Отруєний пояс
Chapter III. Submerged
Myword,lookatthelittlebirdsunderthetrees!"
Wedrewfourchairsuptothelong,lowwindow,theladystillrestingwithclosedeyesuponthesettee.Irememberthatthemonstrousandgrotesqueideacrossedmymind—theillusionmayhavebeenheightenedbytheheavystuffinessoftheairwhichwewerebreathing—thatwewereinfourfrontseatsofthestallsatthelastactofthedramaoftheworld.
Intheimmediateforeground,beneathourveryeyes,wasthesmallyardwiththehalf-cleanedmotor-carstandinginit.Austin,thechauffeur,hadreceivedhisfinalnoticeatlast,forhewassprawlingbesidethewheel,withagreatblackbruiseuponhisforeheadwhereithadstruckthestepormud-guardinfalling.Hestillheldinhishandthenozzleofthehosewithwhichhehadbeenwashingdownhismachine.Acoupleofsmallplanetreesstoodinthecorneroftheyard,andunderneaththemlayseveralpatheticlittleballsoffluffyfeathers,withtinyfeetuplifted.Thesweepofdeath’sscythehadincludedeverything,greatandsmall,withinitsswath.
Overthewalloftheyardwelookeddownuponthewindingroad,whichledtothestation.Agroupofthereaperswhomwehadseenrunningfromthefieldswerelyingallpell-mell,theirbodiescrossingeachother,atthebottomofit.Fartherup,thenurse-girllaywithherheadandshouldersproppedagainsttheslopeofthegrassybank.Shehadtakenthebabyfromtheperambulator,anditwasamotionlessbundleofwrapsinherarms.Closebehindheratinypatchupontheroadsideshowedwherethelittleboywasstretched.
