Отруєний пояс
Chapter II. The Tide Of Death
ButIputittoyouwhethertheremaynotbesomefallacyinyourinformationorinyourreasoning.Thereisthesunshiningasbrightlyaseverinthebluesky.Therearetheheatherandtheflowersandthebirds.Therearethefolkenjoyingthemselvesuponthegolf-linksandthelaborersyondercuttingthecorn.Youtellusthattheyandwemaybeupontheverybrinkofdestruction—thatthissunlitdaymaybethatdayofdoomwhichthehumanracehassolongawaited.Sofarasweknow,youfoundthistremendousjudgmentuponwhat?Uponsomeabnormallinesinaspectrum—uponrumoursfromSumatra—uponsomecuriouspersonalexcitementwhichwehavediscernedineachother.Thislattersymptomisnotsomarkedbutthatyouandwecould,byadeliberateeffort,controlit.Youneednotstandonceremonywithus,Challenger.Wehaveallfaceddeathtogetherbeforenow.Speakout,andletusknowexactlywherewestand,andwhat,inyouropinion,areourprospectsforourfuture."
Itwasabrave,goodspeech,aspeechfromthatstanchandstrongspiritwhichlaybehindalltheaciditiesandangularitiesoftheoldzoologist.LordJohnroseandshookhimbythehand.
"Mysentimenttoatick,"saidhe."Now,Challenger,it’suptoyoutotelluswhereweare.Weain’tnervousfolk,asyouknowwell;butwhenitcomestomakin’aweek-endvisitandfindingyou’verunfullbuttintotheDayofJudgment,itwantsabitofexplainin’.
