Первые люди на Луне
Chapter 14 — Experiments in intercourse
Theyconversedwithoneanotherintheirreedytones,thatseemedtomeimpossibletoimitateordefine.Thedoorbehindusopenedwider,and,glancingovermyshoulder,Isawavaguelargespacebeyond,inwhichquitealittlecrowdofSeleniteswerestanding.Theyseemedacuriouslymiscellaneousrabble.
“Dotheywantustoimitatethosesounds?”IaskedCavor.
“Idon’tthinkso,”hesaid.
“Itseemstomethattheyaretryingtomakeusunderstandsomething.”
“Ican’tmakeanythingoftheirgestures.Doyounoticethisone,whoisworryingwithhisheadlikeamanwithanuncomfortablecollar?”
“Letusshakeourheadsathim.”
Wedidthat,andfindingitineffectual,attemptedanimitationoftheSelenites’movements.Thatseemedtointerestthem.Atanyratetheyallsetupthesamemovement.Butasthatseemedtoleadtonothing,wedesistedatlastandsodidthey,andfellintoapipingargumentamongthemselves.Thenoneofthem,shorterandverymuchthickerthantheothers,andwithaparticularlywidemouth,squatteddownsuddenlybesideCavor,andputhishandsandfeetinthesamepostureasCavor’swerebound,andthenbyadexterousmovementstoodup.
“Cavor,”Ishouted,“theywantustogetup!”
Hestaredopen-mouthed.“That’sit!”hesaid.
Andwithmuchheavingandgrunting,becauseourhandsweretiedtogether,wecontrivedtostruggletoourfeet.TheSelenitesmadewayforourelephantineheavings,andseemedtotwittermorevolubly.
