День триффидов
Strategic Withdrawal
Wewereequallyignorantoftheexistenceofyourgrouphereuntilwesawyourfireyesterday."
Iwaitedforhimtogoon.
"Whensuchagroupisdiscovered,"hesaid,"itismyjobtoinvestigateit,andassessit,andmakethenecessaryadjustments.SoyoumaytakeitthatIamhereofficially."
"OnbehalfofanofficialCouncil?Ordoesithappentobeaself-electedCouncil?"
‘Therehastobelawandorder,"hesaidstiffly.Then,withachangeoftone,hewenton:
‘Thisisawell-foundplaceyouhavehere,Mr.Masen."
"Mr.Brenthas,"Icorrected.
"WewillleaveMr.Brentout.Heishereonlybecauseyoumadeitpossibleforhimtostayhere."
IlookedacrossatDennis.Hisfacewasset.
"Nevertheless,itishisproperty,"Isaid.
"Itwas,Iunderstand.But,thestateofsocietywhichgavesanctiontohisownershipnolongerexists.Titlestopropertyhavethereforeceasedtobevalid.Furthermore,Mr.Brentisnotsighted,sothathecannotinanycasebeconsideredcompetenttoholdauthority."
"Indeed!"Isaidagain.
Ihadhadadistasteforthisyoungmanandhisdecisivewaysatourfirstmeeting.Furtheracquaintancewasdoingnothingtomellowit.Hewenton:
"Thisisamatterofsurvival.Sentimentcannotbeallowedtointerferewiththenecessarypracticalmeasures.Now,Mrs.Masenhastoldmethatyounumbereightaltogether,Fiveadults,thisgirl,andtwosmallchildren.Allofyouaresighted,exceptthesethree."HeindicatedDennis,Mary,andJoyce.
‘Thatisso,"Iadmitted.
"H’m.
