Алая чума
Chapter 4
“Ourprogresswaspainfullyslow. Thewomenandchildrencouldnotwalkfast. Theydidnotdreamofwalking,mygrandsons,inthewayallpeoplewalkto-day. Intruth,noneofusknewhowtowalk. ItwasnotuntilaftertheplaguethatIlearnedreallytowalk. Soitwasthatthepaceoftheslowestwasthepaceofall,forwedarednotseparateonaccountoftheprowlers. Therewerenotsomanynowofthesehumanbeastsofprey. Theplaguehadalreadywelldiminishedtheirnumbers,butenoughstilllivedtobeaconstantmenacetous. Manyofthebeautifulresidenceswereuntouchedbyfire,yetsmokingruinswereeverywhere. Theprowlers,too,seemedtohavegotovertheirinsensatedesiretoburn,anditwasmorerarelythatwesawhousesfreshlyonfire.
“Severalofusscoutedamongtheprivategaragesinsearchofmotorcarsandgasoline. Butinthiswewereunsuccessful. Thefirstgreatflightsfromthecitieshadsweptallsuchutilitiesaway. Calgan,afineyoungman,waslostinthiswork. Hewasshotbyprowlerswhilecrossingalawn. Yetthiswasouronlycasualty,though,once,adrunkenbrutedeliberatelyopenedfireonallofus. Luckily,hefiredwildly,andweshothimbeforehehaddoneanyhurt.
“AtFruitvale,stillintheheartofthemagnificentresidencesectionofthecity,theplagueagainsmoteus. ProfessorFair-meadwasthevictim. Makingsignstousthathismotherwasnottoknow,heturnedasideintothegroundsofabeautifulmansion.
