Війна світів
What Had Happened in Surrey
TheMartianshadbuttoadvanceintothelineoffire,andinstantlythosemotionlessblackformsofmen,thosegunsglitteringsodarklyintheearlynight,wouldexplodeintoathunderousfuryofbattle.
Nodoubtthethoughtthatwasuppermostinathousandofthosevigilantminds,evenasitwasuppermostinmine,wastheriddle—howmuchtheyunderstoodofus. Didtheygraspthatweinourmillionswereorganized,disciplined,workingtogether? Ordidtheyinterpretourspurtsoffire,thesuddenstingingofourshells,oursteadyinvestmentoftheirencampment,asweshouldthefuriousunanimityofonslaughtinadisturbedhiveofbees? Didtheydreamtheymightexterminateus? (Atthattimenooneknewwhatfoodtheyneeded.) AhundredsuchquestionsstruggledtogetherinmymindasIwatchedthatvastsentinelshape. AndinthebackofmymindwasthesenseofallthehugeunknownandhiddenforcesLondonward. Hadtheypreparedpitfalls? WerethepowdermillsatHounslowreadyasasnare? WouldtheLondonershavetheheartandcouragetomakeagreaterMoscowoftheirmightyprovinceofhouses?
Then,afteraninterminabletime,asitseemedtous,crouchingandpeeringthroughthehedge,cameasoundlikethedistantconcussionofagun. Anothernearer,andthenanother. AndthentheMartianbesideusraisedhistubeonhighanddischargedit,gunwise,withaheavyreportthatmadethegroundheave. TheonetowardsStainesansweredhim. Therewasnoflash,nosmoke,simplythatloadeddetonation.
Iwassoexcitedbytheseheavyminute-gunsfollowingoneanotherthatIsofarforgotmypersonalsafetyandmyscaldedhandsastoclamberupintothehedgeandstaretowardsSunbury. AsIdidsoasecondreportfollowed,andabigprojectilehurtledoverheadtowardsHounslow.
