Война миров
What We Saw From the Ruined House
Thesecreatures,tojudgefromtheshrivelledremainsthathavefallenintohumanhands,werebipedswithflimsy,siliciousskeletons (almostlikethoseofthesilicioussponges) andfeeblemusculature,standingaboutsixfeethighandhavinground,erectheads,andlargeeyesinflintysockets. Twoorthreeoftheseseemtohavebeenbroughtineachcylinder,andallwerekilledbeforeearthwasreached. Itwasjustaswellforthem,forthemereattempttostanduprightuponourplanetwouldhavebrokeneveryboneintheirbodies.
AndwhileIamengagedinthisdescription,Imayaddinthisplacecertainfurtherdetailswhich,althoughtheywerenotallevidenttousatthetime,willenablethereaderwhoisunacquaintedwiththemtoformaclearerpictureoftheseoffensivecreatures.
Inthreeotherpointstheirphysiologydifferedstrangelyfromours. Theirorganismsdidnotsleep,anymorethantheheartofmansleeps. Sincetheyhadnoextensivemuscularmechanismtorecuperate,thatperiodicalextinctionwasunknowntothem. Theyhadlittleornosenseoffatigue,itwouldseem. Onearththeycouldneverhavemovedwithouteffort,yeteventothelasttheykeptinaction. Intwenty-fourhourstheydidtwenty-fourhoursofwork,asevenonearthisperhapsthecasewiththeants.
Inthenextplace,wonderfulasitseemsinasexualworld,theMartianswereabsolutelywithoutsex,andthereforewithoutanyofthetumultuousemotionsthatarisefromthatdifferenceamongmen. AyoungMartian,therecannowbenodispute,wasreallybornuponearthduringthewar,anditwasfoundattachedtoitsparent,partiallybuddedoff,justasyounglily-bulbsbudoff,orliketheyounganimalsinthefresh-waterpolyp.
