Отравленный пояс
Chapter VI. The Great Awakening
Inourowncasetherecanbenodoubtwhatever,forIwasseatedinChallenger’sstudywithhiscarefullytestedchronometerinfrontofmeatthemoment.Thehourwasaquarter-pastsix.
Anenormousdepressionwasweighinguponmyspirits.Thecumulativeeffectofallthedreadfulsightswhichwehadseenuponourjourneywasheavyuponmysoul.Withmyaboundinganimalhealthandgreatphysicalenergyanykindofmentalcloudingwasarareevent.IhadtheIrishfacultyofseeingsomegleamofhumorineverydarkness.Butnowtheobscuritywasappallingandunrelieved.Theothersweredownstairsmakingtheirplansforthefuture.Isatbytheopenwindow,mychinrestinguponmyhandandmymindabsorbedinthemiseryofoursituation.Couldwecontinuetolive?ThatwasthequestionwhichIhadbeguntoaskmyself.Wasitpossibletoexistuponadeadworld?Justasinphysicsthegreaterbodydrawstoitselfthelesser,wouldwenotfeelanoverpoweringattractionfromthatvastbodyofhumanitywhichhadpassedintotheunknown?Howwouldtheendcome?Woulditbefromareturnofthepoison?Orwouldtheearthbeuninhabitablefromthemephiticproductsofuniversaldecay?Or,finally,mightourawfulsituationpreyuponandunbalanceourminds?Agroupofinsanefolkuponadeadworld!Mymindwasbroodinguponthislastdreadfulideawhensomeslightnoisecausedmetolookdownupontheroadbeneathme.Theoldcabhorsewascomingupthehill!
Iwasconsciousatthesameinstantofthetwitteringofbirds,ofsomeonecoughingintheyardbelow,andofabackgroundofmovementinthelandscape.
