Перші люди на Місяці
Chapter 15 — The Giddy Bridge
“Evenaminehalfamiledeepisstuffy.”
“Thisisnot,anyhow.It’sprobable—Ventilation!Theairwouldblowfromthedarksideofthemoontothesunlit,andallthecarbonicacidwouldwelloutthereandfeedthoseplants.Upthistunnel,forexample,thereisquiteabreeze.Andwhataworlditmustbe.Theearnestwehaveinthatshaft,andthosemachines—”
“Andthegoad,”Isaid.“Don’tforgetthegoad!”
Hewalkedalittleinfrontofmeforatime.
“Eventhatgoad—”hesaid.
“Well?”
“Iwasangryatthetime.But—itwasperhapsnecessaryweshouldgeton.Theyhavedifferentskins,andprobablydifferentnerves.Theymaynotunderstandourobjection—justasabeingfromMarsmightnotlikeourearthlyhabitofnudging.”
“They’dbetterbecarefulhowtheynudgeme.”
“Andaboutthatgeometry.Afterall,theirwayisawayofunderstanding,too.Theybeginwiththeelementsoflifeandnotofthought.Food.Compulsion.Pain.Theystrikeatfundamentals.”
“There’snodoubtaboutthat,”Isaid.
Hewentontotalkoftheenormousandwonderfulworldintowhichwewerebeingtaken.Irealisedslowlyfromhistone,thatevennowhewasnotabsolutelyindespairattheprospectofgoingeverdeeperintothisinhumanplanet-burrow.Hismindranonmachinesandinvention,totheexclusionofathousanddarkthingsthatbesetme.Itwasn’tthatheintendedtomakeanyuseofthesethings,hesimplywantedtoknowthem.
“Afterall,”hesaid,“thisisatremendousoccasion.Itisthemeetingoftwoworlds!Whatarewegoingtosee?Thinkofwhatisbelowushere.”
