Поющие в терновнике
Chapter 16
Nothingelsecancatchmyxomatosis,evencloserelatives.SothankstotheblokesattheCSIRO,therabbitplagueisnomore."
CardinalRalphstaredatFrank."Doyourealizewhatitis,Frank?Doyou?"
PoorFrankshookhishead,wishingeveryonewouldlethimretreatintoanonymity.
"Mass-scalebiologicalwarfare.IwonderdoestherestoftheworldknowthatrighthereinAustraliabetween1949and1952aviruswarwaswagedagainstapopulationoftrillionsupontrillions,andsucceededinobliteratingit?Well!It’sfeasible,isn’tit?Notsimplyyellowjournalismatall,butscientificfact.Theymayaswellburytheiratombombsandhydrogenbombs.Iknowithadtobedone,itwasabsolutelynecessary,andit’sprobablytheworld’smostunsungmajorscientificachievement.Butit’sterrifying,too."
Danehadbeenfollowingtheconversationclosely."Biologicalwarfare?I’veneverheardofit.Whatisitexactly,Ralph?"
"Thewordsarenew,Dane,butI’mapapaldiplomatandthepityofitisthatImustkeepabreastofwordslike‘biologicalwarfare.’Inanutshell,thetermmeansmyxomatosis.Breedingagermcapableofspecificallykillingandmaimingonlyonekindoflivingbeing."
Quiteunself-consciouslyDanemadetheSignoftheCross,andleanedbackagainstRalphdeBricassart’sknees."Wehadbetterpray,hadn’twe?"
TheCardinallookeddownonhisfairhead,smiling.
