Отруєний пояс

           Challengerkissedusallinheremotion,beforeshefinallythrewherselfintothebear-hugofherhusband.

           "Buttheycouldnothavebeenasleep!"criedLordJohn."Dashitall,Challenger,youdon’tmeantobelievethatthosefolkwereasleepwiththeirstaringeyesandstifflimbsandthatawfuldeathgrinontheirfaces!"

           "Itcanonlyhavebeentheconditionthatiscalledcatalepsy,"saidChallenger."Ithasbeenararephenomenoninthepastandhasconstantlybeenmistakenfordeath.Whileitendures,thetemperaturefalls,therespirationdisappears,theheartbeatisindistinguishable—infact,itisdeath,savethatitisevanescent.Eventhemostcomprehensivemind"—hereheclosedhiseyesandsimpered—"couldhardlyconceiveauniversaloutbreakofitinthisfashion."

           "Youmaylabelitcatalepsy,"remarkedSummerlee,"but,afterall,thatisonlyaname,andweknowaslittleoftheresultaswedoofthepoisonwhichhascausedit.Themostwecansayisthatthevitiatedetherhasproducedatemporarydeath."

           Austinwasseatedallinaheaponthestepofthecar.ItwashiscoughingwhichIhadheardfromabove.Hehadbeenholdinghisheadinsilence,butnowhewasmutteringtohimselfandrunninghiseyesoverthecar.

           "Youngfat-head!"hegrumbled."Can’tleavethingsalone!"

           "What’sthematter,Austin?"

           "Lubricatorsleftrunning,sir.Someonehasbeenfoolingwiththecar.Iexpectit’sthatyounggardenboy,sir."

           LordJohnlookedguilty.

           "Idon’tknowwhat’samisswithme,"continuedAustin,staggeringtohisfeet."IexpectIcameoverqueerwhenIwashosingherdown.