День триффидов
Journey in Hope
Inbetweenshowers,andinaworseninglight,wescannedtheoppositehillsagain,withoutresult.Therewasnolifeormovementinthewholevalley,saveforafewcattleandsheepandanoccasionaltriffidlurchingacrossthefieldsbelow.
Anideacametome,andIdecidedtogodowntothevillage.IwasreluctanttotakeSusan,forIknewtheplacewouldbeunpleasant,butIcouldnotleaveherwhereshewas.WhenwegotthereIfoundthatthesightsaffectedherlessthantheydidme:childrenhaveadifferentconventionofthefearfuluntiltheyhavebeentaughttheproperthingstobeshockedat.Thedepressionwasallmine.Susanfoundmoretointerestthantodisgusther.Anysombernesswasquiteoffsetbyherdelightinascarletsilkmacintoshwithwhichsheequippedherselfinspiteofitsbeingseveralsizestoolarge.Mysearch,too,wasrewarding.Ireturnedtothetruckladenwithaheadlamplikeaminorsearchlight,whichwehadfounduponanillustrious-lookingRolls-Royce.
Iriggedthethinguponakindofpivotbesidethecabwindowandmadeitreadytoplugin.Whenthatwasreadytherewasnothingtodobutwaitfordarknessandhopethattherainwouldletup.
Bythetimeitwasfullydarktheraindropshadbecomeamerespatter.Iswitchedon,andsentamagnificentbeampiercingthenight.SlowlyIturnedthelampfromsidetoside,keepingitsrayleveledtowardthehills,whileIanxiouslytriedtowatchthewholelineofthemsimultaneouslyforanansweringlight.
