Перші люди на Місяці
Chapter 20 — Mr. Bedford in Infinite Space
Theheaterhadmadethespheretolerablywarm,theairhadbeenrefreshedbytheoxygen,andexceptforthatfaintcongestionoftheheadthatwasalwayswithmewhileIwasawayfromearth,Ifeltentirephysicalcomfort.Ihadextinguishedthelightagain,lestitshouldfailmeintheend;Iwasindarkness,savefortheearthshineandtheglitterofthestarsbelowme.EverythingwassoabsolutelysilentandstillthatImightindeedhavebeentheonlybeingintheuniverse,andyet,strangelyenough,IhadnomorefeelingoflonelinessorfearthanifIhadbeenlyinginbedonearth.Now,thisseemsallthestrangertome,sinceduringmylasthoursinthatcraterofthemoon,thesenseofmyutterlonelinesshadbeenanagony....
Incredibleasitwillseem,thisintervaloftimethatIspentinspacehasnosortofproportiontoanyotherintervaloftimeinmylife.SometimesitseemedasthoughIsatthroughimmeasurableeternitieslikesomegoduponalotusleaf,andagainasthoughtherewasamomentarypauseasIleaptfrommoontoearth.Intruth,itwasaltogethersomeweeksofearthlytime.ButIhaddonewithcareandanxiety,hungerorfear,forthatspace.Ifloated,thinkingwithastrangebreadthandfreedomofallthatwehadundergone,andofallmylifeandmotives,andthesecretissuesofmybeing.Iseemedtomyselftohavegrowngreaterandgreater,tohavelostallsenseofmovement;tobefloatingamidstthestars,andalwaysthesenseofearth’slittlenessandtheinfinitelittlenessofmylifeuponit,wasimplicitinmythoughts.
