Перші люди на Місяці
Chapter 14 — Experiments in intercourse
Itbecameapparentthatthesourceofmuch,atleast,ofthetumultofsoundswhichhadfilledourearseversincewehadrecoveredfromthestupefactionofthefunguswasavastmassofmachineryinactivemovement,whoseflyingandwhirlingpartswerevisibleindistinctlyovertheheadsandbetweenthebodiesoftheSeleniteswhowalkedaboutus.Andnotonlydidthewebofsoundsthatfilledtheairproceedfromthismechanism,butalsothepeculiarbluelightthatirradiatedthewholeplace.Wehadtakenitasanaturalthingthatasubterraneancavernshouldbeartificiallylit,andevennow,thoughthefactwaspatenttomyeyes,Ididnotreallygraspitsimportuntilpresentlythedarknesscame.ThemeaningandstructureofthishugeapparatuswesawIcannotexplain,becauseweneitherofuslearntwhatitwasfororhowitworked.Oneafteranother,bigshaftsofmetalflungoutandupfromitscentre,theirheadstravellinginwhatseemedtometobeaparabolicpath;eachdroppedasortofdanglingarmasitrosetowardstheapexofitsflightandplungeddownintoaverticalcylinder,forcingthisdownbeforeit.Aboutitmovedtheshapesoftenders,littlefiguresthatseemedvaguelydifferentfromthebeingsaboutus.Aseachofthethreedanglingarmsofthemachineplungeddown,therewasaclankandthenaroaring,andoutofthetopoftheverticalcylindercamepouringthisincandescentsubstancethatlittheplace,andranoverasmilkrunsoveraboilingpot,anddrippedluminouslyintoatankoflightbelow.
