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MyfirstactbeforeIwentintothepantrywastofastenthedoorbetweenthekitchenandthescullery.
Butthepantrywasempty;everyscrapoffoodhadgone.
Apparently,theMartianhadtakenitallonthepreviousday.
AtthatdiscoveryIdespairedforthefirsttime.
Itooknofood,ornodrinkeither,ontheeleventhorthetwelfthday.
Atfirstmymouthandthroatwereparched,andmystrengthebbedsensibly.
Isataboutinthedarknessofthescullery,inastateofdespondentwretchedness.Mymindranoneating.
IthoughtIhadbecomedeaf,forthenoisesofmovementIhadbeenaccustomedtohearfromthepithadceasedabsolutely.
Ididnotfeelstrongenoughtocrawlnoiselesslytothepeephole,orIwouldhavegonethere.
Onthetwelfthdaymythroatwassopainfulthat,takingthechanceofalarmingtheMartians,Iattackedthecreakingrain–waterpumpthatstoodbythesink,andgotacoupleofglassfulsofblackenedandtaintedrainwater.
Iwasgreatlyrefreshedbythis,andemboldenedbythefactthatnoenquiringtentaclefollowedthenoiseofmypumping.
Duringthesedays,inarambling,inconclusiveway,Ithoughtmuchofthecurateandofthemannerofhisdeath.
OnthethirteenthdayIdranksomemorewater,anddozedandthoughtdisjointedlyofeatingandofvagueimpossibleplansofescape.
WheneverIdozedIdreamtofhorriblephantasms,ofthedeathofthecurate,orofsumptuousdinners;but,asleeporawake,Ifeltakeenpainthaturgedmetodrinkagainandagain.
Thelightthatcameintothescullerywasnolongergrey,butred.
Tomydisorderedimaginationitseemedthecolourofblood.
OnthefourteenthdayIwentintothekitchen,andIwassurprisedtofindthatthefrondsoftheredweedhadgrownrightacrosstheholeinthewall,turningthehalf–lightoftheplaceintoacrimson–colouredobscurity.
ItwasearlyonthefifteenthdaythatIheardacurious,familiarsequenceofsoundsinthekitchen,and,listening,identifieditasthesnuffingandscratchingofadog.
Goingintothekitchen,Isawadog'snosepeeringinthroughabreakamongtheruddyfronds.Thisgreatlysurprisedme.Atthescentofmehebarkedshortly.
IthoughtifIcouldinducehimtocomeintotheplacequietlyIshouldbeable,perhaps,tokillandeathim;andinanycase,itwouldbeadvisabletokillhim,lesthisactionsattractedtheattentionoftheMartians.
Icreptforward,saying"Gooddog!"verysoftly;buthesuddenlywithdrewhisheadanddisappeared.
Ilistened—Iwasnotdeaf—butcertainlythepitwasstill.Iheardasoundliketheflutterofabird'swings,andahoarsecroaking,butthatwasall.
ForalongwhileIlayclosetothepeephole,butnotdaringtomoveasidetheredplantsthatobscuredit.
OnceortwiceIheardafaintpitter–patterlikethefeetofthedoggoinghitherandthitheronthesandfarbelowme,andthereweremorebirdlikesounds,butthatwasall.
Atlength,encouragedbythesilence,Ilookedout.
Exceptinthecorner,whereamultitudeofcrowshoppedandfoughtovertheskeletonsofthedeadtheMartianshadconsumed,therewasnotalivingthinginthepit.
Istaredaboutme,scarcelybelievingmyeyes.Allthemachineryhadgone.
Saveforthebigmoundofgreyish–bluepowderinonecorner,certainbarsofaluminiuminanother,theblackbirds,andtheskeletonsofthekilled,theplacewasmerelyanemptycircularpitinthesand.
SlowlyIthrustmyselfoutthroughtheredweed,andstooduponthemoundofrubble.
Icouldseeinanydirectionsavebehindme,tothenorth,andneitherMartiansnorsignofMartiansweretobeseen.
Thepitdroppedsheerlyfrommyfeet,butalittlewayalongtherubbishaffordedapracticableslopetothesummitoftheruins.Mychanceofescapehadcome.Ibegantotremble.
Ihesitatedforsometime,andthen,inagustofdesperateresolution,andwithaheartthatthrobbedviolently,IscrambledtothetopofthemoundinwhichIhadbeenburiedsolong.
Ilookedaboutagain.Tothenorthward,too,noMartianwasvisible.
WhenIhadlastseenthispartofSheeninthedaylightithadbeenastragglingstreetofcomfortablewhiteandredhouses,interspersedwithabundantshadytrees.
NowIstoodonamoundofsmashedbrickwork,clay,andgravel,overwhichspreadamultitudeofredcactus–shapedplants,knee–high,withoutasolitaryterrestrialgrowthtodisputetheirfooting.
Thetreesnearmeweredeadandbrown,butfurtheranetworkofredthreadscaledthestilllivingstems.
Theneighbouringhouseshadallbeenwrecked,butnonehadbeenburned;theirwallsstood,sometimestothesecondstory,withsmashedwindowsandshattereddoors.
Theredweedgrewtumultuouslyintheirrooflessrooms.
Belowmewasthegreatpit,withthecrowsstrugglingforitsrefuse.
Anumberofotherbirdshoppedaboutamongtheruins.
FarawayIsawagauntcatslinkcrouchinglyalongawall,buttracesofmentherewerenone.
Thedayseemed,bycontrastwithmyrecentconfinement,dazzlinglybright,theskyaglowingblue.
Agentlebreezekepttheredweedthatcoveredeveryscrapofunoccupiedgroundgentlyswaying.Andoh!thesweetnessoftheair!
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