Война миров
The Days of Imprisonment
Hemadeasuddenmovementbackward,andI,fearfulthatwewereobserved,crouchedinaspasmofterror. Hecameslidingdowntherubbishandcreptbesidemeinthedarkness,inarticulate,gesticulating,andforamomentIsharedhispanic. Hisgesturesuggestedaresignationoftheslit,andafteralittlewhilemycuriositygavemecourage,andIroseup,steppedacrosshim,andclambereduptoit. AtfirstIcouldseenoreasonforhisfranticbehaviour. Thetwilighthadnowcome,thestarswerelittleandfaint,butthepitwasilluminatedbytheflickeringgreenfirethatcamefromthealuminium-making. Thewholepicturewasaflickeringschemeofgreengleamsandshiftingrustyblackshadows,strangelytryingtotheeyes. Overandthroughitallwentthebats,heedingitnotatall. ThesprawlingMartianswerenolongertobeseen,themoundofblue-greenpowderhadrisentocoverthemfromsight,andafighting-machine,withitslegscontracted,crumpled,andabbreviated,stoodacrossthecornerofthepit. Andthen,amidtheclangourofthemachinery,cameadriftingsuspicionofhumanvoices,thatIentertainedatfirstonlytodismiss.
Icrouched,watchingthisfighting-machineclosely,satisfyingmyselfnowforthefirsttimethatthehooddidindeedcontainaMartian. AsthegreenflamesliftedIcouldseetheoilygleamofhisintegumentandthebrightnessofhiseyes. AndsuddenlyIheardayell,andsawalongtentaclereachingovertheshoulderofthemachinetothelittlecagethathuncheduponitsback. Thensomething—somethingstrugglingviolently—wasliftedhighagainstthesky,ablack,vagueenigmaagainstthestarlight; andasthisblackobjectcamedownagain,Isawbythegreenbrightnessthatitwasaman. Foraninstanthewasclearlyvisible. Hewasastout,ruddy,middle-agedman,welldressed; threedaysbefore,hemusthavebeenwalkingtheworld,amanofconsiderableconsequence.
