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Chapter V. The Dead World
That,Iremember,filleduswiththestrongestsenseofintolerableinjustice.Wecouldhavewept—Mrs.Challengerdidweep—whenwepassedagreatcouncilschoolandsawthelongtrailoftinyfiguresscattereddowntheroadwhichledfromit.Theyhadbeendismissedbytheirterrifiedteachersandwerespeedingfortheirhomeswhenthepoisoncaughttheminitsnet.Greatnumbersofpeoplewereattheopenwindowsofthehouses.InTunbridgeWellstherewashardlyonewhichhadnotitsstaring,smilingface.Atthelastinstanttheneedofair,thatverycravingforoxygenwhichwealonehadbeenabletosatisfy,hadsentthemflyingtothewindow.Thesidewalkstoowerelitteredwithmenandwomen,hatlessandbonnetless,whohadrushedoutofthehouses.Manyofthemhadfallenintheroadway.ItwasaluckythingthatinLordJohnwehadfoundanexpertdriver,foritwasnoeasymattertopickone’sway.Passingthroughthevillagesortownswecouldonlygoatawalkingpace,andonce,Iremember,oppositetheschoolatTonbridge,wehadtohaltsometimewhilewecarriedasidethebodieswhichblockedourpath.
Afewsmall,definitepicturesstandoutinmymemoryfromamidthatlongpanoramaofdeathupontheSussexandKentishhighroads.Onewasthatofagreat,glitteringmotor-carstandingoutsidetheinnatthevillageofSouthborough.Itbore,asIshouldguess,somepleasurepartyupontheirreturnfromBrightonorfromEastbourne.Therewerethreegailydressedwomen,allyoungandbeautiful,oneofthemwithaPekingspanieluponherlap.
