English
InthefirstbookIhavewanderedsomuchfrommyownadventurestotelloftheexperiencesofmybrotherthatallthroughthelasttwochaptersIandthecuratehavebeenlurkingintheemptyhouseatHallifordwhitherwefledtoescapetheBlackSmoke.ThereIwillresume.
WestoppedthereallSundaynightandallthenextday—thedayofthepanic—inalittleislandofdaylight,cutoffbytheBlackSmokefromtherestoftheworld.
Wecoulddonothingbutwaitinachinginactivityduringthosetwowearydays.
Mymindwasoccupiedbyanxietyformywife.
IfiguredheratLeatherhead,terrified,indanger,mourningmealreadyasadeadman.
IpacedtheroomsandcriedaloudwhenIthoughtofhowIwascutofffromher,ofallthatmighthappentoherinmyabsence.
MycousinIknewwasbraveenoughforanyemergency,buthewasnotthesortofmantorealisedangerquickly,torisepromptly.
Whatwasneedednowwasnotbravery,butcircumspection.
MyonlyconsolationwastobelievethattheMartiansweremovingLondon–wardandawayfromher.
Suchvagueanxietieskeepthemindsensitiveandpainful.
Igrewverywearyandirritablewiththecurate'sperpetualejaculations;Itiredofthesightofhisselfishdespair.
AftersomeineffectualremonstranceIkeptawayfromhim,stayinginaroom—evidentlyachildren'sschoolroom—containingglobes,forms,andcopybooks.
Whenhefollowedmethither,Iwenttoaboxroomatthetopofthehouseand,inordertobealonewithmyachingmiseries,lockedmyselfin.
WewerehopelesslyhemmedinbytheBlackSmokeallthatdayandthemorningofthenext.
ThereweresignsofpeopleinthenexthouseonSundayevening—afaceatawindowandmovinglights,andlatertheslammingofadoor.
ButIdonotknowwhothesepeoplewere,norwhatbecameofthem.Wesawnothingofthemnextday.
TheBlackSmokedriftedslowlyriverwardallthroughMondaymorning,creepingnearerandnearertous,drivingatlastalongtheroadwayoutsidethehousethathidus.
AMartiancameacrossthefieldsaboutmidday,layingthestuffwithajetofsuperheatedsteamthathissedagainstthewalls,smashedallthewindowsittouched,andscaldedthecurate'shandashefledoutofthefrontroom.
Whenatlastwecreptacrossthesoddenroomsandlookedoutagain,thecountrynorthwardwasasthoughablacksnowstormhadpassedoverit.
Lookingtowardstheriver,wewereastonishedtoseeanunaccountablerednessminglingwiththeblackofthescorchedmeadows.
Foratimewedidnotseehowthischangeaffectedourposition,savethatwewererelievedofourfearoftheBlackSmoke.
ButlaterIperceivedthatwewerenolongerhemmedin,thatnowwemightgetaway.
SosoonasIrealisedthatthewayofescapewasopen,mydreamofactionreturned.
Butthecuratewaslethargic,unreasonable.
"Wearesafehere,"herepeated;"safehere."
Iresolvedtoleavehim—wouldthatIhad!
Wisernowfortheartilleryman'steaching,Isoughtoutfoodanddrink.
Ihadfoundoilandragsformyburns,andIalsotookahatandaflannelshirtthatIfoundinoneofthebedrooms.
WhenitwascleartohimthatImeanttogoalone—hadreconciledmyselftogoingalone—hesuddenlyrousedhimselftocome.
Andallbeingquietthroughouttheafternoon,westartedaboutfiveo'clock,asIshouldjudge,alongtheblackenedroadtoSunbury.
InSunbury,andatintervalsalongtheroad,weredeadbodieslyingincontortedattitudes,horsesaswellasmen,overturnedcartsandluggage,allcoveredthicklywithblackdust.
ThatpallofcinderypowdermademethinkofwhatIhadreadofthedestructionofPompeii.
WegottoHamptonCourtwithoutmisadventure,ourmindsfullofstrangeandunfamiliarappearances,andatHamptonCourtoureyeswererelievedtofindapatchofgreenthathadescapedthesuffocatingdrift.
WewentthroughBusheyPark,withitsdeergoingtoandfrounderthechestnuts,andsomemenandwomenhurryinginthedistancetowardsHampton,andsowecametoTwickenham.Thesewerethefirstpeoplewesaw.
AwayacrosstheroadthewoodsbeyondHamandPetershamwerestillafire.
TwickenhamwasuninjuredbyeitherHeat–RayorBlackSmoke,andthereweremorepeopleabouthere,thoughnonecouldgiveusnews.
Forthemostparttheywerelikeourselves,takingadvantageofalulltoshifttheirquarters.
Ihaveanimpressionthatmanyofthehousesherewerestilloccupiedbyscaredinhabitants,toofrightenedevenforflight.
Heretootheevidenceofahastyroutwasabundantalongtheroad.
Iremembermostvividlythreesmashedbicyclesinaheap,poundedintotheroadbythewheelsofsubsequentcarts.
WecrossedRichmondBridgeabouthalfpasteight.
Wehurriedacrosstheexposedbridge,ofcourse,butInoticedfloatingdownthestreamanumberofredmasses,somemanyfeetacross.
Ididnotknowwhatthesewere—therewasnotimeforscrutiny—andIputamorehorribleinterpretationonthemthantheydeserved.
HereagainontheSurreysidewereblackdustthathadoncebeensmoke,anddeadbodies—aheapneartheapproachtothestation;butwehadnoglimpseoftheMartiansuntilweweresomewaytowardsBarnes.
Wesawintheblackeneddistanceagroupofthreepeoplerunningdownasidestreettowardstheriver,butotherwiseitseemeddeserted.
UpthehillRichmondtownwasburningbriskly;outsidethetownofRichmondtherewasnotraceoftheBlackSmoke.
Thensuddenly,asweapproachedKew,cameanumberofpeoplerunning,andtheupperworksofaMartianfighting–machineloomedinsightoverthehousetops,notahundredyardsawayfromus.
Westoodaghastatourdanger,andhadtheMartianlookeddownwemustimmediatelyhaveperished.
Weweresoterrifiedthatwedarednotgoon,butturnedasideandhidinashedinagarden.
Therethecuratecrouched,weepingsilently,andrefusingtostiragain.
ButmyfixedideaofreachingLeatherheadwouldnotletmerest,andinthetwilightIventuredoutagain.
Iwentthroughashrubbery,andalongapassagebesideabighousestandinginitsowngrounds,andsoemergedupontheroadtowardsKew.
ThecurateIleftintheshed,buthecamehurryingafterme.
ThatsecondstartwasthemostfoolhardythingIeverdid.
ForitwasmanifesttheMartianswereaboutus.
Nosoonerhadthecurateovertakenmethanwesaweitherthefighting–machinewehadseenbeforeoranother,farawayacrossthemeadowsinthedirectionofKewLodge.
Fourorfivelittleblackfigureshurriedbeforeitacrossthegreen–greyofthefield,andinamomentitwasevidentthisMartianpursuedthem.
Inthreestrideshewasamongthem,andtheyranradiatingfromhisfeetinalldirections.
HeusednoHeat–Raytodestroythem,butpickedthemuponebyone.
Apparentlyhetossedthemintothegreatmetalliccarrierwhichprojectedbehindhim,muchasaworkman'sbaskethangsoverhisshoulder.
ItwasthefirsttimeIrealisedthattheMartiansmighthaveanyotherpurposethandestructionwithdefeatedhumanity.
Westoodforamomentpetrified,thenturnedandfledthroughagatebehindusintoawalledgarden,fellinto,ratherthanfound,afortunateditch,andlaythere,scarcedaringtowhispertoeachotheruntilthestarswereout.
Isupposeitwasnearlyeleveno'clockbeforewegatheredcouragetostartagain,nolongerventuringintotheroad,butsneakingalonghedgerowsandthroughplantations,andwatchingkeenlythroughthedarkness,heontherightandIontheleft,fortheMartians,whoseemedtobeallaboutus.
Inoneplaceweblundereduponascorchedandblackenedarea,nowcoolingandashen,andanumberofscattereddeadbodiesofmen,burnedhorriblyabouttheheadsandtrunksbutwiththeirlegsandbootsmostlyintact;andofdeadhorses,fiftyfeet,perhaps,behindalineoffourrippedgunsandsmashedguncarriages.
Sheen,itseemed,hadescapeddestruction,buttheplacewassilentanddeserted.
Herewehappenedonnodead,thoughthenightwastoodarkforustoseeintothesideroadsoftheplace.
InSheenmycompanionsuddenlycomplainedoffaintnessandthirst,andwedecidedtotryoneofthehouses.
Thefirsthouseweentered,afteralittledifficultywiththewindow,wasasmallsemi–detachedvilla,andIfoundnothingeatableleftintheplacebutsomemouldycheese.
Therewas,however,watertodrink;andItookahatchet,whichpromisedtobeusefulinournexthouse–breaking.
WethencrossedtoaplacewheretheroadturnstowardsMortlake.
Heretherestoodawhitehousewithinawalledgarden,andinthepantryofthisdomicilewefoundastoreoffood—twoloavesofbreadinapan,anuncookedsteak,andthehalfofaham.
Igivethiscataloguesopreciselybecause,asithappened,weweredestinedtosubsistuponthisstoreforthenextfortnight.
Bottledbeerstoodunderashelf,andthereweretwobagsofharicotbeansandsomelimplettuces.
Thispantryopenedintoakindofwash–upkitchen,andinthiswasfirewood;therewasalsoacupboard,inwhichwefoundnearlyadozenofburgundy,tinnedsoupsandsalmon,andtwotinsofbiscuits.
Wesatintheadjacentkitcheninthedark—forwedarednotstrikealight—andatebreadandham,anddrankbeeroutofthesamebottle.
Thecurate,whowasstilltimorousandrestless,wasnow,oddlyenough,forpushingon,andIwasurginghimtokeepuphisstrengthbyeatingwhenthethinghappenedthatwastoimprisonus.
"Itcan'tbemidnightyet,"Isaid,andthencameablindingglareofvividgreenlight.
Everythinginthekitchenleapedout,clearlyvisibleingreenandblack,andvanishedagain.
AndthenfollowedsuchaconcussionasIhaveneverheardbeforeorsince.
Socloseontheheelsofthisastoseeminstantaneouscameathudbehindme,aclashofglass,acrashandrattleoffallingmasonryallaboutus,andtheplasteroftheceilingcamedownuponus,smashingintoamultitudeoffragmentsuponourheads.
Iwasknockedheadlongacrosstheflooragainsttheovenhandleandstunned.
Iwasinsensibleforalongtime,thecuratetoldme,andwhenIcametowewereindarknessagain,andhe,withafacewet,asIfoundafterwards,withbloodfromacutforehead,wasdabbingwateroverme.
ForsometimeIcouldnotrecollectwhathadhappened.Thenthingscametomeslowly.Abruiseonmytempleasserteditself.
"Areyoubetter?"askedthecurateinawhisper.
AtlastIansweredhim.Isatup.
"Don'tmove,"hesaid."Theflooriscoveredwithsmashedcrockeryfromthedresser.Youcan'tpossiblymovewithoutmakinganoise,andIfancytheyareoutside."
Webothsatquitesilent,sothatwecouldscarcelyheareachotherbreathing.
Everythingseemeddeadlystill,butoncesomethingnearus,someplasterorbrokenbrickwork,sliddownwitharumblingsound.
Outsideandverynearwasanintermittent,metallicrattle.
"That!"saidthecurate,whenpresentlyithappenedagain.
"Yes,"Isaid."Butwhatisit?"
"AMartian!"saidthecurate.
Ilistenedagain.
"ItwasnotliketheHeat–Ray,"Isaid,andforatimeIwasinclinedtothinkoneofthegreatfighting–machineshadstumbledagainstthehouse,asIhadseenonestumbleagainstthetowerofSheppertonChurch.
Oursituationwassostrangeandincomprehensiblethatforthreeorfourhours,untilthedawncame,wescarcelymoved.
Andthenthelightfilteredin,notthroughthewindow,whichremainedblack,butthroughatriangularaperturebetweenabeamandaheapofbrokenbricksinthewallbehindus.
Theinteriorofthekitchenwenowsawgreylyforthefirsttime.
Thewindowhadbeenburstinbyamassofgardenmould,whichflowedoverthetableuponwhichwehadbeensittingandlayaboutourfeet.
Outside,thesoilwasbankedhighagainstthehouse.
Atthetopofthewindowframewecouldseeanuprooteddrainpipe.
Thefloorwaslitteredwithsmashedhardware;theendofthekitchentowardsthehousewasbrokeninto,andsincethedaylightshoneinthere,itwasevidentthegreaterpartofthehousehadcollapsed.
Contrastingvividlywiththisruinwastheneatdresser,stainedinthefashion,palegreen,andwithanumberofcopperandtinvesselsbelowit,thewallpaperimitatingblueandwhitetiles,andacoupleofcolouredsupplementsflutteringfromthewallsabovethekitchenrange.
Asthedawngrewclearer,wesawthroughthegapinthewallthebodyofaMartian,standingsentinel,Isuppose,overthestillglowingcylinder.
Atthesightofthatwecrawledascircumspectlyaspossibleoutofthetwilightofthekitchenintothedarknessofthescullery.
Abruptlytherightinterpretationdawneduponmymind.
"Thefifthcylinder,"Iwhispered,"thefifthshotfromMars,hasstruckthishouseandburiedusundertheruins!"
Foratimethecuratewassilent,andthenhewhispered:
"Godhavemercyuponus!"
Iheardhimpresentlywhimperingtohimself.
Saveforthatsoundwelayquitestillinthescullery;Iformypartscarcedaredbreathe,andsatwithmyeyesfixedonthefaintlightofthekitchendoor.
Icouldjustseethecurate'sface,adim,ovalshape,andhiscollarandcuffs.
Outsidetherebeganametallichammering,thenaviolenthooting,andthenagain,afteraquietinterval,ahissinglikethehissingofanengine.
Thesenoises,forthemostpartproblematical,continuedintermittently,andseemedifanythingtoincreaseinnumberastimeworeon.
Presentlyameasuredthuddingandavibrationthatmadeeverythingaboutusquiverandthevesselsinthepantryringandshift,beganandcontinued.
Oncethelightwaseclipsed,andtheghostlykitchendoorwaybecameabsolutelydark.
Formanyhourswemusthavecrouchedthere,silentandshivering,untilourtiredattentionfailed....
AtlastIfoundmyselfawakeandveryhungry.
Iaminclinedtobelievewemusthavespentthegreaterportionofadaybeforethatawakening.
Myhungerwasatastridesoinsistentthatitmovedmetoaction.
ItoldthecurateIwasgoingtoseekfood,andfeltmywaytowardsthepantry.
Hemademenoanswer,butsosoonasIbeganeatingthefaintnoiseImadestirredhimupandIheardhimcrawlingafterme.
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