Война миров
What I Saw of the Destruction of Weybridge and Shepperton
When,halfsuffocated,Iraisedmyheadabovewater,theMartian’shoodpointedatthebatteriesthatwerestillfiringacrosstheriver,andasitadvanceditswungloosewhatmusthavebeenthegeneratoroftheHeat-Ray.
Inanothermomentitwasonthebank,andinastridewadinghalfwayacross. Thekneesofitsforemostlegsbentatthefartherbank,andinanothermomentithadraiseditselftoitsfullheightagain,closetothevillageofShepperton. Forthwiththesixgunswhich,unknowntoanyoneontherightbank,hadbeenhiddenbehindtheoutskirtsofthatvillage,firedsimultaneously. Thesuddennearconcussion,thelastcloseuponthefirst,mademyheartjump. ThemonsterwasalreadyraisingthecasegeneratingtheHeat-Rayasthefirstshellburstsixyardsabovethehood.
Igaveacryofastonishment. IsawandthoughtnothingoftheotherfourMartianmonsters;myattentionwasriveteduponthenearerincident. Simultaneouslytwoothershellsburstintheairnearthebodyasthehoodtwistedroundintimetoreceive,butnotintimetododge,thefourthshell.
TheshellburstcleaninthefaceoftheThing. Thehoodbulged,flashed,waswhirledoffinadozentatteredfragmentsofredfleshandglitteringmetal.
"Hit!"shoutedI,withsomethingbetweenascreamandacheer.
Iheardansweringshoutsfromthepeopleinthewateraboutme. Icouldhaveleapedoutofthewaterwiththatmomentaryexultation.
Thedecapitatedcolossusreeledlikeadrunkengiant;butitdidnotfallover. Itrecovereditsbalancebyamiracle,and,nolongerheedingitsstepsandwiththecamerathatfiredtheHeat-Raynowrigidlyupheld,itreeledswiftlyuponShepperton.
