Отруєний пояс
Chapter III. Submerged
Menofthisstrongfibreareneededtoformtheconquerorsofnatureandthebodyguardoftruth."
"Itstrikesmenature’sontopthistime,"saidLordJohn,lookingoutofthewindow."I’vereadsomeleadin’articlesaboutyougentlemencontrollin’her,butshe’sgettin’abitofherownback."
"Itisbutatemporarysetback,"saidChallengerwithconviction."Afewmillionyears,whataretheyinthegreatcycleoftime?Thevegetableworldhas,asyoucansee,survived.Lookattheleavesofthatplanetree.Thebirdsaredead,buttheplantflourishes.Fromthisvegetablelifeinpondandinmarshwillcome,intime,thetinycrawlingmicroscopicslugswhicharethepioneersofthatgreatarmyoflifeinwhichfortheinstantwefivehavetheextraordinarydutyofservingasrearguard.Oncethelowestformoflifehasestablisheditself,thefinaladventofmanisascertainasthegrowthoftheoakfromtheacorn.Theoldcirclewillswingroundoncemore."
"Butthepoison?"Iasked."Willthatnotniplifeinthebud?"
"Thepoisonmaybeamerestratumorlayerintheether—amephiticGulfStreamacrossthatmightyoceaninwhichwefloat.Ortolerancemaybeestablishedandlifeaccommodateitselftoanewcondition.Themerefactthatwithacomparativelysmallhyperoxygenationofourbloodwecanholdoutagainstitissurelyaproofinitselfthatnoverygreatchangewouldbeneededtoenableanimallifetoendureit."
Thesmokinghousebeyondthetreeshadburstintoflames.Wecouldseethehightonguesoffireshootingupintotheair.
