Отравленный пояс
Chapter V. The Dead World
Asitwasimpossibletotakeheronwithus,wesawthatshehadallnecessariesoflifeandpromisedtocommunicatewithherinacoupleofdaysatthelatest.Sowelefther,stillweepingbitterlyoverhervanishedstock.
AsweapproachedtheThamestheblockinthestreetsbecamethickerandtheobstaclesmorebewildering.ItwaswithdifficultythatwemadeourwayacrossLondonBridge.TheapproachestoitupontheMiddlesexsidewerechokedfromendtoendwithfrozentrafficwhichmadeallfurtheradvanceinthatdirectionimpossible.Ashipwasblazingbrightlyalongsideoneofthewharvesnearthebridge,andtheairwasfullofdriftingsmutsandofaheavyacridsmellofburning.TherewasacloudofdensesmokesomewhereneartheHousesofParliament,butitwasimpossiblefromwhereweweretoseewhatwasonfire.
"Idon’tknowhowitstrikesyou,"LordJohnremarkedashebroughthisenginetoastandstill,"butitseemstomethecountryismorecheerfulthanthetown.DeadLondonisgettin’onmynerves.I’mforacastroundandthengettin’backtoRotherfield."
"IconfessthatIdonotseewhatwecanhopeforhere,"saidProfessorSummerlee.
"Atthesametime,"saidChallenger,hisgreatvoiceboomingstrangelyamidthesilence,"itisdifficultforustoconceivethatoutofsevenmillionsofpeoplethereisonlythisoneoldwomanwhobysomepeculiarityofconstitutionorsomeaccidentofoccupationhasmanagedtosurvivethiscatastrophe."
"Ifthereshouldbeothers,howcanwehopetofindthem,George?"askedthelady."AndyetIagreewithyouthatwecannotgobackuntilwehavetried.
