Отравленный пояс
Chapter V. The Dead World
"Considerthatthepoisonwassovirulentthatevenamanwhoisasstrongasanoxandhasnotanerveinhisbody,likeMalonehere,couldhardlygetupthestairsbeforehefellunconscious.Isitlikelythatanyonecouldstandseventeenminutesofit,farlesshours?"
"Unlesssomeonesawitcomingandmadepreparation,sameasoldfriendChallengerdid."
"That,Ithink,ishardlyprobable,"saidChallenger,projectinghisbeardandsinkinghiseyelids."Thecombinationofobservation,inference,andanticipatoryimaginationwhichenabledmetoforeseethedangeriswhatonecanhardlyexpecttwiceinthesamegeneration."
"Thenyourconclusionisthateveryoneiscertainlydead?"
"Therecanbelittledoubtofthat.Wehavetoremember,however,thatthepoisonworkedfrombelowupwardsandwouldpossiblybelessvirulentinthehigherstrataoftheatmosphere.Itisstrange,indeed,thatitshouldbeso;butitpresentsoneofthosefeatureswhichwillaffordusinthefutureafascinatingfieldforstudy.Onecouldimagine,therefore,thatifonehadtosearchforsurvivorsonewouldturnone’seyeswithbesthopesofsuccesstosomeTibetanvillageorsomeAlpinefarm,manythousandsoffeetabovethesealevel."
"Well,considerin’thattherearenorailroadsandnosteamersyoumightaswelltalkaboutsurvivorsinthemoon,"saidLordJohn."ButwhatI’maskin’myselfiswhetherit’sreallyoverorwhetherit’sonlyhalf-time."
Summerleecranedhisnecktolookroundthehorizon."Itseemsclearandfine,"saidheinaverydubiousvoice;"butsoitdidyesterday.
