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The Eve of the War
Whytheshotsceasedafterthetenthnooneonearthhasattemptedtoexplain. ItmaybethegasesofthefiringcausedtheMartiansin-convenience. Densecloudsofsmokeordust,visiblethroughapowerfultelescopeonearthaslittlegrey,fluctuatingpatches,spreadthroughtheclearnessoftheplanet’satmosphereandobscureditsmorefamiliarfeatures.
Eventhedailypaperswokeuptothedisturbancesatlast,andpopularnotesappearedhere,there,andeverywhereconcerningthevolcanoesuponMars. TheseriocomicperiodicalPUNCH,Iremember,madeahappyuseofitinthepoliticalcartoon. And,allunsuspected,thosemissilestheMartianshadfiredatusdrewearthward,rushingnowatapaceofmanymilesasecondthroughtheemptygulfofspace,hourbyhouranddaybyday,nearerandnearer. Itseemstomenowalmostincrediblywonderfulthat,withthatswiftfatehangingoverus,mencouldgoabouttheirpettyconcernsastheydid. IrememberhowjubilantMarkhamwasatsecuringanewphotographoftheplanetfortheillustratedpaperheeditedinthosedays. Peopleintheselattertimesscarcelyrealisetheabundanceandenterpriseofournineteenthcenturypapers. Formyownpart,Iwasmuchoccupiedinlearningtoridethebicycle,andbusyuponaseriesofpapersdiscussingtheprobabledevelopmentsofmoralideasascivilisationprogressed.
Onenight(thefirstmissilethencouldscarcelyhavebeen10,000,000milesaway)Iwentforawalkwithmywife. ItwasstarlightandIexplainedtheSignsoftheZodiactoher,andpointedoutMars,abrightdotoflightcreepingzenithward,towardswhichsomanytelescopeswerepointed. Itwasawarmnight. Cominghome,apartyofexcursionistsfromChertseyorIsleworthpassedussingingandplayingmusic.
