День триффидов
— and Farther on
InthesleeplessclarityofthesmallhoursImadeonediscovery—itwasthatmydesiretojointhei3eadleypartywasverysecondaryindeedtomywishtofindJosella.If,whenIdidfindthem,shewasnotwiththem...Well,thenextmovewouldhavetowaituponthemoment,butitwouldnotberesignation...
FindingCoker’sbedalreadyemptywhenIawoke,Idecidedtodevotemymorningchieflytoinquiries.OneofthetroubleswasthatitdidnotseemtohaveoccurredtoanyonetofindoutthenamesofthosewhohadconsideredTynshanuninvitingandhadpassedon.Josella’snamemeantnothingtoanyonesavethosefewwhorecollecteditwithdisapproval.Mydescriptionofherraisednomemoriesthatwouldstanddetailedexamination.Certainlytherehadbeennogirlinanavy-blueskisuit—thatIestablished—butthenIcouldbynomeansbecertainthatshewouldstillbedressedthatway.Myinquiriesendedbymakingeveryoneverytiredofmeandincreasingmyfrustration.Therewasafaintpossibilitythatagirlwhohadcomeandgoneadaybeforeourarrivalmighthavebeenshe,butIcouldnotfeelitlikelythatJosellacouldhaveleftsoslightanimpressiononanyone’smind—evenallowingforprejudice...
Cokerreappearedagainatthemiddaymeal.Hehadfoundmostofthementobeplungedingloombyawell-meantassurancefromthevicarthattherewouldbeplentyofusefulthingsforthemtodo,suchas—er—basketmaking,and—er—weaving,andhehaddonehisbesttodispelitwithmorehopefulprospects.
