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What Had Happened in Surrey

           Atthesametimefouroftheirfightingmachines,similarlyarmedwithtubes,crossedtheriver,andtwoofthem,blackagainstthewesternsky,cameintosightofmyselfandthecurateaswehurriedwearilyandpainfullyalongtheroadthatrunsnorthwardoutofHalliford. Theymoved,asitseemedtous,uponacloud,foramilkymistcoveredthefieldsandrosetoathirdoftheirheight. 

           Atthissightthecuratecriedfaintlyinhisthroat,andbeganrunning; butIknewitwasnogoodrunningfromaMartian,andIturnedasideandcrawledthroughdewynettlesandbramblesintothebroadditchbythesideoftheroad. Helookedback,sawwhatIwasdoing,andturnedtojoinme. 

           Thetwohalted,thenearertousstandingandfacingSunbury,theremoterbeingagreyindistinctnesstowardstheeveningstar,awaytowardsStaines. 

           TheoccasionalhowlingoftheMartianshadceased;theytookuptheirpositionsinthehugecrescentabouttheircylindersinabsolutesilence. Itwasacrescentwithtwelvemilesbetweenitshorns. Neversincethedevisingofgunpowderwasthebeginningofabattlesostill. TousandtoanobserveraboutRipleyitwouldhavehadpreciselythesameeffecttheMartiansseemedinsolitarypossessionofthedarklingnight,litonlyasitwasbytheslendermoon,thestars,theafterglowofthedaylight,andtheruddyglarefromSt.George’sHillandthewoodsofPainshill. 

           ButfacingthatcrescenteverywhereatStaines,Hounslow,Ditton,Esher,Ockham,behindhillsandwoodssouthoftheriver,andacrosstheflatgrassmeadowstothenorthofit,whereveraclusteroftreesorvillagehousesgavesufficientcoverthegunswerewaiting. Thesignalrocketsburstandrainedtheirsparksthroughthenightandvanished,andthespiritofallthosewatchingbatteriesrosetoatenseexpectation. 

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