His behaviour seemed the Selenites in their desire progress for moment They faced one another, their queer heads moved, the twittering voices came quick and liquid Then , lean, tall creature, with sort of mantle added puttee others were dressed, twisted his elephant trunk of hand about Cavor's waist, and pulled him gently our guide, who again went on ahead Cavor resisted " just begin explaining ourselves now think new animals, new sort of mooncalf perhaps ! most important that show an intelligent interest outset "

He began to shake his head violently "No, no," , "me not come on one minute Me look at 'im "

" Isn't there some geometrical point bring in apropos affair ? " I suggested, Selenites conferred again

"Possibly parabolic -" be began

He yelled loudly, and leaped six feet or more !

four armed moon-men had pricked him with goad !

I turned goad-bearer behind me with swift threatening gesture, and he started back This and Cavor's sudden shout and leap clearly astonished all the Selenites They receded hastily, facing us moments that seem to last for ever, we stood in angry protest, with scattered semicircle inhuman beings about us

"He pricked me ! " said Cavor, with catching voice

" him," I answered

"Confound it ! " Selenites; "We're not going to stand that ! What on earth take us for ? "

I glanced quickly right and left Far away across the blue wilderness of cavern number of other Selenites running towards us; broad and slender they were, and one with larger head others The cavern spread wide and low, and receded in every direction into darkness Its roof, I remember, seemed to bulge down weight vast thickness of rocks that prisoned us no way out of it - no way out of it Above, below, in every direction, unknown, and these inhuman creatures, with goads and gestures, confronting us, and we two unsupported men !

Chapter 15

The Giddy Bridge

JUST for moment that hostile pause endured I suppose that both we Selenites did some very rapid thinking My clearest impression nothing my back against, we were bound surrounded and killed The overwhelming folly presence there loomed over me in black, enormous reproach Why had I ever launched my self mad, inhuman expedition ?

Cavor came to my side and laid his hand on my arm His pale and terrified face was ghastly blue light

" 't do anything," "It's mistake They don't understand go As us "

I looked down at him, and then fresh Selenites who were coming to help their fellows "If I had my hands free - "

"It's no use," he panted

"No "

"We'll go "

And he turned about and led the way direction that indicated

I followed, trying to look as subdued as possible, and feeling chains wrists My blood was boiling I noted nothing more cavern, though it seemed before we had marched across it, or if I noted anything I forgot it as it My thoughts were concentrated, , upon my chains Selenites, and particularly helmeted ones goads At first they marched parallel , and at respectful distance, but presently they were overtaken by three others, and then they drew nearer, until they were within arms length again I winced like beaten horse came near The shorter, thicker Selenite marched at first right flank, but presently came in front of us again

How well the picture grouping has bitten into my brain; the back of Cavor's downcast head just in front of me, dejected droop shoulders, guide's gaping visage, perpetually jerking about him, goad-bearers on either side, watchful, yet open-mouthed - blue monochrome And after all, remember one other thing besides the purely personal affair, , that sort of gutter came presently across the floor cavern, and then ran along side path of rock we followed And full same bright blue luminous stuff that flowed great machine I walked close beside it, and testify it radiated not particle of heat brightly shining, and yet neither warmer nor colder than anything else cavern

Clang, clang, clang, we passed right under the thumping levers of another vast machine, and so came at last to wide tunnel, even hear the pad, pad, shoeless feet, and which, save trickling thread of blue right of us, was quite unlit The shadows made gigantic travesties shapes and those Selenites irregular wall and roof tunnel Ever and again crystals walls tunnel scintillated like gems, ever and again the tunnel expanded into stalactitic cavern, or gave off branches that vanished into darkness

We seemed marching down that tunnel "Trickle, trickle," went the flowing light very softly, footfalls and their echoes made an irregular paddle, paddle My mind settled down question chains If I were to slip off one turn so, and then to twist it so .

If I tried very gradually, would they see slipping my wrist looser turn ? If , what would ?

"Bedford," said Cavor, "it goes down It keeps on going down "

His remark roused me from my sullen pre-occupation

" wanted to kill us," , dropping back level with me, " no reason why they it "

"No," I admitted, "that's true "

"They don't understand us," , " merely strange animals, some wild sort of mooncalf birth, perhaps only when observed us better that begin minds"

" trace those geometrical problems," said I

"It that "

We tramped on for space

" ," said Cavor, "these Selenites of lower class "

"The infernal fools ! " said I viciously, glancing at their exasperating faces

" endure what "

"We've got to endure it," said I

" others less stupid mere outer fringe world It must go down and down, cavern, passage, tunnel, down at last sea - hundreds of miles below "

His words made me think mile or so of rock and tunnel that over our heads already like weight dropping, on my shoulders "Away sun and air," "Even mine half mile deep is stuffy " remarked

" , anyhow It's probable - Ventilation ! The air would blow dark side moon sunlit, and all the carbonic acid would well out there and feed those plants Up this tunnel, for example, quite breeze And what world it The earnest shaft, and those machines"

" goad," "Don't forget the goad ! "

He walked little in front of me for time

"Even that goad - "

"Well ? "

" angry But perhaps necessary get on different skins, and probably different nerves not understand our objection - Just as being from Mars like our earthly habit of nudging"

"They'd better be careful how they nudge me "

"And geometry After all, their way is way of understanding, too They begin elements of life and not of thought Food Compulsion Pain They strike at fundamentals "

"There's ,"