Первые люди на Луне

           Butnow,lookingatthismattercalmlyandatleisure,IcouldseethatifonlyIsuppressedmyidentitybyatemporaryassumptionofsomelesswell-knownname,andifIretainedthetwomonths’beardthathadgrownuponme,therisksofanyannoyancefromthespitefulcreditortowhomIhavealreadyalludedbecameverysmallindeed.Fromthattoadefinitecourseofrationalworldlyactionwasplainsailing.Itwasallamazinglypetty,nodoubt,butwhatwasthereremainingformetodo?

           WhateverIdidIwasresolvedthatIwouldkeepmyselflevelandrightsideup.

           Iorderedupwritingmaterials,andaddressedalettertotheNewRomneyBank—thenearest,thewaiterinformedme—tellingthemanagerIwishedtoopenanaccountwithhim,andrequestinghimtosendtwotrustworthypersonsproperlyauthenticatedinacabwithagoodhorsetofetchsomehundredweightofgoldwithwhichIhappenedtobeencumbered.Isignedtheletter“Blake,”whichseemedtometobeathoroughlyrespectablesortofname.Thisdone,IgotaFolkstoneBlueBook,pickedoutanoutfitter,andaskedhimtosendacuttertomeasuremeforadarktweedsuit,orderingatthesametimeavalise,dressingbag,brownboots,shirts,hat(tofit),andsoforth;andfromawatchmakerIalsoorderedawatch.Andtheselettersbeingdespatched,Ihadupasgoodalunchasthehotelcouldgive,andthenlaysmokingacigar,ascalmandordinaryaspossible,untilinaccordancewithmyinstructionstwodulyauthenticatedclerkscamefromthebankandweighedandtookawaymygold.