День триффидов
Evacuation
ItjustsohappenedthatIwasaddressingameetingthatwasprotestingoverpolicepartialityinalittlematterofastrike.Webeganaboutsixo’clockandabouthalf-pastthepolicethemselvesarrivedtobreakitup.Ifoundahandytrapdoorandwentdownintothecellar.Theycamedown,too,tohavealook,buttheydidn’tfindmewhereIbadgonetoearth,inapileofshavings.Theywentontrampingaroundupaboveforabit,thenitwasquiet.ButIstayedput.Iwasn’twalkingoutintoanynicelittletrap.Itwasquitecomfortablethere,soIwenttosleep.Inthemorning,whenItookacarefulnosearound,Ifoundallthishadhappened."Hepausedthoughtfully."Well,thatracket’sfinished;itcertainlydoesn’tlookasifthere’sgoingtobemuchcallformyparticulargiftsfromnowon,"headded.
Ididnotdisputeit.Wefinishedourmeal.Heslidhimselfoffthecounter.
"Comeon.We’dbetterbeshifting.‘Tomorrowtofreshfieldsandpasturesnew’—ifyou’dcareforareallyhackneyedquotationthistime."
"It’smorethanthat,it’sinaccurate,"Isaid."It’s‘woods,’not‘fields.’"
Hefrowned.
"Well,damnme,mate,soitis,"headmitted.
IbegantofeelthelighteningofspiritthatCokerwasalreadyshowing.Thesightoftheopencountrygaveonehopeofason.
