День триффидов

           "Nextstop,thewell-knownCaffyRoyal—an’alldrinksonthehouse,"

           "Yus—butwhatabahtthewomen?"askedavoice,andtherewasalaugh.

           "Oh,women.‘S’thatwhatyouwant?"saidtheleader.

           Hesteppedforwardandcaughtagirlbythearm.Shescreamedashedraggedhertowardthemanwhohadspoken,buthetooknonoticeofthat.

           "Therey’are,chum.An’don’tsayIdon’ttreatyouright.It’sapeach,asmasher—ifthatmakesanydifferencetoyou."

           "Hey,whataboutmc?"saidthenextman.

           "You,mate?Well,let’ssee.Like‘emblondordark?"

           Consideredlater,IsupposeIbehavedlikeafool.Myheadwasstillfullofstandardsandconventionsthathadceasedtoapply.Itdidnotoccurtomethatiftherewastobeanysurvival,anyoneadoptedbythisgangwouldstandafarbetterchancethanshewouldonherown.Firedwithamixtureofschoolboyheroicsandnoblesentiments,Iwadedin.Hedidn’tseemecominguntilIwasquiteclose,andthenIsloggedforhisjaw.Unfortunatelyhewasalittlequicker.

           WhenInexttookaninterestinthingsIfoundmyselflyingintheroad.Thesoundofthegangwasdiminishingintothedistance,andtheprophetofdoom,restoredtoeloquence,wassendingthreatfulboltsofdamnation,hell-fire,andabrimstonegehennahurtlingafterthem.

           Withabitofsenseknockedintome,Ibecamethankfulthattheaffairhadnotfallenoutworse.Hadtheresultbeenreversed,Icouldscarcelyhaveescapedmakingmyselfresponsibleforthemenhehadbeenleading.