The First Men in the Moon Page #4

at once.

But hang it all, Cavor, the moon?

Shouldn't we start with something

smaller?

You were the one who told me

to think bigger, Bedford.

Why not go into space?

It's not much worse

than a polar expedition.

Shackleton is on one now. Probably.

Men go on polar expeditions.

Not businessmen.

We would be just firing ourselves

off the world for nothing.

Think of what we would find there.

What? Knowledge!

Well, er, call it prospecting, then.

I have no doubt

there will be minerals.

Oh? Mm. Sulphur, ores,

possibly new elements. Diamonds.

Diamonds?

I see no reason why not.

Is there air up there?

There... There may be.

But the moon! It's hundreds

of thousands of miles away!

A quarter of a million, actually.

Cavorite liners.

Fleets of them.

And prospecting rights.

Planetary prospecting rights.

What did you say?

Er, nothing, nothing.

Oh, but this is the thing, Cavor.

This is...

..imperial.

Yes!

But there isn't any air on the moon.

Everyone knows that.

Do pay attention,

there's a good lad.

The summer passed,

then autumn,

and all the while,

we worked like Trojans.

It was like labouring in Hades.

Why? Because to keep

the Cavorite inactive,

we had to maintain the room

at a constant temperature.

A very warm temperature.

Will you take that with you? Hm?

The, er, kinematograph.

Um, yes, yes, I suppose so.

We'll have to have proof

of our journey.

Everything all right, old man?

I say, Cavor, we shall be able

to get back, shan't we?

Yes, of course! I don't see why not.

Probably.

How's the, er, furnace?

Oh. Er, yes, yes, fine.

Hm. We're very close, Bedford.

Exceedingly.

We have almost enough Cavorite.

Look here, Cavor...

After all, what's it all for?

For?

For?! The thing now is to go! Yes.

But the moon! I thought...

I thought it was a dead world.

What do you expect to find?

Well, we're going to see, aren't we?

Are we? Are we really?

You're tired, Bedford.

Why don't you go for a stroll?

It's a lovely evening.

The thing's too mad! What?

I'm not going with you.

It's... It's too mad.

But you must! We've planned

the whole thing together.

I can't. I'm sorry.

It's nothing, merely jumping

off the world. Remember the apple?

Yes, I do remember. It was

smashed to bits against the ceiling.

Bedford!

Who'd want to leave the world

on a night like this?

Can I get you something, dear?

You look parched!

Oh, um...

Ah...

A drop of cider on the house?

Oh, thank you very much.

You're very kind.

You come far?

Oh, just from Apuldram.

I, um, needed some air.

You going far?

That's rather a moot point.

I suppose I might go back to London.

Hmm, London.

You know it?

No, don't hold with it. No?

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