Війна світів
What I Saw of the Destruction of Weybridge and Shepperton
"What’sthat?"criedaboatman, and"Shutup,youfool!"saidamannearmetoayelpingdog. Thenthesoundcameagain,thistimefromthedirectionofChertsey,amuffledthud—thesoundofagun.
Thefightingwasbeginning. Almostimmediatelyunseenbatteriesacrosstherivertoourright,unseenbecauseofthetrees,tookupthechorus,firingheavilyoneaftertheother. Awomanscreamed. Everyonestoodarrestedbythesuddenstirofbattle,nearusandyetinvisibletous. Nothingwastobeseensaveflatmeadows,cowsfeedingunconcernedlyforthemostpart,andsilverypollardwillowsmotionlessinthewarmsunlight.
"Thesojers’llstop’em,"saidawomanbesideme,doubtfully. Ahazinessroseoverthetreetops.
Thensuddenlywesawarushofsmokefarawayuptheriver,apuffofsmokethatjerkedupintotheairandhung; andforthwiththegroundheavedunderfootandaheavyexplosionshooktheair,smashingtwoorthreewindowsinthehousesnear,andleavingusastonished.
"Heretheyare!"shoutedamaninabluejersey. "Yonder!D’yerseethem?Yonder!"
Quickly,oneaftertheother,one,two,three,fourofthearmouredMartiansappeared,farawayoverthelittletrees,acrosstheflatmeadowsthatstretchedtowardsChertsey,andstridinghurriedlytowardstheriver. Littlecowledfigurestheyseemedatfirst,goingwitharollingmotionandasfastasflyingbirds.
Then,advancingobliquelytowardsus,cameafifth. Theirarmouredbodiesglitteredinthesunastheysweptswiftlyforwardupontheguns,growingrapidlylargerastheydrewnearer.
