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Chapter 8 — A Lunar Morning
Inafewminutes,asitseemed,thebudsofthemoreforwardoftheseplantshadlengthenedintoastemandwereevenputtingforthasecondwhorlofleaves,andalltheslopethathadseemedsorecentlyalifelessstretchoflitterwasnowdarkwiththestuntedolive-greenherbageofbristlingspikesthatswayedwiththevigouroftheirgrowing.
Iturnedabout,andbehold!alongtheupperedgeofarocktotheeastwardasimilarfringeinascarcelylessforwardconditionswayedandbent,darkagainsttheblindingglareofthesun.Andbeyondthisfringewasthesilhouetteofaplantmass,branchingclumsilylikeacactus,andswellingvisibly,swellinglikeabladderthatfillswithair.
ThentothewestwardalsoIdiscoveredthatanothersuchdistendedformwasrisingoverthescrub.Butherethelightfelluponitssleeksides,andIcouldseethatitscolourwasavividorangehue.Itroseasonewatchedit;ifonelookedawayfromitforaminuteandthenback,itsoutlinehadchanged;itthrustoutbluntcongestedbranchesuntilinalittletimeitroseacorallineshapeofmanyfeetinheight.Comparedwithsuchagrowththeterrestrialpuff-ball,whichwillsometimesswellafootindiameterinasinglenight,wouldbeahopelesslaggard.Butthenthepuff-ballgrowsagainstagravitationalpullsixtimesthatofthemoon
