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What I Saw of the Destruction of Weybridge and Shepperton
"That’sgood!"saidI. "Theywillgetonefairshot,atanyrate."
Theartillerymanhesitatedatthegate.
"Ishallgoon,"hesaid.
FartherontowardsWeybridge,justoverthebridge,therewereanumberofmeninwhitefatiguejacketsthrowingupalongrampart,andmoregunsbehind.
"It’sbowsandarrowsagainstthelightning,anyhow,"saidtheartilleryman. "They’aven’tseenthatfire-beamyet."
Theofficerswhowerenotactivelyengagedstoodandstaredoverthetreetopssouthwestward, andthemendiggingwouldstopeverynowandagaintostareinthesamedirection.
Byfleetwasinatumult; peoplepacking,andascoreofhussars,someofthemdismounted,someonhorseback,werehuntingthemabout. Threeorfourblackgovernmentwaggons,withcrossesinwhitecircles,andanoldomnibus,amongothervehicles,werebeingloadedinthevillagestreet. Therewerescoresofpeople,mostofthemsufficientlysabbaticaltohaveassumedtheirbestclothes. Thesoldierswerehavingthegreatestdifficultyinmakingthemrealisethegravityoftheirposition. Wesawoneshrivelledoldfellowwithahugeboxandascoreormoreofflowerpotscontainingorchids,angrilyexpostulatingwiththecorporalwhowouldleavethembehind. Istoppedandgrippedhisarm.
"Doyouknowwhat’soverthere?"Isaid,pointingatthepinetopsthathidtheMartians.
