Отруєний пояс
Chapter II. The Tide Of Death
What’sthedanger,andhowmuchofitisthere,andwhatarewegoin’todotomeetit?"
Hestood,tallandstrong,inthesunshineatthewindow,withhisbrownhandupontheshoulderofSummerlee.Iwaslyingbackinanarmchair,anextinguishedcigarettebetweenmylips,inthatsortofhalf-dazedstateinwhichimpressionsbecomeexceedinglydistinct.Itmayhavebeenanewphaseofthepoisoning,butthedeliriouspromptingshadallpassedawayandweresucceededbyanexceedinglylanguidand,atthesametime,perceptivestateofmind.Iwasaspectator.Itdidnotseemtobeanypersonalconcernofmine.Butherewerethreestrongmenatagreatcrisis,anditwasfascinatingtoobservethem.Challengerbenthisheavybrowsandstrokedhisbeardbeforeheanswered.Onecouldseethathewasverycarefullyweighinghiswords.
"WhatwasthelastnewswhenyouleftLondon?"heasked.
"IwasattheGazetteofficeaboutten,"saidI."TherewasaReuterjustcomeinfromSingaporetotheeffectthatthesicknessseemedtobeuniversalinSumatraandthatthelighthouseshadnotbeenlitinconsequence."
"Eventshavebeenmovingsomewhatrapidlysincethen,"saidChallenger,pickinguphispileoftelegrams."Iaminclosetouchbothwiththeauthoritiesandwiththepress,sothatnewsisconverginguponmefromallparts.Thereis,infact,ageneralandveryinsistentdemandthatIshouldcometoLondon;butIseenogoodendtobeserved.
