Алая чума
Chapter 3
Hewasthennineteenyearsold,andhewascompelledtowaittwelveyearsmorebeforehecouldmarry. Yousee,therewerenounmarriedwomen,andsomeoftheolderdaughtersoftheSantaRosanswerealreadybespoken. SohewasforcedtowaituntilmyMaryhadgrowntosixteenyears. Itwashisson,Gimp-Leg,whowaskilledlastyearbythemountainlion.
“Mungersonwaselevenyearsoldatthetimeoftheplague. HisfatherwasoneoftheIndustrialMagnates,averywealthy,powerfulman. Itwasonhisairship,theCondor,thattheywerefleeing,withallthefamily,forthewildsofBritishColumbia,whichisfartothenorthofhere. Buttherewassomeaccident,andtheywerewreckednearMountShasta. Youhaveheardofthatmountain. Itisfartothenorth. Theplaguebrokeoutamongstthem,andthisboyofelevenwastheonlysurvivor. Foreightyearshewasalone,wanderingoveradesertedlandandlookingvainlyforhisownkind. Andatlast,travellingsouth,hepickedupwithus,theSantaRosans.
“ButIamaheadofmystory. WhenthegreatexodusfromthecitiesaroundSanFranciscoBaybegan,andwhilethetelephoneswerestillworking,Italkedwithmybrother. Itoldhimthisflightfromthecitieswasinsanity,thattherewerenosymptomsoftheplagueinme,andthatthethingforustodowastoisolateourselvesandourrelativesinsomesafeplace.
