THE FIRST MEN IN THE MOON

Chapter 1

Mr. Bedford Meets Mr. Cavor at Lympne

As I sit down to write here amidst the shadows of vine-leaves under the

blue sky of southern Italy, it comes to me with a certain quality of

astonishment that my participation in these amazing adventures of Mr.

Cavor was, after all, the outcome of the purest accident. It might have

been any one. I fell into these things at a time when I thought myself

removed from the slightest possibility of disturbing experiences. I had

gone to Lympne because I had imagined it the most uneventful place in the

world. "Here, at any rate," said I, "I shall find peace and a chance to

work!"

And this book is the sequel. So utterly at variance is destiny with all

the little plans of men. I may perhaps mention here that very recently I

had come an ugly cropper in certain business enterprises. Sitting now

surrounded by all the circumstances of wealth, there is a luxury in

admitting my extremity. I can admit, even, that to a certain extent my

disasters were conceivably of my own making. It may be there are

directions in which I have some capacity, but the conduct of business

The First Men In The Moon