Перші люди на Місяці
Chapter 21 — Mr. Bedford at Littlestone
Butnow,lookingatthismattercalmlyandatleisure,IcouldseethatifonlyIsuppressedmyidentitybyatemporaryassumptionofsomelesswell-knownname,andifIretainedthetwomonths’beardthathadgrownuponme,therisksofanyannoyancefromthespitefulcreditortowhomIhavealreadyalludedbecameverysmallindeed.Fromthattoadefinitecourseofrationalworldlyactionwasplainsailing.Itwasallamazinglypetty,nodoubt,butwhatwasthereremainingformetodo?
WhateverIdidIwasresolvedthatIwouldkeepmyselflevelandrightsideup.
Iorderedupwritingmaterials,andaddressedalettertotheNewRomneyBank—thenearest,thewaiterinformedme—tellingthemanagerIwishedtoopenanaccountwithhim,andrequestinghimtosendtwotrustworthypersonsproperlyauthenticatedinacabwithagoodhorsetofetchsomehundredweightofgoldwithwhichIhappenedtobeencumbered.Isignedtheletter“Blake,”whichseemedtometobeathoroughlyrespectablesortofname.Thisdone,IgotaFolkstoneBlueBook,pickedoutanoutfitter,andaskedhimtosendacuttertomeasuremeforadarktweedsuit,orderingatthesametimeavalise,dressingbag,brownboots,shirts,hat(tofit),andsoforth;andfromawatchmakerIalsoorderedawatch.Andtheselettersbeingdespatched,Ihadupasgoodalunchasthehotelcouldgive,andthenlaysmokingacigar,ascalmandordinaryaspossible,untilinaccordancewithmyinstructionstwodulyauthenticatedclerkscamefromthebankandweighedandtookawaymygold.
