Отруєний пояс

           "Considerthatthepoisonwassovirulentthatevenamanwhoisasstrongasanoxandhasnotanerveinhisbody,likeMalonehere,couldhardlygetupthestairsbeforehefellunconscious.Isitlikelythatanyonecouldstandseventeenminutesofit,farlesshours?"

           "Unlesssomeonesawitcomingandmadepreparation,sameasoldfriendChallengerdid."

           "That,Ithink,ishardlyprobable,"saidChallenger,projectinghisbeardandsinkinghiseyelids."Thecombinationofobservation,inference,andanticipatoryimaginationwhichenabledmetoforeseethedangeriswhatonecanhardlyexpecttwiceinthesamegeneration."

           "Thenyourconclusionisthateveryoneiscertainlydead?"

           "Therecanbelittledoubtofthat.Wehavetoremember,however,thatthepoisonworkedfrombelowupwardsandwouldpossiblybelessvirulentinthehigherstrataoftheatmosphere.Itisstrange,indeed,thatitshouldbeso;butitpresentsoneofthosefeatureswhichwillaffordusinthefutureafascinatingfieldforstudy.Onecouldimagine,therefore,thatifonehadtosearchforsurvivorsonewouldturnone’seyeswithbesthopesofsuccesstosomeTibetanvillageorsomeAlpinefarm,manythousandsoffeetabovethesealevel."

           "Well,considerin’thattherearenorailroadsandnosteamersyoumightaswelltalkaboutsurvivorsinthemoon,"saidLordJohn."ButwhatI’maskin’myselfiswhetherit’sreallyoverorwhetherit’sonlyhalf-time."

           Summerleecranedhisnecktolookroundthehorizon."Itseemsclearandfine,"saidheinaverydubiousvoice;"butsoitdidyesterday.