День триффидов
Conference
WhenIreachedtheendofmineIthrewitawayanddrewabreath.
"Josella,"Isaid.
"M’m?"shereplied,scarcelyemergingfromherthoughts.Josella,"Isaidagain."Er—thosebabies.I’d—er—I’dbesortofterriblyproudandhappyiftheycouldbemineaswellasyours."
Shesatquitestillforamoment,sayingnothing.Thensheturnedherhead.Themoonlightwasglintingonherfairhair,butherfaceandeyeswereinshadow.Iwaited,withahammeredandslightlysickfeelinginsideme.Shesaid,withsurprisingcalm:
"Thankyou,Billdear.IthinkIwouldtoo."
Isighed.Thehammeringdidnoteaseupmuch,andIsawthatmyhandwastremblingasitreachedfor,hers.Ididn’thaveanywords,forthemoment.Josella,however,did.Shesaid:
"Butitisn’tquiteaseasyasthatnow."
Iwasjolted.
"Whatdoyoumean?"Iasked.
Shesaidconsideringly:"IthinkthatifIwerethosepeopleinthere"—shenoddedinthedirectionofthetower—"IthinkthatIshouldmakearule.Ishoulddivideusupintolots.Ishouldsayeverymanwhomarriesasightedgirlmusttaketwoblindgirlsaswell.I’mprettysurethat’swhatIshoulddo."
Istaredatherfaceintheshadow.
"Youdon’tmeanthat,"Iprotested."I’mafraidIdo,Bill."
"Butlookhere
"Don’tyouthinktheymayhavesomeidealikethatinPtheirminds—fromwhatthey’vebeensaying?"
"Notunlikely,"Iconceded."Butiftheymaketherule,that’sonething.
