Chapter 26 — The Last Message Cavor sent to the Earth

           OnthisunsatisfactorymannerthepenultimatemessageofCavordiesout.Oneseemstoseehimawaythereintheblueobscurityamidsthisapparatusintentlysignallingustothelast,allunawareofthecurtainofconfusionthatdropsbetweenus;allunaware,too,ofthefinaldangersthateventhenmusthavebeencreepinguponhim.Hisdisastrouswantofvulgarcommonsensehadutterlybetrayedhim.Hehadtalkedofwar,hehadtalkedofallthestrengthandirrationalviolenceofmen,oftheirinsatiableaggressions,theirtirelessfutilityofconflict.Hehadfilledthewholemoonworldwiththisimpressionofourrace,andthenIthinkitisplainthathemadethemostfataladmissionthatuponhimselfalonehungthepossibility—atleastforalongtime—ofanyfurthermenreachingthemoon.Thelinethecold,inhumanreasonofthemoonwouldtakeseemsplainenoughtome,andasuspicionofit,andthenperhapssomesuddensharprealisationofit,musthavecometohim.Oneimagineshimaboutthemoonwiththeremorseofthisfatalindiscretiongrowinginhismind.DuringacertaintimeIaminclinedtoguesstheGrandLunarwasdeliberatingthenewsituation,andforallthattimeCavormayhavegoneasfreeaseverhehadgone.ButobstaclesofsomesortpreventedhisgettingtohiselectromagneticapparatusagainafterthatmessageIhavejustgiven.Forsomedayswereceivednothing.Perhapshewashavingfreshaudiences,andtryingtoevadehispreviousadmissions.Whocanhopetoguess?

           Andthensuddenly,likeacryinthenight,likeacrythatisfollowedbyastillness,camethelastmessage