Отруєний пояс
Chapter II. The Tide Of Death
SofarasIcantracethem"—hereheglancedoverhistelegrams—"thelessdevelopedraceshavebeenthefirsttorespondtoitsinfluence.TherearedeplorableaccountsfromAfrica,andtheAustralianaboriginesappeartohavebeenalreadyexterminated.TheNorthernraceshaveasyetshowngreaterresistingpowerthantheSouthern.This,yousee,isdatedfromMarseillesatnine-forty-fivethismorning.Igiveittoyouverbatim:—
"’AllnightdeliriousexcitementthroughoutProvence.TumultofvinegrowersatNimes.SocialisticupheavalatToulon.Suddenillnessattendedbycomaattackedpopulationthismorning.Pestefoudroyante.Greatnumbersofdeadinthestreets.Paralysisofbusinessanduniversalchaos.’
"Anhourlatercamethefollowing,fromthesamesource:—
"’Wearethreatenedwithutterextermination.Cathedralsandchurchesfulltooverflowing.Thedeadoutnumbertheliving.Itisinconceivableandhorrible.Deceaseseemstobepainless,butswiftandinevitable.’
"ThereisasimilartelegramfromParis,wherethedevelopmentisnotyetasacute.IndiaandPersiaappeartobeutterlywipedout.TheSlavonicpopulationofAustriaisdown,whiletheTeutonichashardlybeenaffected.Speakinggenerally,thedwellersupontheplainsandupontheseashoreseem,sofarasmylimitedinformationgoes,tohavefelttheeffectsmorerapidlythanthoseinlandorontheheights.Evenalittleelevationmakesaconsiderabledifference,andperhapsiftherebeasurvivorofthehumanrace,hewillagainbefounduponthesummitofsomeArarat.
