Первые люди на Луне

           ThenhebeganpipinghisrecognisableEnglish—atfirstalittlenervously,sothathewasnotveryclear.

           “‘M’m—theGrandLunar—wishedtosay—wishestosay—hegathersyouare—m’m—men—thatyouareamanfromtheplanetearth.Hewishestosaythathewelcomesyou—welcomesyou—andwishestolearn—learn,ifImayusetheword—thestateofyourworld,andthereasonwhyyoucametothis.’

           “Hepaused.Iwasabouttoreplywhenheresumed.Heproceededtoremarksofwhichthedriftwasnotveryclear,thoughIaminclinedtothinktheywereintendedtobecomplimentary.Hetoldmethattheearthwastothemoonwhatthesunistotheearth,andthattheSelenitesdesiredverygreatlytolearnabouttheearthandmen.Hethentoldmenodoubtincomplimentalso,therelativemagnitudeanddiameterofearthandmoon,andtheperpetualwonderandspeculationwithwhichtheSeleniteshadregardedourplanet.Imeditatedwithdowncasteyes,anddecidedtoreplythatmentoohadwonderedwhatmightlieinthemoon,andhadjudgeditdead,littlereckingofsuchmagnificenceasIhadseenthatday.TheGrandLunar,intokenofrecognition,causedhislongblueraystorotateinaveryconfusingmanner,andallaboutthegreathallranthepipingsandwhisperingsandrustlingsofthereportofwhatIhadsaid.HethenproceededtoputtoPhi-ooanumberofinquirieswhichwereeasiertoanswer.

           “Heunderstood,heexplained,thatwelivedonthesurfaceoftheearth,thatourairandseawereoutsidetheglobe;thelatterpart,indeed,healreadyknewfromhisastronomicalspecialists.