Отруєний пояс
Chapter IV. A Diary Of The Dying
Itisasifthescumuponthesurfaceoftheoceanimaginedthattheoceanwascreatedinordertoproduceandsustainit,oramouseinacathedralthoughtthatthebuildingwasitsownproperordainedresidence."
Ihavejotteddowntheverywordsoftheirargument,butnowitdegeneratesintoamerenoisywranglewithmuchpolysyllabicscientificjargonuponeachside.Itisnodoubtaprivilegetoheartwosuchbrainsdiscussthehighestquestions;butastheyareinperpetualdisagreement,plainfolklikeLordJohnandIgetlittlethatispositivefromtheexhibition.Theyneutralizeeachotherandweareleftastheyfoundus.Nowthehubbubhasceased,andSummerleeiscoiledupinhischair,whileChallenger,stillfingeringthescrewsofhismicroscope,iskeepingupacontinuallow,deep,inarticulategrowlliketheseaafterastorm.LordJohncomesovertome,andwelookouttogetherintothenight.
Thereisapalenewmoon—thelastmoonthathumaneyeswilleverrestupon—andthestarsaremostbrilliant.EvenintheclearplateauairofSouthAmericaIhaveneverseenthembrighter.Possiblythisethericchangehassomeeffectuponlight.ThefuneralpyreofBrightonisstillblazing,andthereisaverydistantpatchofscarletinthewesternsky,whichmaymeantroubleatArundelorChichester,possiblyevenatPortsmouth.Isitandmuseandmakeanoccasionalnote.Thereisasweetmelancholyintheair.Youthandbeautyandchivalryandlove—isthistobetheendofitall?Thestarlitearthlooksadreamlandofgentlepeace.
