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Chapter 23 — An Abstract of the Six Messages First Received from Mr. Cavor
IhaveasyetscarcelylearntasmuchofthesethingsasaZuluinLondonwouldlearnabouttheBritishcornsuppliesinthesametime.Itisclear,however,thattheseverticalshaftsandthevegetationofthesurfacemustplayanessentialroleinventilatingandkeepingfreshtheatmosphereofthemoon.Atonetime,andparticularlyonmyfirstemergencefrommyprison,therewascertainlyacoldwindblowingdowntheshaft,andlatertherewasakindofsiroccoupwardthatcorrespondedwithmyfever.ForattheendofaboutthreeweeksIfellillofanindefinablesortoffever,andinspiteofsleepandthequininetabloidsthatveryfortunatelyIhadbroughtinmypocket,Iremainedillandfrettingmiserably,almosttothetimewhenIwastakenintothepresenceoftheGrandLunar,whoisMasteroftheMoon.
“Iwillnotdilateonthewretchednessofmycondition,”heremarks,“duringthosedaysofill-health.”AndhegoesonwithgreatamplitudewithdetailsIomithere.“Mytemperature,”heconcludes,“keptabnormallyhighforalongtime,andIlostalldesireforfood.Ihadstagnantwakingintervals,andsleeptormentedbydreams,andatonephaseIwas,Iremember,soweakastobeearth-sickandalmosthysterical.Ilongedalmostintolerablyforcolourtobreaktheeverlastingblue...”
Herevertsagainpresentlytothetopicofthissponge-caughtlunaratmosphere.Iamtoldbyastronomersandphysiciststhatallhetellsisinabsoluteaccordancewithwhatwasalreadyknownofthemoon’scondition.
