Война миров
The “Thunder Child”
Thenwithaviolentthud,ablindingflash,herdecks,herfunnels,leapedupward. TheMartianstaggeredwiththeviolenceofherexplosion,andinanothermomenttheflamingwreckage,stilldrivingforwardwiththeimpetusofitspace,hadstruckhimandcrumpledhimuplikeathingofcardboard. Mybrothershoutedinvoluntarily. Aboilingtumultofsteamhideverythingagain.
"Two!,"yelledthecaptain.
Everyonewasshouting. Thewholesteamerfromendtoendrangwithfranticcheeringthatwastakenupfirstbyoneandthenbyallinthecrowdingmultitudeofshipsandboatsthatwasdrivingouttosea.
Thesteamhunguponthewaterformanyminutes,hidingthethirdMartianandthecoastaltogether. Andallthistimetheboatwaspaddlingsteadilyouttoseaandawayfromthefight; andwhenatlasttheconfusioncleared,thedriftingbankofblackvapourintervened,andnothingoftheThunderChildcouldbemadeout,norcouldthethirdMartianbeseen. Buttheironcladstoseawardwerenowquitecloseandstandingintowardsshorepastthesteamboat.
Thelittlevesselcontinuedtobeatitswayseaward,andtheironcladsrecededslowlytowardsthecoast,whichwashiddenstillbyamarbledbankofvapour,partsteam,partblackgas,eddyingandcombininginthestrangestway. Thefleetofrefugeeswasscatteringtothenortheast; severalsmacksweresailingbetweentheironcladsandthesteamboat. Afteratime,andbeforetheyreachedthesinkingcloudbank,thewarshipsturnednorthward,andthenabruptlywentaboutandpassedintothethickeninghazeofeveningsouthward.
