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

The First Men in the Moon by H.G. Wells
Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29]

H G Wells

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chapter 1

Mr Bedford Meets Mr Cavor Lympne

I sit down write here amidst the shadows vine -leaves under the blue sky southern Italy, comes to_me with certain quality astonishment that participation in_these amazing adventures Mr Cavor was , after all , the outcome of_the purest accident might_have_been any_one I fell into these things at_a_time when i_thought myself removed from_the slightest possibility disturbing experiences I had gone Lympne because I had imagined the most uneventful place in_the_world " here , any rate ," said I, " I_shall find peace and chance work ! "

and this book is_the sequel utterly variance destiny with all the little plans men I_may perhaps mention here that very recently I had come ugly cropper certain business enterprises Sitting now surrounded all the circumstances wealth , there_is luxury admitting extremity I_can admit , even , that certain extent disasters were conceivably of_my own making may_be there_are directions in_which I_have some capacity , but the conduct business operations is_not among_these but those days i_was young , and youth among other objectionable forms took that pride for affairs I_am young still years, but the things that_have happened to_me have rubbed something of_the youth from mind whether they_have brought any wisdom light below it_is more doubtful matter

it_is scarcely necessary to_go into_the details of_the speculations that landed Lympne, Kent nowadays even about business transactions there_is strong spice adventure i_took risks in_these things invariably certain amount give and take , and fell to_me finally to_do_the giving reluctantly enough even when I had got out everything , one cantankerous creditor saw fit to_be malignant perhaps you_have met that flaming sense outraged virtue , perhaps only felt ran hard seemed to_me , last , that there_was nothing for_it but write play , unless i_wanted drudge for_my living clerk I_have certain imagination , and luxurious tastes, and I meant to_make vigorous fight for_it before_that fate overtook in_addition belief powers business man , I had always those days had idea that i_was equal writing very_good play it_is_not , I believe , very uncommon persuasion I_knew there_is nothing man can outside legitimate transactions that has such opulent possibilities, and very probably that biased opinion I had , indeed , got into_the habit regarding this unwritten drama convenient little reserve put for rainy day that rainy day had come , and I set work

I soon discovered that writing play was longer business than I had supposed ; first I had reckoned ten days for_it , and it_was to_have pied -a-terre while it_was hand that I_came Lympne I myself lucky getting that little bungalow I got three years' agreement I put few sticks furniture , and while the play was hand I_did own cooking cooking would_have shocked Mrs bond and yet , you_know , had flavour I had coffee - pot , sauce - pan for eggs, and one for potatoes, and frying- pan for sausages and bacon - such was_the simple apparatus of_my comfort one cannot always magnificent , but simplicity always possible alternative for_the rest I laid eighteen- gallon cask beer credit , and trustful baker came each_day it_was not , perhaps , in_the style Sybaris, but I_have_had worse times i_was little sorry for_the baker , who was very decent man indeed , but even for him I hoped

certainly any_one wants solitude , the place Lympne it_is in_the clay part Kent, and bungalow stood on_the edge old sea cliff and stared across the flats Romney Marsh at_the sea very wet weather the place almost inaccessible , and I_have heard that times the postman used traverse the more succulent portions of_his route with boards upon his feet I never saw him doing_so , but I_can quite imagine outside the doors of_the few cottages and houses that make the present village big birch besoms are stuck , wipe off the worst of_the clay , which will give some idea of_the texture of_the district I_doubt if_the place would_be there all , if_it were_not fading memory things gone for ever was_the big port England Roman times, Portus Lemanus, and now the sea four miles away all down the steep hill are boulders and masses Roman brickwork, and from_it old Watling street , still paved places, starts like to_the north I used stand on_the hill and think all , the galleys and legions, the captives and officials, the women and traders, the speculators like myself , all the swarm and tumult that came clanking and out_of_the harbour and now just few lumps rubble grassy slope , and sheep two - and and where the port had_been were the levels of_the marsh, sweeping round broad curve distant Jungeness, and dotted here and there with tree clumps and_the church towers old medical towns that_are following Lemanus now towards extinction

that outlook on_the marsh was , indeed , one_of_the finest views I_have ever seen I suppose Jungeness was fifteen miles away ; lay like raft on_the sea , and farther westward were the hills Hastings under the setting sun Sometimes they hung and clear , sometimes they were faded and low , and often the drift of_the weather took them clean out sight and all the nearer parts of_the marsh were laced and lit ditches and canals

the window which I worked looked over the skyline of_this crest , and it_was from_this window that I first set eyes Cavor it_was just i_was struggling with scenario , holding down mind to_the sheer hard work , and naturally enough arrested attention

the sun had set , the sky was vivid tranquillity green and yellow , and against that he_came out black - the oddest little

he_was short , round -bodied, thin -legged little man , with jerky quality in_his motions; had seen fit clothe his extraordinary mind cricket cap, overcoat , and cycling knickerbockers and stockings why he_did I_do_not know , for never cycled and never played cricket it_was fortuitous concurrence garments, arising I_know not how gesticulated with_his hands and arms, and jerked his head about and buzzed buzzed like something electric you never heard such buzzing and ever and again cleared his throat with most extraordinary noise

there had_been rain , and_that spasmodic walk of_his was enhanced by_the extreme slipperiness of_the footpath exactly he_came against the sun stopped , pulled out watch , hesitated then with sort convulsive gesture turned and retreated with every manifestation haste , longer gesticulating, but going with ample strides that showed the relatively large size of_his feet - they were , I remember , grotesquely exaggerated size adhesive clay - to_the best possible advantage

this occurred on_the first day of_my sojourn , when play -writing energy was its height and I regarded the incident simply annoying distraction - the waste five minutes I returned scenario but when next evening the apparition was repeated with remarkable precision , and again the next evening , and indeed every evening when rain was not falling, concentration upon_the became considerable effort " confound the man ," I_said , " one would think he_was learning to_be marionette ! " and for several evenings I cursed him pretty heartily then annoyance gave way amazement and curiosity why earth should man do_this thing ? on_the fourteenth evening I_could stand longer , and soon appeared I opened the French window , crossed the verandah, and directed myself to_the point where invariably stopped

had his watch out I_came up_to him had chubby , rubicund face with reddish brown eyes - previously I had seen him only against the light " one moment , sir ," said I turned stared " one moment ," he_said , " certainly if_you_wish to_speak to_me for longer , and it_is_not asking too_much - your moment - would trouble you accompany ? "

" not in_the least ," said I, placing myself beside him

" habits are regular my_time for intercourse - limited "

" this , I presume , your time for exercise ? "

" it_is I come here enjoy the sunset "

" you don't "

" sir ? "

" you never look "

" never look ? "

" I've watched you thirteen nights, and not once have_you looked at_the sunset - not once "

knitted his brows like one who encounters problem

" well , I enjoy the sunlight - the atmosphere - I along_this path , through_that gate " - jerked his head over his shoulder - " and round -"

" you don't you never have_been 's all nonsense there isn't way - night for instance "

"Oh ! - night ! let see Ah ! I just glanced watch , saw that I had already been out just three minutes over the precise half - hour , decided there_was not time to_go round , turned -"

" you always "

looked - reflected " perhaps I_do , now I come to_think but what_was you_wanted to_speak to_me about ? "

" why , this ! "

" this ? "

" yes why do_you do_it ? every night you come making noise "

"Making noise ? "

" like this " - I imitated his buzzing noise looked , and it_was evident the buzzing awakened distaste " I do_that ? " asked

" every blessed evening "

"I had idea "

stopped dead regarded gravely " can ," he_said , " that I_have formed habit ? "

" well , looks like Doesn't ? "

pulled down his lower lip between finger and regarded puddle his feet

" mind much occupied ," he_said " and you_want to_know why ! well , sir , I_can assure you that not_only I not know why I_do these things , but I_did_not even know I_did them come to_think , it_is just as_you say ; I never have_been beyond that field . . and these things annoy you ? "

for some reason i_was beginning relent towards him " not annoy , I_said " but - imagine yourself writing play ! "

"I couldn't "

" well , anything that needs concentration "

"Ah ! " he_said , " of_course ," and meditated his expression became eloquent distress , that I relented still more after all , there_is touch aggression demanding man you don't know why hums public footpath

" you_see ," he_said weakly , " 's habit "

"Oh, I recognise that "

" I_must stop "

" but not if_it puts you out after all , I had business - 's something liberty "

" not all , sir ," he_said , " not all I_am greatly indebted to_you i_should guard myself against these things future i_will could I trouble you - once again ? that noise ? "

" something like this ," I_said " Zuzzoo, zuzzoo but really , you_know -"

" I_am greatly obliged to_you in_fact , I_know I_am getting absurdly absent - minded you_are quite justified , sir - perfectly indeed , I_am indebted to_you the thing shall end and now , sir , I_have already brought you farther than i_should_have done "

" I_do hope impertinence -"

" not all , sir , not all "

regarded each_other for moment I raised hat and wished him good evening responded convulsively, and went our ways

at_the stile I looked back his receding his bearing had changed remarkably, he_seemed limp , shrunken the contrast with_his former gesticulating, zuzzoing self took some absurd way pathetic I watched him out sight then wishing very heartily I had kept own business , I returned bungalow and play

the next evening I_saw nothing him , nor the next but he_was very_much mind , and had occurred to_me that sentimental comic character might serve useful purpose in_the development of_my plot the third day he_called upon

for time i_was puzzled to_think what had brought him he_made indifferent conversation in_the most formal way , then abruptly he_came business he_wanted to_buy out of_my bungalow

" you_see ," he_said , "I don't blame you in_the least , but you 've destroyed habit , and disorganises day I've walked past here for years - years no_doubt I've hummed . . you 've made all that impossible ! "