Війна світів
In London
Theyhavesmotheredourbatteries,destroyedRichmond,Kingston,andWimbledon,andareadvancingslowlytowardsLondon,destroyingeverythingontheway. Itisimpossibletostopthem. ThereisnosafetyfromtheBlackSmokebutininstantflight."
Thatwasall,butitwasenough. Thewholepopulationofthegreatsix-millioncitywasstirring,slipping,running; presentlyitwouldbepouringenmassenorthward.
"BlackSmoke!"thevoicescried."Fire!"
Thebellsoftheneighbouringchurchmadeajanglingtumult,acartcarelesslydrivensmashed,amidshrieksandcurses,againstthewatertroughupthestreet. Sicklyyellowlightswenttoandfrointhehouses,andsomeofthepassingcabsflauntedunextinguishedlamps. Andoverheadthedawnwasgrowingbrighter,clearandsteadyandcalm.
Heheardfootstepsrunningtoandfrointherooms,andupanddownstairsbehindhim. Hislandladycametothedoor,looselywrappedindressinggownandshawl;herhusbandfollowedejaculating.
Asmybrotherbegantorealisetheimportofallthesethings,heturnedhastilytohisownroom,putallhisavailablemoney—sometenpoundsaltogether—intohispockets,andwentoutagainintothestreets.
