Первые люди на Луне
Chapter 3 — The Building of the sphere
“I’mbeginningtotakeitin,”Isaid;“I’mbeginningtotakeitin.”Thetransitionfromdoubttoenthusiasmseemedtotakescarcelyanytimeatall.“Butthisistremendous!”Icried.“ThisisImperial!Ihaven’tbeendreamingofthissortofthing.”
Oncethechillofmyoppositionwasremoved,hisownpent-upexcitementhadplay.Hetoogotupandpaced.Hetoogesticulatedandshouted.Webehavedlikemeninspired.Weweremeninspired.
“We’llsettleallthat!”hesaidinanswertosomeincidentaldifficultythathadpulledmeup.“We’llsoonsettlethat!We’llstartthedrawingsformouldingsthisverynight.”
“We’llstartthemnow,”Iresponded,andwehurriedofftothelaboratorytobeginuponthisworkforthwith.
IwaslikeachildinWonderlandallthatnight.Thedawnfoundusbothstillatwork—wekeptourelectriclightgoingheedlessoftheday.Iremembernowexactlyhowthesedrawingslooked.IshadedandtintedwhileCavordrew—smudgedandhaste-markedtheywereineveryline,butwonderfullycorrect.Wegotouttheordersforthesteelblindsandframesweneededfromthatnight’swork,andtheglassspherewasdesignedwithinaweek.Wegaveupourafternoonconversationsandouroldroutinealtogether.Weworked,andwesleptandatewhenwecouldworknolongerforhungerandfatigue.Ourenthusiasminfectedevenourthreemen,thoughtheyhadnoideawhatthespherewasfor.ThroughthosedaysthemanGibbsgaveupwalking,andwenteverywhere,evenacrosstheroom,atasortoffussyrun.
Anditgrew—thesphere.
