День триффидов
— and Farther on
Yououghttoknowalotmoreaboutthesebloodythingsthanmostpeople,Bill.Itwasn’t—Imean,itmustjusthavehappenedtobethere,mustn’tit?"
"Ithink—"Ibegan.ThenIstopped,listeningtoastaccatodrummingoutside.Iwalkedoverandopenedthewindow.Iletthealreadytrimmedtriffidhavetheotherbarreltoo;thistimejustabovethebole.Thedrummingstopped.
"Thetroubleabouttriffids,"Isaidaswepouredanotherdrink,"ischieflythethingswedon’tknowaboutthem,"ItoldhimoneortwoofWalter’stheories.Hestared.
"Youdon’tseriouslysuggestthatthey’re‘talking’whentheymakethatrattlingnoise?"
"I’venevermadeupmymind,"Iadmitted."I’llgosofarastosayI’msureit’sasignalofsomesort.ButWalterconsideredittobereal‘talk’—andhedidknowmoreaboutthemthananyoneelsethatI’veevermet."
Iejectedthetwospentcartridgecasesandreloaded."Andheactuallymentionedtheiradvantageoverablindman?"
"Anumberofyearsago,thatwas,"Ipointedout.
"Still—it’safunnycoincidence."
"Impulsiveasever,"Isaid."Prettynearlyanystrokeoffatecanbemadetolooklikeafunnycoincidenceifyoutryhardenoughandwaitlongenough."
Wedrankupandturnedtogo.Cokerglancedoutofthewindow.Thenbecaughtmyarmandpointed.Twotriffidshadswayedroundthecornerandweremakingforthehedgewhichhadbeenthehidingplaceofthefirst.Iwaiteduntiltheypausedandthendecapitatedbothofthem
