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Ihavealreadysaidthatmystormsofemotionhaveatrickofexhaustingthemselves.
AfteratimeIdiscoveredthatIwascoldandwet,andwithlittlepoolsofwateraboutmeonthestaircarpet.
Igotupalmostmechanically,wentintothediningroomanddranksomewhiskey,andthenIwasmovedtochangemyclothes.
AfterIhaddonethatIwentupstairstomystudy,butwhyIdidsoIdonotknow.
ThewindowofmystudylooksoverthetreesandtherailwaytowardsHorsellCommon.
Inthehurryofourdeparturethiswindowhadbeenleftopen.
Thepassagewasdark,and,bycontrastwiththepicturethewindowframeenclosed,thesideoftheroomseemedimpenetrablydark.Istoppedshortinthedoorway.
Thethunderstormhadpassed.ThetowersoftheOrientalCollegeandthepinetreesaboutithadgone,andveryfaraway,litbyavividredglare,thecommonaboutthesandpitswasvisible.
Acrossthelighthugeblackshapes,grotesqueandstrange,movedbusilytoandfro.
Itseemedindeedasifthewholecountryinthatdirectionwasonfire—abroadhillsidesetwithminutetonguesofflame,swayingandwrithingwiththegustsofthedyingstorm,andthrowingaredreflectionuponthecloud–scudabove.
EverynowandthenahazeofsmokefromsomenearerconflagrationdroveacrossthewindowandhidtheMartianshapes.
Icouldnotseewhattheyweredoing,northeclearformofthem,norrecognisetheblackobjectstheywerebusiedupon.
NeithercouldIseethenearerfire,thoughthereflectionsofitdancedonthewallandceilingofthestudy.
Asharp,resinoustangofburningwasintheair.
Iclosedthedoornoiselesslyandcrepttowardsthewindow.
AsIdidso,theviewopenedoutuntil,ontheonehand,itreachedtothehousesaboutWokingstation,andontheothertothecharredandblackenedpinewoodsofByfleet.
Therewasalightdownbelowthehill,ontherailway,nearthearch,andseveralofthehousesalongtheMayburyroadandthestreetsnearthestationwereglowingruins.
Thelightupontherailwaypuzzledmeatfirst;therewereablackheapandavividglare,andtotherightofthatarowofyellowoblongs.
ThenIperceivedthiswasawreckedtrain,theforepartsmashedandonfire,thehindercarriagesstillupontherails.
Betweenthesethreemaincentresoflight—thehouses,thetrain,andtheburningcountytowardsChobham—stretchedirregularpatchesofdarkcountry,brokenhereandtherebyintervalsofdimlyglowingandsmokingground.
Itwasthestrangestspectacle,thatblackexpansesetwithfire.
Itremindedme,morethananythingelse,ofthePotteriesatnight.
AtfirstIcoulddistinguishnopeopleatall,thoughIpeeredintentlyforthem.
LaterIsawagainstthelightofWokingstationanumberofblackfigureshurryingoneaftertheotheracrosstheline.
AndthiswasthelittleworldinwhichIhadbeenlivingsecurelyforyears,thisfierychaos!
WhathadhappenedinthelastsevenhoursIstilldidnotknow;nordidIknow,thoughIwasbeginningtoguess,therelationbetweenthesemechanicalcolossiandthesluggishlumpsIhadseendisgorgedfromthecylinder.
WithaqueerfeelingofimpersonalinterestIturnedmydeskchairtothewindow,satdown,andstaredattheblackenedcountry,andparticularlyatthethreegiganticblackthingsthatweregoingtoandfrointheglareaboutthesandpits.
Theyseemedamazinglybusy.Ibegantoaskmyselfwhattheycouldbe.Weretheyintelligentmechanisms?SuchathingIfeltwasimpossible.
OrdidaMartiansitwithineach,ruling,directing,using,muchasaman'sbrainsitsandrulesinhisbody?
Ibegantocomparethethingstohumanmachines,toaskmyselfforthefirsttimeinmylifehowanironcladorasteamenginewouldseemtoanintelligentloweranimal.
Thestormhadlefttheskyclear,andoverthesmokeoftheburninglandthelittlefadingpinpointofMarswasdroppingintothewest,whenasoldiercameintomygarden.
Iheardaslightscrapingatthefence,androusingmyselffromthelethargythathadfallenuponme,Ilookeddownandsawhimdimly,clamberingoverthepalings.
Atthesightofanotherhumanbeingmytorporpassed,andIleanedoutofthewindoweagerly.
"Hist!"saidI,inawhisper.
Hestoppedastrideofthefenceindoubt.Thenhecameoverandacrossthelawntothecornerofthehouse.Hebentdownandsteppedsoftly.
"Who'sthere?"hesaid,alsowhispering,standingunderthewindowandpeeringup.
"Whereareyougoing?"Iasked.
"Godknows."
"Areyoutryingtohide?"
"That'sit."
"Comeintothehouse,"Isaid.
Iwentdown,unfastenedthedoor,andlethimin,andlockedthedooragain.Icouldnotseehisface.Hewashatless,andhiscoatwasunbuttoned.
"MyGod!"hesaid,asIdrewhimin.
"Whathashappened?"Iasked.
"Whathasn't?"IntheobscurityIcouldseehemadeagestureofdespair."Theywipedusout—simplywipedusout,"herepeatedagainandagain.
Hefollowedme,almostmechanically,intothediningroom.
"Takesomewhiskey,"Isaid,pouringoutastiffdose.
Hedrankit.Thenabruptlyhesatdownbeforethetable,puthisheadonhisarms,andbegantosobandweeplikealittleboy,inaperfectpassionofemotion,whileI,withacuriousforgetfulnessofmyownrecentdespair,stoodbesidehim,wondering.
Itwasalongtimebeforehecouldsteadyhisnervestoanswermyquestions,andthenheansweredperplexinglyandbrokenly.
Hewasadriverintheartillery,andhadonlycomeintoactionaboutseven.
Atthattimefiringwasgoingonacrossthecommon,anditwassaidthefirstpartyofMartianswerecrawlingslowlytowardstheirsecondcylinderundercoverofametalshield.
Laterthisshieldstaggeredupontripodlegsandbecamethefirstofthefighting–machinesIhadseen.
ThegunhedrovehadbeenunlimberednearHorsell,inordertocommandthesandpits,anditsarrivalitwasthathadprecipitatedtheaction.
Asthelimbergunnerswenttotherear,hishorsetrodinarabbitholeandcamedown,throwinghimintoadepressionoftheground.
Atthesamemomentthegunexplodedbehindhim,theammunitionblewup,therewasfireallabouthim,andhefoundhimselflyingunderaheapofcharreddeadmenanddeadhorses.
"Ilaystill,"hesaid,"scaredoutofmywits,withtheforequarterofahorseatopofme.We'dbeenwipedout.Andthesmell—goodGod!Likeburntmeat!
Iwashurtacrossthebackbythefallofthehorse,andthereIhadtolieuntilIfeltbetter.
Justlikeparadeithadbeenaminutebefore—thenstumble,bang,swish!"
"Wipedout!"hesaid.
Hehadhidunderthedeadhorseforalongtime,peepingoutfurtivelyacrossthecommon.
TheCardiganmenhadtriedarush,inskirmishingorder,atthepit,simplytobesweptoutofexistence.
Thenthemonsterhadrisentoitsfeetandhadbeguntowalkleisurelytoandfroacrossthecommonamongthefewfugitives,withitsheadlikehoodturningaboutexactlyliketheheadofacowledhumanbeing.
Akindofarmcarriedacomplicatedmetalliccase,aboutwhichgreenflashesscintillated,andoutofthefunnelofthistheresmokedtheHeat–Ray.
Inafewminutestherewas,sofarasthesoldiercouldsee,notalivingthingleftuponthecommon,andeverybushandtreeuponitthatwasnotalreadyablackenedskeletonwasburning.
Thehussarshadbeenontheroadbeyondthecurvatureoftheground,andhesawnothingofthem.
HeheardtheMartiansrattleforatimeandthenbecomestill.
ThegiantsavedWokingstationanditsclusterofhousesuntilthelast;theninamomenttheHeat–Raywasbroughttobear,andthetownbecameaheapoffieryruins.
ThentheThingshutofftheHeat–Ray,andturningitsbackupontheartilleryman,begantowaddleawaytowardsthesmoulderingpinewoodsthatshelteredthesecondcylinder.
AsitdidsoasecondglitteringTitanbuiltitselfupoutofthepit.
Thesecondmonsterfollowedthefirst,andatthattheartillerymanbegantocrawlverycautiouslyacrossthehotheatherashtowardsHorsell.
Hemanagedtogetaliveintotheditchbythesideoftheroad,andsoescapedtoWoking.Therehisstorybecameejaculatory.Theplacewasimpassable.
Itseemstherewereafewpeoplealivethere,franticforthemostpartandmanyburnedandscalded.
Hewasturnedasidebythefire,andhidamongsomealmostscorchingheapsofbrokenwallasoneoftheMartiangiantsreturned.
Hesawthisonepursueaman,catchhimupinoneofitssteelytentacles,andknockhisheadagainstthetrunkofapinetree.
Atlast,afternightfall,theartillerymanmadearushforitandgotovertherailwayembankment.
SincethenhehadbeenskulkingalongtowardsMaybury,inthehopeofgettingoutofdangerLondonward.
Peoplewerehidingintrenchesandcellars,andmanyofthesurvivorshadmadeofftowardsWokingvillageandSend.
Hehadbeenconsumedwiththirstuntilhefoundoneofthewatermainsneartherailwayarchsmashed,andthewaterbubblingoutlikeaspringupontheroad.
ThatwasthestoryIgotfromhim,bitbybit.
Hegrewcalmertellingmeandtryingtomakemeseethethingshehadseen.
Hehadeatennofoodsincemidday,hetoldmeearlyinhisnarrative,andIfoundsomemuttonandbreadinthepantryandbroughtitintotheroom.
WelitnolampforfearofattractingtheMartians,andeverandagainourhandswouldtouchuponbreadormeat.
Ashetalked,thingsaboutuscamedarklyoutofthedarkness,andthetrampledbushesandbrokenrosetreesoutsidethewindowgrewdistinct.
Itwouldseemthatanumberofmenoranimalshadrushedacrossthelawn.
Ibegantoseehisface,blackenedandhaggard,asnodoubtminewasalso.
Whenwehadfinishedeatingwewentsoftlyupstairstomystudy,andIlookedagainoutoftheopenwindow.
Inonenightthevalleyhadbecomeavalleyofashes.Thefireshaddwindlednow.
Whereflameshadbeentherewerenowstreamersofsmoke;butthecountlessruinsofshatteredandguttedhousesandblastedandblackenedtreesthatthenighthadhiddenstoodoutnowgauntandterribleinthepitilesslightofdawn.
Yethereandtheresomeobjecthadhadthelucktoescape—awhiterailwaysignalhere,theendofagreenhousethere,whiteandfreshamidthewreckage.
Neverbeforeinthehistoryofwarfarehaddestructionbeensoindiscriminateandsouniversal.
Andshiningwiththegrowinglightoftheeast,threeofthemetallicgiantsstoodaboutthepit,theircowlsrotatingasthoughtheyweresurveyingthedesolationtheyhadmade.
Itseemedtomethatthepithadbeenenlarged,andeverandagainpuffsofvividgreenvapourstreamedupandoutofittowardsthebrighteningdawn—streamedup,whirled,broke,andvanished.
BeyondwerethepillarsoffireaboutChobham.Theybecamepillarsofbloodshotsmokeatthefirsttouchofday.
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