Первые люди на Луне

           “Look!Thesunrise!Thesun!”

           Heturnedmeaboutandpointedtothebrowoftheeastwardcliff,loomingabovethehazeaboutus,scarcelighterthanthedarknessofthesky.Butnowitslinewasmarkedbystrangereddishshapes,tonguesofvermilionflamethatwrithedanddanced.Ifancieditmustbespiralsofvapourthathadcaughtthelightandmadethiscrestoffierytonguesagainstthesky,butindeeditwasthesolarprominencesIsaw,acrownoffireaboutthesunthatisforeverhiddenfromearthlyeyesbyouratmosphericveil.

           Andthen—thesun!

           Steadily,inevitablycameabrilliantline,cameathinedgeofintolerableeffulgencethattookacircularshape,becameabow,becameablazingsceptre,andhurledashaftofheatatusasthoughitwasaspear.

           Itseemedverilytostabmyeyes!Icriedaloudandturnedaboutblinded,gropingformyblanketbeneaththebale.

           Andwiththatincandescencecameasound,thefirstsoundthathadreachedusfromwithoutsincewelefttheearth,ahissingandrustling,thestormytrailingoftheaerialgarmentoftheadvancingday.Andwiththecomingofthesoundandthelightthespherelurched,andblindedanddazzledwestaggeredhelplesslyagainsteachother.Itlurchedagain,andthehissinggrewlouder.Ihadshutmyeyesperforce,Iwasmakingclumsyeffortstocovermyheadwithmyblanket,andthissecondlurchsentmehelplesslyoffmyfeet.Ifellagainstthebale,andopeningmyeyeshadamomentaryglimpseoftheairjustoutsideourglass.Itwasrunning—itwasboiling—likesnowintowhichawhite-hotrodisthrust.