Перші люди на Місяці
Chapter 22 — The Astonishing Communication of Mr. Julius Wendigee
Idecidedatoncetoacceptaproposalhemadetometoremainwithhim,assistinghimtotakedowntherecordfromdaytoday,andendeavouringwithhimtosendamessagebacktothemoon.Cavor,welearnt,wasnotonlyalive,butfree,inthemidstofanalmostinconceivablecommunityoftheseant-likebeings,theseant-men,inthebluedarknessofthelunarcaves.Hewaslamed,itseemed,butotherwiseinquitegoodhealth—inbetterhealth,hedistinctlysaid,thanheusuallyenjoyedonearth.Hehadhadafever,butithadleftnobadeffects.ButcuriouslyenoughheseemedtobelabouringunderaconvictionthatIwaseitherdeadinthemooncraterorlostinthedeepofspace.
HismessagebegantobereceivedbyMr.Wendigeewhenthatgentlemanwasengagedinquiteadifferentinvestigation.Thereaderwillnodoubtrecallthelittleexcitementthatbeganthecentury,arisingoutofanannouncementbyMr.NikolaTesla,theAmericanelectricalcelebrity,thathehadreceivedamessagefromMars.Hisannouncementrenewedattentiontoafactthathadlongbeenfamiliartoscientificpeople,namely:thatfromsomeunknownsourceinspace,wavesofelectromagneticdisturbance,entirelysimilartothoseusedbySignorMarconiforhiswirelesstelegraphy,areconstantlyreachingtheearth.BesidesTeslaquiteanumberofotherobservershavebeenengagedinperfectingapparatusforreceivingandrecordingthesevibrations,thoughfewwouldgosofarastoconsiderthemactualmessagesfromsomeextraterrestrialsender.Amongthatfew,however,wemustcertainlycountMr.Wendigee.
