День триффидов
The Groping City
Or,ifIdidnotwishtopay,IhadonlytosmashawindowandtakewhatIwanted.
Nevertheless,itwashardtopersuadeoneselftodothat.Iwasnotyetreadytoadmit,afternearlythirtyyearsofareasonablyright-respectingexistenceandlaw-abidinglife,thatthingshadchangedinanyfundamentalway.Therewas,too,afeelingthataslongasIremainedmynormalselfthingsmightevenyet,insomeinconceivableway,returntotheirnormal,Absurditundoubtedlywas,butIhadaverystrongsensethatthemomentIshouldstoveinoneofthosesheetsofplateglassIwouldleavetheoldorderbehindmeforever:Ishouldbecomealooter,asacker,alowscavengeruponthedeadbodyofthesystemthathadnourishedme.Suchafoolishnicenessofsensibilityinastrickenworld!Andyetitstillpleasesmetorememberthatcivilizedusagedidnotslideoffmeatonce,andthatforatime,atleast,Iwanderedalongpastdisplayswhichmademymouthwaterwhilemyalreadyobsoleteconventionskeptmehungry.
Theproblemresolveditselfinasophisticalwayafterperhapshalfamile.Ataxi,aftermountingthesidewalk,hadfinishedupwithitsradiatorburiedinapileofdelicatessen.Thatmadeitseemdifferentfromdoingmyownbreakingin.Iclimbedpastthetaxiandcollectedthemakingsofagoodmeal.Buteventhensomethingoftheoldstandardsstillclung:
IconscientiouslyleftafairpriceforwhatIhadtakenlyingonthecounter.
Almostacrosstheroadtherewasagarden.Itwasthekindthathadoncebeenthegraveyardofavanishedchurch.
