The First Men in the Moon by H.G. Wells

The First Men in the Moon by H.G. Wells
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dispersing smoke

four

faces

! Boots

four

blazers

rushing

Shouts

windows

doors,

sorts

worrying

for time I stood there , too overwhelmed by_this new development to_think of_the people

first i_was too stunned to_see the thing any definite disaster - i_was just stunned , man some accidental violent blow it_is only afterwards begins appreciate his specific injury

" good lord ! "

I_felt as_though somebody was pouring funk out can down the back of_my neck legs became feeble I had got the first intimation what the disaster meant for_me there_was that confounded boy - sky high ! i_was utterly left the gold in_the coffee - room - only possession earth how would all work out ? the general effect was gigantic unmanageable confusion

" I_say ," said the voice of_the little man behind " I_say , you_know "

I wheeled about , and there were twenty thirty people , sort irregular investment people , all bombarding with dumb interrogation , with infinite doubt and suspicion I_felt the compulsion of_their eyes intolerably I groaned aloud

" I_can 't ! " I shouted "I tell you I_can 't ! I'm not equal to_it ! you_must puzzle and - and damned to_you ! "

I gesticulated convulsively receded step as_though I had threatened him I_made bolt through them into_the hotel I charged back coffee - room , rang the bell furiously I gripped the waiter entered "D' hear ? " I shouted " get help and carry these bars up_to room right away "

failed understand , and I shouted and raved him scared - looking little old man green apron appeared , and further two of_the young men flannels I_made dash them and commandeered their services as_soon_as_the gold was room I_felt free quarrel " now get out ," I shouted ; " all you get out if_you don't want_to_see man mad before_your eyes ! " and I helped the waiter by_the shoulder hesitated in_the doorway and then , I had the door locked them all , I tore off the little man 's clothes again , shied them right and left , and got into bed forthwith and there I lay swearing and panting and cooling for very long_time

last i_was calm enough to_get out bed and ring the round - eyed waiter for flannel nightshirt , soda and whisky , and some good cigars and these things being procured , after exasperating delay that drove several_times to_the bell , I locked the door again and proceeded very deliberately look entire situation in_the face

the net result of_the great experiment presented itself absolute failure it_was rout , and I was_the sole survivor it_was , and this_was the final disaster there_was nothing for_it but save myself , and as_much I_could in_the way prospects from_our debacle one fatal crowning blow all vague resolutions return and recovery had vanished intention going back to_the moon , getting sphereful gold , and afterwards having fragment Cavorite analysed and recovering the great secret - perhaps , finally , even recovering Cavor's body - all these ideas altogether

I was_the sole survivor , and_that was all

i_think that going bed was one_of_the luckiest ideas I_have ever had emergency I really believe i_should either have got loose - headed done some indiscreet thing but there , locked and secure from all interruptions, I_could think out the position all its bearings and make arrangements leisure

of_course , it_was quite clear to_me what had happened to_the boy had crawled into_the sphere , meddled with_the studs, shut the Cavorite windows, and gone it_was highly improbable had screwed the manhole stopper , and , even had , the chances were thousand one against his getting back it_was fairly evident that he_would gravitate with bales somewhere near the middle of_the sphere and remain there , and cease to_be legitimate terrestrial interest , however remarkable might seem to_the inhabitants some remote quarter space I very speedily convinced myself on_that point and for any responsibility I_might_have in_the matter , the more I reflected upon that , the clearer became that only I kept quiet about things , I_need not trouble myself about_that i_was faced sorrowing parents demanding their lost boy , I had merely demand lost sphere - ask them what they meant first I had had vision weeping parents and guardians, and all sorts complications; but now I_saw that I simply had to_keep mouth shut , and nothing in_that way could arise and , indeed , the more I lay and smoked and thought , the more evident became the wisdom impenetrability

it_is within_the right every British citizen , provided he_does_not commit damage nor indecorum , appear suddenly wherever pleases, and ragged and filthy pleases, and with whatever amount virgin gold sees fit encumber himself , and one has any right all hinder and detain him in_this procedure I formulated that last myself , and repeated over sort private Magna Charta of_my liberty

once I had put that issue one side , I_could take and consider equable manner certain considerations I had scarcely dared to_think before , namely , those arising out_of_the circumstances of_my bankruptcy but now , looking this_matter calmly and leisure , I could_see that only I suppressed identity temporary assumption some less well - known name , and I retained the two months' beard that had grown upon , the risks any annoyance from_the spiteful creditor to_whom I_have already alluded became very_small indeed from_that definite course rational worldly action was plain sailing it_was all amazingly petty , no_doubt , but what_was there remaining for_me to_do ?

whatever I_did i_was resolved that i_would keep myself level and right side

I ordered writing materials, and addressed letter to_the new Romney bank - the nearest , the waiter informed - telling the manager I wished open account with_him , and requesting him send two trustworthy persons properly authenticated cab with good horse fetch some hundredweight gold with_which I happened to_be encumbered I signed the letter "Blake," which seemed to_me to_be thoroughly respectable sort name this done , I got Folkstone blue book , picked out outfitter , and asked him send cutter measure for dark tweed suit , ordering at_the same time valise , dressing bag , brown boots, shirts, hat ( fit ), and forth ; and from watchmaker I also ordered watch and these letters being despatched, I had good lunch as_the hotel could give , and then lay smoking cigar , calm and ordinary possible , until accordance with instructions two duly authenticated clerks came from_the bank and weighed and took away gold after which I pulled the clothes over ears in_order drown any knocking, and went very comfortably sleep

I went sleep no_doubt it_was prosaic thing for_the first man back from_the moon to_do , and I_can imagine that_the young and imaginative reader will_find behaviour disappointing but i_was horribly fatigued and bothered , and , confound ! what else was there to_do ? there certainly was not the remotest chance of_my being believed, I had told story then , and would have subjected intolerable annoyances I went sleep when last I woke again i_was ready to_face the world I_have always been accustomed to_face since I_came years discretion and I got away Italy, and there it_is I_am writing this story if_the world will not have fact , then the world may take fiction it_is concern of_mine

and now that_the account finished , I_am amazed to_think how completely this adventure gone and done with everybody believes that Cavor was not very brilliant scientific experimenter who blew his house and himself Lympne, and_they explain the bang that followed arrival Littlestone reference to_the experiments with explosives that_are going continually at_the government establishment Lydd, two miles away I_must confess that hitherto I_have_not acknowledged in_the disappearance master Tommy Simmons , which_was that little boy 's name that , perhaps , may prove difficult item corroboration explain away they account for_my rags with two bars indisputable gold upon_the Littlestone beach various ingenious ways - doesn't worry what they_think they say I_have strung all these things together avoid being questioned too closely as_to_the source of_my wealth i_would like to_see the man who_could invent story that_would hold like this_one well , they_must take fiction - there it_is

I_have told story - and now , I suppose , I_have to_take the worries of_this terrestrial life again even one has_been to_the moon , one has still earn living I_am working here Amalfi, on_the scenario of_that play I sketched before Cavor came walking into world , and I_am trying piece life together it_was before ever I_saw him I_must confess that I_find hard to_keep mind on_the play when_the moonshine comes into room it_is full moon here , and last night i_was out on_the pergola for hours, staring away at_the shining blankness that hides so_much imagine ! tables and chairs, and trestles and bars gold ! confound ! - only_one could hit on_that Cavorite again ! but thing like that doesn't come twice life here I_am , little better off than i_was Lympne, and_that all and Cavor has committed suicide more elaborate way than any human being ever did before the story closes , finally and completely dream fits little with all the other things life , so_much it_is utterly remote from all human experience , the leaping, the eating, the breathing, and these weightless times, that indeed there_are moments when , in_spite of_my moon gold , I_do more than half believe myself that_the whole thing was dream . .

chapter 22

the Astonishing communication Mr Julius Wendigee

when I had finished account of_my return to_the earth Littlestone, i_wrote , " the end ," made flourish , and threw pen aside , fully believing that_the whole story of_the first men in_the moon was_done not_only had I done this , but I had placed manuscript in_the hands literary agent , had permitted to_be sold , had seen the greater portion appear in_the strand magazine , and was setting work again upon_the scenario of_the play I had commenced Lympne before I realised that_the end was not yet and then , following from Amalfi Algiers, there reached ( it_is now about six months_ago ) one_of_the_most astounding communications I_have ever been fated receive briefly , informed that Mr Julius Wendigee, Dutch electrician , who has_been experimenting with certain apparatus akin to_the used by_Mr Tesla America, in_the hope discovering some method with Mars , was receiving day day curiously fragmentary message English , which_was indisputably emanating from Mr Cavor in_the moon

first i_thought the thing was elaborate practical some one who had seen the manuscript of_my narrative I answered Mr Wendigee jestingly , but replied manner that put such suspicion altogether aside , and state inconceivable excitement I hurried from Algiers to_the little observatory upon_the St Gothard in_which he_was working in_the presence of_his record and_his appliances - and above all of_the messages from Cavor that were coming hand - lingering doubts vanished I decided once accept proposal he_made to_me remain with_him , assisting him to_take down the record from day day , and endeavouring send message back to_the moon Cavor, learnt , was not_only alive , but free , in_the midst almost inconceivable community of_these ant - like beings, these ant - men , in_the blue darkness of_the lunar caves he_was lamed , seemed , but otherwise quite good health - better health , distinctly said , than usually enjoyed earth had had fever , but had left bad effects but curiously enough he_seemed to_be labouring under conviction that i_was either dead in_the moon crater lost in_the deep space

his message began to_be received by_Mr Wendigee when_that gentleman was engaged quite different investigation the reader will no_doubt recall the little excitement that began the century , arising out announcement by_Mr Nikola Tesla, the American electrical celebrity , that had received message from Mars his renewed attention

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