Wreckage

           Andnowcomesthestrangestthinginmystory. Yet,perhaps,itisnotaltogetherstrange. Iremember,clearlyandcoldlyandvividly,allthatIdidthatdayuntilthetimethatIstoodweepingandpraisingGoduponthesummitofPrimroseHill. AndthenIforget. 

           OfthenextthreedaysIknownothing. Ihavelearnedsincethat,sofarfrommybeingthefirstdiscovereroftheMartianoverthrow,severalsuchwanderersasmyselfhadalreadydiscoveredthisonthepreviousnight. Oneman—thefirst—hadgonetoSt.Martin’s-le-Grand,and,whileIshelteredinthecabmen’shut,hadcontrivedtotelegraphtoParis. Thencethejoyfulnewshadflashedallovertheworld; athousandcities,chilledbyghastlyapprehensions,suddenlyflashedintofranticilluminations; theyknewofitinDublin,Edinburgh,Manchester,Birmingham,atthetimewhenIstooduponthevergeofthepit. Alreadymen,weepingwithjoy,asIhaveheard,shoutingandstayingtheirworktoshakehandsandshout,weremakinguptrains,evenasnearasCrewe,todescenduponLondon. Thechurchbellsthathadceasedafortnightsincesuddenlycaughtthenews,untilallEnglandwasbell-ringing. Menoncycles,lean-faced,unkempt,scorchedalongeverycountrylaneshoutingofunhopeddeliverance,shoutingtogaunt,staringfiguresofdespair. Andforthefood! AcrosstheChannel,acrosstheIrishSea,acrosstheAtlantic,corn,bread,andmeatweretearingtoourrelief. AlltheshippingintheworldseemedgoingLondonwardinthosedays. ButofallthisIhavenomemory. Idrifted—adementedman. Ifoundmyselfinahouseofkindlypeople,whohadfoundmeonthethirddaywandering,weeping,andravingthroughthestreetsofSt.John’sWood. TheyhavetoldmesincethatIwassingingsomeinsanedoggerelabout "TheLastManLeftAlive!Hurrah!TheLastManLeftAlive!"