Первые люди на Луне

           For,saveintheirwaters,therearenocreaturesinthemoonnotabsolutelydomesticandsubjecttohiswill,andsoithasbeenforimmemorialyears.Theyhavemonstrouswatercreatures,butnoevilbeasts,andtheideaofanythingstrongandlargeexisting‘outside’inthenightisverydifficultforthem....”

           [Therecordisheretoobrokentotranscribeforthespaceofperhapstwentywordsormore.]

           “Hetalkedwithhisattendants,asIsuppose,uponthestrangesuperficialityandunreasonablenessof(man)wholivesonthemeresurfaceofaworld,acreatureofwavesandwinds,andallthechancesofspace,whocannotevenunitetoovercomethebeaststhatpreyuponhiskind,andyetwhodarestoinvadeanotherplanet.DuringthisasideIsatthinking,andthenathisdesireItoldhimofthedifferentsortsofmen.Hesearchedmewithquestions.‘Andforallsortsofworkyouhavethesamesortofmen.Butwhothinks?Whogoverns?’

           “Igavehimanoutlineofthedemocraticmethod.

           “WhenIhaddoneheorderedcoolingspraysuponhisbrow,andthenrequestedmetorepeatmyexplanationconceivingsomethinghadmiscarried.

           “‘Dotheynotdodifferentthings,then?’saidPhi-oo.

           “Some,Iadmitted,werethinkersandsomeofficials;somehunted,someweremechanics,someartists,sometoilers.‘Butallrule,’Isaid.

           “‘Andhavetheynotdifferentshapestofitthemtotheirdifferentduties?’

           “‘Nonethatyoucansee,’Isaid,‘exceptperhaps,forclothes.Theirmindsperhapsdifferalittle,’Ireflected.