Перші люди на Місяці
Chapter 21 — Mr. Bedford at Littlestone
Helpmecarrytheselumpsofgolduptothehotel—Iguess,withrests,twoofyoucanmanageone,andI’lltrailthischainthing—andI’lltellyoumorewhenI’vehadsomefood.”
“Andhowaboutthatthing?”
“Itwon’thurtthere,”Isaid.“Anyhow—confoundit!—itmuststoptherenow.Ifthetidecomesup,itwillfloatallright.”
Andinastateofenormouswonderment,theseyoungmenmostobedientlyhoistedmytreasuresontheirshoulders,andwithlimbsthatfeltlikeleadIheadedasortofprocessiontowardsthatdistantfragmentof“sea-front.”Half-waytherewewerereinforcedbytwoawe-strickenlittlegirlswithspades,andlateraleanlittleboy,withapenetratingsniff,appeared.Hewas,Iremember,wheelingabicycle,andheaccompaniedusatadistanceofaboutahundredyardsonourrightflank,andthenIsuppose,gaveusupasuninteresting,mountedhisbicycleandrodeoffoverthelevelsandsinthedirectionofthesphere.
Iglancedbackafterhim.
“Hewon’ttouchit,”saidthestoutyoungmanreassuringly,andIwasonlytoowillingtobereassured.
Atfirstsomethingofthegreyofthemorningwasinmymind,butpresentlythesundisengageditselffromthelevelcloudsofthehorizonandlittheworld,andturnedtheleadenseatoglitteringwaters.Myspiritsrose.AsenseofthevastimportanceofthethingsIhaddoneandhadyettodocamewiththesunlightintomymind.Ilaughedaloudastheforemostmanstaggeredundermygold.
