Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 11
Itisfarrago.Itwasexperience,however.Itwasjustasrealtomeasisthesnakebeheldbyamanindeliriumtremens.
Possibly,bythemostliberalestimate,itmayhavetakenEdMorrelltwominutestotaphisquestion.Yet,tome,æonselapsedbetweenthefirsttapofhisknuckleandthelast.NolongercouldItreadmystarrypathwiththatineffablepristinejoy,formywaywasbesetwithdreadoftheinevitablesummonsthatwouldripandtearmeasitjerkedmebacktomystrait-jackethell.Thusmyæonsofstar-wanderingwereæonsofdread.
AndallthetimeIknewitwasEdMorrell’sknucklethatthuscruellyheldmeearth-bound.Itriedtospeaktohim,toaskhimtocease.ButsothoroughlyhadIeliminatedmybodyfrommyconsciousnessthatIwasunabletoresurrectit.Mybodylaydeadinthejacket,thoughIstillinhabitedtheskull.InvainIstrovetowillmyfoottotapmymessagetoMorrell.IreasonedIhadafoot.Andyet,sothoroughlyhadIcarriedouttheexperiment,Ihadnofoot.
Next—andIknownowthatitwasbecauseMorrellhadspelledhismessagequiteout—Ipursuedmywayamongthestarsandwasnotcalledback.Afterthat,andinthecourseofit,Iwasaware,drowsily,thatIwasfallingasleep,andthatitwasdelicioussleep.Fromtimetotime,drowsily,Istirred—please,myreader,don’tmissthatverb—ISTIRRED.Imovedmylegs,myarms.Iwasawareofclean,softbedlinenagainstmyskin.
