Война миров
What Had Happened in Surrey
Atthesametimefouroftheirfightingmachines,similarlyarmedwithtubes,crossedtheriver,andtwoofthem,blackagainstthewesternsky,cameintosightofmyselfandthecurateaswehurriedwearilyandpainfullyalongtheroadthatrunsnorthwardoutofHalliford. Theymoved,asitseemedtous,uponacloud,foramilkymistcoveredthefieldsandrosetoathirdoftheirheight.
Atthissightthecuratecriedfaintlyinhisthroat,andbeganrunning; butIknewitwasnogoodrunningfromaMartian,andIturnedasideandcrawledthroughdewynettlesandbramblesintothebroadditchbythesideoftheroad. Helookedback,sawwhatIwasdoing,andturnedtojoinme.
Thetwohalted,thenearertousstandingandfacingSunbury,theremoterbeingagreyindistinctnesstowardstheeveningstar,awaytowardsStaines.
TheoccasionalhowlingoftheMartianshadceased;theytookuptheirpositionsinthehugecrescentabouttheircylindersinabsolutesilence. Itwasacrescentwithtwelvemilesbetweenitshorns. Neversincethedevisingofgunpowderwasthebeginningofabattlesostill. TousandtoanobserveraboutRipleyitwouldhavehadpreciselythesameeffect—theMartiansseemedinsolitarypossessionofthedarklingnight,litonlyasitwasbytheslendermoon,thestars,theafterglowofthedaylight,andtheruddyglarefromSt.George’sHillandthewoodsofPainshill.
Butfacingthatcrescenteverywhere—atStaines,Hounslow,Ditton,Esher,Ockham,behindhillsandwoodssouthoftheriver,andacrosstheflatgrassmeadowstothenorthofit,whereveraclusteroftreesorvillagehousesgavesufficientcover—thegunswerewaiting. Thesignalrocketsburstandrainedtheirsparksthroughthenightandvanished,andthespiritofallthosewatchingbatteriesrosetoatenseexpectation.
