They managed to swim ashore, but Cavor's ultimate fate remained unknown to them. He concludes his story by mentioning that they came down in the sea off the coast of Zanzibar, their sphere sinking without trace. Cavor voluntarily stays behind on the Moon.īedford flies the sphere up a vertical shaft of light, shattering the massive window-like covering at the top, and he and Kate return to Earth. Now running for their lives, Bedford manages to find the sphere, and he and Kate are able to make an escape. Bedford makes the assumption that Cavor, and presumably all humanity, is now on trial, he attempts to kill the Grand Lunar with the elephant gun, failing because of Cavor's interference. Cavor has a discussion with the "Grand Lunar", the ruling entity of the Selenites. The Selenites quickly learn English and interrogate Cavor, who believes they wish to exchange scientific knowledge. Cavor and Bedford see the city's power station, a perpetual motion machine powered by sunlight. They are attacked by a giant caterpillar-like "Moon Bull", which pursues them until the Selenites are able to dispatch it with their ray weapons. After escaping, the two men discover that the sphere, still containing Kate, has been dragged into the underground city. While being herded by them, Bedford attacks a group of Selenites out of fear, killing several, despite Cavor's horrified protests. (Cavor coins this name for the creatures after the Greek goddess of the Moon, Selene). They discover an insectoid population, the Selenites, living beneath the surface in large caverns. While exploring the lunar surface, Bedford and Cavor fall down a vertical shaft, where there is breathable air. Kate is placed inside an air-tight compartment since she is unable to accompany them. They eventually crash land on the lunar surface, and both men don the diving suits. It is not explained how the craft is steered, but opening a blind causes the sphere to veer toward the Sun.
On the long journey to the Moon they eat only sardines. They pull her inside just before the sphere launches. Bedford and Cavor are just about to leave when Kate angrily hammers on the outside of the sphere wanting to know what he has done. She has been charged with selling a property she does not own. Back at the cottage, Kate is served with a summons by a bailiff accompanied by a silent policeman. But she gives Bedford an ultimatum: "Cavorite or me". Kate brings some things for the trip: gin and bitters, chickens, and an elephant gun. He shows her deep sea diving suits intended to keep them both alive while on the lunar surface. This is caused by Cavor's assistant, Gibbs, leaving for the local pub instead of watching the boiler used for processing the Cavorite. There is an explosion at Cavor's house just as Kate arrives at the cottage. The sphere is lined inside with green velvet, and it has electric lights. He has already built a spherical spaceship in the greenhouse next to the cottage. Bedford has deeds drawn up and signed in Kate's name selling the cottage to Cavor for £5000.(in reality he is selling something that he does not own).Ĭavor tempts Bedford by telling him there are gold nuggets on the Moon.
He plans to use it to travel to the Moon. He has developed a substance, Cavorite, that will let anything it is applied to or made of nullify the force of gravity. Bedford begins spending time at Cavor's house, where the inventor has a large laboratory. They meet a nearby neighbour, inventor Joseph Cavor, who wants to buy the cottage, just in case his experiments should damage it. It is implied that Bedford is in financial difficulties by a letter about his rent being well past due. His fiancée, Katherine Callender, known as Kate, arrives by car (driving herself), visiting the house for the first time. In 1899, Arnold Bedford lives in a romantic spot, Cherry Cottage, next to a canal lock in Dymchurch. The UN representatives question him about the Moon, and he tells them his story, which is shown in flashback. Bedford's repeated lunar claims are dismissed as senile delusion. The home's staff do not let him watch television reports of the Moon expedition because, according to the matron, it "excites him". However, they discover a Union Jack flag on the surface and a note mentioning Katherine Callender, which claims the Moon for Queen Victoria.Īttempting to trace Callender in the records office in Dymchurch in Kent, south-east England, the UN authorities discover that she has died, but that her husband Arnold Bedford is still living in a nursing home known as "The Limes".
A multi-national group of astronauts in the UN spacecraft land, believing themselves to be the first lunar explorers. In 1964, the United Nations has launched a rocket flight to the Moon.
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