День триффидов
World Narrowing
Sheadoredhim.Heseemedtobeacompensationtoherformuchthatshebadlost,and,paradoxically,shestartedtoworrylessovertheconditionofthebridgesaheadthanshehadbefore.Anyway,hehadalustinesswhicharguedwellforhisfuturecapacitytotakecareofhimself,soIrepressedmymisgivingsandincreasedtheworkIwasputtingintothatlandwhichwouldonedayhavetosupportallofus.
ItmusthavebeennotsoverylongafterthatthatJosellaturnedmyattentionmorecloselytothetriffids.Ihadforyearsbeensousedtotakingprecautionsagainsttheminmyworkthattheirbecomingaregularpartofthelandscapewasfarlessnoticeabletomethanitwastotheothers.Ihadbeenaccustomed,too,towearingmeshedmasksandgloveswhenIdealtwiththem,sothattherewaslittlenoveltyfarmeindonningthesethingswheneverIdroveout.Ihad,infact,gotintothehabitofpayinglittlemoreattentiontothemthanonewouldtomosquitoesinaknownmalarialarea.Josellamentioneditaswelayinbedonenightwhenalmosttheonlysoundwastheintermittent,distantrattlingoftheirhardlittlesticksagainsttheirstems.
"They’redoingalotmoreofthatlately,"shesaid.
Ididnotgraspatfirstwhatshewastalkingabout.ItwasasoundthathadbeenausualbackgroundtotheplaceswhereIhadlivedandworkedforsolongthatunlessIdeliberatelylistenedforitIcouldnotsaywhetheritwasgoingonornot.Ilistenednow.
"Itdoesn’tsoundanydifferenttome,"Isaid.
"It’snotdifferent.
