Война миров
What Had Happened in Surrey
Inthelatteraimtheycertainlysucceeded. Sundaynightwastheendoftheorganisedoppositiontotheirmovements. Afterthatnobodyofmenwouldstandagainstthem,sohopelesswastheenterprise. Eventhecrewsofthetorpedo-boatsanddestroyersthathadbroughttheirquick-firersuptheThamesrefusedtostop,mutinied,andwentdownagain. Theonlyoffensiveoperationmenventureduponafterthatnightwasthepreparationofminesandpitfalls,andeveninthattheirenergieswerefranticandspasmodic.
Onehastoimagine,aswellasonemay,thefateofthosebatteriestowardsEsher,waitingsotenselyinthetwilight. Survivorstherewerenone. Onemaypicturetheorderlyexpectation,theofficersalertandwatchful,thegunnersready,theammunitionpiledtohand,thelimbergunnerswiththeirhorsesandwaggons,thegroupsofcivilianspectatorsstandingasnearastheywerepermitted,theeveningstillness,theambulancesandhospitaltentswiththeburnedandwoundedfromWeybridge; thenthedullresonanceoftheshotstheMartiansfired,andtheclumsyprojectilewhirlingoverthetreesandhousesandsmashingamidtheneighbouringfields.
Onemaypicture,too,thesuddenshiftingoftheattention,theswiftlyspreadingcoilsandbellyingsofthatblacknessadvancingheadlong,toweringheavenward,turningthetwilighttoapalpabledarkness, astrangeandhorribleantagonistofvapourstridinguponitsvictims,menandhorsesnearitseendimly,running,shrieking,fallingheadlong,shoutsofdismay,thegunssuddenlyabandoned,menchokingandwrithingontheground,andtheswiftbroadening-outoftheopaqueconeofsmoke. Andthennightandextinction—nothingbutasilentmassofimpenetrablevapourhidingitsdead.
