День триффидов

           "Theythink,"addedJosella,"thatBillhereiseitherscaryorscattyonthesubject."

           MissCaryturnedastraightlookatme.Herfacewasinterestingratherthangood-looking,withacomplexionbrownedbystrongersunsthanours.Hereyesweresteady,observant,anddarkbrown.

           "Areyou?"sheasked.

           ‘Well,Ithinkthey’retroublesomeenoughtobetakenseriouslywhentheygetoutofhand,"Itoldher.

           Shenodded."Trueenough.I’vebeeninplaceswheretheyareoutofhand.Quitenasty.ButinEngland—well,ifshardtoimaginethathere."

           "There’llnotbealottostopthemherenow’,"Isaid.

           Herreply,ifshehadbeenabouttomakeone,wasforestalledbythesoundofanengineoverhead.WelookedupandpresentlysawahelicoptercomedriftingacrosstheroofoftheBritishMuseum.

           That’llbeIvan,"saidMissGary."Hethoughthemightmanagetofindone.Imustgoandgetapictureofhimlanding.Seeyoulater."Andshehurriedoffacrossthegrass.

           Josellalaydown,claspedherhandsbehindherhead,andgazedupintothedepthsofthesky.Whenthehelicopter’sengineceased,thingssoundedverymuchquieterthanbeforewehadheardit.

           Josellalayfacingupwardwithafarawaylookinhereyes.IthoughtperhapsIcouldguesssomethingofwhatwaspassinginhermind,butIsaidnothing.Shedidnotspeakforalittlewhile,thenshesaid:

           Youknow,oneofthemostshockingthingsaboutitistorealizehoweasilywehavelostaworldthatseemedsosafeandcertain."

           Shewasquiteright.