День триффидов
Strategic Withdrawal
Forsomemomentssilencelayontheroom.ThenDennislaughedunnaturally:
"GreatGodalmighty!We’velivedthroughallthis-—andnowthemanproposestostartawan"
Torrencesaidshortly:
"Idon’tseemtohavemademyselfclear.Theword‘war’isanunjustifiableexaggeration.Itwillbesimplyamatterofpacifyingandadministeringtribesthathaverevertedtoprimitivelawlessness."
"Unless,ofcourse,thesamebenevolentideahappenstohaveoccurredtothem,"Dennissuggested.
IbecameawarethatbothJosellaandSusanwerelookingatmeveryhard.JosellapointedatSusan,andIperceivedthereason.
"Letmegetthisstraight,"Isaid."Youexpectthethreeofuswhocanseetobeentirelyresponsiblefortwentyblindadultsandanunspecifiednumberofchildren.Itseemstome—"
"Blindpeoplearen’tquiteincapable.Theycandoalot,includingcaringfortheirownchildreningeneralandhelpingtopreparetheirownfood.Properlyarranged,agreatdealcanbereducedtosupervisionanddirection.Butitwillbetwoofyou,Mr.Masen—yourselfandyourwife—notthree."
IlookedatSusan,sittingupverystraightinherblueoveralls,witharedribboninherhair.TherewasananxiousappealinhereyesasshelookedfrommetoJosella.
"Three,"Isaid.
"I’msorry,Mr.Masen.Theallocationistenperunit.ThegirlcancometoH.Q.Wecanfindusefulworkforherthereuntilsheisoldenoughtotakechargeofaunitherself."
"MywifeandIregardSusanasourowndaughter,"Itoldhimshortly.
