День триффидов
The Coming of the Triffids
Whenit"walked"itmovedratherlikeamanoncrutches.Twooftheblunt"legs"slidforward,thenthewholethinglurchedastherearonedrewalmostlevelwiththem,thenthetwoinfrontslidforwardagain.Ateach"step"thelongstemwhippedviolentlybackandforth;itgaveoneakindofseasickfeelingtowatchit.Asamethodofprogressitlookedbothstrenuousandclumsy—faintlyreminiscentofyoungelephantsatplay.Onefeltthatifitweretogoonlurchingforlonginthatfashionitwouldbeboundtostripallitsleavesifitdidnotactuallybreakitsstem.Nevertheless,ungainlythoughitlooked,itwascontrivingtocovertheroundatsomethinglikeanaveragewalkingpace.
ThatwasaboutallIhadtimetoseebeforethebattleshiplaunchingbegan.Itwasnotalot,butitwasenoughtoinciteaninvestigatingspiritinaboy.ForifthatthinginEcuadorcoulddoatricklikethat,whynottheoneinourgarden?Admittedlyourswasagooddealsmaller,butitdidlookthesame.
AbouttenminutesafterIgothomeIwasdiggingroundourtriffid.carefullylooseningtheearthnearittoencourageitto"walk."
Unfortunatelytherewasanaspectofthisself-propelledplantdiscoverywhichthenewsreelpeopleeitherhadnotexperiencedorhadchosenforsomereasonoftheirownnottoreveal.Therewasnowarning,either.
