День триффидов
Journey in Hope
AdozentimesormoreItraverseditsteadily,switchingoffforafewsecondsattheendofeachsweepwhilewesoughttheleastflickerinthedarkness.Buteachtimethenightoverthehillsremainedpitchyblack.Thentheraincameonmoreheavilyagain.Isetthebeamfullaheadandsatwaiting,listeningtothedrummingofthedropsontheroofofthecabwhileSusanfellasleepleaningagainstmyann.Anhourpassedbeforethedrummingdwindledtoapatter,andceased.
SusanwokeupasIstartedthebeamtakingacrossagain.Ihadcompletedthesixthtravelwhenshecalledout:
"Look,Bill!Thereitis!There’salight!"
Shewaspointingafewdegreesleftofourfront.Iswitched
offourlampandfollowedthelineofherfinger.Itwasdifficulttobesure.Ifitwerenotatrickofoureyes,itwassomethingasdimasadistantglowworm.Andevenaswewerelookingatittheraincamedownonusagaininsheets.BythetimeIhadmyglassesinmyhandtherewasnoviewatall.Ihesitatedtomove.Itmightbethatthelight,ifithadbeenalight,wouldnotbevisiblefromlowerground.OncemoreItrainedourlightforwardandsettleddowntowaitwithasmuchpatienceasIcouldmanage.Almostanotherhourpassedbeforetherainclearedagain.Themomentitdid,Iswitchedoffourlamp.
"Itis!"Susancriedexcitedly."Look!Look!"
Itwas.Andbrightenoughnowtobanishanydoubts,thoughtheglassesshowedmenodetails.
Iswitchedonagain,andgavetheVsigninMorse—itistheonlyMorseIknowexcept50S,soithadtodo.
