Війна світів
In London
Atallthestreetcornersgroupsofpeoplewerereadingpapers,talkingexcitedly,orstaringattheseunusualSundayvisitors. Theyseemedtoincreaseasnightdrewon,untilatlasttheroads,mybrothersaid,werelikeEpsomHighStreetonaDerbyDay. Mybrotheraddressedseveralofthesefugitivesandgotunsatisfactoryanswersfrommost.
NoneofthemcouldtellhimanynewsofWokingexceptoneman,whoassuredhimthatWokinghadbeenentirelydestroyedonthepreviousnight.
"IcomefromByfleet,"hesaid; "manonabicyclecamethroughtheplaceintheearlymorning,andranfromdoortodoorwarningustocomeaway. Thencamesoldiers. Wewentouttolook,andtherewerecloudsofsmoketothesouth—nothingbutsmoke,andnotasoulcomingthatway. ThenweheardthegunsatChertsey,andfolkscomingfromWeybridge. SoI’velockedupmyhouseandcomeon."
Atthetimetherewasastrongfeelinginthestreetsthattheauthoritiesweretoblamefortheirincapacitytodisposeoftheinvaderswithoutallthisinconvenience.
Abouteighto’clockanoiseofheavyfiringwasdistinctlyaudiblealloverthesouthofLondon. Mybrothercouldnothearitforthetrafficinthemainthoroughfares,butbystrikingthroughthequietbackstreetstotheriverhewasabletodistinguishitquiteplainly.
HewalkedfromWestminstertohisapartmentsnearRegent’sPark,abouttwo. Hewasnowveryanxiousonmyaccount,anddisturbedattheevidentmagnitudeofthetrouble. Hismindwasinclinedtorun,evenasminehadrunonSaturday,onmilitarydetails.
