День триффидов
The End begins
Thenavoiceremarked:
"Gin,blastit!T’hellwithgin!"
Therefollowedashatteringcrash.Thevoicegaveasozzledchuckle.
"Thashth’mirror.Washgoodofmirrorsanyway?"
Anothercorkpopped.
"S’darnnedginagain,"complainedthevoice,offended.
"T’hellwithgin."
Thistimethebottlehitsomethingsoft,thuddedtothefloor,andlaytheregurglingawayitscontents.
"Hey!"Icalled."Iwantadrink."Therewasasilence.Then:
"Who’reyou?"thevoiceinquiredcautiously.
"I’mfromthehospital,"Isaid."Iwantadrink.""Don’‘membery’rvoice.Canyousee?"
"Yes,"Itoldhim.
"Well,then,forGod’ssakegetoverthebar,Doc,andfindmeabottleofwhisky."
"I’mdoctorenoughforthat,"Isaid
Iclimbedacrossandwentroundthecorner.Alarge-bellied,red-facedmanwithagrayingwalrusmustachestoodtherecladonlyintrousersandacollarlessshirt.Hewasprettydrunk.Heseemedundecidedwhethertoopenthebottleheheldinhisbandortouseitasaweapon.
"‘Fyou’renotadoctor,whatareyou?"hedemandedsuspiciously.
"Iwasapatient—butIneedadrinkasmuchasanydoctor,"Isaid."That’sginagainyou’vegotthere,"Iadded.
"Oh,isit!Damnedgin,"hesaid,andslungitaway.Itwentthroughthewindowwithalivelycrash.
"Givemethatcorkscrew,"Itoldhim.
Itookdownabottleofwhiskyfromtheshelf,openedit,andhandedittohimwithaglass.FormyselfIchoseastiffbrandywithverylittlesoda,andthenanother.
