Experiments in Communication

When at last we had made an end of eating, the Selenites linked our hands closely together again, and then untwisted the chains about our feet and rebound them, so as to give us a limited freedom of movement. Then they unfastened the chains about our waists. To do all this they had to handle us freely, and ever and again one of their queer heads came down close to my face, or a soft tentacle-hand touched my head or neck. I don’t remember that I was afraid then or repelled by their proximity. I think that our incurable anthropomorphism made us imagine there were human heads inside their masks. The skin, like everything else, looked bluish, but that was on account of the light; and it was hard and shiny, quite in the beetle-wing fashion, not soft, or moist, or hairy, as a vertebrated animal’s would be. Along the crest of the head was a low ridge of whitish spines running from back to front, and a much larger ridge curved on either side over the eyes. The Selenite who untied me used his mouth to help his hands.

When we had finally finished eating, the Selenites bound our hands tightly together again. Then they unwound the chains around our feet and rebound them, leaving us some freedom to move. After that, they unfastened the chains around our waists. To do all this, they had to handle us freely. Now and then, one of their strange heads came close to my face, or a soft tentacle-hand touched my head or neck. I don’t remember feeling afraid or repelled by their closeness. I think our incurable habit of imagining everything in human terms made us picture human heads inside their masks. Their skin, like everything else, looked bluish because of the light. It was hard and shiny, rather like a beetle’s wing. It was not soft, moist, or hairy, like the skin of an animal with a backbone. A low ridge of whitish spines ran along the crest of the head, from back to front. A much larger ridge curved over each eye. The Selenite who untied me used his mouth to help his hands.

“They seem to be releasing us,” said Cavor. “Remember we are on the moon! Make no sudden movements!”

“They seem to be letting us go,” said Cavor. “Remember, we are on the moon! Don't make any sudden movements!”

“Are you going to try that geometry?”

“Are you going to try that geometry?”

“If I get a chance. But, of course, they may make an advance first.”

“If I get a chance. But, of course, they may move first.”

We remained passive, and the Selenites, having finished their arrangements, stood back from us, and seemed to be looking at us. I say seemed to be, because as their eyes were at the side and not in front, one had the same difficulty in determining the direction in which they were looking as one has in the case of a hen or a fish. They conversed with one another in their reedy tones, that seemed to me impossible to imitate or define. The door behind us opened wider, and, glancing over my shoulder, I saw a vague large space beyond, in which quite a little crowd of Selenites were standing. They seemed a curiously miscellaneous rabble.

We stayed still while the Selenites finished their preparations. Then they stood back and seemed to look at us. I say “seemed” because their eyes were on the sides of their heads, not in front. It was as hard to tell where they were looking as it is with a hen or a fish. They talked to one another in reedy tones that seemed impossible to imitate or describe. The door behind us opened wider, and I glanced over my shoulder. Beyond it, I saw a large, dim space where quite a small crowd of Selenites stood. They seemed a strangely mixed rabble.

“Do they want us to imitate those sounds?” I asked Cavor.

“Do they want us to copy those sounds?” I asked Cavor.

“I don’t think so,” he said.

“I don’t think so,” he said.

“It seems to me that they are trying to make us understand something.”

“I think they are trying to tell us something.”

“I can’t make anything of their gestures. Do you notice this one, who is worrying with his head like a man with an uncomfortable collar?”

“I can’t understand their gestures. Do you notice this one, moving his head like a man with an uncomfortable collar?”

“Let us shake our heads at him.”

“Let's shake our heads at him.”

We did that, and finding it ineffectual, attempted an imitation of the Selenites’ movements. That seemed to interest them. At any rate they all set up the same movement. But as that seemed to lead to nothing, we desisted at last and so did they, and fell into a piping argument among themselves. Then one of them, shorter and very much thicker than the others, and with a particularly wide mouth, squatted down suddenly beside Cavor, and put his hands and feet in the same posture as Cavor’s were bound, and then by a dexterous movement stood up.

We did that, but it had no effect, so we tried copying the Selenites’ movements. That seemed to interest them. At any rate, they all began making the same movement. But that seemed to lead nowhere, so we finally stopped. They stopped too and began arguing among themselves in piping voices. Then one of them suddenly squatted beside Cavor. He was shorter and much thicker than the others, with a particularly wide mouth. He placed his hands and feet in the same position as Cavor’s bound hands and feet. Then, with a skillful movement, he stood up.

“Cavor,” I shouted, “they want us to get up!”

“Cavor,” I shouted, “they want us to get up!”

He stared open-mouthed. “That’s it!” he said.

He stared with his mouth open. “That’s it!” he said.

And with much heaving and grunting, because our hands were tied together, we contrived to struggle to our feet. The Selenites made way for our elephantine heavings, and seemed to twitter more volubly. As soon as we were on our feet the thick-set Selenite came and patted each of our faces with his tentacles, and walked towards the open doorway. That also was plain enough, and we followed him. We saw that four of the Selenites standing in the doorway were much taller than the others, and clothed in the same manner as those we had seen in the crater, namely, with spiked round helmets and cylindrical body-cases, and that each of the four carried a goad with spike and guard made of that same dull-looking metal as the bowls. These four closed about us, one on either side of each of us, as we emerged from our chamber into the cavern from which the light had come.

Our hands were tied together, so we struggled to our feet with much heaving and grunting. The Selenites made room for our elephantine efforts and seemed to twitter more excitedly. Once we were standing, the stocky Selenite came over and patted each of our faces with his tentacles. Then he walked toward the open doorway. His meaning was plain enough, and we followed him. Four Selenites standing in the doorway were much taller than the others. They were dressed like those we had seen in the crater, with spiked round helmets and cylindrical body cases. Each carried a goad with a spike and guard made of the same dull-looking metal as the bowls. As we emerged from our chamber into the cavern where the light had come from, the four closed around us. One walked on each side of each of us.

We did not get our impression of that cavern all at once. Our attention was taken up by the movements and attitudes of the Selenites immediately about us, and by the necessity of controlling our motion, lest we should startle and alarm them and ourselves by some excessive stride. In front of us was the short, thick-set being who had solved the problem of asking us to get up, moving with gestures that seemed, almost all of them, intelligible to us, inviting us to follow him. His spout-like face turned from one of us to the other with a quickness that was clearly interrogative. For a time, I say, we were taken up with these things.

We did not take in the cavern all at once. Our attention was taken up by the movements and postures of the Selenites around us. We also had to control our movements. An overly long stride might startle and alarm both them and us. In front of us was the short, stocky being who had worked out how to ask us to get up. He was inviting us to follow him with gestures that were almost all clear to us. He quickly turned his spout-like face from one of us to the other, clearly asking a question. For a time, as I said, these things occupied our attention.

But at last the great place that formed a background to our movements asserted itself. It became apparent that the source of much, at least, of the tumult of sounds which had filled our ears ever since we had recovered from the stupefaction of the fungus was a vast mass of machinery in active movement, whose flying and whirling parts were visible indistinctly over the heads and between the bodies of the Selenites who walked about us. And not only did the web of sounds that filled the air proceed from this mechanism, but also the peculiar blue light that irradiated the whole place. We had taken it as a natural thing that a subterranean cavern should be artificially lit, and even now, though the fact was patent to my eyes, I did not really grasp its import until presently the darkness came. The meaning and structure of this huge apparatus we saw I cannot explain, because we neither of us learnt what it was for or how it worked. One after another, big shafts of metal flung out and up from its centre, their heads travelling in what seemed to me to be a parabolic path; each dropped a sort of dangling arm as it rose towards the apex of its flight and plunged down into a vertical cylinder, forcing this down before it. About it moved the shapes of tenders, little figures that seemed vaguely different from the beings about us. As each of the three dangling arms of the machine plunged down, there was a clank and then a roaring, and out of the top of the vertical cylinder came pouring this incandescent substance that lit the place, and ran over as milk runs over a boiling pot, and dripped luminously into a tank of light below. It was a cold blue light, a sort of phosphorescent glow but infinitely brighter, and from the tanks into which it fell it ran in conduits athwart the cavern.

But at last, the great place around us demanded our attention. Since recovering from the stupor caused by the fungus, we had heard a constant uproar. We now saw that much of it, at least, came from a vast mass of machinery in motion. We could dimly see its parts spinning and whirling over the heads and between the bodies of the Selenites walking around us. The machinery produced not only the web of sounds filling the air, but also the peculiar blue light that filled the whole place. We had taken it for granted that an underground cavern would be artificially lit. Even now, though I could plainly see where the light came from, I did not grasp its significance until darkness fell a little later. I cannot explain the purpose or structure of the huge machine we saw. Neither of us learned what it was for or how it worked. One after another, large metal shafts swung outward and upward from its center. Their ends traveled along what seemed to me a parabolic path. As each shaft rose toward the top of its arc, it dropped a sort of dangling arm. The arm plunged into a vertical cylinder, forcing the cylinder down before it. Attendants moved around the machine. They were little figures that seemed vaguely different from the beings around us. Each time one of the machine's three dangling arms plunged down, there was a clank, followed by a roar. Then the glowing substance that lit the place poured from the top of the vertical cylinder. It spilled over like milk boiling over a pot and dripped into a glowing tank below. Its light was a cold blue, like a phosphorescent glow but infinitely brighter. From the tanks into which the substance fell, it flowed through channels across the cavern.

Thud, thud, thud, thud, came the sweeping arms of this unintelligible apparatus, and the light substance hissed and poured. At first the thing seemed only reasonably large and near to us, and then I saw how exceedingly little the Selenites upon it seemed, and I realised the full immensity of cavern and machine. I looked from this tremendous affair to the faces of the Selenites with a new respect. I stopped, and Cavor stopped, and stared at this thunderous engine.

Thud, thud, thud, thud went the sweeping arms of the mysterious machine, while the light substance hissed and poured. At first the machine seemed only fairly large and close to us. Then I saw how tiny the Selenites on it seemed, and realized how enormous the cavern and machine were. I looked from the tremendous machine to the faces of the Selenites with new respect. I stopped, and Cavor stopped too, and we stared at the thundering engine.

“But this is stupendous!” I said. “What can it be for?”

“But this is amazing!” I said. “What could it be for?”

Cavor’s blue-lit face was full of an intelligent respect. “I can’t dream! Surely these beings— Men could not make a thing like that! Look at those arms, are they on connecting rods?”

Cavor’s blue-lit face showed thoughtful respect. “I can’t imagine it! Surely these beings... People couldn’t make anything like that! Look at those arms. Are they on connecting rods?”

The thick-set Selenite had gone some paces unheeded. He came back and stood between us and the great machine. I avoided seeing him, because I guessed somehow that his idea was to beckon us onward. He walked away in the direction he wished us to go, and turned and came back, and flicked our faces to attract our attention.

The thick-set Selenite had walked a few paces without our noticing him. He came back and stood between us and the great machine. I avoided looking at him because I somehow guessed he wanted to beckon us forward. He walked away in the direction he wanted us to go, then turned and came back. He flicked our faces to get our attention.

Cavor and I looked at one another.

Cavor and I looked at each other.

“Cannot we show him we are interested in the machine?” I said.

“Can’t we show him we’re interested in the machine?” I said.

“Yes,” said Cavor. “We’ll try that.” He turned to our guide and smiled, and pointed to the machine, and pointed again, and then to his head, and then to the machine. By some defect of reasoning he seemed to imagine that broken English might help these gestures. “Me look ‘im,” he said, “me think ‘im very much. Yes.”

“Yes,” said Cavor. “We’ll try that.” He turned to our guide and smiled. He pointed to the machine, pointed again, then pointed to his head, and then back to the machine. Somehow, he seemed to think that broken English might help explain his gestures. “Me look him,” he said, “me think him very much. Yes.”

His behaviour seemed to check the Selenites in their desire for our progress for a moment. They faced one another, their queer heads moved, the twittering voices came quick and liquid. Then one of them, a lean, tall creature, with a sort of mantle added to the puttee in which the others were dressed, twisted his elephant trunk of a hand about Cavor’s waist, and pulled him gently to follow our guide, who again went on ahead. Cavor resisted. “We may just as well begin explaining ourselves now. They may think we are new animals, a new sort of mooncalf perhaps! It is most important that we should show an intelligent interest from the outset.”

His behavior seemed to make the Selenites pause in their efforts to move us along. They faced one another, moving their strange heads and speaking in quick, liquid twittering voices. Then one of them, a tall, lean creature, wrapped his elephant-trunk-like hand around Cavor’s waist. He wore a kind of cloak over the puttee the others wore. He gently pulled Cavor after our guide, who had started ahead again. Cavor resisted. “We might as well start explaining ourselves now. They may think we are new animals, perhaps a new sort of mooncalf! It is very important that we show an intelligent interest from the start.”

He began to shake his head violently. “No, no,” he said, “me not come on one minute. Me look at ‘im.”

He began shaking his head violently. “No, no,” he said, “me not come on one minute. Me look at him.”

“Isn’t there some geometrical point you might bring in apropos of that affair?” I suggested, as the Selenites conferred again.

“Isn’t there some geometrical point you could bring up about that matter?” I suggested, as the Selenites discussed it again.

“Possibly a parabolic—” he began.

“Possibly a parabolic...” he began.

He yelled loudly, and leaped six feet or more!

He yelled loudly and jumped six feet or more!

One of the four armed moon-men had pricked him with a goad!

One of the four armed moon-men had poked him with a goad!

I turned on the goad-bearer behind me with a 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. For one of those moments that seem to last for ever, we stood in angry protest, with a scattered semicircle of these inhuman beings about us.

I turned quickly toward the goad-bearer behind me and made a threatening gesture. He jumped back. This, along with Cavor’s sudden shout and leap, clearly astonished all the Selenites. They quickly backed away, facing us. For a moment that seemed to last forever, we stood there in angry protest. A scattered semicircle of these inhuman beings surrounded us.

“He pricked me!” said Cavor, with a catching of the voice.

“He pricked me!” said Cavor, his voice catching.

“I saw him,” I answered.

“I saw him,” I replied.

“Confound it!” I said to the Selenites; “we’re not going to stand that! What on earth do you take us for?”

“Damn it!” I said to the Selenites. “We’re not going to stand for that! What on earth do you take us for?”

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

I glanced quickly to the right and left. Far away across the blue expanse of the cavern, I saw other Selenites running toward us. Some were broad and others slender. One had a larger head than the others. The cavern was wide and low, stretching into darkness in every direction. I remember that its roof seemed to bulge downward under the weight of the thick rock that trapped us. There was no way out. No way out. Above, below, in every direction, was the unknown. These inhuman creatures confronted us with goads and gestures, and we were just two men, with no one to help us!