Первые люди на Луне
Chapter 20 — Mr. Bedford in Infinite Space
IlitthelittlelampfirstofalltoseewhatitwasIhadcollidedwith,anddiscoveredthatoldcopyofLloyd’sNewshadslippeditsmoorings,andwasadriftinthevoid.Thatbroughtmeoutoftheinfinitetomyownproperdimensionsagain.Itmademelaughandpantforatime,andsuggestedtheideaofalittleoxygenfromoneofthecylinders.AfterthatIlittheheateruntilIfeltwarm,andthenItookfood.ThenIsettoworkinaverygingerlyfashionontheCavoriteblinds,toseeifIcouldguessbyanymeanshowthespherewastravelling.
ThefirstblindIopenedIshutatonce,andhungforatimeflattenedandblindedbythesunlightthathadhitme.AfterthinkingalittleIstarteduponthewindowsatrightanglestothisone,andgotthehugecrescentmoonandthelittlecrescentearthbehindit,thesecondtime.IwasamazedtofindhowfarIwasfromthemoon.IhadreckonedthatnotonlyshouldIhavelittleornoneofthe“kick-off”thattheearth’satmospherehadgivenusatourstart,butthatthetangential“flyoff”ofthemoon’sspinwouldbeatleasttwenty-eighttimeslessthantheearth’s.Ihadexpectedtodiscovermyselfhangingoverourcrater,andontheedgeofthenight,butallthatwasnowonlyapartoftheoutlineofthewhitecrescentthatfilledthesky.AndCavor—?
Hewasalreadyinfinitesimal.
Itriedtoimaginewhatcouldhavehappenedtohim.ButatthattimeIcouldthinkofnothingbutdeath.Iseemedtoseehim,bentandsmashedatthefootofsomeinterminablyhighcascadeofblue.Andallabouthimthestupidinsectsstared...
