Отруєний пояс
Chapter V. The Dead World
"Andtherearenostudents,sothere’sanendofmine,"criedSummerlee.
"ButIhavemyhusbandandmyhouse,soIcanthankheaventhatthereisnoendofmine,"saidthelady.
"Noristhereanendofmine,"remarkedChallenger,"forscienceisnotdead,andthiscatastropheinitselfwillofferusmanymostabsorbingproblemsforinvestigation."
Hehadnowflungopenthewindowsandweweregazingoutuponthesilentandmotionlesslandscape.
"Letmeconsider,"hecontinued."Itwasaboutthree,oralittleafter,yesterdayafternoonthattheworldfinallyenteredthepoisonbelttotheextentofbeingcompletelysubmerged.Itisnownineo’clock.Thequestionis,atwhathourdidwepassoutfromit?"
"Theairwasverybadatdaybreak,"saidI.
"Laterthanthat,"saidMrs.Challenger."Aslateaseighto’clockIdistinctlyfeltthesamechokingatmythroatwhichcameattheoutset."
"Thenweshallsaythatitpassedjustaftereighto’clock.Forseventeenhourstheworldhasbeensoakedinthepoisonousether.ForthatlengthoftimetheGreatGardenerhassterilizedthehumanmoldwhichhadgrownoverthesurfaceofHisfruit.Isitpossiblethattheworkisincompletelydone—thatothersmayhavesurvivedbesidesourselves?"
"That’swhatIwaswonderin’,"saidLordJohn."Whyshouldwebetheonlypebblesonthebeach?"
"Itisabsurdtosupposethatanyonebesidesourselvescanpossiblyhavesurvived,"saidSummerleewithconviction.
