Отруєний пояс
Chapter V. The Dead World
EvenSummerleeandChallengerwerecrushed,andweheardnothingofourcompanionsbehindussaveanoccasionalwhimperfromthelady.AstoLordJohn,hewastoointentuponhiswheelandthedifficulttaskofthreadinghiswayalongsuchroadstohavetimeorinclinationforconversation.Onephraseheusedwithsuchwearisomeiterationthatitstuckinmymemoryandatlastalmostmademelaughasacommentuponthedayofdoom.
"Prettydoin’s!What!"
Thatwashisejaculationaseachfreshtremendouscombinationofdeathanddisasterdisplayeditselfbeforeus."Prettydoin’s!What!"hecried,aswedescendedthestationhillatRotherfield,anditwasstill"Prettydoin’s!What!"aswepickedourwaythroughawildernessofdeathintheHighStreetofLewishamandtheOldKentRoad.
Itwasherethatwereceivedasuddenandamazingshock.Outofthewindowofahumblecornerhousethereappearedaflutteringhandkerchiefwavingattheendofalong,thinhumanarm.Neverhadthesightofunexpecteddeathcausedourheartstostopandthenthrobsowildlyasdidthisamazingindicationoflife.LordJohnranthemotortothecurb,andinaninstantwehadrushedthroughtheopendoorofthehouseandupthestaircasetothesecond-floorfrontroomfromwhichthesignalproceeded.
Averyoldladysatinachairbytheopenwindow,andclosetoher,laidacrossasecondchair,wasacylinderofoxygen,smallerbutofthesameshapeasthosewhichhadsavedourownlives.Sheturnedherthin,drawn,bespectacledfacetowardusaswecrowdedinatthedoorway.
