Война миров

           Livesinsuredandabitinvestedforfearofaccidents. AndonSundays—fearofthehereafter. Asifhellwasbuiltforrabbits! Well,theMartianswilljustbeagodsendtothese. Niceroomycages,fatteningfood,carefulbreeding,noworry. Afteraweekorsochasingaboutthefieldsandlandsonemptystomachs,they’llcomeandbecaughtcheerful. They’llbequitegladafterabit. They’llwonderwhatpeopledidbeforetherewereMartianstotakecareofthem. Andthebarloafers,andmashers,andsingers—Icanimaginethem. Icanimaginethem,"hesaid,withasortofsombregratification. "There’llbeanyamountofsentimentandreligionlooseamongthem. There’shundredsofthingsIsawwithmyeyesthatI’veonlybeguntoseeclearlytheselastfewdays. There’slotswilltakethingsastheyare—fatandstupid;andlotswillbeworriedbyasortoffeelingthatit’sallwrong,andthattheyoughttobedoingsomething. Nowwheneverthingsaresothatalotofpeoplefeeltheyoughttobedoingsomething,theweak,andthosewhogoweakwithalotofcomplicatedthinking,alwaysmakeforasortofdo-nothingreligion,verypiousandsuperior,andsubmittopersecutionandthewilloftheLord. Verylikelyyou’veseenthesamething. It’senergyinagaleoffunk,andturnedcleaninsideout. Thesecageswillbefullofpsalmsandhymnsandpiety. Andthoseofalesssimplesortwillworkinabitof—whatisit?—eroticism." 

           Hepaused. 

           "VerylikelytheseMartianswillmakepetsofsomeofthem;trainthemtodotricks—whoknows? —getsentimentaloverthepetboywhogrewupandhadtobekilled. Andsome,maybe,theywilltraintohuntus." 

           "No,"Icried,"that’simpossible!Nohumanbeing——"