Перші люди на Місяці
Chapter 11 — The Mooncalf Pastures
OfcourseitishardformenowtosayhowmuchIsawatthattime,becausemyimpressionswerecorrectedbysubsequentobservation.Firstofallimpressionswasitsenormoussize;thegirthofitsbodywassomefourscorefeet,itslengthperhapstwohundred.Itssidesroseandfellwithitslabouredbreathing.Iperceivedthatitsgigantic,flabbybodylayalongtheground,andthatitsskinwasofacorrugatedwhite,dapplingintoblacknessalongthebackbone.Butofitsfeetwesawnothing.Ithinkalsothatwesawthentheprofileatleastofthealmostbrainlesshead,withitsfat-encumberedneck,itsslobberingomnivorousmouth,itslittlenostrils,andtightshuteyes.(Forthemooncalfinvariablyshutsitseyesinthepresenceofthesun.)Wehadaglimpseofavastredpitasitopeneditsmouthtobleatandbellowagain;wehadabreathfromthepit,andthenthemonsterheeledoverlikeaship,draggedforwardalongtheground,creasingallitsleatheryskin,rolledagain,andsowallowedpastus,smashingapathamidstthescrub,andwasspeedilyhiddenfromoureyesbythedenseinterlacingsbeyond.Anotherappearedmoredistantly,andthenanother,andthen,asthoughhewasguidingtheseanimatedlumpsofprovendertotheirpasture,aSelenitecamemomentarilyintoken.MygripuponCavor’sfootbecameconvulsiveatthesightofhim,andweremainedmotionlessandpeeringlongafterhehadpassedoutofourrange.
Bycontrastwiththemooncalvesheseemedatrivialbeing,amereant,scarcelyfivefeethigh.
