Война миров
In London
WeheardgunsfiringatHamptonCourtstation,butwethoughtitwasthunder. Whatthedickensdoesitallmean? TheMartianscan’tgetoutoftheirpit,canthey?"
Mybrothercouldnottellhim.
Afterwardshefoundthatthevaguefeelingofalarmhadspreadtotheclientsoftheundergroundrailway,andthattheSundayexcursionistsbegantoreturnfromallovertheSouth-Western"lung" —Barnes,Wimbledon,RichmondPark,Kew,andsoforth—atunnaturallyearlyhours; butnotasoulhadanythingmorethanvaguehearsaytotellof. Everyoneconnectedwiththeterminusseemedill-tempered.
Aboutfiveo’clockthegatheringcrowdinthestationwasimmenselyexcitedbytheopeningofthelineofcommunication,whichisalmostinvariablyclosed,betweentheSouth-EasternandtheSouth-Westernstations,andthepassageofcarriagetrucksbearinghugegunsandcarriagescrammedwithsoldiers. ThesewerethegunsthatwerebroughtupfromWoolwichandChathamtocoverKingston. Therewasanexchangeofpleasantries: "You’llgeteaten!""We’rethebeast-tamers!"andsoforth. Alittlewhileafterthatasquadofpolicecameintothestationandbegantoclearthepublicofftheplatforms,andmybrotherwentoutintothestreetagain.
Thechurchbellswereringingforevensong,andasquadofSalvationArmylassiescamesingingdownWaterlooRoad. Onthebridgeanumberofloaferswerewatchingacuriousbrownscumthatcamedriftingdownthestreaminpatches. Thesunwasjustsetting,andtheClockTowerandtheHousesofParliamentroseagainstoneofthemostpeacefulskiesitispossibletoimagine,askyofgold,barredwithlongtransversestripesofreddish-purplecloud.
