Червона чума
Chapter 3
“Iwasaloneinmybighouse. AsIhavetoldyouoftenbefore,inthosedayswecouldtalkwithoneanotheroverwiresorthroughtheair. Thetelephonebellrang,andIfoundmybrothertalkingtome. Hetoldmethathewasnotcominghomeforfearofcatchingtheplaguefromme,andthathehadtakenourtwosisterstostopatProfessorBacon’shome. HeadvisedmetoremainwhereIwas,andwaittofindoutwhetherornotIhadcaughttheplague.
“ToallofthisIagreed,stayinginmyhouseandforthefirsttimeinmylifeattemptingtocook. Andtheplaguedidnotcomeoutonme. BymeansofthetelephoneIcouldtalkwithwhomsoeverIpleasedandgetthenews. Also,therewerethenewspapers,andIorderedallofthemtobethrownuptomydoorsothatIcouldknowwhatwashappeningwiththerestoftheworld.
“NewYorkCityandChicagowereinchaos. Andwhathappenedwiththemwashappeninginallthelargecities. AthirdoftheNewYorkpoliceweredead. Theirchiefwasalsodead,likewisethemayor. Alllawandorderhadceased. Thebodieswerelyinginthestreetsun-buried. Allrailroadsandvesselscarryingfoodandsuchthingsintothegreatcityhadceasedrunningsandmobsofthehungrypoorwerepillagingthestoresandwarehouses. Murderandrobberyanddrunkennesswereeverywhere. Alreadythepeoplehadfledfromthecitybymillions—atfirsttherich,intheirprivatemotor-carsanddirigibles,andthenthegreatmassofthepopulation,onfoot,carryingtheplaguewiththem,themselvesstarvingandpillagingthefarmersandallthetownsandvillagesontheway.
