Howaretheytoknowthereisanotherworld?Whatdoesitmattertothemiftheydo?Well,eveniftheyhavehadaglimpseofafewstars,orevenoftheearthcrescent,whatofthat?Whyshouldpeoplelivinginsideaplanettroubletoobservethatsortofthing?Menwouldn’thavedoneitexceptfortheseasonsandsailing;whyshouldthemoonpeople?...
“Well,supposethereareafewphilosopherslikeyourself.TheyarejusttheverySeleniteswho’llneverhaveheardofourexistence.SupposeaSelenitehaddroppedontheearthwhenyouwereatLympne,you’dhavebeenthelastmanintheworldtohearhehadcome.Youneverreadanewspaper!Youseethechancesagainstyou.
