texture, and, as one swallowed it, it warmed the throat. At first we

experienced a mere mechanical satisfaction in eating; then our blood began

to run warmer, and we tingled at the lips and fingers, and then new and

slightly irrelevant ideas came bubbling up in our minds.

"Its good," said I. "Infernally good! What a home for our surplus

population! Our poor surplus population," and I broke off another large

portion. It filled me with a curiously benevolent satisfaction that there

was such good food in the moon. The depression of my hunger gave way to an

irrational exhilaration. The dread and discomfort in which I had been

living vanished entirely. I perceived the moon no longer as a planet from

which I most earnestly desired the means of escape, but as a possible

refuge from human destitution. I think I forgot the Selenites, the

mooncalves, the lid, and the noises completely so soon as I had eaten that

fungus.

Cavor replied to my third repetition of my "surplus population" remark

with similar words of approval. I felt that my head swam, but I put this

down to the stimulating effect of food after a long fast. "Ess'lent

discov'ry yours, Cavor," said I. "Se'nd on'y to the 'tato."

Whajer mean?" asked Cavor. "'Scovery of the moon--se'nd on'y to the

'tato?"

I looked at him, shocked at his suddenly hoarse voice, and by the badness

of his articulation. It occurred to me in a flash that he was intoxicated,

115

The First Men In The Moon