Війна світів
The Exodus From London
"Cleartheway!"criedthevoices."Cleartheway!"
"Eter-nity!Eter-nity!"cameechoingdowntheroad.
Thereweresad,haggardwomentrampingby,welldressed,withchildrenthatcriedandstumbled,theirdaintyclothessmotheredindust,theirwearyfacessmearedwithtears. Withmanyofthesecamemen,sometimeshelpful,sometimesloweringandsavage. Fightingsidebysidewiththempushedsomewearystreetoutcastinfadedblackrags,wide-eyed,loud-voiced,andfoul-mouthed. Thereweresturdyworkmenthrustingtheirwayalong,wretched,unkemptmen,clothedlikeclerksorshopmen,strugglingspasmodically; awoundedsoldiermybrothernoticed,mendressedintheclothesofrailwayporters,onewretchedcreatureinanightshirtwithacoatthrownoverit.
Butvariedasitscompositionwas,certainthingsallthathosthadincommon. Therewerefearandpainontheirfaces,andfearbehindthem. Atumultuptheroad,aquarrelforaplaceinawaggon,sentthewholehostofthemquickeningtheirpace; evenamansoscaredandbrokenthathiskneesbentunderhimwasgalvanisedforamomentintorenewedactivity. Theheatanddusthadalreadybeenatworkuponthismultitude. Theirskinsweredry,theirlipsblackandcracked. Theywereallthirsty,weary,andfootsore. Andamidthevariouscriesonehearddisputes,reproaches,groansofwearinessandfatigue; thevoicesofmostofthemwerehoarseandweak. Throughitallranarefrain:
"Way!Way!TheMartiansarecoming!"
Fewstoppedandcameasidefromthatflood. Thelaneopenedslantinglyintothemainroadwithanarrowopening,andhadadelusiveappearanceofcomingfromthedirectionofLondon.
