Отравленный пояс
Chapter II. The Tide Of Death
Itmaybethatheneedsspacetobreedsomefreshbacilluslessnoxiousthanthelast.Hedipsitintothepoisonandtheyaregone.OurGardeneris,inmyopinion,abouttodipthesolarsystem,andthehumanbacillus,thelittlemortalvibriowhichtwistedandwriggledupontheouterrindoftheearth,willinaninstantbesterilizedoutofexistence."
Againtherewassilence.Itwasbrokenbythehightrillofthetelephone-bell.
"Thereisoneofourbacillisqueakingforhelp,"saidhewithagrimsmile."Theyarebeginningtorealizethattheircontinuedexistenceisnotreallyoneofthenecessitiesoftheuniverse."
Hewasgonefromtheroomforaminuteortwo.Irememberthatnoneofusspokeinhisabsence.Thesituationseemedbeyondallwordsorcomments.
"ThemedicalofficerofhealthforBrighton,"saidhewhenhereturned."Thesymptomsareforsomereasondevelopingmorerapidlyuponthesealevel.Oursevenhundredfeetofelevationgiveusanadvantage.FolkseemtohavelearnedthatIamthefirstauthorityuponthequestion.NodoubtitcomesfrommyletterintheTimes.ThatwasthemayorofaprovincialtownwithwhomItalkedwhenwefirstarrived.Youmayhaveheardmeuponthetelephone.Heseemedtoputanentirelyinflatedvalueuponhisownlife.Ihelpedhimtoreadjusthisideas."
Summerleehadrisenandwasstandingbythewindow.Histhin,bonyhandsweretremblingwithhisemotion.
"Challenger,"saidheearnestly,"thisthingistooseriousformerefutileargument.DonotsupposethatIdesiretoirritateyoubyanyquestionImayask.
