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Chapter 3 — The Building of the sphere
Itwasastrenuoustime,withlittlechanceofthinking.Butoneday,whenweweredrawingneartheend,anoddmoodcameoverme.Ihadbeenbrickingupthefurnaceallthemorning,andIsatdownbythesepossessionsdeadbeat.Everythingseemeddullandincredible.
“Butlookhere,Cavor,”Isaid.“Afterall!What’sitallfor?”
Hesmiled.“Thethingnowistogo.”
“Themoon,”Ireflected.“Butwhatdoyouexpect?Ithoughtthemoonwasadeadworld.”
Heshruggedhisshoulders.
“We’regoingtosee.”
“Arewe?”Isaid,andstaredbeforeme.
“Youaretired,”heremarked.“You’dbettertakeawalkthisafternoon.”
“No,”Isaidobstinately;“I’mgoingtofinishthisbrickwork.”
AndIdid,andinsuredmyselfanightofinsomnia.Idon’tthinkIhaveeverhadsuchanight.Ihadsomebadtimesbeforemybusinesscollapse,buttheveryworstofthosewassweetslumbercomparedtothisinfinityofachingwakefulness.Iwassuddenlyinthemostenormousfunkatthethingweweregoingtodo.
Idonotrememberbeforethatnightthinkingatalloftheriskswewererunning.NowtheycamelikethatarrayofspectresthatoncebeleagueredPrague,andcampedaroundme.Thestrangenessofwhatwewereabouttodo,theunearthlinessofit,overwhelmedme.Iwaslikeamanawakenedoutofpleasantdreamstothemosthorriblesurroundings.Ilay,eyeswideopen,andthesphereseemedtogetmoreflimsyandfeeble,andCavormoreunrealandfantastic,andthewholeenterprisemadderandmaddereverymoment.
Igotoutofbedandwanderedabout.
