День триффидов

           Hewaslean,tall,broad-shouldered,andslightlystooping,withsomethingtheairofanathleteruntobooks.Inreposehisfacetookonanexpressionofmildgloomfromthedarknessofhislargeeyes,butitwasseldomthatonehadaglimpseofitinrepose.Theoccasionalstreaksofgrayinhishairhelpedverylittleinjudginghisage.Hemighthavebeenanywherebetweenthirty-fiveandfifty.Hisobviouswearinessjustthenmadeanestimatestillmoredifficult.Byhislooks,hemusthavebeenupallnight;neverthelesshegreeteduscheerfullyandwavedanintroductoryhandtowardayoungwoman,whotookdownournamesagainaswegavethem.

           "SandraTelmont,"heexplained."Sandraisourprofessionalremembrancer—continuityisherusualwork,sowe4regarditasparticularlythoughtfulofProvidencetocontriveherpresenceherejustnow."

           TheyoungwomannoddedtomeandlookedharderatJosella.

           "We’vemetbefore,"shesaidthoughtfully.Sheglanceddownatthepadonherknee.Presentlyafaintsmilepassedacrossherpleasant,thoughunexoticcountenance,

           "Ohyes,ofcourse,"shesaidinrecollection.

           "WhatdidItellyou?Thethingclingslikeaflypaper,"Josellaobservedtome.

           "What’sthisabout?"inquiredMichaelBeadley.

           Iexplained.HeturnedamorecarefulscrutinyonJosella.

           Shesighed.

           "Pleaseforgetit,"shesuggested."I’mabittiredoflivingitdown"

           Thatappearedtosurprisehimagreeably.

           "Allright,"hesaid,anddismissedthematterwithanod.

           Heturnedbacktothetable.