Первые люди на Луне
Chapter 23 — An Abstract of the Six Messages First Received from Mr. Cavor
Buthisaccountis:—
“Itspeedilybecameapparentthattheentirestrangenessofourcircumstancesandsurroundings—greatlossofweight,attenuatedbuthighlyoxygenatedair,consequentexaggerationoftheresultsofmusculareffort,rapiddevelopmentofweirdplantsfromobscurespores,luridsky—wasexcitingmycompanionunduly.Onthemoonhischaracterseemedtodeteriorate.Hebecameimpulsive,rash,andquarrelsome.InalittlewhilehisfollyindevouringsomegiganticvesiclesandhisconsequentintoxicationledtoourcapturebytheSelenites—beforewehadhadtheslightestopportunityofproperlyobservingtheirways....”
(Hesays,youobserve,nothingofhisownconcessiontothesesame“vesicles.”)
Andhegoesonfromthatpointtosaythat“Wecametoadifficultpassagewiththem,andBedfordmistakingcertaingesturesoftheirs”—prettygesturestheywere!—“gavewaytoapanicviolence.Heranamuck,killedthree,andperforceIhadtofleewithhimaftertheoutrage.Subsequentlywefoughtwithanumberwhoendeavouredtobarourway,andslewsevenoreightmore.ItsaysmuchforthetoleranceofthesebeingsthatonmyrecaptureIwasnotinstantlyslain.Wemadeourwaytotheexteriorandseparatedinthecraterofourarrival,toincreaseourchancesofrecoveringoursphere.ButpresentlyIcameuponabodyofSelenites,ledbytwowhowerecuriouslydifferent,eveninform,fromanyofthesewehadseenhitherto,withlargerheadsandsmallerbodies,andmuchmoreelaboratelywrappedabout.
