English
Aftergettingthissuddenlessoninthepowerofterrestrialweapons,theMartiansretreatedtotheiroriginalpositionuponHorsellCommon;andintheirhaste,andencumberedwiththedebrisoftheirsmashedcompanion,theynodoubtoverlookedmanysuchastrayandnegligiblevictimasmyself.
Hadtheylefttheircomradeandpushedonforthwith,therewasnothingatthattimebetweenthemandLondonbutbatteriesoftwelve–pounderguns,andtheywouldcertainlyhavereachedthecapitalinadvanceofthetidingsoftheirapproach;assudden,dreadful,anddestructivetheiradventwouldhavebeenastheearthquakethatdestroyedLisbonacenturyago.
Buttheywereinnohurry.Cylinderfollowedcylinderonitsinterplanetaryflight;everytwenty–fourhoursbroughtthemreinforcement.
Andmeanwhilethemilitaryandnavalauthorities,nowfullyalivetothetremendouspoweroftheirantagonists,workedwithfuriousenergy.
Everyminuteafreshguncameintopositionuntil,beforetwilight,everycopse,everyrowofsuburbanvillasonthehillyslopesaboutKingstonandRichmond,maskedanexpectantblackmuzzle.
Andthroughthecharredanddesolatedarea—perhapstwentysquaremilesaltogether—thatencircledtheMartianencampmentonHorsellCommon,throughcharredandruinedvillagesamongthegreentrees,throughtheblackenedandsmokingarcadesthathadbeenbutadayagopinespinneys,crawledthedevotedscoutswiththeheliographsthatwerepresentlytowarnthegunnersoftheMartianapproach.
ButtheMartiansnowunderstoodourcommandofartilleryandthedangerofhumanproximity,andnotamanventuredwithinamileofeithercylinder,saveatthepriceofhislife.
Itwouldseemthatthesegiantsspenttheearlierpartoftheafternooningoingtoandfro,transferringeverythingfromthesecondandthirdcylinders—thesecondinAddlestoneGolfLinksandthethirdatPyrford—totheiroriginalpitonHorsellCommon.
Overthat,abovetheblackenedheatherandruinedbuildingsthatstretchedfarandwide,stoodoneassentinel,whiletherestabandonedtheirvastfighting–machinesanddescendedintothepit.
Theywerehardatworktherefarintothenight,andthetoweringpillarofdensegreensmokethatrosetherefromcouldbeseenfromthehillsaboutMerrow,andeven,itissaid,fromBansteadandEpsomDowns.
AndwhiletheMartiansbehindmewerethuspreparingfortheirnextsally,andinfrontofmeHumanitygatheredforthebattle,ImademywaywithinfinitepainsandlabourfromthefireandsmokeofburningWeybridgetowardsLondon.
Isawanabandonedboat,verysmallandremote,driftingdown–stream;andthrowingoffthemostofmysoddenclothes,Iwentafterit,gainedit,andsoescapedoutofthatdestruction.
Therewerenooarsintheboat,butIcontrivedtopaddle,aswellasmyparboiledhandswouldallow,downtherivertowardsHallifordandWalton,goingverytediouslyandcontinuallylookingbehindme,asyoumaywellunderstand.
Ifollowedtheriver,becauseIconsideredthatthewatergavememybestchanceofescapeshouldthesegiantsreturn.
ThehotwaterfromtheMartian'soverthrowdrifteddownstreamwithme,sothatforthebestpartofamileIcouldseelittleofeitherbank.
Once,however,ImadeoutastringofblackfigureshurryingacrossthemeadowsfromthedirectionofWeybridge.
Halliford,itseemed,wasdeserted,andseveralofthehousesfacingtheriverwereonfire.
Itwasstrangetoseetheplacequitetranquil,quitedesolateunderthehotbluesky,withthesmokeandlittlethreadsofflamegoingstraightupintotheheatoftheafternoon.
NeverbeforehadIseenhousesburningwithouttheaccompanimentofanobstructivecrowd.
Alittlefartheronthedryreedsupthebankweresmokingandglowing,andalineoffireinlandwasmarchingsteadilyacrossalatefieldofhay.
ForalongtimeIdrifted,sopainfulandwearywasIaftertheviolenceIhadbeenthrough,andsointensetheheatuponthewater.
Thenmyfearsgotthebetterofmeagain,andIresumedmypaddling.Thesunscorchedmybareback.
Atlast,asthebridgeatWaltonwascomingintosightroundthebend,myfeverandfaintnessovercamemyfears,andIlandedontheMiddlesexbankandlaydown,deadlysick,amidthelonggrass.
Isupposethetimewasthenaboutfourorfiveo'clock.
Igotuppresently,walkedperhapshalfamilewithoutmeetingasoul,andthenlaydownagainintheshadowofahedge.
Iseemtoremembertalking,wanderingly,tomyselfduringthatlastspurt.
Iwasalsoverythirsty,andbitterlyregretfulIhaddrunknomorewater.
ItisacuriousthingthatIfeltangrywithmywife;Icannotaccountforit,butmyimpotentdesiretoreachLeatherheadworriedmeexcessively.
Idonotclearlyrememberthearrivalofthecurate,sothatprobablyIdozed.
Ibecameawareofhimasaseatedfigureinsoot–smudgedshirtsleeves,andwithhisupturned,clean–shavenfacestaringatafaintflickeringthatdancedoverthesky.
Theskywaswhatiscalledamackerelsky—rowsandrowsoffaintdown–plumesofcloud,justtintedwiththemidsummersunset.
Isatup,andattherustleofmymotionhelookedatmequickly.
"Haveyouanywater?"Iaskedabruptly.
Heshookhishead.
"Youhavebeenaskingforwaterforthelasthour,"hesaid.
Foramomentweweresilent,takingstockofeachother.
Idaresayhefoundmeastrangeenoughfigure,naked,saveformywater–soakedtrousersandsocks,scalded,andmyfaceandshouldersblackenedbythesmoke.
Hisfacewasafairweakness,hischinretreated,andhishairlayincrisp,almostflaxencurlsonhislowforehead;hiseyeswereratherlarge,paleblue,andblanklystaring.
Hespokeabruptly,lookingvacantlyawayfromme.
"Whatdoesitmean?"hesaid."Whatdothesethingsmean?"
Istaredathimandmadenoanswer.
Heextendedathinwhitehandandspokeinalmostacomplainingtone.
"Whyarethesethingspermitted?Whatsinshavewedone?
Themorningservicewasover,Iwaswalkingthroughtheroadstoclearmybrainfortheafternoon,andthen—fire,earthquake,death!AsifitwereSodomandGomorrah!
Allourworkundone,allthework——WhataretheseMartians?"
"Whatarewe?"Ianswered,clearingmythroat.
Hegrippedhiskneesandturnedtolookatmeagain.Forhalfaminute,perhaps,hestaredsilently.
"Iwaswalkingthroughtheroadstoclearmybrain,"hesaid."Andsuddenly—fire,earthquake,death!"
Herelapsedintosilence,withhischinnowsunkenalmosttohisknees.
Presentlyhebeganwavinghishand.
"Allthework—alltheSundayschools—Whathavewedone—whathasWeybridgedone?Everythinggone—everythingdestroyed.Thechurch!Werebuiltitonlythreeyearsago.Gone!Sweptoutofexistence!Why?"
Anotherpause,andhebrokeoutagainlikeonedemented.
"Thesmokeofherburninggoethupforeverandever!"heshouted.
Hiseyesflamed,andhepointedaleanfingerinthedirectionofWeybridge.
BythistimeIwasbeginningtotakehismeasure.Thetremendoustragedyinwhichhehadbeeninvolved—itwasevidenthewasafugitivefromWeybridge—haddrivenhimtotheveryvergeofhisreason.
"ArewefarfromSunbury?"Isaid,inamatter–of–facttone.
"Whatarewetodo?"heasked."Arethesecreatureseverywhere?Hastheearthbeengivenovertothem?"
"ArewefarfromSunbury?"
"OnlythismorningIofficiatedatearlycelebration——"
"Thingshavechanged,"Isaid,quietly."Youmustkeepyourhead.Thereisstillhope."
"Hope!"
"Yes.Plentifulhope—forallthisdestruction!"
Ibegantoexplainmyviewofourposition.Helistenedatfirst,butasIwentontheinterestdawninginhiseyesgaveplacetotheirformerstare,andhisregardwanderedfromme.
"Thismustbethebeginningoftheend,"hesaid,interruptingme."Theend!ThegreatandterribledayoftheLord!
Whenmenshallcalluponthemountainsandtherockstofalluponthemandhidethem—hidethemfromthefaceofHimthatsittethuponthethrone!"
Ibegantounderstandtheposition.Iceasedmylabouredreasoning,struggledtomyfeet,and,standingoverhim,laidmyhandonhisshoulder.
"Beaman!"saidI."Youarescaredoutofyourwits!
Whatgoodisreligionifitcollapsesundercalamity?
Thinkofwhatearthquakesandfloods,warsandvolcanoes,havedonebeforetomen!
DidyouthinkGodhadexemptedWeybridge?Heisnotaninsuranceagent."
Foratimehesatinblanksilence.
"Buthowcanweescape?"heasked,suddenly."Theyareinvulnerable,theyarepitiless."
"Neithertheonenor,perhaps,theother,"Ianswered."Andthemightiertheyarethemoresaneandwaryshouldwebe.Oneofthemwaskilledyondernotthreehoursago."
"Killed!"hesaid,staringabouthim."HowcanGod'sministersbekilled?"
"Isawithappen."Iproceededtotellhim."Wehavechancedtocomeinforthethickofit,"saidI,"andthatisall."
"Whatisthatflickerinthesky?"heaskedabruptly.
Itoldhimitwastheheliographsignalling—thatitwasthesignofhumanhelpandeffortinthesky.
"Weareinthemidstofit,"Isaid,"quietasitis.
Thatflickerintheskytellsofthegatheringstorm.
Yonder,ItakeitaretheMartians,andLondonward,wherethosehillsriseaboutRichmondandKingstonandthetreesgivecover,earthworksarebeingthrownupandgunsarebeingplaced.
PresentlytheMartianswillbecomingthiswayagain."
AndevenasIspokehesprangtohisfeetandstoppedmebyagesture.
"Listen!"hesaid.
Frombeyondthelowhillsacrossthewatercamethedullresonanceofdistantgunsandaremoteweirdcrying.Theneverythingwasstill.
Acockchafercamedroningoverthehedgeandpastus.
HighinthewestthecrescentmoonhungfaintandpaleabovethesmokeofWeybridgeandSheppertonandthehot,stillsplendourofthesunset.
"Wehadbetterfollowthispath,"Isaid,"northward."
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