"I had an idea ! "

"Curse your ideas ! "

" had refused to budge"

"Under those goads ? "

"Yes carried us ! "

"Over that bridge ? "

"Yes carried us from outside "

"I'd rather be carried by fly across ceiling "

"Good Heavens ! "

I resumed my destruction fungi Then suddenly something that struck me even then "Cavor," , "these chains are of gold ! "

thinking intently, hands gripping his cheeks He turned his head slowly and stared at me, and when I had repeated my words, twisted chain about his right hand " So ," , "so " His face lost its transitory interest even as he looked He hesitated for moment, then went on interrupted meditation I sat for space puzzling over the fact that I had only just observed this, until I considered the blue light we , and which had taken all the colour out of tlie metal And discovery I also started upon train of thought that carried me wide and far I forgot that I had just been asking what business we had moon Gold -

Cavor who spoke first "It seems two courses open "

"Well"

"Either attempt our way - fight our way if necessary - out exterior again, and then hunt sphere until it, or the cold night comes to kill us, or else -"

He paused "Yes ? " , though coming

" attempt once more to establish some sort of understanding minds people moon "

" as I'm concerned - it's the first "

" "

"I don't "

" ," said Cavor, " judge the Selenites by what seen Their central world, their civilised world far below profounder caverns about their sea This region crust in is an outlying district, pastoral region At any rate, my interpretation These Selenites seen only the equivalent of cowboys and engine-tenders Their use of goads - in all probability mooncalf goads - the lack of imagination they show in expecting us just what do, their indisputable brutality, all seem to point to something sort But endured -"

"Neither of us could endure six-inch plank across the bottomless pit for very long "

"No," said Cavor; "but then -"

"I won't,"

He discovered new line of possibilities "Well, suppose we got ourselves into some corner, where defend ourselves against these hinds and labourers If, for example, hold out for week or so, probable news appearance would filter down more intelligent and populous parts -"

" exist "

" exist, or whence came those tremendous machines ? "

"That's possible, but it's the worst two chances "

" write up inscriptions on walls"

"How do their eyes would see the sort of marks ? "

" cut them - "

"That's possible, "

up new thread of thought "After all," - , " I suppose you don't think these Selenites so infinitely wiser than men "

" know lot more - or lot of different things "

"Yes, but -" I hesitated

" you'll quite admit, Cavor, that you're rather an exceptional man "

"How ? "

"Well, you - you're rather lonely man - , You haven't married "

"Never wanted to But why - "

"And you never grew richer than you happened ? "

"Never wanted that either "

"You've just rooted after knowledge ? "

"Well, certain curiosity is natural - "

" so That's just it mind wants I remember once, when I asked you why you conducted all these researches, you said your F R S , and the stuff called Cavorite, and things like that perfectly well you didn't ; but my question took you by surprise, and you felt you something to look like motive Really you conducted researches because you had to It's your twist "

"Perhaps -"

"It isn't one man in million twist Most men want - well, various things, but very few want knowledge for its own sake I don't, perfectly well Now, these Selenites driving, busy sort of being, but how that even the most intelligent will take an interest in us or our world ? I don't believe they'll even know world They never come out at night - they'd freeze if They've probably never seen any heavenly body at all except the blazing sun How are they another world ? What does it matter do ? Well, even if had glimpse of few stars, or even earth crescent, what ? Why should people living inside planet trouble to observe that sort of thing ? Men wouldn't it except seasons and sailing; why should the moon people ? .

"Well, suppose few philosophers like yourself just the very Selenites who'll never have heard existence Suppose Selenite had I dropped earth were at Lympne, you'd the last man to hear he had come You never read newspaper ! the chances against you Well, it's chances we're sitting here doing nothing while precious time is flying I tell you we've got into fix We've come unarmed, we've lost our sphere, we've got no food, we've shown ourselves Selenites, and made them think we're strange, strong, dangerous animals; and unless these Selenites are perfect fools, they'll set about now and hunt us till they find us, and find us they'll try us , and kill us 't, 's the end matter take us, they'll probably kill us, through some misunderstanding After we're done for, discuss us perhaps, but we shan't get much fun out "

"Go on "

" other hand, here's gold knocking about like cast iron at home If only get some of it back, if only find our sphere again do, and get back, then -"

"Yes ? "

" put the thing on sounder footing Come back in bigger sphere with guns "

"Good Lord ! " cried Cavor, that was horrible

I shied another luminous fungus down the cleft

"Look here, Cavor," , "I've half the voting power anyhow affair, and case for practical man I'm practical man, and I'm not going to trust to Selenites and geometrical diagrams if help it That's all Get back Drop all this secrecy - or most of it And come again "

He reflected "When moon," , "I come alone "

"The question meeting," , "is how back sphere "

For time we nursed our knees in silence Then to decide reasons

" ," , "one can get data clear that while the sun is side moon the air blowing planet sponge dark side hither side, at any rate, the air expanding and flowing moon caverns craters . . , there's draught here "

"So "

" means not dead end; somewhere behind us this cleft goes on and up The draught is blowing up, and way If up any sort of chimney or gully , only get out passages where hunting - "

"But suppose the gully is too narrow ? "

"We'll come down again "