Первые люди на Луне
Chapter 24 — The Natural History of the Selenites
“Andindeedallthathugeextentofmushroomgroundwas,Ifound,pepperedwiththeseprostratefiguressleepingunderanopiateuntilthemoonhadneedofthem.Therewerescoresofthemofallsorts,andwewereabletoturnoversomeofthem,andexaminethemmorepreciselythanIhadbeenabletodopreviously.Theybreathednoisilyatmydoingso,butdidnotwake.One,Irememberverydistinctly:heleftastrongimpression,Ithink,becausesometrickofthelightandofhisattitudewasstronglysuggestiveofadrawn-uphumanfigure.Hisfore-limbswerelong,delicatetentacles—hewassomekindofrefinedmanipulator—andtheposeofhisslumbersuggestedasubmissivesuffering.Nodoubtitwasamistakeformetointerprethisexpressioninthatway,butIdid.AndasPhi-oorolledhimoverintothedarknessamongthelividfleshinessagainIfeltadistinctlyunpleasantsensation,althoughasherolledtheinsectinhimwasconfessed.
“Itsimplyillustratestheunthinkingwayinwhichoneacquireshabitsoffeeling.Todrugtheworkeronedoesnotwantandtosshimasideissurelyfarbetterthantoexpelhimfromhisfactorytowanderstarvinginthestreets.Ineverycomplicatedsocialcommunitythereisnecessarilyacertainintermittencyofemploymentforallspecialisedlabour,andinthiswaythetroubleofan‘unemployed’problemisaltogetheranticipated.
