Война миров
What I Saw of the Destruction of Weybridge and Shepperton
"Well,"saidthelieutenant,"Isupposeit’smybusinesstoseeittoo. Lookhere"—totheartilleryman—"we’redetailedhereclearingpeopleoutoftheirhouses. You’dbettergoalongandreportyourselftoBrigadier-GeneralMarvin,andtellhimallyouknow. He’satWeybridge. Knowtheway?"
"Ido,"Isaid; andheturnedhishorsesouthwardagain.
"Halfamile,yousay?"saidhe.
"Atmost,"Ianswered,andpointedoverthetreetopssouthward. Hethankedmeandrodeon,andwesawthemnomore.
Fartheralongwecameuponagroupofthreewomenandtwochildrenintheroad,busyclearingoutalabourer’scottage.Theyhadgotholdofalittlehandtruck,andwerepilingitupwithunclean-lookingbundlesandshabbyfurniture. Theywerealltooassiduouslyengagedtotalktousaswepassed.
ByByfleetstationweemergedfromthepinetrees,andfoundthecountrycalmandpeacefulunderthemorningsunlight. WewerefarbeyondtherangeoftheHeat-Raythere,andhaditnotbeenforthesilentdesertionofsomeofthehouses,thestirringmovementofpackinginothers,andtheknotofsoldiersstandingonthebridgeovertherailwayandstaringdownthelinetowardsWoking,thedaywouldhaveseemedverylikeanyotherSunday.
SeveralfarmwaggonsandcartsweremovingcreakilyalongtheroadtoAddlestone,andsuddenlythroughthegateofafieldwesaw,acrossastretchofflatmeadow,sixtwelve-poundersstandingneatlyatequaldistancespointingtowardsWoking. Thegunnersstoodbythegunswaiting,andtheammunitionwaggonswereatabusiness-likedistance. Themenstoodalmostasifunderinspection.
