Отравленный пояс
Chapter IV. A Diary Of The Dying
Gotafinebigshirt-studonhim!"
"Thedarkobjectishisnucleus,"saidChallengerwiththeairofanurseteachingletterstoababy.
"Well,weneedn’tfeellonely,"saidLordJohnlaughing."There’ssomebodylivin’besidesusontheearth."
"Youseemtotakeitforgranted,Challenger,"saidSummerlee,"thattheobjectforwhichthisworldwascreatedwasthatitshouldproduceandsustainhumanlife."
"Well,sir,andwhatobjectdoyousuggest?"askedChallenger,bristlingattheleasthintofcontradiction.
"SometimesIthinkthatitisonlythemonstrousconceitofmankindwhichmakeshimthinkthatallthisstagewaserectedforhimtostrutupon."
"Wecannotbedogmaticaboutit,butatleastwithoutwhatyouhaveventuredtocallmonstrousconceitwecansurelysaythatwearethehighestthinginnature."
"Thehighestofwhichwehavecognizance."
"That,sir,goeswithoutsaying."
"Thinkofallthemillionsandpossiblybillionsofyearsthattheearthswungemptythroughspace—or,ifnotempty,atleastwithoutasignorthoughtofthehumanrace.Thinkofit,washedbytherainandscorchedbythesunandsweptbythewindforthoseunnumberedages.Manonlycameintobeingyesterdaysofarasgeologicaltimesgoes.Why,then,shoulditbetakenforgrantedthatallthisstupendouspreparationwasforhisbenefit?"
"Forwhosethen—orforwhat?"
Summerleeshruggedhisshoulders.
"Howcanwetell?Forsomereasonaltogetherbeyondourconception—andmanmayhavebeenamereaccident,aby-productevolvedintheprocess.
