Война миров
In London
"Londonindangerofsuffocation! TheKingstonandRichmonddefencesforced! FearfulmassacresintheThamesValley!"
Andallabouthim—intheroomsbelow,inthehousesoneachsideandacrosstheroad,andbehindintheParkTerracesandinthehundredotherstreetsofthatpartofMarylebone, andtheWestbourneParkdistrictandSt.Pancras,andwestwardandnorthwardinKilburnandSt.John’sWoodandHampstead, andeastwardinShoreditchandHighburyandHaggerstonandHoxton,and,indeed,throughallthevastnessofLondonfromEalingtoEastHam —peoplewererubbingtheireyes,andopeningwindowstostareoutandaskaimlessquestions,dressinghastilyasthefirstbreathofthecomingstormofFearblewthroughthestreets. Itwasthedawnofthegreatpanic. London,whichhadgonetobedonSundaynightobliviousandinert,wasawakened,inthesmallhoursofMondaymorning,toavividsenseofdanger.
Unablefromhiswindowtolearnwhatwashappening,mybrotherwentdownandoutintothestreet,justastheskybetweentheparapetsofthehousesgrewpinkwiththeearlydawn. Theflyingpeopleonfootandinvehiclesgrewmorenumerouseverymoment. "BlackSmoke!"heheardpeoplecrying,andagain"BlackSmoke!" Thecontagionofsuchaunanimousfearwasinevitable. Asmybrotherhesitatedonthedoor-step,hesawanothernewsvenderapproaching,andgotapaperforthwith. Themanwasrunningawaywiththerest,andsellinghispapersforashillingeachasheran—agrotesqueminglingofprofitandpanic.
AndfromthispapermybrotherreadthatcatastrophicdispatchoftheCommander-in-Chief:
"TheMartiansareabletodischargeenormouscloudsofablackandpoisonousvapourbymeansofrockets.
