Перші люди на Місяці
Chapter 1 — Mr. Bedford Meets Mr. Cavor at Lympne
Butwhatwasityouwantedtospeaktomeabout?”
“Why,this!”
“This?”
“Yes.Whydoyoudoit?Everynightyoucomemakinganoise—”
“Makinganoise?”
“Likethis.”Iimitatedhisbuzzingnoise.Helookedatme,anditwasevidentthebuzzingawakeneddistaste.“DoIdothat?”heasked.
“Everyblessedevening.”
“Ihadnoidea.”
Hestoppeddead.Heregardedmegravely.“Canitbe,”hesaid,“thatIhaveformedaHabit?”
“Well,itlookslikeit.Doesn’tit?”
Hepulleddownhislowerlipbetweenfingerandthumb.Heregardedapuddleathisfeet.
“Mymindismuchoccupied,”hesaid.“Andyouwanttoknowwhy!Well,sir,IcanassureyouthatnotonlydoInotknowwhyIdothesethings,butIdidnotevenknowIdidthem.Cometothink,itisjustasyousay;Ineverhavebeenbeyondthatfield....Andthesethingsannoyyou?”
ForsomereasonIwasbeginningtorelenttowardshim.“Notannoy,”Isaid.“But—imagineyourselfwritingaplay!”
“Icouldn’t.”
“Well,anythingthatneedsconcentration.”
“Ah!”hesaid,“ofcourse,”andmeditated.Hisexpressionbecamesoeloquentofdistress,thatIrelentedstillmore.Afterall,thereisatouchofaggressionindemandingofamanyoudon’tknowwhyhehumsonapublicfootpath.
“Yousee,”hesaidweakly,“it’sahabit.”
“Oh,Irecognisethat.”
“Imuststopit.”
“Butnotifitputsyouout.Afterall,Ihadnobusiness—it’ssomethingofaliberty.”
“Notatall,sir,”hesaid,“notatall.Iamgreatlyindebtedtoyou.Ishouldguardmyselfagainstthesethings.
