День триффидов
Dead End
Isuspectedthathewasthinkingitlikely,asIwas,thattheHeadleypartywouldcontinuetoshowadeliberatelightbynightandsomeothersign—probablyasmokecolumn—byday.
However,noonehadanybettersuggestiontomake,sowegotdowntothebusinessofdividingthemapupintosections,doingourbesttocontrivethateachshouldincludesomehighgroundtogiveanextensiveviewbeyondit.
Thefollowingdaywewentintothetowninatruck,andfromtheredispersedinsmallercarsforthesearch.Thatwas,withoutadoubt,themostmelancholydayIhadspentsinceIhadwanderedaboutWestminstersearchingfortracesofJosellathere.
Justatfirstitwasn’ttoobad.Therewastheopenroadinthesunlight,thefreshgreenofearlysummer.Thereweresignpostswhichpointedto"Exeter&TheWest,"andotherplaces,asiftheystillpursuedtheirhabituallives.Thereweresometimes,thoughrarely,birdstobeseen.Andtherewerewildflowersbesidethelanes,lookingastheyhadalwayslooked.
Buttheothersideofthepicturewasnotasgood.Therewerefieldsinwhichcattlelaydeadorwanderedblindly,anduntendedcowslowedinpain.Wheresheepintheireasydiscouragementhadstoodresignedlytodieratherthanpullthemselvesfreefrombrambleorbarbedwire,andothersheepgrazederraticallyorstarvedhelplesslywithlooksofreproachintheirblindeyes.
Farmswerebecomingunpleasantplacestopassclosely.
