Первые люди на Луне
Chapter 23 — An Abstract of the Six Messages First Received from Mr. Cavor
Thefishinthenetcameuplikeabluemoonrise—ablazeofdarting,tossingblue.
“Amongtheircatchwasamany-tentaculate,evil-eyedblackthing,ferociouslyactive,whoseappearancetheygreetedwithshrieksandtwitters,andwhichwithquick,nervousmovementstheyhackedtopiecesbymeansoflittlehatchets.Allitsdisseveredlimbscontinuedtolashandwritheinaviciousmanner.Afterwards,whenfeverhadholdofme,Idreamtagainandagainofthatbitter,furiouscreaturerisingsovigorousandactiveoutoftheunknownsea.ItwasthemostactiveandmalignantthingofallthelivingcreaturesIhaveyetseeninthisworldinsidethemoon....
“Thesurfaceofthisseamustbeverynearlytwohundredmiles(ifnotmore)belowthelevelofthemoon’sexterior;allthecitiesofthemoonlie,Ilearnt,immediatelyabovethisCentralSea,insuchcavernousspacesandartificialgalleriesasIhavedescribed,andtheycommunicatewiththeexteriorbyenormousverticalshaftswhichopeninvariablyinwhatarecalledbyearthlyastronomersthe‘craters’ofthemoon.ThelidcoveringonesuchapertureIhadalreadyseenduringthewanderingsthathadprecededmycapture.
“UpontheconditionofthelesscentralportionofthemoonIhavenotyetarrivedatverypreciseknowledge.Thereisanenormoussystemofcavernsinwhichthemooncalvesshelterduringthenight;andthereareabattoirsandthelike—inoneoftheseitwasthatIandBedfordfoughtwiththeSelenitebutchers—andIhavesinceseenballoonsladenwithmeatdescendingoutoftheupperdark.
