Перші люди на Місяці
Chapter 17 — The Fight in the Cave of the Moon Butchers
ThenIcouldseethattherewassomethingmovingdimlyintheblacknessbelowthegrating,butwhatitmightbeIcouldnotdistinguish.Thewholethingseemedtohangfirejustforamoment—thensmash!Ihadsprungtomyfeet,strucksavagelyatsomethingthathadflashedoutatme.Itwasthekeenpointofaspear.Ihavethoughtsincethatitslengthinthenarrownessofthecleftmusthavepreventeditsbeingslopedtoreachme.Anyhow,itshotoutfromthegratinglikethetongueofasnake,andmissedandflewbackandflashedagain.ButthesecondtimeIsnatchedandcaughtit,andwrencheditaway,butnotbeforeanotherhaddartedineffectuallyatme.
IshoutedwithtriumphasIfelttheholdoftheSeleniteresistmypullforamomentandgive,andthenIwasjabbingdownthroughthebars,amidstsquealsfromthedarkness,andCavorhadsnappedofftheotherspear,andwasleapingandflourishingitbesideme,andmakinginefficientjabs.Clang,clang,cameupthroughthegrating,andthenanaxehurtledthroughtheairandwhackedagainsttherocksbeyond,toremindmeofthefleshersatthecarcassesupthecavern.
Iturned,andtheywereallcomingtowardsusinopenorderwavingtheiraxes.Theywereshort,thick,littlebeggars,withlongarms,strikinglydifferentfromtheoneswehadseenbefore.Iftheyhadnotheardofusbefore,theymusthaverealisedthesituationwithincredibleswiftness.Istaredatthemforamoment,spearinhand.“Guardthatgrating,Cavor,”Icried,howledtointimidatethem,andrushedtomeetthem.
