Wewerebewildered，stunned，semi—conscious。Wehadallbracedourcouragefordeath，butthisfearfulandsuddennewfact——thatwemustcontinuetoliveafterwehadsurvivedtheracetowhichwebelonged——struckuswiththeshockofaphysicalblowandleftusprostrate。Thengraduallythesuspendedmechanismbegantomoveoncemore；theshuttlesofmemoryworked；ideasweavedthemselvestogetherinourminds。Wesaw，withvivid，mercilessclearness，therelationsbetweenthepast，thepresent，andthefuture——thelivesthatwehadledandtheliveswhichwewouldhavetolive。Oureyesturnedinsilenthorroruponthoseofourcompanionsandfoundthesameansweringlookintheirs。Insteadofthejoywhichmenmighthavebeenexpectedtofeelwhohadsonarrowlyescapedanimminentdeath，aterriblewaveofdarkestdepressionsubmergedus。Everythingonearththatwelovedhadbeenwashedawayintothegreat，infinite，unknownocean，andherewerewemarooneduponthisdesertislandofaworld，withoutcompanions，hopes，oraspirations。Afewyears’skulkinglikejackalsamongthegravesofthehumanraceandthenourbelatedandlonelyendwouldcome。
\"It’sdreadful，George，dreadful!\"theladycriedinanagonyofsobs。\"Ifwehadonlypassedwiththeothers!Oh，whydidyousaveus？Ifeelasifitiswethataredeadandeveryoneelsealive。\"
Challenger’sgreateyebrowsweredrawndowninconcentratedthought，whilehishuge，hairypawclosedupontheoutstretchedhandofhiswife。Ihadobservedthatshealwaysheldoutherarmstohimintroubleasachildwouldtoitsmother。
\"Withoutbeingafatalisttothepointofnonresistance，\"saidhe，\"Ihavealwaysfoundthatthehighestwisdomliesinanacquiescencewiththeactual。\"Hespokeslowly，andtherewasavibrationoffeelinginhissonorousvoice。
\"IdoNOTacquiesce，\"saidSummerleefirmly。