Перші люди на Місяці
Chapter 21 — Mr. Bedford at Littlestone
EvidentlytheearlybathingsectionofthisLittlestone.
“Help!”saidtheyoungman:“rather!”Hebecamevaguelyactive.“Whatparticularlydoyouwantdone?”Heturnedroundandgesticulated.Thethreeyoungmenacceleratedtheirpace.Inaminutetheywereaboutme,plyingmewithquestionsIwasindisposedtoanswer.“I’lltellallthatlater,”Isaid.“I’mdeadbeat.I’marag.”
“Comeuptothehotel,”saidtheforemostlittleman.“We’lllookafterthatthingthere.”
Ihesitated.“Ican’t,”Isaid.“Inthatspherethere’stwobigbarsofgold.”
Theylookedincredulouslyatoneanother,thenatmewithanewinquiry.Iwenttothesphere,stooped,creptin,andpresentlytheyhadtheSelenites’crowbarsandthebrokenchainbeforethem.IfIhadnotbeensohorriblyfaggedIcouldhavelaughedatthem.Itwaslikekittensroundabeetle.Theydidn’tknowwhattodowiththestuff.Thefatlittlemanstoopedandliftedtheendofoneofthebars,andthendroppeditwithagrunt.Thentheyalldid.
“It’slead,orgold!”saidone.
“Oh,it’sgold!”saidanother.
“Gold,rightenough,”saidthethird.
Thentheyallstaredatme,andthentheyallstaredattheshiplyingatanchor.
“Isay!”criedthelittleman.“Butwheredidyougetthat?”
Iwastootiredtokeepupalie.“Igotitinthemoon.”
Isawthemstareatoneanother.
“Lookhere!”saidI,“I’mnotgoingtoarguenow.
