Отравленный пояс
Chapter V. The Dead World
Iambynomeansassuredthatitisallover."
Challengershruggedhisshoulders.
"Wemustcomebackoncemoretoourfatalism,"saidhe."Iftheworldhasundergonethisexperiencebefore,whichisnotoutsidetherangeofpossibility,itwascertainlyaverylongtimeago.Therefore,wemayreasonablyhopethatitwillbeverylongbeforeitoccursagain."
"That’sallverywell,"saidLordJohn,"butifyougetanearthquakeshockyouaremightylikelytohaveasecondonerightonthetopofit.Ithinkwe’dbewisetostretchourlegsandhaveabreathofairwhilewehavethechance.Sinceouroxygenisexhaustedwemayjustaswellbecaughtoutsideasin."
Itwasstrangetheabsolutelethargywhichhadcomeuponusasareactionafterourtremendousemotionsofthelasttwenty-fourhours.Itwasbothmentalandphysical,adeep-lyingfeelingthatnothingmatteredandthateverythingwasawearinessandaprofitlessexertion.EvenChallengerhadsuccumbedtoit,andsatinhischair,withhisgreatheadleaninguponhishandsandhisthoughtsfaraway,untilLordJohnandI,catchinghimbyeacharm,fairlyliftedhimontohisfeet,receivingonlytheglareandgrowlofanangrymastiffforourtrouble.However,oncewehadgotoutofournarrowhavenofrefugeintothewideratmosphereofeverydaylife,ournormalenergycamegraduallybacktousoncemore.
Butwhatwerewetobegintodointhatgraveyardofaworld?Couldevermenhavebeenfacedwithsuchaquestionsincethedawnoftime?Itistruethatourownphysicalneeds,andevenourluxuries,wereassuredforthefuture.
