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Chapter 26 — The Last Message Cavor sent to the Earth
Itisthebriefestfragment,thebrokenbeginningsoftwosentences.
Thefirstwas:“IwasmadtolettheGrandLunarknow—”
Therewasanintervalofperhapsaminute.Oneimaginessomeinterruptionfromwithout.Adeparturefromtheinstrument—adreadfulhesitationamongtheloomingmassesofapparatusinthatdim,blue-litcavern—asuddenrushbacktoit,fullofaresolvethatcametoolate.Then,asifitwerehastilytransmittedcame:“Cavoritemadeasfollows:take—”
Therefollowedoneword,aquiteunmeaningwordasitstands:“uless.”
Andthatisall.
Itmaybehemadeahastyattempttospell“useless”whenhisfatewascloseuponhim.Whateveritwasthatwashappeningaboutthatapparatuswecannottell.Whateveritwasweshallnever,Iknow,receiveanothermessagefromthemoon.Formyownpartavividdreamhascometomyhelp,andIsee,almostasplainlyasthoughIhadseenitinactualfact,ablue-litshadowydishevelledCavorstrugglinginthegripoftheseinsectSelenites,strugglingevermoredesperatelyandhopelesslyastheypressuponhim,shouting,expostulating,perhapsevenatlastfighting,andbeingforcedbackwardsstepbystepoutofallspeechorsignofhisfellows,forevermoreintotheUnknown—intothedark,intothatsilencethathasnoend....
