День триффидов
Journey in Hope
"ItwasafterTommy—whentherewasnobody,nobodyatall.Iwassofrightened.."
"Iknow,"Itoldher."Idoknow.Iwasfrightenedtoo."
Shelookedupatme.
"Butyouaren’tfrightenednow?"
"No.Andyouaren’teither.Soyousee,we’lljusthavetokeeptogethertostoponeanotherbeingfrightened."
"Yes,"sheagreedwithseriousconsideration."Ithinkthat’llbeallrightSowewentontodiscussanumberofthingsuntilshefellasleep.
"Wherearewegoing?"Susanaskedaswestartedoffagainthefollowingmorning.
Isaidthatwewerelookingforalady.
"Whereisshe?"askedSusan.Iwasn’tsureofthat.
"Whenshallwefindher?"askedSusan.
Iwasprettyunsatisfactoryaboutthattoo."Issheaprettylady?"askedSusan.
"Yes,"Isaid,gladtobemoredefinitethistime.
Itseemed,forsomereason,togiveSusansatisfaction.
"Good,"sheremarkedapprovingly,andwepassedtoothersubjects.
Becauseofher,Itriedtoskirtthelargertowns,butitwasimpossibletoavoidmanyunpleasantsightsinthecountry.AfterawhileIgaveuppretendingthattheydidnotexist.Susanregardedthemwiththesamedetachedinterestasshegavetothenormalscenery.Theydidnotalarmher,thoughtheypuzzledherandpromptedquestions.ReflectingthattheworldinwhichshewasgoingtogrowupwouldhavelittleusefortheovernicetiesandeuphemismsthatIhadlearnedasachild,Ididmybesttotreatthevarioushorrorsandcuriositiesinthesameobjectivefashion.Thatwasreallyverygoodformetoo.
