Перші люди на Місяці
Chapter 1 — Mr. Bedford Meets Mr. Cavor at Lympne
Whyonearthshouldamandothisthing?OnthefourteentheveningIcouldstanditnolonger,andsosoonasheappearedIopenedthefrenchwindow,crossedtheverandah,anddirectedmyselftothepointwhereheinvariablystopped.
HehadhiswatchoutasIcameuptohim.Hehadachubby,rubicundfacewithreddishbrowneyes—previouslyIhadseenhimonlyagainstthelight.“Onemoment,sir,”saidIasheturned.Hestared.“Onemoment,”hesaid,“certainly.Orifyouwishtospeaktomeforlonger,anditisnotaskingtoomuch—yourmomentisup—wouldittroubleyoutoaccompanyme?”
“Notintheleast,”saidI,placingmyselfbesidehim.
“Myhabitsareregular.Mytimeforintercourse—limited.”
“This,Ipresume,isyourtimeforexercise?”
“Itis.Icomeheretoenjoythesunset.”
“Youdon’t.”
“Sir?”
“Youneverlookatit.”
“Neverlookatit?”
“No.I’vewatchedyouthirteennights,andnotoncehaveyoulookedatthesunset—notonce.”
Heknittedhisbrowslikeonewhoencountersaproblem.
“Well,Ienjoythesunlight—theatmosphere—Igoalongthispath,throughthatgate”—hejerkedhisheadoverhisshoulder—“andround—”
“Youdon’t.Youneverhavebeen.It’sallnonsense.Thereisn’taway.To-nightforinstance—”
“Oh!to-night!Letmesee.Ah!Ijustglancedatmywatch,sawthatIhadalreadybeenoutjustthreeminutesovertheprecisehalf-hour,decidedtherewasnottimetogoround,turned—”
“Youalwaysdo.”
Helookedatme—reflected.“PerhapsIdo,nowIcometothinkofit.
