День триффидов
Conference
WithawaveofherhandshedirectedMichaeltothedesk,andthemeetingbegan.
Hestoodthere,alittlebent,watchingtheaudiencefromsombereyesashewaitedforthemurmuringtodiedown.
Whenhespoke,itwasinapleasant,practicedvoiceandwithafiresidemanner.
"Manyofushere,"hebegan,"muststillbefeelingnumbedunderthiscatastrophe.Theworldweknewhasendedinaflash.Someofusmaybefeelingthatitistheendofeverything.Itisnot.ButtoallofyouIwillsayatoncethatitcanbetheendofeverything—ifweletit.
"Stupendousasthisdisasteris,thereis,however,stillamarginofsurvival.Itmaybeworthrememberingjustnowthatwearenotuniqueinlookinguponvastcalamity.Whateverthemythsthathavegrownupaboutit,therecanbenodoubtthatsomewherefarbackinourhistorytherewasaGreatFlood.Thosewhosurvivedthatmusthavelookeduponadisastercomparableinscalewiththisand,insomeways,moreformidable.Buttheycannothavedespaired;theymusthavebegunagain—aswecanbeginagain.
"Self-pityandasenseofhightragedyaregoingtobuildnothingatall.Sowehadbetterthrowthemoutatonce,foritisbuildersthatwemustbecome.
"Andfurthertodeflateanyromanticdramatization,Iwouldliketopointouttoyouthatthis,evennow,isnottheworstthatcouldhavehappened.I,andquitelikelymanyofyou,havespentmostofmylifeinexpectationofsomethingworse.AndIstillbelievethatitthishadnothappenedtous,thatworsethingwould.
