День триффидов
World Narrowing
It’sjustthatthere’salotmoreofit—becausetherearealotmoreofthemthanthereusedtobe."
"Ihadn’tnoticed,"Isaidindifferently.
OnceIhadthefencefixedup,myinteresthadlaininthegroundwithinit,andIhadnotbotheredaboutwhatwentonbeyondit.MyimpressiononmyexpeditionswasthattheincidenceofTriffidsinmostpartswasmuchthesameasbefore.Irecalledthattheirnumberslocallyhadcaughtmyat-tendonwhenIhadfirstarrived,andIhadsupposedthattheremusthavebeenseverallargetriffidnurseriesinthedistrict.
"Therecertainlyare.Youtakealookatthemtomorrow,"shesaid.
Irememberedinthemorning,andlookedoutofthewindowasIwasdressing.IsawthatJosellawasright.Onecouldcountoverahundredofthembehindthequitesmallstretchvisiblefromthewindow.Imentioneditatbreakfast.Susanlookedsuprised.
"Butthey’vebeengettingmoreallthetime,"shesaid."Haven’tyounoticed?"
"I’vegotplentyofotherthingstobotherabout,"Isaid,alittleirritatedbyhertone."Theydon’tmatteroutsidethefence,anyway.Aslongaswetakecaretopullupalltheseedsthatrootinhere,theycandowhattheylikeoutside."
"Allthesame,"Josellaremarkedwithatraceofuneasiness,"isthereanyparticularreasonwhytheyshouldcometojustthispartinsuchnumbers?I’msuretheydo—andI’dliketoknowjustwhyitis."
Susan’sfacetookonitsirritatingexpressionofsurpriseagain.
"Why’hebringsthem,"shesaid.
