Out Of The Silent Planet Read Online Free PDF Page A

affair.
Why has no one heard of it? Why has it not been in all the papers?'
    'Because we are not perfect idiots,' said Weston gruffly.
    After a few moments silence Ransom began again. 'Which planet is it in our terminology?' he asked.
    'Once and for all,' said Weston, 'I am not going to tell you. If you know how to find out when
we get there, you are welcome to do so: I don't think we have much to fear from your scientific
attainments. In the meantime, there is no reason for you to know.'
    'And you say this place is inhabited?' said Ransom.
    Weston gave him a peculiar look and then nodded. The uneasiness which this produced in Ransom
rapidly merged in an anger which he had almost lost sight of amidst the conflicting emotions
that beset him.
    "And what has all this to do with me?' he broke out. 'You have assaulted me, drugged me, and
are apparently carrying me off as a prisoner in this infernal thing. What have I done to you?
What do you say for yourself?'
    'I might reply by asking you why you crept into my backyard like a thief. If you had minded your
own business you would not be here. As it is, I admit that we have had to infringe your rights.
My only defence is that small claims must give way to great. As far as we know, we are doing what
has never been done in the history of man, perhaps never in the history of the universe. We have
learned how to jump off the speck of matter on which our species began; infinity, and therefore
perhaps eternity, is being put into the hands of the human race. You cannot be so small-minded as
to think that the rights or the life of an individual or of a million individuals are of the
slightest importance in comparison with this.'
    'I happen to disagree,' said Ransom, 'and I always have disagreed, even about vivisection. But
you haven't answered my question. What do you want me for? What good am I to do you on this -
on Malacandra?'
    'That I don't know,' said Weston. 'It was no idea of ours. We are only obeying orders.'
    'Whose?'
    There was another pause. 'Come,' said Weston at last. 'There is really no use in continuing this
cross-exammation. You keep on asking me questions I can't answer: in some cases because I don't
know the answers, in others because you wouldn't understand them. It will make things very much
pleasanter during the voyage if you can only resign your mind to your fate and stop bothering
yourself and us. It would be easier if your philosophy of life were not so insufferably narrow
and individualistic. I had thought no one could fail to be inspired by the role you are being asked
to play: that even a worm, if it could understand, would rise to the sacrifice. I mean, of course,
the sacrifice of time and liberty, and some little risk. Don't misunderstand me.
    'Well,' said Ransom, 'you hold all the cards, and I must make the best of it. I consider your
philosophy of life raving lunacy. I suppose all that stuff about inanity and eternity means that
you think you are justified in doing anything - absolutely anything - here and now, on the off
chance that some creatures or other descended from man as we know, him may crawl about a few
centuries longer in some part of the universe.'
    'Yes - anything whatever,' returned the scientist sternly, 'and all educated opinion - for I do
not call classics and history and such trash education - is entirely on my side. I am glad you
raised the point, and I advise you to remember my answer. In the meantime, if you will follow me
into the next room, we will have breakfast. Be careful how you get up: your weight here is hardly
appreciable compared with your weight on Earth.'
    Ransom rose and his captor opened the door. Instantly the room was flooded with a dazzling golden
light which completely eclipsed the pale earthlight behind him.
    'I will give you darkened glasses in a moment,' said Weston as he preceded him into the chamber
whence the radiance was pouring. It seemed to Ransom that Weston went up a hill