День триффидов
World Narrowing
"Don’tpoint,"Josellatoldherautomatically."Whatdoyoumean?I’msureBilldoesn’tbringthem."
"Buthedoes.Hemakesallthenoises,andtheyjustcome."
"Lookhere,"Isaid."Whatareyoutalkingabout?AmIsupposedtobewhistlingthemhereinmysleeporsomething?"
Susanlookedhuffy.
"Allright.Ifyoudon’tbelieveme,I’llshowyouafterbreakfast,"sheannounced,andwithdrewintoanoffendedsilence.
Whenwehadfinishedsheslippedfromthetable,returningwithmytwelve-boreandfieldglasses.Wewentoutontothelawn.Shescouredtheviewuntilshefoundatriffidonthemovewellbeyondourfencesandthenhandedtheglassestome.Iwatchedthethinglurchingslowlyacrossafield.Itwasmorethanamileawayfroausandheadingeast.
"Nowkeeponwatchingit,"shesaid.
Shefiredthegunintotheair.
Afewsecondslaterthetriffidperceptiblyalteredcoursetowardthesouth.
"Seersheinquired,rubbinghershoulder.
"Well,itdidlook—Areyousure?Tryagain,"Isuggested.Sheshookherhead.
"Itwouldn’tbeanygood.Allthetriffidsthathearditarecomingthiswaynow.Inabouttenminutesthey’llstopandlisten.Ifthey’renearenoughthentoheartheonesbythefenceclattering,they’llcomeon.Orifthey’retoofarawayforthat,andwemakeanothernoise,thenthey’llcome.Butiftheycan’thearanythingatall,they’llwaitabitandthenjustgoonwherevertheyweregoingbefore."
IadmitthatIwassomewhattakenabackbythisrevelation.
"Well—er,"Isaid.
