Отруєний пояс
Chapter V. The Dead World
Withthemwerearakish-lookingelderlymanandayoungaristocrat,hiseyeglassstillinhiseye,hiscigaretteburneddowntothestubbetweenthefingersofhisbeglovedhand.Deathmusthavecomeontheminaninstantandfixedthemastheysat.Savethattheelderlymanhadatthelastmomenttornouthiscollarinanefforttobreathe,theymightallhavebeenasleep.Ononesideofthecarawaiterwithsomebrokenglassesbesideatraywashuddlednearthestep.Ontheother,twoveryraggedtramps,amanandawoman,laywheretheyhadfallen,themanwithhislong,thinarmstilloutstretched,evenashehadaskedforalmsinhislifetime.Oneinstantoftimehadputaristocrat,waiter,tramp,anddogupononecommonfootingofinertanddissolvingprotoplasm.
Irememberanothersingularpicture,somemilesontheLondonsideofSevenoaks.Thereisalargeconventupontheleft,withalong,greenslopeinfrontofit.Uponthisslopewereassembledagreatnumberofschoolchildren,allkneelingatprayer.Infrontofthemwasafringeofnuns,andhigheruptheslope,facingtowardsthem,asinglefigurewhomwetooktobetheMotherSuperior.Unlikethepleasure-seekersinthemotor-car,thesepeopleseemedtohavehadwarningoftheirdangerandtohavediedbeautifullytogether,theteachersandthetaught,assembledfortheirlastcommonlesson.
Mymindisstillstunnedbythatterrificexperience,andIgropevainlyformeansofexpressionbywhichIcanreproducetheemotionswhichwefelt.Perhapsitisbestandwisestnottotry,butmerelytoindicatethefacts.
