День триффидов
Rendezvous
Wecoulddothatforafewdays,maybeforafewweeks,butafterthat—what?"
"Itseemssoawful,socallous
"Ifwefaceitsquarely,there’sasimplechoice,"Isaid."Eitherwecansetouttosavewhatcanbesavedfromthewreck—andthathastoincludeourselves—orwecandevoteourselvestostretchingthelivesofthesepeoplealittlelonger.ThatisthemostobjectiveviewIcantake.
ButIcansee,too,thatthemoreobviouslyhumanecourseisalso,probably,theroadtosuicide.Shouldwespendourtimeinprolongingmiserywhenwebelievethatthereisnochanceofsavingthepeopleintheend?Wouldthatbethebestusetomakeofourselves?"
Shenoddedslowly.
"Putlikethat,theredoesn’tseemtobemuchchoice,doesthere?Andevenifwecouldsaveafew,whicharewegoingtochoose?Andwhoarewetochoose?Andhowlongcouldwedoit,anyway?"
"There’snothingeasyaboutthis,"Isaid."I’venoideaAcwhatproportionofsemidisabledpersonsitmaybepossibleforustosupportwhenwecometotheendofeasysupplies,butIdon’timagineitcouldbeveryhigh."
"You’vemadeupyourmind,"shesaid,glancingatme.
Theremightormightnothavebeenatingeofdisapprovalhervoice.
"Mydear,"Isaid,"Idon’tlikethisanymorethanyoudo.I’veputthealternativesbadlybeforeyou.
