День триффидов
The Coming of the Triffids
Myownbelief,forwhatthatisworth,isthattheyweretheoutcomeofaseriesofingeniousbiologicalmeddlings—andverylikelyaccidental,atthat.Hadtheybeenevolvedanywherebutintheregiontheywere,weshoulddoubtlesshavehadawell-documentedancestryforthem.Asitwas,noauthoritativestatementwaseverpublishedbythosewhomusthavebeenbestqualifiedtoknow.Thereasonforthislay,nodoubt,inthecuriouspoliticalconditionsthenprevailing.
Theworldwelivedinwaswide,andmostofitwasopentouswithlittletrouble.Roads,railways,andshippinglineslacedit,readytocarryonethousandsofmilessafelyandincomfort.Ifwewantedtotravelmoreswiftlystill,andcouldaffordit,wetraveledbyairplane.Therewasnoneedforanyonetotakeweaponsorevenprecautionsinthosedays.Youcouldgojustasyouweretowhereveryouwished,withnothingtohinderyou—otherthanalotofformsandregulations.Aworldsotamedsoundsutopiannow.Nevertheless,itwassooverfivesixthsoftheglobe—thoughtheremainingsixthwassomethingdifferentagain.
Itmustbedifficultforyoungpeoplewhoneverknewittoenvisageaworldlikethat.Perhapsitsoundslikeagoldenage—thoughitwasn’tquitethattothosewholivedinit.OrtheymaythinkthatanEarthorderedandcultivatedalmostalloversoundsdull—butitwasn’tthat,either.Itwasratheranexcitingplace-—forabiologist,anyway.Everyyearwewerepushingthenorthernlimitofgrowthforfoodplantsalittlefartherback.
