День триффидов
Tynsham
"Taketherightfork,"shecalleduptomeasIpassed,andturnedbackatoncetoattendtothesecurityofthegates.Beyondashortavenueofelmslayaparklandscapedinthemannerofthelateeighteenthcentury,anddottedwithtreeswhichhadhadspacetoexpandintofullmagnificence.Thehouse,whenitcameintoview,wasnotastatelyhomeinthearchitecturalsense,buttherewasalotofit.Itrambledoveraconsiderablegroundareaandthroughavarietyofbuildingstyles,asthoughnoneofitspreviousownershadbeenabletoresistthetemptationtoleavehispersonalmarkuponit.Each,whilerespectingtheworkofhisforefathers,hadapparentlyfeltitincumbentuponhimtoexpressthespiritofhisownage.Aconfidentdisregardofpreviouslevelshadresultedinasturdywaywardness.Itwasinescapablyafunnyhouse,yetfriendlyandreliable-looking.
Therightforkledustoawidecourtyardwhereseveraltrucksstoodalready.Coachhousesandstablesextendedaroundit,seeminglyoverseveralacres.Cokerdrewupalongsideme,andweclimbeddown.Therewasnooneinsight.
Wemadeourwaythroughtheopenreardoorofthemainbuildinganddownalongcorridor.Attheendofitwasakitchenofbaronialcapacitywherethewarmthandsmellofcookinglingered.Frombeyondadooronthefarsidecameamurmurofvoicesandaclatterofplates,butwehadtonegotiateafurtherdarkpassageandanotherdoorbeforewereachedthem.
