Поворот винта
Chapter 12
Theexclamationwashomely,butitrevealedarealacceptanceofmyfurtherproofofwhat,inthebadtime—fortherehadbeenaworseeventhanthis!—musthaveoccurred.TherecouldhavebeennosuchjustificationformeastheplainassentofherexperiencetowhateverdepthofdepravityIfoundcredibleinourbraceofscoundrels.Itwasinobvioussubmissionofmemorythatshebroughtoutafteramoment:“Theywererascals!Butwhatcantheynowdo?”shepursued.
“Do?”IechoedsoloudthatMilesandFlora,astheypassedattheirdistance,pausedaninstantintheirwalkandlookedatus.“Don’ttheydoenough?”Idemandedinalowertone,whilethechildren,havingsmiledandnoddedandkissedhandstous,resumedtheirexhibition.Wewereheldbyitaminute;thenIanswered:“Theycandestroythem!”Atthismycompaniondidturn,buttheinquiryshelaunchedwasasilentone,theeffectofwhichwastomakememoreexplicit.“Theydon’tknow,asyet,quitehow—butthey’retryinghard.They’reseenonlyacross,asitwere,andbeyond—instrangeplacesandonhighplaces,thetopoftowers,theroofofhouses,theoutsideofwindows,thefurtheredgeofpools;butthere’sadeepdesign,oneitherside,toshortenthedistanceandovercometheobstacle;andthesuccessofthetemptersisonlyaquestionoftime.They’veonlytokeeptotheirsuggestionsofdanger.”
“Forthechildrentocome?”
“Andperishintheattempt!”Mrs.
