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LeatherheadisabouttwelvemilesfromMayburyHill.
ThescentofhaywasintheairthroughthelushmeadowsbeyondPyrford,andthehedgesoneithersideweresweetandgaywithmultitudesofdog–roses.
TheheavyfiringthathadbrokenoutwhileweweredrivingdownMayburyHillceasedasabruptlyasitbegan,leavingtheeveningverypeacefulandstill.
WegottoLeatherheadwithoutmisadventureaboutnineo'clock,andthehorsehadanhour'srestwhileItooksupperwithmycousinsandcommendedmywifetotheircare.
Mywifewascuriouslysilentthroughoutthedrive,andseemedoppressedwithforebodingsofevil.
Italkedtoherreassuringly,pointingoutthattheMartiansweretiedtothePitbysheerheaviness,andattheutmostcouldbutcrawlalittleoutofit;butsheansweredonlyinmonosyllables.
Haditnotbeenformypromisetotheinnkeeper,shewould,Ithink,haveurgedmetostayinLeatherheadthatnight.WouldthatIhad!
Herface,Iremember,wasverywhiteasweparted.
Formyownpart,Ihadbeenfeverishlyexcitedallday.
Somethingverylikethewarfeverthatoccasionallyrunsthroughacivilisedcommunityhadgotintomyblood,andinmyheartIwasnotsoverysorrythatIhadtoreturntoMayburythatnight.
IwasevenafraidthatthatlastfusilladeIhadheardmightmeantheexterminationofourinvadersfromMars.
IcanbestexpressmystateofmindbysayingthatIwantedtobeinatthedeath.
ItwasnearlyelevenwhenIstartedtoreturn.
Thenightwasunexpectedlydark;tome,walkingoutofthelightedpassageofmycousins'house,itseemedindeedblack,anditwasashotandcloseastheday.
Overheadthecloudsweredrivingfast,albeitnotabreathstirredtheshrubsaboutus.Mycousins'manlitbothlamps.Happily,Iknewtheroadintimately.
Mywifestoodinthelightofthedoorway,andwatchedmeuntilIjumpedupintothedogcart.
Thenabruptlysheturnedandwentin,leavingmycousinssidebysidewishingmegoodhap.
Iwasalittledepressedatfirstwiththecontagionofmywife'sfears,butverysoonmythoughtsrevertedtotheMartians.
AtthattimeIwasabsolutelyinthedarkastothecourseoftheevening'sfighting.
Ididnotknoweventhecircumstancesthathadprecipitatedtheconflict.
AsIcamethroughOckham(forthatwasthewayIreturned,andnotthroughSendandOldWoking)Isawalongthewesternhorizonablood–redglow,whichasIdrewnearer,creptslowlyupthesky.
Thedrivingcloudsofthegatheringthunderstormmingledtherewithmassesofblackandredsmoke.
RipleyStreetwasdeserted,andexceptforalightedwindoworsothevillageshowednotasignoflife;butInarrowlyescapedanaccidentatthecorneroftheroadtoPyrford,whereaknotofpeoplestoodwiththeirbackstome.TheysaidnothingtomeasIpassed.
Idonotknowwhattheyknewofthethingshappeningbeyondthehill,nordoIknowifthesilenthousesIpassedonmywayweresleepingsecurely,ordesertedandempty,orharassedandwatchingagainsttheterrorofthenight.
FromRipleyuntilIcamethroughPyrfordIwasinthevalleyoftheWey,andtheredglarewashiddenfromme.
AsIascendedthelittlehillbeyondPyrfordChurchtheglarecameintoviewagain,andthetreesaboutmeshiveredwiththefirstintimationofthestormthatwasuponme.
ThenIheardmidnightpealingoutfromPyrfordChurchbehindme,andthencamethesilhouetteofMayburyHill,withitstree–topsandroofsblackandsharpagainstthered.
EvenasIbeheldthisaluridgreenglarelittheroadaboutmeandshowedthedistantwoodstowardsAddlestone.Ifeltatugatthereins.
Isawthatthedrivingcloudshadbeenpiercedasitwerebyathreadofgreenfire,suddenlylightingtheirconfusionandfallingintothefieldtomyleft.Itwasthethirdfallingstar!
Closeonitsapparition,andblindinglyvioletbycontrast,dancedoutthefirstlightningofthegatheringstorm,andthethunderburstlikearocketoverhead.
Thehorsetookthebitbetweenhisteethandbolted.
AmoderateinclinerunstowardsthefootofMayburyHill,anddownthisweclattered.
Oncethelightninghadbegun,itwentoninasrapidasuccessionofflashesasIhaveeverseen.
Thethunderclaps,treadingoneontheheelsofanotherandwithastrangecracklingaccompaniment,soundedmoreliketheworkingofagiganticelectricmachinethantheusualdetonatingreverberations.
Theflickeringlightwasblindingandconfusing,andathinhailsmotegustilyatmyfaceasIdrovedowntheslope.
AtfirstIregardedlittlebuttheroadbeforeme,andthenabruptlymyattentionwasarrestedbysomethingthatwasmovingrapidlydowntheoppositeslopeofMayburyHill.
AtfirstItookitforthewetroofofahouse,butoneflashfollowinganothershowedittobeinswiftrollingmovement.
Itwasanelusivevision—amomentofbewilderingdarkness,andthen,inaflashlikedaylight,theredmassesoftheOrphanagenearthecrestofthehill,thegreentopsofthepinetrees,andthisproblematicalobjectcameoutclearandsharpandbright.
AndthisThingIsaw!HowcanIdescribeit?
Amonstroustripod,higherthanmanyhouses,stridingovertheyoungpinetrees,andsmashingthemasideinitscareer;awalkingengineofglitteringmetal,stridingnowacrosstheheather;articulateropesofsteeldanglingfromit,andtheclatteringtumultofitspassageminglingwiththeriotofthethunder.
Aflash,anditcameoutvividly,heelingoveronewaywithtwofeetintheair,tovanishandreappearalmostinstantlyasitseemed,withthenextflash,ahundredyardsnearer.
Canyouimagineamilkingstooltiltedandbowledviolentlyalongtheground?
Thatwastheimpressionthoseinstantflashesgave.
Butinsteadofamilkingstoolimagineitagreatbodyofmachineryonatripodstand.
Thensuddenlythetreesinthepinewoodaheadofmewereparted,asbrittlereedsarepartedbyamanthrustingthroughthem;theyweresnappedoffanddrivenheadlong,andasecondhugetripodappeared,rushing,asitseemed,headlongtowardsme.AndIwasgallopinghardtomeetit!
Atthesightofthesecondmonstermynervewentaltogether.
Notstoppingtolookagain,Iwrenchedthehorse'sheadhardroundtotherightandinanothermomentthedogcarthadheeledoveruponthehorse;theshaftssmashednoisily,andIwasflungsidewaysandfellheavilyintoashallowpoolofwater.
Icrawledoutalmostimmediately,andcrouched,myfeetstillinthewater,underaclumpoffurze.
Thehorselaymotionless(hisneckwasbroken,poorbrute!)
andbythelightningflashesIsawtheblackbulkoftheoverturneddogcartandthesilhouetteofthewheelstillspinningslowly.
Inanothermomentthecolossalmechanismwentstridingbyme,andpasseduphilltowardsPyrford.
Seennearer,theThingwasincrediblystrange,foritwasnomereinsensatemachinedrivingonitsway.
Machineitwas,witharingingmetallicpace,andlong,flexible,glitteringtentacles(oneofwhichgrippedayoungpinetree)swingingandrattlingaboutitsstrangebody.
Itpickeditsroadasitwentstridingalong,andthebrazenhoodthatsurmounteditmovedtoandfrowiththeinevitablesuggestionofaheadlookingabout.
Behindthemainbodywasahugemassofwhitemetallikeagiganticfisherman'sbasket,andpuffsofgreensmokesquirtedoutfromthejointsofthelimbsasthemonstersweptbyme.Andinaninstantitwasgone.
SomuchIsawthen,allvaguelyfortheflickeringofthelightning,inblindinghighlightsanddenseblackshadows.
Asitpasseditsetupanexultantdeafeninghowlthatdrownedthethunder—"Aloo!Aloo!"
—andinanotherminuteitwaswithitscompanion,halfamileaway,stoopingoversomethinginthefield.
IhavenodoubtthisThinginthefieldwasthethirdofthetencylinderstheyhadfiredatusfromMars.
ForsomeminutesIlaythereintherainanddarknesswatching,bytheintermittentlight,thesemonstrousbeingsofmetalmovingaboutinthedistanceoverthehedgetops.
Athinhailwasnowbeginning,andasitcameandwenttheirfiguresgrewmistyandthenflashedintoclearnessagain.
Nowandthencameagapinthelightning,andthenightswallowedthemup.
Iwassoakedwithhailaboveandpuddlewaterbelow.Itwassometimebeforemyblankastonishmentwouldletmestruggleupthebanktoadrierposition,orthinkatallofmyimminentperil.
Notfarfrommewasalittleone–roomedsquatter'shutofwood,surroundedbyapatchofpotatogarden.
Istruggledtomyfeetatlast,and,crouchingandmakinguseofeverychanceofcover,Imadearunforthis.
Ihammeredatthedoor,butIcouldnotmakethepeoplehear(iftherewereanypeopleinside),andafteratimeIdesisted,and,availingmyselfofaditchforthegreaterpartoftheway,succeededincrawling,unobservedbythesemonstrousmachines,intothepinewoodstowardsMaybury.
UndercoverofthisIpushedon,wetandshiveringnow,towardsmyownhouse.
Iwalkedamongthetreestryingtofindthefootpath.
Itwasverydarkindeedinthewood,forthelightningwasnowbecominginfrequent,andthehail,whichwaspouringdowninatorrent,fellincolumnsthroughthegapsintheheavyfoliage.
IfIhadfullyrealisedthemeaningofallthethingsIhadseenIshouldhaveimmediatelyworkedmywayroundthroughByfleettoStreetCobham,andsogonebacktorejoinmywifeatLeatherhead.
Butthatnightthestrangenessofthingsaboutme,andmyphysicalwretchedness,preventedme,forIwasbruised,weary,wettotheskin,deafenedandblindedbythestorm.
Ihadavagueideaofgoingontomyownhouse,andthatwasasmuchmotiveasIhad.
Istaggeredthroughthetrees,fellintoaditchandbruisedmykneesagainstaplank,andfinallysplashedoutintothelanethatrandownfromtheCollegeArms.
Isaysplashed,forthestormwaterwassweepingthesanddownthehillinamuddytorrent.
Thereinthedarknessamanblunderedintomeandsentmereelingback.
Hegaveacryofterror,sprangsideways,andrushedonbeforeIcouldgathermywitssufficientlytospeaktohim.
SoheavywasthestressofthestormjustatthisplacethatIhadthehardesttasktowinmywayupthehill.
Iwentcloseuptothefenceontheleftandworkedmywayalongitspalings.
NearthetopIstumbleduponsomethingsoft,and,byaflashoflightning,sawbetweenmyfeetaheapofblackbroadclothandapairofboots.
BeforeIcoulddistinguishclearlyhowthemanlay,theflickeroflighthadpassed.
Istoodoverhimwaitingforthenextflash.
Whenitcame,Isawthathewasasturdyman,cheaplybutnotshabbilydressed;hisheadwasbentunderhisbody,andhelaycrumpledupclosetothefence,asthoughhehadbeenflungviolentlyagainstit.
Overcomingtherepugnancenaturaltoonewhohadneverbeforetouchedadeadbody,Istoopedandturnedhimovertofeelforhisheart.Hewasquitedead.Apparentlyhisneckhadbeenbroken.
Thelightningflashedforathirdtime,andhisfaceleapeduponme.Isprangtomyfeet.
ItwasthelandlordoftheSpottedDog,whoseconveyanceIhadtaken.
Isteppedoverhimgingerlyandpushedonupthehill.
ImademywaybythepolicestationandtheCollegeArmstowardsmyownhouse.
Nothingwasburningonthehillside,thoughfromthecommontherestillcamearedglareandarollingtumultofruddysmokebeatingupagainstthedrenchinghail.
SofarasIcouldseebytheflashes,thehousesaboutmeweremostlyuninjured.
BytheCollegeArmsadarkheaplayintheroad.
DowntheroadtowardsMayburyBridgetherewerevoicesandthesoundoffeet,butIhadnotthecouragetoshoutortogotothem.
Iletmyselfinwithmylatchkey,closed,lockedandboltedthedoor,staggeredtothefootofthestaircase,andsatdown.
Myimaginationwasfullofthosestridingmetallicmonsters,andofthedeadbodysmashedagainstthefence.
Icrouchedatthefootofthestaircasewithmybacktothewall,shiveringviolently.
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