День триффидов
The Coming of the Triffids
Thereasonforthatbecameclearonlywhenitwasshownthattheyfeduponfleshaswellasuponinsects.Thestingingtendrildidnothavethemuscularpowertotearfirmflesh,butithadstrengthenoughtopullshredsfromadecomposingbodyandliftthemtothecuponitsstem.
Therewasnogreatinterest,either,inthethreelittleleaflesssticksatthebaseofthestem.Therewasalightnotionthattheymighthavesomethingtodowiththereproductivesystem—thatsystemwhichtendstobeasortofbotanicalglory-holeforallpartsofdoubtfulpurposeuntiltheycanbesortedoutandmorespecificallyassignedlateron.Itwasassumed,consequently,thattheircharacteristicofsuddenlylosingtheirimmobilityandrattlingarapidtattooagainstthemainstemwassomestrangeformoftriffidianamatoryexuberance.
Possiblymyuncomfortabledistinctionofgettingmyselfstungsoearlyinthetriffiderahadtheeffectofstimulatingmyinterest,forIseemedtohaveasortoflinkwiththemfromthenon.Ispent—or"wasted,"ifyoulookatmethroughmyfather’seyes—agreatdealoffascinatedtimewatchingthem.
Onecouldnotblamehimforconsideringthisaworthlesspursuit,yetlaterthetimeturnedouttohavebeenbetteremployedthaneitherofussuspected,foritwasjustbeforeIleftschoolthattheAttic&EuropeanFishOilCompanyreconstituteditself,droppingtheword"Fish"intheprocess.
