Алая чума
Chapter 3
“Anditwasbecauseofallthisthatthebacteriologistshadsolittlechanceinfightingthegerms. TheywerekilledintheirlaboratoriesevenastheystudiedthegermoftheScarletDeath. Theywereheroes. Asfastastheyperished,otherssteppedforthandtooktheirplaces. ItwasinLondonthattheyfirstisolatedit. Thenewswastelegraphedeverywhere. Traskwasthenameofthemanwhosucceededinthis,butwithinthirtyhourshewasdead. Thencamethestruggleinallthelaboratoriestofindsomethingthatwouldkilltheplaguegerms. Alldrugsfailed. Yousee,theproblemwastogetadrug,orserum,thatwouldkillthegermsinthebodyandnotkillthebody. Theytriedtofightitwithothergerms,toputintothebodyofasickmangermsthatweretheenemiesoftheplaguegerms—”
“Andyoucan’tseethesegerm-things,Granser,”Hare-Lipobjected,“andhereyougabble,gabble,gabbleaboutthemasiftheywasanything,whenthey’renothingatall. Anythingyoucan’tsee,ain’t,that’swhat. Fightingthingsthatain’twiththingsthatain’t! Theymusthavebeenallfoolsinthemdays. That’swhytheycroaked. Iain’tgoin’tobelieveinsuchrot,Itellyouthat.”
Granserpromptlybegantoweep,whileEdwinhotlytookuphisdefence.
“Lookhere,Hare-Lip,youbelieveinlotsofthingsyoucan’tsee.”
Hare-Lipshookhishead.
“Youbelieveindeadmenwalkingabout.Youneverseenonedeadmanwalkabout.”
“ItellyouIseen’em,lastwinter,whenIwaswolf-huntingwithdad.”
