Первые люди на Луне
Chapter 21 — Mr. Bedford at Littlestone
Andthesethingsbeingprocuredme,afteranexasperatingdelaythatdrovemeseveraltimestothebell,Ilockedthedooragainandproceededverydeliberatelytolooktheentiresituationintheface.
Thenetresultofthegreatexperimentpresenteditselfasanabsolutefailure.Itwasarout,andIwasthesolesurvivor.Itwasanabsolutecollapse,andthiswasthefinaldisaster.Therewasnothingforitbuttosavemyself,andasmuchasIcouldinthewayofprospectsfromourdébâcle.Atonefatalcrowningblowallmyvagueresolutionsofreturnandrecoveryhadvanished.Myintentionofgoingbacktothemoon,ofgettingaspherefulofgold,andafterwardsofhavingafragmentofCavoriteanalysedandsorecoveringthegreatsecret—perhaps,finally,evenofrecoveringCavor’sbody—alltheseideasvanishedaltogether.
Iwasthesolesurvivor,andthatwasall.
IthinkthatgoingtobedwasoneoftheluckiestideasIhaveeverhadinanemergency.IreallybelieveIshouldeitherhavegotloose-headedordonesomeindiscreetthing.Butthere,lockedinandsecurefromallinterruptions,Icouldthinkoutthepositioninallitsbearingsandmakemyarrangementsatleisure.
Ofcourse,itwasquitecleartomewhathadhappenedtotheboy.Hehadcrawledintothesphere,meddledwiththestuds,shuttheCavoritewindows,andgoneup.Itwashighlyimprobablehehadscrewedthemanholestopper,and,evenifhehad,thechanceswereathousandtooneagainsthisgettingback.
