Coradella Collegiate B ookshelf E d ition s.

W ar of the W orlds.
H . G . W ells.
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
About the author
H e rb ert G e o rg e W ells (S e p -
te m b e r 21, 1866 - August
13,
1 9 4 6 ) w as a n E n g lis h w riter b est
known for his scien c e fictio n no v -
els such as T h e W ar of th e W orlds
an d T h e T ime M a c h ine.
H e r b ert G eo rge w as th e fo u rth a n d last so n born a t 47 T h e H ig h
S treet, Brom ley, K en t to Joseph W ells, a form e r do m estic gardener and
a t th e tim e sh o p k e e p er a n d profession al crick eter a n d h is w ife Sarah
N ea l, a former d o m estic ser v a n t a n d o cc asio n al h o u se k e ep e r. B o th
parents w ere members of th e w orking c lass. T h ey w ere earn in g a m e a -
g er income th a t helped sup p o rt th e ir fam ily for several y ears.
A defining incid en t of you ng H erb e rt G eo rge 's life is said to b e an
accid en t he h a d in 1874 at th e ag e of eig h t years old. T h e accid en t lef t
h im for a tim e w ith a b ro ken leg. To spend his tim e h e starte d read in g
an d so o n b ecam e a d evo ted b ib liop h ile . L ate r th a t year h e ente re d the
A cadem y of T ho m a s M o rley, presum ably nam e d after T h om as M o rley
(1 5 57 /1 55 8 - 1 60 2) a n o te d co m p o ser of m adrig als. H e stud ie d in th e
A cad em y till 1879. B u t in 1877 ano th e r accid en t h ad affected his life.
T h is tim e it h a d h a p p e n e d to h is fa th e r a n d lef t Jo sep h W ells w ith a
fractured thig h . T h e accid en t effectiv ely p u t a n e n d to Jo se ph 's c areer
as a crick eter a n d h is earn in g s as a sh o p k e ep er w er e n o t e n o u g h to
compensate for th e loss.
In 1879 Jo sep h a n d Sarah h a d to withdraw th e ir so n from th e
A c ad em y. N o long er able to support their sons financially, th e y instead
so u g h t to set each o f th e m as a p p re n tic es to v ario u s professio n als. A t
th e tim e it w as a usual m etho d for young em ployees to learn the ir trad e
w o rk in g u n d e r a m o re ex p e rie n ce d em p lo y er. In tim e th e y should b e
able to practice their trad e for them selves. F ro m 1880 to 1883 H e rbert
G e o rg e h a d a n unhappy apprenticeship as a d rap er. H is ex p e rien c es
w ere later used as insp iratio n fo r his n ov e l K ip p s, which d escribed the
life o f a draper's apprentice w h ile also b e in g a critiq u e o f th e w o rld 's
d istrib u tio n o f w e alth . D u rin g th o se y ears h e w as a w e ll-k n o w n re si-
d e n t o f Sandgate.
In 1883 h is e m p lo y er d ism issed h im , claim in g to b e d issatisfied
w ith h im . T h e yo u n g m a n w as reporte d ly n o t disp leased w ith th is
e n d in g to h is apprenticeship. L a te r th a t y ear, h e b ec a m e a te ac h e r a t
M id h u rs t G ra m m a r sch ool, u n til h e w o n a scho larship to th e N o rm al
S c h o o l o f S cien ce (later th e R o y a l C o lle g e o f S cien ce, n o w p a rt o f
Im p e rial C olleg e) in L o nd o n , studying biolog y u nd e r T. H . H uxley. A s
a n alumnus, h e later helped to set u p th e R o y a l C o lleg e o f S cien ce
A sso ciatio n , o f which h e b ecam e th e first p re sid e nt in 1909. H e rb e rt
G e o rg e stu d ie d in h is n ew sch o o l u n til 1887 w ith a n allo w an c e o f 21
shilling s a w eek th a n k s to h is sch o larsh ip .
H e so o n e n te re d th e D e b a tin g S o ciety o f h is sc hool. T h is y e ars
mark th e beginning of h is in te rest in a possible reformation of society.
A t first ap p ro a c h in g th e su b ject th ro u g h stu d y ing T h e R ep u b lic by
P la to , h e so o n tu rn e d to h is contemporary id eas o f so cia lis m as ex -
p resse d by th e recently form e d Fabian S ociety. H e w as also among th e
fo u n d ers o f " T h e S cien ce S ch o o l Jo urn al", a sch o o l m a g a zin e which
allow ed h im to ex p ress h is vie w s on literatu re a n d so ciety. T h e sch o ol
y ear 1886 - 1887 b ec a m e th e last y ear o f h is stu d ies. H a v in g p rev i-
ou sly su c ce ssfully p assed h is e x a m s in b o th b io lo g y a n d p h y sics , h is
lack o f in tere st in g eo log y resu lted in h is failure to p ass a n d th e loss o f
his sch olarship.
H e rb e r t G e o rg e w as left w ith o u t a so urce o f income for a w h ile.
H is a u n t M a r y, a co usin of his fathe r, inv ited h im to stay w ith h er for a
w h ile. S o a t least he d id n o t fac e th e problem of housing. D u rin g h is
stay w ith his aunt, he grew interested in Isabel M ar y W ells, her daughter
a n d h is co u sin .
H . G . W ell's first b estseller w as A n ticip atio n s, published in 1901.
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
Perhaps h is m o st ex p licitly fu tu r istic w o rk , it bore th e subtitle "A n
E x p e rim e n t in P ro p h e c y " when o rig in a lly serialized in a m a g a z in e.
T h e book is interestin g both for its hits (trains an d cars resultin g in the
disp ersio n o f p o p ulatio n from cities to su burbs; m oral restrictio n s de -
clinin g as m e n a n d women seek greater sexual freed o m ) a n d its m isses
("m y im a gin atio n refu ses to see an y so rt of submarine d o in g a n yth in g
b u t suffo cate its cre w a n d founder a t sea.")
H is early novels, called "scientific rom ances", invented a nu m b e r of
the m e s n o w c lassic in scien c e fictio n in su ch w orks as T h e T ime M a -
c h in e , T h e Inv isib le M a n , a n d T h e W ar o f th e W o r ld s a n d are o fte n
th o u g h t o f as b ein g in flu e n c ed by th e w ork s o f Jule s Vern e. H e also
w ro te o th e r, no n -fa n ta stic n ovels w hich h av e received critic al acc laim ,
inc luding the satire on E d w ardian advertising Tono -B ungay and K ipps.
T ho u g h no t a scien ce-fictio n novel, radioactiv e decay play s a sm all
b u t co n seq u en tial ro le in To n o -B u n g a y. It p lay s a m u c h larg er ro le in
T h e W o r ld S e t Free, published in 1914. T h is b o o k co n ta in s w h a t is
surely h is b igg est p ro p hetic "h it." S cientists of th e d ay w ere w ell aw are
th a t th e slo w n atura l d ecay o f rad iu m releases en ergy at a slo w rate for
th o u sa n d s o f y ears. T h e rate o f rele as e is to o slo w to h av e p r actic al
u tility, b u t th e to ta l a m o u n t rele a se d is huge. W ells' n ov el rev o lv es
aro u n d a n (u n sp e cified ) invention th a t a c c elera te s th e p ro c e s s o f ra -
dioactiv e d eca y, p roducing bom b s th a t explod e w ith n o m o re th a n th e
forc e of ord in ary hig h ex p lo siv e--b ut which "continue to exp lod e " for
day s o n e nd . "N o th in g could h av e been more obviou s to th e p eop le of
th e earlier tw e n tie th ce ntu r y," h e w ro te, "tha n th e rap id ity w ith w hich
w ar w as b e c o m in g im p o ssib le ... [b u t] they d id n o t see it u n til th e
atomic bombs b u rs t in th e ir fumbling hands." L e ó S zilárd ac k n o w l-
ed g ed th a t th e b o o k inspired him a n d led to his discovery or invention
of th e nuclear chain reaction.
W ells also w ro te n o n -fic tio n . H is c lassic tw o -v o lu m e w o rk T h e
O u tlin e o f H isto r y (1 9 2 0 ) se t a n e w sta n d a r d a n d
direction fo r p o p ularise d sch olarship . M a n y o th e r a utho rs follow ed
w ith 'O utline s' o f th e ir o w n in o th e r su b jects. W ells fo llow ed it in
1922 by a m u c h shorte r popular w o rk , A S h o rt H isto r y of th e
W o r ld. T h e 'O utlines'
b ec am e sufficiently com m o n fo r Jam e s T h u rb er to p arod y th e tre n d in
h is h u m o ro u s essay A n O u tlin e of S cien tists.
Fro m q u ite ear ly in h is c are er, h e so u g h t a b e tte r w a y to o rg a n iz e
so ciety, a n d w ro te a n u m b e r o f U to p ia n n o v els. U su ally startin g w ith
th e w o rld rushing to catastrophe, u n til p eo p le re a liz e a b e tte r w ay o f
liv in g : w h e th e r by m y sterio u s g ase s from a comet cau sin g p e o p le to
b eh av e ratio n ally (In th e D ay s of th e C o m e t) , or a w o rld co u n cil o f
scie n tists ta k in g o v er, as in T h e S h a p e o f T h in g s to C o m e (1 9 3 3 ),
w hich h e later ad ap ted for th e 1938 A lex an d er K o rda film , T h in g s to
C o m e . T h is depicted, all to o a c cu ra tely, th e im p e n d in g W o r ld W ar,
w ith cities b e in g d e stro y ed by a eria l bombs.
W ells contemplates th e ideas o f N atu re vs N u rtu re a n d q u estio n s
h u m a nity in books lik e T h e Island of D r. M o reau. N o t all his scientific
rom an ces end ed in a happy U to pia, as th e dysto pian W h e n th e S leeper
A w ak es show s. T h e Island of D r. M o rea u is eve n darker. T h e n arrato r,
h av in g been tra p p e d o n a n islan d o f an im a ls v iv ise cte d (u n su cc ess-
fully) in to h u m a n b ein g s, ev en tu ally return s to E n g la n d ; lik e G u lliv er
o n his re turn from th e H o u yh n h n m s h e fin d s h im self u n ab le to sh ak e
o ff th e p erc e p tio n s o f h is fello w h u m a n s as b are ly civ ilise d b easts,
slow ly rev ertin g b ack to th e ir a n im al natures.
H e ca lle d h is p o litical vie w s so c ialist, a n d w ith h is fo n d n e ss fo r
Utopias, h e w as a t first q u ite sy m p ath e tic to L e n in 's a tte m p t s a t re -
constructing th e sh a ttere d R u ssian e c o n o m y, as h is a cc o u n t o f a v isit
(R u ssia in th e S h ad o w s 1 9 2 0 ) show s. B u t h e g rew d isillu sio n ed a t th e
doctrinal rigidity of th e B olsh ev iks , an d after m eetin g Stalin gre w co n -
vin ced th e w h o le enterprise h a d g o n e horrib ly w ro n g .1
W ells also w ro te th e p refac e for th e first e d itio n o f W .
N . P. B arb ellion 's diaries, T h e Journ al of a D isap p o in te d M a n ,
published in
1919. S ince B arb ellio n w as th e rea l a utho r's p e n -n a m e , m an y review -
ers b elie v ed W ells to h av e been th e tru e a u th o r o f th e Jo urn al; W ells
alw a y s d e n ie d th is, despite b ein g fu ll o f praise for th e d iaries, b u t th e
rumours p ersisted u n til B arb ellio n 's d e a th later th at year.
In 1927, F lo ren ce Deeks su ed W ells for plagiarism , c laim in g th a t
h e h a d stolen m u c h of th e co n te n t o f T h e O u tlin e o f H isto r y from a
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.

w o rk sh e h a d su b m itte d to Macmillan & S o n s, h is N o rt h American

p u b lish er, b ut who h eld on to th e m an u scrip t for e ig ht m o n th s b efo re
rejectin g it. D e sp ite numerous sim ilarities in phrasing a n d factu al e r-
Contents
rors, th e court fo u n d W ells n o t guilty.
In 1938, h e published a co llectio n o f essa y s o n th e future o rg a n i- B ook 1. B ook 2.
zatio n o f kn ow ledg e a n d ed u ca tio n , title d W o rld Brain, in cluding th e C h a p te r 1. C h a p te r 1.
essay T h e Id e a o f a Per m a n e n t W o rld E n c yc lo p a ed ia. C h a p te r 2. C h a p te r 2.
In h is later y ears, h e grew in creasing ly p essim istic ab o ut th e p ro s - C h a p te r 3. C h a p te r 3.
p ects for h u m a n ity, as th e title o f h is last b o o k, M in d a t th e E n d o f its
C h a p te r 4. C h a p te r 4.
Te the r suggests. H is later boo k s are ofte n th o u g h t to d o m o re p reac h -
C h a p te r 5. C h a p te r 5.
ing th a n sto ry tellin g or lac k th e en erg y a n d invention of h is earlier
works. C h a p te r 6. C h a p te r 6.
H is au to b io g ra p h y w as published in 1934, as A n E x p e rim e n t in C h a p te r 7. C h a p te r 7.
A u tobiograp hy. C h a p te r 8. C h a p te r 8.
C h a p te r 9. C h a p te r 9.
1 For ex a m p les of h is co n te m p o ra ries' w ilfu l d isreg ard o f th e fail- C h a p te r 10. C h a p te r 10.
ing s of th e S o v ie t U nio n , see th e book Political P ilgrim s by Paul H o l- C h a p te r 11.
lander. C h a p te r 12.
C h a p te r 13.
C h a p te r 14.
C h a p te r 15.
C h a p te r 16.
C h a p te r 17.
Click o n a n u m b er in th e ch ap ter list to g o
to th e first p a g e o f th a t ch ap ter.

N o te :
T h e b e st w a y to re a d th is eb o o k is in Full
S c re e n mode: c lic k V ie w, F u ll S c re e n to set
A dobe A crob at to Full Screen V iew. T h is m od e
allo w s y o u to u se Page D o w n to g o to th e n ex t
p ag e, an d affo rd s th e b e st re a d in g v ie w. P re ss
E sca p e to ex it th e Fu ll S cree n V ie w.
HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
1

Book 1.
The coming of the Martians.

The War of the Chapter 1.

Worlds. The eve of the war.

N o one w ould h av e believe d in th e last years of th e n in e -

teen th centu r y th a t this w o rld w as bein g w atc h e d keen ly an d
c losely b y intelligences g reater th a n m a n’s an d y et as m o rtal as
his o w n ; th a t as m e n bu sied them selv e s ab ou t their vario us
concern s they w ere scrutin ise d an d stu died , perhaps alm ost as
n arro w ly as a m a n w ith a m icroscop e m igh t
scrutinise th e tran sien t creatures th a t sw arm an d m ultip ly
in a d ro p o f w a - ter. W ith infinite com placen c y m e n w en t to
an d fro ov er this g lo b e a b o u t th eir little affairs, seren e
in th eir assu ran c e o f th eir em p ire over m atte r. It is
p o ssib le th a t th e in fu so ria u n - der th e m icro scop e do th e
sam e. N o one gav e a th o u g h t to th e older w o r lds o f space as
sou rces of h um a n danger, or th o u g h t of th em only to d ism iss
th e id ea of life u p o n th em as im p o s -
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
2 3
sible or im p ro bab le . It is cu riou s to recall som e of th e m en tal
habits of th ose d eparte d days. A t m ost terrestria l m e n fancied
th ere m ig h t b e o th e r m e n u p o n M ars , perhaps
in ferio r to themselve s an d read y to w elcome a m issio nary
ente r prise. Yet across th e g ulf of space, m ind s th a t are to our
m in d s as ours are to th ose of th e b easts th a t perish,
in tellects vast an d coo l an d unsympathetic, reg ard e d this
earth w ith en v io u s eyes , an d slow ly an d surely drew their
plan s again st u s. A n d early in th e tw en tieth centu r y
came th e great disillusion m en t.
T h e plane t M ars, I scarcely need re m in d th e read er, re-
volve s ab ou t th e sun at a m ean distanc e of 140,000,000 m iles,
an d th e ligh t an d h eat it receive s from th e sun is barely half o f
th a t receiv e d b y th is w o rld . It m u st b e , if th e
n eb u la r h y - pothesis h as any tru th , old er th a n our w o rld ;
an d lo n g before this earth ceased to be m o lten , life u p o n its
su rface m u st have begun its co u rse. T h e fact th a t it is scarce ly
one se venth of th e v o lu m e of th e earth m u st have
accelerated its coolin g to th e te m p eratu re at which life
could begin . It h as air an d w ater an d all th a t is
necessary fo r th e support of anim ate d ex ist- ence.
Yet so v ain is m an , an d so blind e d b y h is vanity, th a t no
w riter, up to th e ver y en d o f th e n in eteenth centu r y, ex p ressed
any idea th a t intelligent life m igh t hav e dev elop e d th ere far,
or indee d at all, bey on d its earth ly level. N o r w a s it generally
u n d e rsto o d th a t s in c e M a rs is o ld e r th a n our
e a rth , w ith scarcel y a qu arte r of th e su perficial area an d
rem o te r from th e
sun, it necessarily fo llow s th a t it is n o t on ly more distan t from
tim e ’s beginning b u t nearer its en d .
T h e secu lar coolin g th a t m u st so m ed ay o v ertak e our p lanet
has alread y gone far in d ee d w ith our neigh bo u r. Its p h y sic al
co n d ition is still larg e ly a m y ste r y, b u t w e kn ow
n ow th a t even in its equ ato ria l reg io n th e m id da y
tem p erature barely app roa ches th a t of our coldest winter.
Its air is m uch m o re atten u ate d th a n o u rs, its o cean s h av e
shru n k u n til they cover b u t a th ird o f its su rface, an d as its
slo w season s chan g e huge sn o w cap s gath e r an d m elt ab o u t
eithe r pole an d period ically in u n d ate its te m p e rate z o nes.
T h a t last stag e of ex haustion, which to us is still in cred ib ly
rem o te , h as becom e a presen t- day problem fo r th e
in h abitan ts of M ars. T h e im m ed iate p res - su re of necessity
has brigh ten e d th eir in tellects , en larged their pow ers, an d
hard en e d their h earts. A n d lo ok in g across space w ith
instru m en ts , an d intelligence s such as w e have scarcely
dreamed of, they see, at its nearest d istan ce on ly 35,000,000
of m iles su n w ard of th em , a m o rn in g star of ho pe, our ow n
w arm er planet, green w ith vegetatio n an d grey w ith
w ate r, w ith a c lou d y atm o sph ere eloquent of fertility, w ith
g lim p ses throu g h its driftin g clou d w isp s of broad stretch es
of p o p u - lou s co u n tr y an d narrow, nav y -crow de d seas.
A n d w e m en , th e creatures who in h ab it this earth , m u st
be to th em at least as alien an d low ly as are th e m on key s an d
le m urs to u s. T h e intellectu al side o f m a n already ad m its th a t
life is an incessan t stru ggle fo r ex isten ce, an d it w ould seem
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
4 5

th a t th is to o is th e b elief o f th e m in d s u p o n D uring th e opposition of 1894 a great ligh t w a s see n on

M a rs . T h e ir
w orld is far g o n e in its coolin g an d th is w orld is still crow ded
w ith life, b u t cro w ded on ly w ith w h at they regard as inferior
an im als. To carry w arfare sunw ard is, in deed , th eir o n ly es-
cap e from th e d estru ctio n th a t, generation after generation,
creep s u p o n th em .
A n d b efo re w e jud g e o f th e m to o h arshly w e
m u st re -
m e m b e r w hat ruth less an d u tte r destructio n our o w n species
has w rou gh t, n o t on ly u p o n an im als, su ch as th e
vanished biso n an d th e d od o, b u t u p o n its in ferio r races.
T h e Tasm a - nians, in sp ite of their hum a n liken ess, w ere
entirely sw ept ou t of ex istence in a w ar of extermination
w ag ed b y E u ro - pean im m igran ts , in th e sp a c e o f
fifty years . Are w e su ch apo stles o f m ercy as to
co m plain if th e M artian s w arred in th e sam e sp irit?
T h e M artian s seem to h av e calcu late d th eir descen t w ith
am azin g subtlety—their mathematical learnin g
ev id en tly fa r in excess of ours—and to h av e carried o u t their
prep ara - tio n s w ith a well-nigh p erfec t u n an im ity.
H a d our in stru - m en ts p erm itte d it, w e m ig h t hav e seen
th e gath erin g trouble fa r b a c k in th e n in e te e n t h
c e n tu r y. M e n lik e S c h ia p a re lli watched th e red planet—
it is o d d , b y -th e -b ye , th a t fo r co u n t- less centurie s M ars
has been th e star of war—but failed to in terpre t
th e fluctuating ap p earan ce s o f th e m ark in g s they
m ap p e d so w ell. A ll th a t tim e th e M artian s m u st h av e been
gettin g ready.
th e illu m inate d part of th e disk , first at th e Lick O b ser vato ry,
th e n b y Perrotin o f Nice, an d th e n b y o the r obser vers. E n -
g lish readers h eard of it first in th e issu e of N AT U R E d ated
August 2. I a m in clin ed to th in k th a t th is b laze
m ay hav e been th e castin g of th e huge gu n , in th e vast
p it sunk in to their plan et, from w h ich th eir shots w ere fired
at u s. Pecu liar m ark ing s , as yet un exp lained , w ere see n near
th e site of th a t outbreak d u rin g th e nex t two oppositions.
T h e sto rm burst u p on us six y ears ago n ow. A s M ars ap -
proached o p p o sitio n , L avelle of Java set th e w ires of th e astro -
no m ical exch an g e palpitatin g w ith th e am azin g intelligence
of a huge outbreak of incandescent gas u p o n th e planet. It
had occurred to w ard s m idn ig h t of th e twelfth; an d th e spec-
troscop e , to which h e h ad at once resorted, indicated a m ass
of flam in g gas, chiefly hydrogen, m ovin g w ith an enormous
velocity to w ards th is earth . T h is jet o f fire h ad becom e in vis-
ib le abo u t a q uarte r past tw elve. H e compared it to a colossal
is
p u ff o f fla m e su d d e n ly a n d v io le n tly squirted o u t
o f th e
plan et, “as flam in g gase s rushed o u t of a g u n.”
A sin g u la rly ap p ro p riate ph rase it p ro ved. Ye t
th e n ex t day th ere w a s no thin g of this in th e pap ers excep t a
little note in th e D A ILY T E L E G R A P H , an d th e w o rld
w en t in ig n o - rance o f one of th e g rav est d ang ers th a t eve r
threaten e d th e h um a n race. I m ig h t n o t hav e h eard of th e
eru ptio n at all had
I n o t m et O gilvy, th e w ell-kn ow n astron omer, at O ttershaw.
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
6 7
H e w a s im m ensely ex cite d at th e n ew s, an d in th e excess of
his feeling s in vite d me u p to take a tu rn w ith h im th a t n ig h t
in a scrutin y o f th e red planet.
In spite o f all th a t has h ap pene d sin ce, I still remember
th a t vigil ver y distinctly : th e b lack an d silen t ob servato r y, th e
sh ado w e d lan tern thro w in g a feeble g lo w u p o n th e flo o r in
th e corner, th e stead y ticking of th e c loc kw ork of th e tele -
scop e, th e little slit in th e ro o f— an ob lon g profundity w ith
th e stardu st streak ed across it. O g ilv y m ov ed ab out, in visib le
b u t au dible . L o o kin g thro u g h th e telesco pe , one sa w a circle
of deep b lu e an d th e little ro u n d p lan e t
sw im m in g in th e field . It seem ed such a little thin g , so
b righ t an d sm all an d still, fain tly marked w ith tran sv erse
strip es, an d slig h tly flat- ten e d from th e perfect ro u n d . B u t
so little it w as, so silver y w arm—a p in’s-h ea d o f lig h t! It
w as as if it q u iv ered, b u t re- ally this w as th e telesco p e
vib ratin g w ith th e activ ity of th e c lockw ork th a t kep t th e
plan e t in view.
A s I watched, the planet seem ed to g ro w larg er an d sm aller
an d to ad v an ce an d recede, b u t th a t w as sim p ly th a t m y eye
w as tired. Forty m illion s of m iles it w a s fro m u s— m o re th an
fo rty m illion s of m iles of v o id . Fe w p eople realise th e im m en -
sity o f vacanc y in which th e d u st o f th e m ateria l
u n iv e rse sw im s.
N ea r it in th e field , I rem e m b e r, w ere th ree fain t p oints of
light, th re e telesco p ic stars infinitely rem o te , an d all aro un d it
w as th e un fath o m ab le dark n ess of em p ty space. You
kn ow
how th a t b lack ness lo ok s o n a fro sty starligh t n ig ht. In a tele -
sco p e it seem s far p rofo u nd e r. A n d invisible to me bec ause it
w as so re m o te an d sm all, flyin g sw iftly an d stead ily tow ard s
me across th a t incredible distance, draw in g nearer every m in ute
b y so m an y th ou san d s o f m iles, came th e T h in g
they w ere sending u s, th e T h in g th a t w a s to bring so m uch
stru g g le an d calam ity an d death to th e earth . I nev e r
dreamed of it th e n as
I w atched ; n o one o n earth dreamed of th a t u nerrin g m issile.
T h a t n ig ht, to o , th ere w as an o th e r jettin g o u t of gas from
th e dista nt plan et. I sa w it. A reddish flash at th e ed ge, th e
slig h test projection o f th e o u tlin e ju st as th e
ch ro n o m eter struc k m id n igh t; an d at th a t I told O g ilv y
an d h e to o k m y p la ce . T h e n ig h t w a s w arm an d I
w a s th irs ty, a n d I w en t stretch in g m y leg s clum sily an d
feelin g m y w a y in th e dark - n ess, to th e little table w h ere
th e siph o n sto o d , w h ile O g ilv y exclaim ed at th e streamer of
gas th a t cam e o u t to w ard s u s.
T h a t n ig h t an oth e r inv isible m issile starte d o n its w a y to
th e earth from M ars , ju st a secon d or so u n d e r tw en ty -fo ur
hours after th e first o ne . I remember how I sat o n th e tab le
th ere in th e b lack n ess, w ith p atch e s o f g ree n a n d
crim so n sw im m in g befo re m y ey es. I w ished I h ad a ligh t to
sm o k e b y, little suspectin g th e m eanin g of th e m in u te gleam
I had seen an d all th a t it w ould presen tly bring m e. O g ilv y
watched till on e, an d th e n gav e it u p ; an d w e lit th e lantern
an d w alk ed over to his house. D ow n belo w in th e darkness
w ere O ttershaw an d C hertse y an d all th eir h u n d red s
of p eo ple , sleep in g in
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
8 9
peace.
H e w as full of specu latio n th a t n ig h t ab ou t th e co n ditio n
of M ars , an d sco ffed at th e vulgar idea of its hav in g in h ab it-
ants who w ere signallin g us. H is idea w as th a t meteorites m ight
be falling in a heav y show e r u p o n th e plan et, or th a t a huge
volcanic ex p lo sio n w a s in progress. H e p oin te d o u t to me how
unlikely it w as th a t organic evolutio n had take n th e sam e d i-
rection in th e two adjacen t planets.
“ T h e chances ag ainst any th in g m an lik e o n M ars are a m il-
lio n to o ne,” h e said.
H u n d red s of ob ser vers sa w th e flam e th a t n ig h t an d th e
n ig h t afte r ab o u t m id nig ht, an d ag ain th e n ig h t after; an d so
fo r ten n igh ts, a flam e each nigh t. W h y th e shots cease d after
th e ten th n o one o n earth h as attem pted to ex p lain . It m ay be
th e gase s of th e firin g cau sed th e M artian s
incon venience. D en s e clo u d s o f sm o k e or d u st, visible
throu g h a p ow erful telescop e o n earth as little grey,
fluctuating patch es, sp read thro ug h th e c learn ess of th e
plan e t ’s atm o sph ere an d ob scured its more fam iliar features.
E ven th e daily papers w o k e u p to th e d isturb an ce s at last,
an d popular n otes ap peared h ere, th ere, an d e ver y w h ere co n -
cernin g th e volc anoes u p on M ars. T h e serio com ic perio d ical
P U N C H , I remember, made a hap p y use of it in th e p olitical
carto o n . A nd , all u nsusp ected , th ose m issile s th e
M artian s h ad fired at us d rew earthward, rushing n o w at a
p ace of m an y m iles a secon d thro ug h th e empty gu lf of space,
hour by hour
an d day b y day, nearer an d nearer. It seem s to me n ow alm ost
in cred ib ly w o nd erfu l th at, w ith th a t sw ift fate han gin g over
u s, m e n could go abou t th eir petty concern s as
they did . I remember how jubilant M arkh a m w as at
securin g a n ew p h o - to g rap h o f th e plan e t fo r th e
illustrated paper he edite d in th ose day s. Peop le in
these latter times sc arcely realise th e abundance an d
enterprise of our n ineteenth -cen tu r y papers. For m y ow n
part, I w a s m u ch occup ied in learn in g to rid e th e bicycle , an d
busy u p o n a series o f p apers d iscu ssin g th e pro b - ab le
dev elop m ents of m o ra l id eas as civ ilisatio n pro gressed .
O n e n ig h t (th e first m issile th e n co uld scarcely hav e been
10,000,000 m iles aw ay ) I w en t fo r a w alk w ith m y w ife. It
w as starligh t an d I ex plain e d th e S ign s of th e Z odiac to h e r,
an d p o in te d o u t M ars , a b righ t d o t o f ligh t
c r e e p in g zenith w ard , to w ard s which so m an y telescop es w ere
p o inted .
It w a s a w arm n ig h t. C om in g h o m e , a party of ex cu rsio n ists
from C h ertse y or Isleworth p asse d u s sin g in g a n d
p lay in g m u sic. T h ere w ere lights in th e u pp er window s of
th e h ouses as th e people w en t to bed. Fro m th e
railw a y station in th e distanc e cam e th e so un d of
sh u n tin g train s, ringing an d ru m - b ling , softened alm ost in to
m elod y b y th e d istan ce . M y w ife p o inte d o u t to me th e
brightness of th e red , green , an d yellow signal lights han gin g
in a fram ew ork against the sky. It seem ed so safe an d tran q uil.
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
10 11

th a t eve r cam e to earth from o uter space m u st

have fallen
w h ile I w as sittin g th ere , visible to me had I o n ly lo o ked up as
it p assed . Some of tho se who sa w its flight sa y it
travelled w ith a hissin g sou n d . I m yself heard n o thin g of
th a t. M an y people in B erksh ire, S u rrey, an d M id d lese x
m ust hav e seen th e fall of it, an d , a t m o st, h av e th o u g h t th a t
an o th e r m eteor- ite h ad d escen ded . N o one seem s to h av e
tro u ble d to lo o k for th e fallen m ass th a t nig ht.

Chapter 2. B u t ve r y early in th e m o rnin g poor O gilvy, who ha d seen

th e sh ootin g star an d who w as p ersu ad e d th a t a m eteo rite lay
somew he re on th e co m m o n b etw een H orsell, O ttersha w, an d
The falling star.
W oking, ro se early w ith th e idea of finding it. F in d it h e did ,
so o n afte r dawn, an d n o t far from th e sand pits. A n enormous
T h e n cam e th e n ig h t of th e first fallin g star. It w a s seen
ho le ha d been made b y th e impact of th e projectile , an d th e
early in th e m o rn in g , rushing over W in ch este r
sand an d grav el h ad been flu n g v io len tly in e very direction
eastw ard , a lin e of flam e hig h in th e atm o sp here .
over th e heath , fo rm in g heap s visible a m ile an d a half aw a y.
H u n d red s m u st have see n it, an d taken it fo r a n
T h e h eath e r w as o n fire eastw ard , an d a th in blu e sm o k e ro se
ordinar y fallin g star. A lbin d e - scribe d it as leavin g a
ag ain st th e dawn.
green ish streak b eh in d it th a t g lo w ed fo r som e seconds.
T h e T h in g itself la y alm o st en tirely bu rie d in sand, am idst
D en n in g , our greatest auth ority o n m eteor- ites, state d th a t
th e scattered sp lin ters o f a fir tree it had sh iv ere d
th e h eig h t of its first app earanc e w a s ab o ut ninety or one
to frag - m en ts in its descent. T h e u nco v e red part had th e
hu n dre d m iles. It seem ed to him th a t it fell to earth abo u t
ap p earance of a huge cy linder, c ak ed over an d its ou tlin e
one hu ndre d m iles east of him .
soften e d b y a thic k scaly du n -colo ure d in cru station . It
I w as at h o m e a t th a t h o u r an d writing in m y stu dy ; an d
had a diam ete r of ab o u t thirty yard s. H e approached th e
alth o u g h my Fren c h window s face to w ards
m ass, su rp rise d at th e size an d more so at th e shape, since m ost
O ttershaw an d th e blin d w as u p (fo r I lo ved in tho se day s
meteorites are rounded more or less com p lete ly. It w as,
to loo k u p a t th e n ig h t sky), I sa w n oth in g of it. Yet th is
h ow ever, still so h o t from its
strang est of all th in gs
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
12
flight throu g h th e air as to forbid his near approach. A stir-
ring no ise w ith in its cy lin d er h e ascrib ed to th e u neq u al cool-
ing of its surface; fo r at th a t tim e it ha d n o t occurred to h im
th a t it m igh t be h ollow.
H e remained stan din g at th e edg e of th e p it th a t th e T h in g
had made fo r itself, staring at its strange ap pearance , aston -
ished chiefly at its un u su al sh ap e an d colou r, an d dim ly per-
ceivin g e ven th e n som e e v id en c e o f desig n in its arrival. T h e
early m o rn in g w as w o n derfu lly still, an d th e sun, just clearing
th e pin e trees to w ards W ey brid g e, w a s already w arm . H e did
n o t remember hearing any bird s th a t m o rn in g , th ere w as cer-
tain ly n o breeze stirring, an d th e on ly so u nd s w ere th e faint
m ov e m ents from w ithin th e cindery c y linder. H e w as all alone
o n th e co m m o n .
T h e n sud denly h e n otice d w ith a start th a t som e o f th e
grey c lin ker, th e ashy incru statio n th a t covered th e m eteo rite,
w as fallin g off th e circu lar edg e of th e en d . It w as drop pin g
off in flakes an d raining down u p o n th e sand. A larg e p iece
suddenly cam e o ff an d fell w ith a sharp no ise th a t b ro u gh t
his h eart in to h is m o u th .
For a m in u te h e scarcely realised w hat th is
m ean t, an d , alth o u g h th e h eat w as excessive , h e clam bere d
down in to th e p it c lose to th e bu lk to see th e T h in g m o re
c learly. H e fancied even th e n th a t th e coo lin g of th e bo d y
m ig h t acco un t fo r th is, b u t w h at disturbe d th a t idea
w as th e fact th a t th e ash w as fa llin g o n ly fro m th e
en d of th e c y linder.
13
A n d th e n h e perceived th a t, v er y slow ly, th e circu lar to p
of th e cy linder w as rotatin g on its b od y. It w as such a g radual
movement th a t h e d isco v ered it o n ly thro u g h n oticin g th a t a
black mark th a t ha d been near him five m inu te s ago w as no w
at th e othe r side of th e circum ference . E ven th e n h e scarcely
un d ersto o d w hat th is indicated, u ntil he h eard a m uffle d grat-
ing sou n d an d sa w th e b lac k mark jerk fo rw ard an in c h or so.
T h e n th e th in g c ame up on him in a flash . T h e cy linder w as
artificial— h ollow — w ith an en d th a t screw ed o u t! S o m eth in g
w ithin th e cy lin d e r w a s un screw in g th e top !
“G oo d heav ens!” said O gilvy. “ T h e re ’s a m a n in it— m en
in it! H alf roasted to death ! Tr y ing to escape!”
A t once, w ith a quick m en ta l leap, h e linked th e
T h in g w ith th e flash u p o n M ars.
T h e th o u g h t of th e confined creature w a s so d readfu l to
him th a t h e forgot th e h eat an d w en t fo r w ard to th e c y linder
to help tu rn . B u t luckily th e du ll radiatio n arreste d him b e-
fo re h e co uld b u rn his h an d s o n th e still-g low in g metal. A t
th a t h e sto o d irresolute fo r a m om en t, th e n turned , scram bled
ou t of th e pit, an d set off ru n n in g w ild ly in to W o king. T h e
tim e th e n m u st hav e been som ew h ere ab o u t six o’clock . H e
m et a w aggoner an d trie d to m ak e him u n d erstan d , b u t th e
tale h e told an d his appearanc e w ere so w ild — his
h a t had fallen off in th e p it— th a t th e m a n sim p ly d ro v e
o n . H e w as equally un successfu l w ith th e po tm a n who w as
just u nlock - ing th e d o o rs o f th e public-house b y
H o rsell Brid g e . T h e
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
14
fello w th o u g h t h e w as a lunatic at larg e an d made an un suc -
cessfu l attem p t to sh u t him into th e tap ro o m . T h a t sobered
him a little ; an d when h e sa w H en derso n , th e L o n d o n jo ur -
nalist, in h is garden, h e called over th e p aling s an d made h im -
self u nd ersto o d.
“H en d erson ,” h e called , “yo u sa w th a t sh oo tin g star last
n ig h t?”
“ W ell?” said H en ders o n .
“It ’s o u t on H o rse ll C o m m o n no w.”
“G oo d L o rd!” said H en derson . “Fallen m eteo rite! T h a t ’s
good.”
“B u t it ’s so m ethin g more th a n a m eteorite . It ’s a
c y lin - der—an artificia l cy linder, m an ! A n d there ’s
som eth in g in - side.”
H enderso n sto o d u p w ith his spad e in his h an d.
“ W h a t ’s th at?” h e said . H e w as deaf in o ne ear.
O g ilv y told h im all th a t he had seen .
H enderso n w a s a m in u te or so takin g it in . T h e n h e
d ro pp ed his sp ade, sn atc h ed u p his jac ket, an d c am e ou t in to
th e road. T h e two m e n h u r- ried b ack at once to th e
co m m o n , an d fo u n d th e cy lind e r still ly in g in th e sam e
po sitio n . B u t n o w th e so u nd s in sid e h ad ceased , an d a th in
circle of b righ t metal sh o w ed b etw ee n th e to p an d th e b o d y
of th e c ylinder. A ir w a s eith er en tering or escap in g at th e
rim w ith a th in , sizzlin g so un d .
T h e y listened, rapped o n th e scaly b urn t metal w ith a stick,
an d , m eetin g w ith n o respo nse , they b o th con clu de d th e m an
15
or m e n in side m u st be insensib le or dead.
O f co u rse th e tw o w ere q uite un ab le to do a n ything. T h e y
sh o ute d co nso latio n an d prom ises, an d w en t off b ack to th e
to w n again to get help. O n e can im ag in e th em , cov ere d w ith
sand, ex cited an d disordered, ru n n in g u p th e little street in
th e b rig h t su nligh t just as th e shop folk s w ere takin g down
th eir sh utters an d p eop le w ere o penin g th eir bedro o m w in -
dow s. H end erso n w en t in to th e railw a y statio n at
on ce, in order to teleg rap h th e ne w s to L on do n . T h e
new spape r ar- ticles h ad p rep ared m e n’s m in d s fo r th e
reception of th e id ea. B y eigh t o’cloc k a n u m b e r of bo y s an d
un em p loy e d m e n
h a d alread y starte d fo r th e co m m o n to se e th e
“d ea d m en
from M ars.” T h a t w as th e fo rm th e sto r y to o k . I heard of it
first from m y new spaper b oy abo u t a q uarte r to n in e when I
w en t o u t to get m y D A ILY C H R O N IC LE . I w as n atu rally
startled, an d lost n o tim e in goin g ou t an d across th e O ttershaw
bridg e to th e sand p its.
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
16
Chapter 3.
On Horsell Common.
I fou n d a little crow d of perhaps tw enty p eople surro u nd -
ing th e huge h ole in which th e cy linder lay. I have
already described th e ap pearan c e of th a t co lossal b ulk ,
em b ed de d in th e gro un d . T h e tu rf an d grave l ab ou t it
seem ed c h arred as if b y a su d d e n exp lo sion . N o doub t
its impact h a d cau se d a flash of fire. H en derso n an d
O g ilv y w ere n o t th ere . I th in k they perceived th a t n oth in g
w as to be d on e fo r th e present, an d had g o n e aw a y to
b reak fast at H en ders o n’s ho use.
T here w ere fo u r or five boy s sittin g o n th e edg e of th e P it,
w ith th eir fee t dangling, an d am u sin g th em se lv es —
u n til I stopp e d them—by thro w in g sto n es a t th e gian t m ass.
A fter I h ad spo k en to th e m abo u t it, they bega n p lay in g at
“touch ” in an d o u t of th e group of bystanders.
17
A m o n g these w ere a co uple of cyclists , a jo b bin g gardener
I employ e d so metimes, a g ir l c arry ing a b a b y,
G re g g th e bu tc h er an d his little boy, an d two or th ree
lo afers an d go lf cadd ie s who w ere accusto m e d to h an g ab o u t
th e railw a y sta- tio n . T h ere w as ve r y little talking. Few of th e
co m m o n peop le in E n glan d had an ythin g b u t th e vagu est
astro no m ica l id eas in th ose days. M os t o f th e m w ere
staring qu ietly at th e big table like en d of th e cy linder,
w h ich w a s still as O gilvy an d H en derso n had left it. I
fancy th e popular ex pectatio n of a heap of charred corp ses
w as disap pointe d at this inanim ate bu lk . Some w en t aw a y
w h ile I w as th ere , an d o th e r people cam e . I clam bere d
in to th e p it an d fan cied I heard a fain t m o vement
u n d e r m y feet. T h e to p ha d certain ly ceased to
rotate.
It w as on ly when I go t thu s clos e to it th a t th e strangen ess
of th is object w as at all ev iden t to m e . A t th e first g lanc e it
w as really n o more ex citin g th a n an overturned carriag e or a
tree b lo w n across th e road. N o t so m u ch so, ind eed . It lo o ked
like a ru sty gas flo at. It required a certain am oun t of scien tific
edu cation to perceiv e th a t th e grey scale of th e T h in g w as n o
co m m o n ox id e, th a t th e y ellow ish -w hite metal th a t g leam ed
in th e crack b etw ee n th e lid an d th e cy lin d e r ha d an un fam il-
iar h ue. “E x tra -terrestrial” had n o m eanin g fo r m o st of th e
onlookers.
A t th a t tim e it w a s quite clear in m y o w n m in d th a t th e
T h in g h ad com e from th e plan e t M ars , b u t I ju d ge d it im -
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
18
pro bable th a t it containe d any liv in g creatu re . I th o u g h t th e
u n scre w ing m ig h t b e au to m a tic . In sp ite o f O g ilv y,
I still believ ed th a t th ere w ere m e n in M ars. M y m in d
ran fanci- fully o n th e po ssib ilitie s of its co n tainin g
manuscript, o n th e d ifficu lties in translatio n th a t m igh t arise,
w h eth e r w e should fin d co in s an d m o dels in it, an d so fo rth .
Yet it w as a little to o larg e fo r assu ran ce o n this id ea . I felt
an impatience to see it o pened. A b o ut eleven, as n othing
seem ed happenin g, I w alk ed bac k, full of such th o u g h t,
to m y h o m e in Mayb u r y. B u t I fo u n d it d ifficult to
get to w o rk u p o n m y abstract in vestig a - tion s.
In th e aftern oo n th e appearanc e of th e co m m o n h ad al-
tere d ver y m u ch . T h e early editions of th e e vening pap ers h ad
startled L o n d o n w ith enormous headlines:
“A M E SSAG E R E C E IV E D F R O M M A R S.”
“R E M A R K A B L E S T O R Y F R O M W O K IN G ,”
an d so fo rth . In ad d itio n , O gilvy ’s w ire to th e A stron o m i-
cal Exchange had rou sed e very obser v ato r y in th e th ree k in g -
doms.
T here w ere half a dozen flie s or m o re from th e W o king
statio n stand in g in th e road b y th e sand pits, a basket-chaise
from C h o b h am , an d a rath e r lo rd ly carriag e.
B eside s th at, th ere w as quite a heap of bicycles . In
ad d itio n , a larg e n u m - b er of peop le m u st hav e w alk ed , in
sp ite of th e h eat o f th e day, from W o king an d C h e rtsey, so
th a t th ere w as alto gether qu ite a considerab le cro w d — o n e
or two gaily dressed ladies
19
am o n g th e others.
It w as glarin g ly h o t, n o t a clou d in th e sky n o r a breath of
wind, an d th e o n ly sh ado w w as th a t o f th e few scattere d pin e
trees. T h e b urnin g h eathe r ha d been extin g u ished ,
b u t th e leve l grou n d to w ard s O ttersh a w w a s black ene d as
far as one cou ld see, an d still g ivin g off vertica l stream ers of
sm o ke . A n enterprising sw eet-stu ff d ealer in th e
C h o b h a m R o a d h ad sen t up h is so n w ith a barrow-load of
gree n app le s an d gin ger b ee r.
G o in g to th e ed g e o f th e p it, I fo u n d it
o ccup ied b y a
group of ab o u t half a doze n m en — H en d ers o n , O gilvy, an d a
tall, fair-h aired m a n th a t I after w ard s learn e d w a s S ten t, th e
A strono m er R o yal, w ith several workmen w ielding spad es and
p ic kaxes. S ten t w as givin g direction s in a c lear, hig h -pitc h ed
voice . H e w a s stan din g o n th e c y linder, w h ich w as n o w evi-
den tly m u c h co oler; h is fac e w as crim so n an d streaming w ith
perspiration, an d so m eth in g seem ed to h av e irritate d him .
A large p ortio n of th e cy lind er had been uncovered, though
its lo w e r en d w a s still em b ed ded . A s so o n as O g ilv y sa w me
am o n g th e staring crow d o n th e ed g e of th e p it he called to
me to com e down, an d ask ed me if I w ould m in d goin g over
to see L ord H ilto n , th e lord of th e m an o r.
T h e g row in g crow d , h e said , w a s b eco m in g a serio u s im -
pedim en t to their excavations, especially th e boys. T he y wanted
a ligh t railin g p u t up , an d help to keep th e peop le b ack . H e
to ld me th a t a fain t stirring w a s o ccasio n ally still
au d ib le
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
20 21

w ithin th e case, b u t th a t th e workmen had failed to u n screw

th e to p, as it afford ed n o g rip to th em . T h e c ase app eared to
be eno rm ou sly thick , an d it w as p o ssib le th a t th e fain t so u nd s
w e heard represented a noisy tu m u lt in th e in te rio r.
I w a s ver y glad to do as h e asked , an d so b ecom e one of th e
p riv ile g e d sp ectato rs w ith in th e co n tem p late d
en clo sure . I failed to fin d L ord H ilto n at his h o use , b u t I
w as to ld he w as expected from L o n d o n b y th e six o’c lock
train from W ater-
loo ; an d as it w a s th e n ab o u t a quarte r past five , I w en t h o m e,
had so m e tea, an d w alk e d u p to th e statio n to w ayla y him .
Chapter 4.
The cylinder opens.

W hen I retu rn ed to th e co m m on th e sun w a s settin g. S cat-

tered g ro u p s w ere h urr y in g fro m th e direction of
W o king, an d one or two p ersons w ere retu rnin g . T h e crow d
ab o u t th e p it ha d increased , an d stoo d o u t b lack ag ainst th e
lemon yel- low of th e sk y — a couple of h un dre d people,
perhaps. T h ere w ere raised voices , an d som e sort of strugg le
ap p eare d to be go in g o n abo u t th e p it. Strange im aginin g s
p asse d throu gh m y m ind . A s I d rew nearer I heard S ten t ’s
voice:
“K eep back ! K eep back!”
A boy cam e ru n n in g to w ard s m e.
“It ’s a -m o vin’,” h e said to me as h e p assed ; “a-scre w in’ an d
a - scre w in’ o ut. I do n’t like it. I’m a -go in’ ‘o me, I am .”
I w en t o n to th e crow d . T h e re w ere really, I should th in k,
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
22
two or th ree h un dre d peo p le elbo w in g an d jostlin g one an -
othe r, th e one or two lad ie s there bein g b y n o m ean s th e least
active.
“H e ’s falle n in th e pit!” crie d som e o ne.
“K eep back!” said several.
T h e crow d sw ayed a little, an d I elb o w e d m y w ay thro ug h.
E very o ne seem ed greatly excited . I heard a pecu lia r
h u m - m in g so un d from th e p it.
“I say!” said O gilvy ; “help k eep these idiots b ack . W e d o n’t
kn o w w h at ’s in th e confounded thin g , you kn ow !”
I sa w a youn g m an , a shop assistan t in W o king I belie v e
h e w as, stan din g o n th e cy linder an d tr y ing to scram ble ou t
of th e h ole again . T h e crow d ha d p u sh e d him in .
T h e en d of th e cylin der w as being screw ed out from w ithin .
N early two feet o f sh in in g screw pro jected . S o m eb o d y b lu n -
dered ag ain st m e, an d I n arro w ly m issed bein g pitche d on to
th e to p of th e screw. I turn ed , an d as I did so th e screw m ust
have com e o ut, fo r th e lid of th e cy lin de r fell u p o n th e gravel
w ith a ringing concu ssion . I stuc k m y elb o w in to th e person
b eh in d me, an d turne d m y h ead to w ards th e T h in g
ag ain . For a m o m en t th a t circu la r cav ity seem ed perfectly
blac k. I h ad th e su n set in m y eyes.
I th in k e ver y on e expected to see a m a n em erg e— possib ly
so m ethin g a little u nlik e u s terrestria l m en , b u t in all essen-
tials a m a n . I k n o w I did . B u t, lo o kin g , I p resently sa w so m e -
th in g stirring w ithin th e sh adow : grey ish billow y m ov em en ts,
23
one abov e an oth e r, an d th e n tw o luminous d isk s— lik e ey es.
T h e n so m e th in g rese m b lin g a little g rey sn ak e ,
ab o u t th e th ick ness of a w alk in g stick , co iled u p
ou t o f th e w rith in g middle, an d w rig g led in th e air
to w ard s m e — an d th e n an - othe r.
A su d d e n ch ill cam e o v er m e . T h ere w a s a loud
sh riek
from a woman b ehin d . I h alf turn ed , k eepin g m y eye s fixed
u p o n th e cy lin d er still, from which othe r ten tacles w ere no w
pro jectin g , an d b eg an pu sh in g m y w ay b ack from th e edg e of
th e pit. I sa w aston ish m en t giv in g p lace to h orro r o n th e faces
of th e peo ple ab o u t m e. I heard inarticulate ex clam atio n s o n
all sid es. T h e re w a s a general m ovement back w ards. I sa w th e
sh o p m a n strug g lin g still o n th e edg e o f th e pit. I fo u n d m y -
self alo ne , an d sa w th e people o n th e othe r side
of th e p it ru n n in g off, S ten t a m o n g them . I looked again
at th e cylin - der, an d u n g o v e rn ab le terror gripped m e.
I sto o d petrified an d staring.
A big grey ish ro u n d e d b u lk , th e size, perhaps, of a b ear,
w as rising slow ly an d painfully out of the cy linder. A s it bulged
u p an d cau gh t th e ligh t, it glisten ed like w et leather.
Tw o larg e dark-coloured ey es w ere reg ard in g me
stead - fastly. T h e m ass th a t framed th em , th e h ea d of th e
th ing , w as ro u n d ed , an d h ad , one m ig h t say, a face. T h ere
w as a m o u th u n d e r th e eyes, th e lip less brim of which
quivered an d p anted , an d d ro pp e d saliva . T h e w hole creatu re
heav ed an d p u lsated convulsiv ely. A lan k tentacular
appendage gripped th e ed ge
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
24
of th e cy linder, an o th e r sw ayed in th e air.
T ho se who have nev e r see n a liv in g M artia n can scarcely
im agin e th e strang e h o rro r of its app earan ce . T h e p ecu lia r V-
shaped m o u th w ith its p o in te d u pp er lip , th e ab se n ce o f brow
ridges, th e ab sen c e of a chin b en eath th e w edg elik e lo w e r lip ,
th e in cessan t qu iverin g of th is m o u th , th e G orgo n g ro up s of
tentacles , th e tu m u ltu ou s b reathin g o f th e lung s in a strange
atm o sp here , th e eviden t heav iness an d painfu lness of move-
m en t due to th e greate r grav itation a l en erg y of th e earth —
ab ove all, th e extrao rd in ar y in ten sity of th e immense ey es—
w ere at once v ital, inten se , inh um an , cripp led an d m o n strou s.
T here w as so m eth in g fungoid in th e oily brown sk in , so m e -
th in g in th e clu m sy deliberation of th e tedious
m ov em ents u n sp e a k a b ly n a s ty. E v e n a t th is firs t
e n c o u n te r, th is first glim pse, I w a s o v ercom e w ith disgust
an d dread.
S u d den ly th e m o n ste r van ished . It had top ple d over th e
brim of th e cy lin d er an d fallen in to th e p it, w ith a th u d like
th e fall of a great m ass of leather. I heard it giv e a p ecu liar
thic k cry, an d fo rth w ith an o th e r of these creatures ap peared
d ark ly in th e deep sh ad o w of th e aperture.
I tu rn e d an d , r u n n in g m a d ly, made fo r th e first grou p of
tree s, perhaps a hu n dre d y ard s aw ay ; b u t I ra n slanting ly an d
stumbling, fo r I co uld n o t avert m y face from these th in gs.
T here , am o n g so m e youn g pin e trees an d fu rze bushes, I
sto p ped , p an tin g , an d w aite d fu rther develop m en ts. T h e com -
m o n ro u n d th e sand pits w as d o tte d w ith peop le,
stan din g
25
like m y self in a h alf-fascin ate d terro r, staring at these crea-
tures, or rath e r at th e heaped grave l at th e edg e of th e p it in
which th e y lay. A n d th e n , w ith a ren e w e d h o rror, I
sa w a ro u n d , b lack objec t bobbing u p an d down o n th e
edg e of th e pit. It w a s th e hea d of th e sh o p m a n who had
fallen in , b u t sh ow in g as a little black o bject ag ainst th e
h o t w estern sun. N o w h e go t h is shoulder an d kn ee up , an d
again h e seem ed to slip b ack u n til o nly h is hea d w a s
visible . S u d den ly h e van - ished, an d I cou ld hav e fancied
a fain t sh riek had reach ed m e.
I had a m o m en ta r y im p ulse to g o back an d help him th a t m y
fears overruled .
E very th in g w as th e n q uite invisib le, hid de n b y th e deep
p it a n d th e h e a p o f sand th a t th e fall o f th e
cy lin d e r h a d made. Anyone coming alo n g th e road
from C h o b h a m or W oking w o uld h av e been am a z ed at
th e sight—a d w in d lin g m u ltitu d e of perhaps a h un dre d
people or more standin g in a great irregular circle, in ditches,
b e h in d bushes, b ehin d gates an d hed ges, saying little to
one an o th e r an d th a t in sh o rt, ex c ite d shouts, an d
staring, staring h ard a t a fe w h eap s o f sand. T h e
barrow of gin ger beer stoo d , a qu eer d erelict, b lac k against
th e b u rnin g sky, an d in th e sand pits w a s a row
of deserted vehicles w ith th eir horses feed in g o u t of n o sebag s
or paw in g th e gro u n d.
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
26
Chapter 5.
The heat-ray.
A fte r th e g lim p se I h a d h a d o f th e M artian s
em erg in g from th e cy lin de r in which they ha d com e to th e
earth from their plan et, a kin d of fascin atio n p aralysed m y
actio ns. I re- m a in e d sta n d in g k n e e -d e e p in th e
h e a th e r, starin g a t th e m ou n d th a t hid th em . I w as a
battlegro un d of fear an d cu ri- o sity.
I d id n o t d are to g o b a ck to w a rd s th e p it,
b u t I felt a p assion ate longing to p eer into it. I beg an
w alking , therefore, in a big cu r ve , seek in g some p oin t o f
vantag e an d continually lo ok in g at th e sand heap s th a t h id
these new-comers to our earth . O nc e a leash of th in black
w h ips, like th e arm s of an octop u s, flashed across th e sun se t
an d w a s im m ed iately w ith - d raw n , an d after w ard s a th in ro d
rose u p, join t b y joint, b ear -
27
ing at its apex a circu lar disk th a t spu n w ith a w obb lin g m o -
tio n . W h a t cou ld be go in g on there?
M ost of th e spectators had gathere d in one or two groups—
one a little crow d to w ard s W o king, th e o the r a k no t o f peop le
in th e direction of C hobham . E vidently they shared m y m ental
con flict. T h e re w ere few near m e. O n e m a n I ap pro a ched —
h e w as, I p erceiv ed , a neig hb o u r of m ine , tho u g h I d id n o t
kn o w h is n am e — an d accosted . B u t it w a s scarcely a tim e for
articu late conv ersatio n.
“ W h a t u g ly b r u te s! ” h e sa id . “ G o o d G o d ! W h a t
u g ly
brutes!” H e repeated this o ver an d over ag ain .
“Did y ou se e a m a n in th e pit? ” I said ; b u t h e made no
an sw er to th at. W e bec am e silent, an d stoo d w atc hin g fo r a
tim e side b y side, deriv ing , I fan c y, a certain co m fo rt in one
an o th e r’s co m pan y. T h e n I shifted m y po sition to a little knoll
th a t gav e me th e ad van tag e of a y ard or more of elev atio n an d
when I lo o k e d fo r h im p resen tly h e w a s w a lk in g
to w ard s W o king.
T h e su n set fad ed to twilight before an ythin g fu rth e r h ap -
p e n e d . T h e c row d fa r a w a y o n th e le ft, to w a rd s
W o king, seem ed to g row, an d I heard n ow a fain t m urm ur
from it. T h e little kn o t of peop le to w ard s C h o b h a m
dispersed . T h e re w as scarcely an in tim atio n of movement
from th e pit.
It w a s th is, as m u c h as an ythin g , th a t gav e people courage,
an d I supp ose th e ne w arrivals from W oking also helped to
resto re co nfiden ce . A t any rate, as th e d usk came o n a slow,
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
28
in term itten t movement u p o n th e sand pits b eg an , a
move-
m en t th at seem ed to gather force as th e stilln ess of th e evening
ab o u t th e cy linder remained u n b roken. Vertical blac k figu res
in tw o s an d threes w o uld ad van ce, stop , watch, an d ad van ce
ag ain , spreadin g ou t as they did so in a th in irregular crescen t
th a t promised to en clo se th e p it in its atten u ate d
ho rn s. I, to o , o n m y side beg an to m o v e to w ard s th e pit.
T h e n I sa w som e cabmen an d others ha d w alk ed b o ldly
in to th e sand pits, an d h eard th e clatter of h oo fs an d th e g rid e
of w h eels. I sa w a lad tru n d lin g off th e barro w o f ap ples. A n d
th en , w ithin th irty y ard s of th e pit, advan cin g from th e direc -
tio n of H o rsell, I n o te d a little black k n o t of m en , th e fore -
m o st of w h o m w a s w av in g a white flag .
T h is w a s th e D epu tatio n . T h e re had been a hasty consul-
tation , an d sin ce th e M a rtians w ere e v id en tly, in spite of their
rep ulsive fo rm s, intelligent creatu res , it had been reso lv ed to
sho w th em , b y approaching th em w ith sig nals, th a t w e to o
w ere intelligent.
F lu tter, flutte r, w en t th e flag , first to th e rig h t, th e n to th e
left. It w a s to o far fo r me to reco gn ise anyo n e th ere , b u t after-
w ard s I learne d th a t O gilvy, S ten t, an d H en ders on w ere w ith
others in this attem p t at com m u nic ation . T h is little
group ha d in its adv an ce dragg ed inward, so to speak , th e
circumfer- ence of th e n o w alm o st co m p lete circle of peo ple,
an d a n u m - b er of d im b lack fig ures fo llo w ed it at discreet
distances.
S u d den ly th ere w a s a flash of ligh t, an d a qu antity of lu -
29
minous g reenish sm ok e cam e o u t o f th e p it in th re e distin ct
puffs, w h ich d ro v e u p, o ne after th e o th e r, straigh t in to th e
still air.
T h is sm ok e (or flam e , perhaps, w ou ld be th e b ette r w ord
fo r it) w a s so b rig h t th a t th e deep b lu e sky overhead an d th e
ha z y stretche s of brow n co m m o n to w ard s C h e rtsey, set w ith
b lack p in e trees, seem e d to darken ab ru p tly as
these p u ffs aro se, an d to remain th e darker afte r th eir
d ispersal. A t th e sam e tim e a fain t hissin g so u n d becam e
au d ib le.
B eyon d th e p it sto o d th e little w ed g e of p eop le w ith th e
white flag at its apex , arrested b y these p h en o m en a , a little
kn o t of sm all vertica l black shapes u p o n th e b lack gro u nd . A s
th e g reen sm ok e aro se, th eir face s flashed o u t pallid green ,
an d fad ed again as it v anish ed . T h e n slow ly th e hissin g p assed
in to a h u m m in g , into a lo ng , loud, dro n in g noise. Slow ly a
h u m p e d sh ap e ro se o u t of th e p it, an d th e gh ost of a beam o f
ligh t seem ed to flicker ou t from it.
For th w ith flashes of actual flam e, a brig h t g lare
leaping
from o ne to an o th e r, sp rang from th e scattere d group o f m en .
It w a s as if som e inv isible je t im pin ge d u p o n th em an d flashed
in to white flam e. It w a s as if each m a n w ere sud den ly an d
momentarily turn e d to fire.
T h en , b y th e ligh t of th eir o w n destructio n , I sa w th em
stag g erin g an d fallin g , an d their supporters turn in g to ru n.
I sto o d staring, n o t as y et realisin g th a t th is
w a s d eath leaping from m a n to m a n in th a t little d istan t
crow d . A ll I
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
30
felt w a s th a t it w as so m ethin g ve r y strange. A n alm ost no ise -
less an d blinding flash of ligh t, an d a m a n fell headlong an d
lay still; an d as th e unseen shaft of h eat p asse d
over th em , pin e trees b urst in to fire, an d e ver y d r y
fu rze bush bec am e w ith one du ll th u d a m ass o f flam es.
A n d far aw a y to w ard s Knaphill I sa w th e flash es o f trees
an d h edg es an d w o o den b uild ing s sudd enly set alight.
It w as sw eep in g ro u n d sw iftly an d steadily, th is
flam ing
death , th is inv isib le, inev itab le sw ord of h eat. I p erceiv ed it
coming to w ard s me b y th e flash in g bush es it
to uched , an d w as to o asto un d e d an d stu p efie d to stir. I
heard th e crack le o f fire in th e sand pits an d th e sud d e n
sq uea l o f a ho rse th a t w as a s suddenly stilled . T h e n it w as as
if an in visible y et intensely heate d finger w ere drawn
throu g h th e h eath e r b etw een me an d th e M a rtians, an d
all alo n g a cu r v in g lin e be y o n d th e sand pits th e
dark gro u n d sm o ked an d crack led . S o m eth in g fell w ith a
crash far aw a y to th e left w h ere th e road from
W oking statio n o pen s ou t on th e common . Forth -
w ith th e hissin g an d h u m m in g ceased , an d th e b lack , dom e -
like o bject san k slow ly ou t of sigh t in to th e p it.
A ll th is had h app en e d w ith such sw iftn ess th a t I had stoo d
m otio n less , d u m b fo un d e d an d d azzled b y th e flashe s of ligh t.
H a d th a t death sw ep t thro ug h a full circle, it m u st inevitably
have slain me in m y su rprise. B u t it passe d an d spared m e,
an d le ft th e n ig h t ab o u t me suddenly dark an d u n fam ilia r.
T h e u n d u la tin g c o m m o n se e m e d n o w dark
a lm o s t to
31
b lack n ess, ex cep t w here its road w ay s lay g rey an d p ale u n d er
th e deep b lu e sky of th e early nig ht. It w as dark, an d sud -
denly void of m en . O verhead th e stars w ere m ustering, an d in
th e w est th e sky w as still a pale, brigh t, alm ost g reenish blue.
T h e to p s of th e p in e trees an d th e ro o fs of H orsell cam e ou t
sh arp an d black ag ainst th e w estern afterg low. T h e M artians
an d their ap p lian ces w ere alto geth e r inv isib le, sav e
fo r th a t th in m ast u p o n which th eir restless m irro r
w obbled . P atches o f bush an d isolated trees here an d th ere
sm o ke d an d g lo w ed still, an d th e ho uses to w ard s W oking
station w ere sending u p sp ires of flam e in to th e stillness of
th e ev enin g air.
N o th in g w a s changed sav e fo r th a t an d a terrible asto nish -
m en t. T h e little group of b lack sp ecks w ith th e flag of white
had been sw ept out of existence, an d th e stillness of th e evening,
so it seem ed to m e , had scarcel y been broken.
It cam e to me th a t I w as u p o n this dark co m m o n , h elp -
less, u n p ro tected , an d alo n e . S u d d en ly, lik e a th in g
fa llin g u p o n me fro m w ith o u t, c am e— fear.
W it h a n e f fo r t I tu r n e d a n d b e g a n a
stumbling r u n thro u g h th e h eath e r.
T h e fear I felt w as n o rational fear, b u t a pan ic terro r n o t
only of th e M artian s , b u t of th e d usk an d stilln ess all ab o ut
m e . Such a n ex traordinary effec t in u n m a n n in g me
it h ad th a t I ran w eep in g silen tly as a child m igh t d o .
O n c e I had turn ed , I d id n o t d are to lo o k b ack.
I remember I felt an ex traord in a r y persuasio n th a t I w as
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
32 33

bein g pla y ed w ith , th a t presently, when I w as u p o n th e ver y

verg e of sa fety, this m y sterio us death—as sw ift as th e passage
of light—would leap after me from th e p it abo u t th e cy lind er
an d strik e me down.

Chapter 6.
The heat-ray in the Chobham Road.

It is still a m atte r of wonder how th e M artian s are ab le to

slay m e n so sw iftly an d so silen tly. M an y th in k th a t in som e
w a y they are ab le to g enerate a n inten se h eat in a chamber o f
practic ally absolute n o n -co nd u ctivity. T h is intense h eat th e y
pro ject in a p arallel beam against any ob ject they choo se, by
m ean s of a p olish ed parab olic m irro r of u n kn o w n composi-
tio n , m u ch as th e parabolic m irro r of a lighthouse pro jects a
beam of ligh t. B u t n o one h as ab so lu tely pro ved these details.
However it is do n e, it is certain th a t a beam of h eat is th e
essen ce of th e m atte r. H ea t, an d invisible , instead of visible,
light. W h ate ver is co m b ustible flashes in to flam e at its to u ch ,
lead runs like w ater, it soften s iron , cracks an d m elts glass, an d
when it falls upon w ate r, in c o n tin e n tly th a t
ex p lo d e s in to
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
34
steam.
T h a t n ig h t nearly fo rty p eo ple la y u n d e r th e starligh t abo ut
th e pit, charred an d distorte d beyon d recognition, an d all night
lon g th e common from H o rse ll to M ay b u r y w as deserted an d
b rig h tly ab laz e.
T h e n e w s o f th e m assacre p ro b a b ly reach e d
C h o b h am ,
W oking, an d O ttershaw ab ou t th e sam e tim e . In W oking th e
sh o p s had clo sed when th e traged y happ ened , an d a n u m b er
of peo ple, shop peop le an d so forth , attracte d b y th e stories
they ha d heard , w ere w alk in g over th e H orsell
B ridg e an d alo n g th e road b etw een th e h edg es th a t runs
ou t at last u p o n th e co m m o n . You m ay im agin e th e y oun g
people brushed u p after th e labours of th e day, an d making
this n ovelty, as th e y w o uld m ak e an y n o velty, th e excuse fo r
w alk in g to geth e r an d en joy in g a trivia l flirtatio n . You
m ay fig u re to yo u rself th e h u m of voices along th e road
in th e gloam in g . . . .
A s y et, of co u rse, few peop le in W o king ev en knew th a t
th e cy lin d er ha d op en ed , tho u g h poor H end erso n ha d sen t a
m essenge r o n a bicycle to th e p o st office w ith a special w ire to
an evening paper.
A s these fo lk s cam e o u t b y tw o s an d threes u p o n th e o p en ,
they fo un d little kn ots of people talking excitedly an d p eer -
ing at th e spin nin g m irro r over th e sand pits, an d th e n ew -
com ers w ere, n o d o u b t, so o n in fected b y th e excitem en t of
th e occasio n.
B y half past eigh t, when th e D ep u tatio n w a s d estro y ed ,
35
there m ay hav e been a crow d of th ree h un dre d peop le or more
at th is p lace, b esid es tho se who had left th e road to approach
th e M a rtians nearer. T h e re w ere th ree p olicem e n to o, one of
w h o m w as m ounted, doin g their best, un der instructions from
S ten t, to keep th e people b ack an d d eter th em from ap p ro ach -
ing th e c y linder. T here w a s some booing from
th ose more th ou gh tles s an d excitab le souls to w ho m a
crow d is alw ay s an occasio n fo r noise an d h o rse-p lay.
S ten t an d O gilvy, an ticip atin g some p o ssib ilitie s of a col-
lision , had telegraphed from H orsell to th e b arrack s as so o n as
th e M artian s em erged , fo r th e help of a com p an y of so ld iers
to p rotec t these strange creatures from v io lence.
A fter th a t th e y retu rn e d to lead th a t ill-fated ad v ance. T h e
d esc rip tio n o f their death , as it w a s seen b y th e crow d , tallies
ver y closely w ith m y o w n im pressions: th e thre e p u ffs of
gree n sm o ke , th e deep h u m m in g n ote , an d th e flashes of
flam e.
B u t th a t crow d of p eople h ad a far n arro w er escap e th an
m in e . O n ly th e fact th a t a hu m m o c k o f h eath e r y sand in ter-
cepted th e lo w er part of th e H eat-R a y saved them . H a d th e
elevatio n of th e p arab olic m irro r been a few yard s high e r, n o n e
could hav e liv ed to tell th e tale . T h e y sa w th e flash es an d th e
m e n fallin g an d an inv isib le han d , as it w ere, lit th e b ushes as
it h urried to w ard s th e m th rou g h th e tw iligh t. T h en , w ith a
w h istlin g n o te th a t ro se abo v e th e d ro n in g o f th e
p it, th e beam sw un g close over their h ead s, lightin g th e
to p s o f th e b eec h tree s th a t lin e th e road, an d splittin g th e
b rick s, sm ash -
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
36
ing th e w indow s, firin g th e w indo w fram es, an d bringing down
in crumbling ruin a p o rtio n of th e gab le of th e h ou se n earest
th e corner.
In th e su d de n th u d , h iss, an d g lare of th e ignitin g trees,
th e panic-stricken crow d seem s to have sw ayed hesitatin g ly
fo r som e m o m e n ts. S park s an d burnin g tw ig s b eg an to fall
in to th e road, an d sin g le leave s like pu ffs of flam e . H ats an d
d resses caug ht fire. T h en cam e a cr y ing from th e co m m o n.
T here w ere shriek s an d shouts, an d sudden ly a m oun te d p o -
licem an cam e gallopin g throu g h th e con fusio n w ith h is han ds
claspe d over his h ead , scream ing .
“ T h e y ’re com ing!” a woman sh rieked , an d
inco n tin ently
ever yone w as tu rnin g an d pu shin g a t tho se b eh in d , in order
to c lear their w ay to W oking again . T h e y m u st hav e b o lted as
blin d ly as a flock of sh ee p. W here th e road grow s narrow an d
black b etw ee n th e hig h ban k s th e crow d jammed, an d a d es-
perate struggle o ccu rred . A ll th a t crow d d id n o t escap e; th ree
perso n s a t least, two women an d a little boy, w ere crushed an d
tram p le d th ere , an d left to die a m id th e terro r an d th e dark -
ness.
37
Chapter 7.
How I reached home.
For m y ow n part, I remember nothin g of m y flight ex cep t
th e stress o f blundering ag ainst trees an d stumbling thro ug h
th e h eath e r. All ab o u t me gath ere d th e inv isib le terrors of th e
M artians; th a t p itiless sw o rd of h eat seem ed w hirlin g to an d
fro , flo urish in g overhead b efore it d escen de d an d smote me
ou t of life. I cam e in to th e road b etw ee n th e cro ssro ad s an d
H orsell, an d ra n alo n g th is to th e cro ssro ad s.
A t last I could go n o furth er; I w a s ex hau ste d
w ith th e
vio lence o f m y e m o tio n an d of m y flight, an d I staggered an d
fell b y th e w ay sid e. T h a t w as near th e brid g e th a t crosses th e
can al b y th e gasw orks. I fell an d la y still.
I m u st have remained th ere som e tim e.
I sat u p, strang ely perplex ed. For a m o m en t,
perhaps, I
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
38 39

co u ld n o t clearly u n d erstan d how I cam e th e re . M y w as called O rien -

terro r
had fallen from me like a g arm en t. M y h a t had gone, an d m y
collar h ad b urst aw a y from its fasten er. A few m in ute s before,
th ere h a d o n ly been th re e real th in g s b efo re m e —
th e im - m ensity of th e n ig h t an d space an d n atu re , m y
ow n feeble - n ess an d anguish, an d th e near approach o f death .
N o w it w as as if so m eth in g tu rn e d over, an d th e
p o in t o f vie w alte red ab ru ptly. T h e re w a s n o sen sib le
transitio n from one state of m in d to th e o the r. I w as
immediately th e self o f ev ery day again — a decent,
ordina r y citiz en . T h e silen t com m o n , th e im pulse of m y
flight, th e startin g flam es, w ere as if they had been in a
dream . I ask ed m yself had these latter thin g s in deed
hap pen ed ? I could n o t credit it.
I ro se an d w alk e d un stead ily u p th e steep in clin e of th e
b ridg e. M y m in d w a s blan k wonder. M y m usc les an d ner ves
seem ed drained of their stren gth . I dare say I staggered dru n k -
en ly. A h ea d ro se over th e arch, an d th e fig u re of a workman
carryin g a bask et app eared . B esid e h im ran a little boy. H e
p asse d m e , w ishin g me good nigh t. I w a s m in d e d to sp eak to
him , b u t d id n o t. I answ ere d his greeting w ith a m eaningless
mumble an d w en t o n over th e b rid g e.
O v e r th e M a y b u r y a rch a tra in , a b illo w in g
tu m u lt o f
white, firelit sm o k e , a n d a lo n g caterp illa r o f
ligh te d w in - dow s, w en t fly ing so uth — c latter, c latte r, c lap,
rap, an d it had gone. A dim group of peo ple talked in th e
gate o f one o f th e houses in th e pretty little ro w of g ab les th a t
tal Terrace. It w a s all so real an d so fam iliar. A n d th a t b ehin d
m e! It w a s frantic, fan tastic ! Such th in gs , I to ld m yself, could
n o t b e.
Perhaps I a m a m a n o f exceptio na l moods. I do n o t kn ow
how far m y ex p erien c e is co m m o n . A t times I suffe r from th e
strangest sense of detach m en t from m yself an d th e w orld about
m e ; I seem to w atc h it all from th e outside, from so m ew here
in con ceivab ly re m ote , o u t of tim e , o u t o f space,
ou t of th e stress an d traged y of it all. T h is feelin g w as
ver y stron g u p o n me th a t nig ht. H ere w as an oth e r side to
m y d ream .
B u t th e trouble w a s th e b lan k in co n gru ity of th is seren ity
an d th e sw ift death fly ing y on d er, n o t two m iles aw a y. T h ere
w as a no ise of b u sin ess from th e g asw orks, an d th e electric
lam p s w ere all alight. I sto pp e d at th e group o f p eop le.
“ W h a t ne w s from th e co m m on?” said I.
T here w ere two m e n an d a woman at th e g ate.
“E h?” said one o f th e m en , turning .
“ W h a t ne w s from th e co m m on?” I said .
“‘A in’t ye r just B E E N th ere?” ask ed th e m en .
“People seem fair silly about th e com m on,” said th e woman
over th e g ate . “ W h a t ’s it all abart?”
“H a v e n’t you h eard of th e m e n fro m M ars?” said I; “the
creatures from M ars?”
“Quite en o ug h ,” said th e w o m a n over th e gate. “ Thenks”;
an d all th ree of th em laughed.
I felt foolish an d angry. I tried a n d fo u n d I could n o t tell
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
40 41

th em w h at I had seen . T h e y lau gh ed ag ain at m y broken sen -

tences.
“ You’ ll hear more y et,” I said , an d w en t o n to m y h o m e.
I startled m y w ife a t th e do o r w ay, so haggard w as I. I w ent
in to th e d in in g ro o m , sat down, dran k som e w in e, an d so so on
as I cou ld collect m yself sufficien tly I told h e r th e th in g s I
had seen . T h e din n e r, w h ic h w as a cold on e, had alread y been
ser ved, an d remained n eg lecte d o n th e tab le w h ile I to ld m y
sto r y.
“ T h e re is one thin g ,” I said , to allay th e fears I had arou sed;
“th ey are th e m o st slu gg ish thin g s I ever sa w craw l. T h e y m ay
keep th e p it an d k ill peop le who com e near th em , b u t they
can n o t get ou t of it. . . . B u t th e h o rro r of th em !”
“D o n’t, dear!” said m y w ife, kn ittin g h er brow s an d p u t-
tin g h er h an d o n m ine.
“ Poor O g ilvy!” I said . “ To th in k h e m a y b e ly ing
dead
there!”
M y w ife at least did n o t fin d m y ex perien ce
in credible. W he n I sa w h o w deadly white h er fac e w as, I ceased
ab ru p tly.
“ T h e y m ay co m e h ere,” sh e said ag ain an d again .
I pressed h e r to take w in e, an d tr ie d to reassu re h e r.
“ T h e y c an scarcely m o v e,” I said .
I beg an to comfort h e r an d m yself b y repeating
all th a t O g ilv y ha d told me of th e im po ssibility of th e
M artian s es- tablishing th em selv es o n th e earth . In
particu la r I laid stress o n th e g ravitatio na l difficulty. O n th e
su rfac e of th e earth th e
fo rc e o f grav ity is th re e times w h a t it is o n th e
su rfac e o f
M ars. A M artian , therefore, w ould w eig h th re e times more
th a n o n M ars, alb eit h is m u scular stren gth w ould be th e sam e.
H is ow n b o d y w ould be a cop e of lead to him . T h a t, ind eed ,
w as th e gen eral opinion . B o th T H E T IM E S an d th e
D A ILY T E L E G R A P H , fo r instance, in sisted o n it th e
nex t m o rn - ing, an d b o th o verlo o k ed , ju st as I d id , two
obv iou s modify- ing influ ences.
T h e atm o sp here of th e earth , w e n ow kn ow, contains
far more oxygen or far less argon (w h ich ev er w ay one likes to
p u t it) th a n does M ars. T h e inv ig oratin g in flu en ce s of this
excess of oxygen u p o n th e M artia ns in d isp utab ly d id m u ch
to cou n - terb alan c e th e increased weight of their bodies.
A n d , in th e secon d p lace, w e all ov erlo o ke d th e fac t th a t
such m echan ical in tellig en c e as th e M artia n po ssessed w a s
qu ite able to dis- p en se w ith m uscu lar exertio n at a p inc h .
B u t I did n o t co nsid er these points a t th e tim e , an d so m y
reaso nin g w as dead ag ain st th e chances of th e in v aders.
W ith w in e an d fo od , th e confidenc e of m y o w n tab le, an d
th e n e - cessity o f reassurin g m y w ife, I grew b y
insen sib le d eg rees co u ra geo u s an d secu re.
“ T h e y h av e d o n e a fo o lish th in g ,” said I,
fin ge ring m y
w ineglass. “ T h e y are dan gero u s because, n o d o u b t, they are
m a d w ith te rro r. Pe rhaps they e x p ec te d to fin d
n o liv in g thing s— certain ly n o intelligent liv in g th in gs.”
“A shell in th e p it ” said I, “if th e w o rst co m e s to th e w orst
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
42 43

w ill kill the m all.”

T h e inten se ex citem en t of th e ev en ts h ad n o
do u b t left m y perceptiv e po w ers in a state of erethism . I
remember th a t din n e r table w ith extrao rdinar y v ividness
even n ow. M y dear w ife ’s sw ee t anx io u s face peering at me
fro m u n d e r th e pin k lamp sh ade, th e white cloth w ith
its silve r an d glas s tab le furniture—for in th ose day s
even ph ilo so p hica l w riters had m an y little lu xuries— th e
crim so n - purple w in e in m y glass, are ph o to g rap hically
distin ct. A t th e en d of it I sat, tem p er- ing n u ts w ith a
cig arette, reg rettin g O gilvy ’s rash n ess , an d den o un cin g
th e sh ortsigh te d tim idity o f th e M artian s.
S o som e respectable d o d o in th e M au ritiu s m ig h t
have
lorded it in his nest, an d d iscu sse d th e arrival of th a t shipfu l
of p itiless sailors in w an t of anim al fo o d . “ W e w ill p ec k them
to death to m o rrow, m y dea r.”
I d id n o t k n o w it, b u t th a t w a s th e last civilise d d in n e r I
w as to eat fo r ver y m an y stran g e an d terrib le day s.
Chapter 8.
Friday night.
T h e m ost extrao rdinar y th in g to m y m ind, of all the strange
an d wonderful th in g s th a t hap pene d u p o n th a t
Friday, w as th e do vetailin g of th e co m m o n plac e h ab its of our
social order w ith th e first beginnings of th e series o f ev en ts
th a t w a s to to p ple th a t so cial order head lon g. If o n Friday
n ig h t you had taken a pair of co m p asse s an d drawn a circle
w ith a rad iu s o f fiv e m iles ro u n d th e W o king sand pits, I
do u b t if you w o uld h av e had one hum an being outside
it, u n less it w ere som e relation of S ten t or of th e three
or fou r cyclists or L o n d o n p eople ly in g dead o n th e
co m m o n , w hose em o tio n s or habits w ere a t all affec te d
b y th e new-comers. M an y p eo p le h a d heard of th e
cy linder, of co urse, an d talked ab o u t it in their leisure, bu t
it certain ly did n o t m ak e th e sensatio n th a t an
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
44
u ltim atu m to G erm an y w o uld have d o ne.
In L o n d o n th a t n ig h t poor H enderso n’s telegram d escrib -
ing th e gradual unscrew in g of th e sh o t w as jud g ed
to be a canard , an d his evening paper, after w iring fo r
auth en tic ation from h im an d receiv in g n o reply — th e m a n
w as killed—de- cid ed n o t to p rin t a specia l editio n .
E ven w ithin th e five-m ile circle th e great m ajority of people
w ere in ert. I hav e alread y d escribe d th e beh avio u r of th e m en
an d women to w h o m I sp o k e . A ll over th e
d istric t p eop le w ere dinin g an d su pp ing ; w orkin g m en w ere
gardening after th e labo urs of th e day, child ren w ere bein g
p u t to bed, yo ung peo ple w ere w an d erin g thro ug h th e lan es
love- making, stu - d ents sa t over th eir bo oks.
M ay b e th ere w a s a m u rm u r in th e villag e streets, a no vel
an d d om inan t topic in th e pu b lic-h ou ses, an d here an d th ere
a m essen ge r, or even a n ey e-w itness o f th e later o ccurren ces,
cau se d a w hirl of ex citem ent, a sho utin g , an d a ru n n in g to
an d fro ; b u t fo r th e m o st part th e daily ro u tin e of w ork in g ,
eating, d rin kin g , sleepin g , w en t o n as it had d o n e fo r co u n t-
less y ears— as tho u g h n o p lan e t M ars ex isted in th e sky. E v en
at W o king statio n an d H o rse ll an d C h o b h a m th a t
w as th e case.
In W o king junctio n , u n til a late h o u r, train s w ere
sto p -
pin g an d go in g o n , oth ers w ere sh u n tin g o n th e sid in gs, p as -
seng ers w ere alighting an d w aitin g, an d e ver ything w a s pro -
ceedin g in th e m ost ordina r y w ay. A boy from the town, trench -
45
ing on S m ith’s m onopo ly, w as selling papers w ith th e afternoo n’s
ne w s. T h e rin gin g impact of tr uc k s, th e sha rp w histle of th e
en g in es from th e jun ctio n , mingled w ith their shouts of “M en
from M ars!” Excited m e n cam e into th e statio n abo u t nin e
o’cloc k w ith incredib le tid in gs, an d cau sed n o more d istu r-
b a n c e th a n d r unkards m ig h t h a v e d o n e . Pe o p le
r a ttlin g
L on d o n w ard s p eere d into th e dark ness outside th e carriag e
w indow s, an d sa w only a rare, flickering , vanishin g spark dance
u p from th e direction of H orsell, a red glow an d a th in veil of
sm ok e drivin g across th e stars, an d th o u g h t th a t n othin g more
seriou s th a n a heath fire w as hap penin g . It w a s on ly ro u n d
th e edg e of th e co m m o n th a t any disturbance w as
percep - tible. T h e re w ere h alf a dozen villa s bu rnin g o n th e
W o king border. T h e re w ere lights in all th e h ouses o n th e
com m on side of th e th re e villages , an d th e p eop le th ere kep t
aw ak e till dawn.
A cu rio u s cro w d lin g e red restlessly, p eo ple coming
an d
go in g b u t th e crow d remaining, b o th o n th e C h o b h a m an d
H orsell b rid ges. O n e or two ad ven tu rou s so u ls, it w a s after-
w ard s fo un d , w en t into th e d arkn ess an d craw le d q uite near
th e M artian s; b u t they n ev er retu rn ed , fo r n o w an d again a
lig h t-ray, like th e beam of a w arship ’s search lig h t sw ep t th e
co m m o n, an d th e H ea t-R ay w as ready to follow. S ave for such,
that big area of com m o n w as silent an d desolate, and the charred
bodies lay ab o u t o n it all n ig h t u n d er th e stars, an d all th e
nex t day. A noise o f h a m m e ring from th e p it w as h eard by
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
46 47

m an y peo ple. b u sin ess. A b o u t elev en , th e nex t m o rning ’s papers w ere able
S o you hav e th e state of thin g s o n Friday to say, a squadron of hussars, tw o Maxims, an d abo u t
nig ht. In th e centre, stick in g in to th e sk in of our old fo u r
plan e t E a rth like a poisoned d art, w a s this c ylinder. B u t th e h u n d re d m e n o f th e C ard ig a n re gim en t starte d
from
poison w as scarcely w o rk in g y et. A ro u n d it w as a p atc h o f
A ld ersh ot.
silen t co m m o n , sm o ul- dering in p laces, an d w ith a fe w dark,
A fe w secon d s after m id nigh t th e crow d in th e C hertsey
dim ly seen o b jects ly ing in co n to rte d attitu d e s here an d
road, W o king, sa w a star fall fro m heav en in to th e pin e w oods
there . H ere an d th ere w a s a b u rnin g bush or tree. B eyon d
to th e n o rth w est. It had a g reen ish colou r, an d caused a silent
w as a fring e of excitem ent, an d farth e r th a n th a t fring e
brightness like summer lig h tnin g. T h is w a s th e seco n d cy lin -
th e inflam m atio n h ad n o t crept as y et. In th e rest of
der.
th e w orld th e stream of life still flo w e d as it h ad flow ed fo r
im m e m o rial y ears. T h e fe v er of w ar th a t w ould presen tly c lo g
vein an d arter y, deaden n er ve an d destroy brain, had still to
d ev elo p.
A ll n ig h t lo n g th e M artian s w ere h am m erin g an d stirring,
sleepless, in defatig able , at w ork u p o n th e m ach in e s they w ere
making ready, an d e v er an d again a p u ff of
greenish -w hite sm o k e whirled u p to th e starlit sky.
A b o u t eleven a com pan y of so ld iers cam e throu g h H orsell,
an d deployed alo n g th e ed g e of th e co m m o n to form a co r-
do n . L ate r a secon d com pan y marched throu g h C h o b h a m to
d ep lo y o n th e n o rth side o f th e co m m o n . S everal o fficers from
th e In kerm a n b arrack s had been o n th e co m m o n
earlier in th e day, an d on e, M ajo r E d en , w a s reported to
be m issing . T h e co lo n el of th e regim en t cam e to th e
C h o b h a m bridg e an d w a s busy questioning th e crow d at
m id n ig ht. T h e m ili- tar y auth oritie s w ere certain ly aliv e to
th e serio u sn ess o f th e
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
48
Chapter 9.
The fighting begins.
S atu rd ay live s in m y m e m o r y as a day of su spen se. It w as
a day of lassitud e to o , h o t an d close, w ith , I a m to ld , a rap id ly
fluctuating barometer. I h a d slep t b u t little, th o ug h m y w ife
had su cceed ed in sleeping , an d I rose early. I w en t into m y
garden before b reakfast an d sto o d listening, b u t to w ard s th e
co m m o n th ere w a s no thin g stirring b u t a lark .
T h e m ilkm an cam e as usual. I heard th e rattle of his chariot
an d I w en t ro u n d to th e side g ate to ask th e latest n ew s. H e
told me th a t d urin g th e n ig h t th e M artian s had
been sur- ro u n d e d b y tro o p s , an d th a t g u n s w ere
ex p ected . T h en — a fam ilia r, reassu ring n o te — I h eard a
train ru n n in g to w ard s W oking.
“ T h e y aren’t to be k illed,” said th e m ilk m an , “if th a t c an
49
possibly be avo ided.”
I sa w m y n eigh b o u r gardening, ch atte d w ith
h im fo r a tim e , an d th e n strolle d in to breakfast. It w as a
m o st u nex - ception al m o rnin g . M y n eigh b ou r w as o f
op inion th a t th e tro op s w ould be able to capture or to
destro y th e M artian s d u ring th e day.
“It ’s a p ity they m ak e themselve s so u nap proachab le,” h e
said . “It w ou ld be curiou s to k n o w how they live o n an o th er
planet; w e m igh t learn a th in g or tw o.”
H e cam e u p to th e fen ce an d extended a h an dfu l of straw -
berries, fo r h is gardening w as as genero u s as it w as enthu sias -
tic. A t th e sam e tim e h e to ld me of th e bu rnin g of th e pine
w ood s abo u t th e B yfleet G o lf L in ks.
“ T h e y sa y,” said h e, “tha t th ere ’s an o th e r of th o se b lessed
thin g s fallen th ere — n u m b e r tw o. B u t one’s eno u gh ,
su rely. T h is lo t ’ll cost th e insurance peop le a pre tty
pen n y befo re e ver y th in g ’s settled .” H e lau gh ed w ith an air
of th e g reatest good h u m o u r as h e said this. T h e w o ods, he
said , w ere still bu rn in g , an d p o inte d ou t a ha z e of sm oke to
m e . “ T h e y w ill be h o t u n d er foot fo r days, o n
acco u n t of th e thic k soil of p in e n eedles an d turf,” he
said , an d th e n g rew serio u s over
“poor O gilvy.”
A fter breakfast, instead of w orking , I de cided to w alk down
to w ard s th e co m m o n . U n d e r th e railw a y b rid g e I
fo u n d a group of so ld iers— sappers, I th in k , m e n in sm all
ro u n d cap s, d irty red jackets un b uttoned , an d sho w in g th eir
blu e shirts,
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
50
dark tro users, an d boots coming to th e calf. T h e y told me n o
one w as allo w e d over th e canal, an d , lo o kin g alon g th e road
to w ard s th e brid g e, I sa w one of th e C ard iga n m e n stan din g
sentinel th ere . I talked w ith these so ld iers fo r a tim e; I told
th em of m y sigh t of th e M artian s o n th e p rev iou s evenin g .
N o n e of th em h ad seen th e M artian s , an d they had b u t th e
vagu est id ea s of th em , so th a t they p lied me w ith q uestio n s.
T h e y said th a t they did n o t kn o w who had
authorised th e m o vem ents of th e troops; th eir ide a w as
th a t a dispute had arise n at th e H orse G u ard s. T h e
ordina r y sapper is a great deal b ette r edu cated th a n th e
co m m o n sold ier, an d th e y dis- cussed th e pecu lia r conditions
of th e p o ssib le figh t w ith som e acuteness . I describ e d th e
H eat-R ay to th em , an d they began to argu e am o n g
them selves.
“C raw l u p u n d e r cover an d rush ‘em , sa y I,” said o ne.
“G e t aht!,” said an o th e r. “ W h a t ’s cover against this
‘ere
‘eat? S tick s to co o k y er! W h a t w e g ot to do is to go as near as
th e grou n d ’ll let us, an d th e n d rive a trench .”
“B low y er tren c hes! You alw ay s w an t tren ch es; you o u gh t
to h a’ been b orn a rab bit S n ip p y.”
“A in’t they go t any n ec k s, th en ? ” said a th ird , ab ru p tly— a
little, co ntem p lativ e , dark m an , sm o kin g a pipe.
I repeated m y description.
“O cto p u ses,” said he, “tha t ’s w h at I calls ‘em . Talk ab ou t
fish ers of men—fighters o f fish it is this tim e!”
“It ain’t n o m urder k illin g b easts like th at,” said th e first
51
speaker.
“ W h y n o t sh e ll th e d arn e d th in g s strite o ff an d
fin ish
‘em ?” said th e little dark m a n . “ You carn tell w hat they m ig ht
do.”
“ W h e re’s y o u r shells?” said th e first sp eake r. “ T h e re ain’t
n o tim e . D o it in a rush, th a t ’s m y tip, an d do it at once.”
S o they d iscu ssed it. A fter a w h ile I left them , an d w ent
o n to th e railw a y statio n to get as m an y m o rn in g pap ers as I
co u ld .
B u t I w ill n o t w ear y th e read er w ith a d escrip tio n of th a t
lo n g m o rn in g an d of th e lo ng er aftern oo n . I d id n o t succeed
in gettin g a glim pse of th e co m m o n , fo r even
H orsell an d C h o b h a m chu rch tow ers w ere in th e
han ds of th e military au th o rities. T h e so ld iers I
ad d ressed did n’t kn ow any th in g; th e officers w ere
m y sterio us as w ell as busy. I fou n d people in th e to w n qu ite
secure again in th e presen ce of th e military, an d I h eard fo r
th e first tim e from Marshall, th e to b accon ist, th a t his so n
w as a m o n g th e dead o n th e co m m o n . T h e sol- diers had
made th e people o n th e outskirts of H orsell lock u p an d leav e
th eir houses.
I go t back to lun ch ab o u t tw o, ver y tired fo r, as I hav e said ,
th e day w a s ex trem ely h o t an d d u ll; an d in order to refresh
m yself I to o k a co ld bath in th e aftern o on . A b o u t half past
fo u r I w en t u p to th e railw ay statio n to get an e vening paper,
fo r th e m o rnin g p apers ha d contain e d o n ly a ver y inaccu rate
descrip tio n of th e killin g of S ten t, H e n derson , O gilvy,
an d
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
52
th e others. B u t th ere w as little I did n’t kn ow. T h e M artians
d id n o t show an in ch of themselves. T h e y seem ed
busy in their pit, an d th ere w as a so u n d of h am m erin g an d
an alm o st continuous streamer o f sm o k e . Apparently
they w ere b u sy gettin g read y fo r a stru g g le. “Fresh
attem p ts have been made to sig n al, b u t w ith o u t success,”
w as th e stereo ty p e d fo rm ula of th e p ap ers. A sapp er told
me it w as d o n e b y a m a n in a ditc h w ith a flag on a lon g
pole. T h e M a rtians to o k as m u ch notice of such adv ances as
w e should of th e low in g of a cow.
I m ust confess th e sight of all this arm a m en t, all this prepa -
ratio n , g reatly ex cited m e . M y im aginatio n b ecam e b elliger-
en t, an d d efeated th e inv ad ers in a d o zen striking w ays; so m e -
th in g of m y sch o o lb o y dream s of battle an d
heroism cam e bac k. It h ard ly seem ed a fair figh t to me at
th a t tim e . T h e y seem ed ver y help less in th a t p it of th eirs.
A b o u t th re e o’cloc k th ere b eg an th e th u d of a gu n at m ea -
su re d in te r vals fro m C h e rtsey or A d d lesto ne . I learn ed th a t
th e sm o uld erin g pin e w oo d in to which th e seco n d cy lin der
had fallen w a s bein g sh elled , in th e h op e of destro yin g th a t
object before it o pened . It w as o n ly abo u t five , ho w e ver, th a t
a field gu n reach ed C h o b h a m fo r u se ag ainst th e first b o d y o f
M artian s.
A b o u t six in th e even ing , as I sat at tea w ith m y w ife in
th e summerhouse talking v igorously ab o u t th e b attle th a t w as
low ering upo n us, I h eard a m uffled deto natio n from th e com -
m o n , an d im m ed iate ly afte r a gust o f firin g . Close
o n th e
53
h eels o f th a t cam e a violen t rattlin g crash , q uite clos e to u s,
th a t sh o o k th e ground; an d , startin g o u t u p o n th e law n , I saw
th e top s of th e trees abo u t th e O rien ta l C olleg e
bu rst into sm o k y red flam e, an d th e to w er of th e little
ch urc h b esid e it slid e dow n into ru in . T h e pinnacle of th e
m osq u e had van - ished, a n d th e ro o f lin e o f th e
co lleg e itself lo o k e d as if a h u n d red -to n gu n had been
at w ork u p o n it. O n e of our ch im - ne y s crac ked as if a sh o t
had h it it, flew, an d a p iece of it cam e clattering down th e
tiles an d made a h ea p o f broken red frag - m e n ts u p o n th e
flow er bed b y m y stud y window.
I an d m y w ife sto o d am a z ed. T h e n I realised th a t th e crest
of M ay b u r y H ill m u st be w ithin ran g e of th e M a rtians ’ H e at-
R ay n ow th a t th e co lleg e w as c leared ou t of th e w a y.
A t th a t I gripped m y w ife’s arm , an d w ith o u t cerem on y
ran h er o u t into th e road. T h e n I fetc h e d ou t th e
ser v an t, tellin g h er I w ould go up stairs m yself fo r
th e b ox sh e w as c lamouring fo r.
“ W e can’t po ssib ly stay he re,” I said ; an d as I
spok e th e
firin g reopened fo r a m om en t u p o n th e co m m o n .
“B u t w here are w e to go?” said m y w ife in terro r.
I th o u g h t perp lex ed . T h e n I remembered h er co u sin s at
L eatherh e ad.
“L eath erhead !” I sh o ute d abov e th e sud d e n noise.
S he lo o ke d aw ay from me d ownhill. T h e peop le w ere co m -
ing ou t o f their hou ses, astonished.
“How are w e to get to L eatherhead ? ” sh e said .
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
54
D o w n th e h ill I sa w a bev y of hu ssars ride u n d er th e rail-
w a y b rid g e ; th re e g allo p e d th ro u g h th e o p e n g ate s
o f th e O rienta l C ollege; two others dism o u nted , an d began
ru n nin g from ho use to h ou se . T h e sun, shinin g
throu g h th e sm ok e th a t drov e u p from th e top s of th e
trees, seem ed blood red , an d th rew a n un fam ilia r lu rid ligh t
up on e ver y thin g.
“S to p h ere,” said I; “yo u are safe here” ; an d I starte d off at
once fo r th e S po tte d D o g , fo r I knew th e landlord h ad a ho rse
an d dog cart. I ran , fo r I p erceived th a t in a m om en t e ver yo n e
u p o n th is side of th e hill w ould be m ov ing . I fo un d h im in
his bar, q uite u naw are of w hat w as going o n b ehin d h is ho use.
A m a n sto o d w ith his b ack to m e , talking to him .
“I m u st hav e a p ou n d ,” said th e landlord, “an d I’ve n o one
to d riv e it.”
“I’ll giv e you two,” said I, o ver th e stran g er’s shoulder.
“ W h a t for?”
“A n d I’ll bring it back b y m id nigh t,” I said .
“L ord!” said th e landlord; “ w hat ’s th e hurr y? I’m
sellin g m y b it of a pig . Tw o po u nd s, an d you bring it back ?
W h a t ’s go in g o n now ?”
I explain ed h astily th a t I had to leav e m y h o m e , an d so
secu re d th e dog cart. A t th e tim e it d id n o t seem to me nearly
so urgen t th a t th e landlord should leav e his. I too k care to
have th e cart th ere an d th e n , dro v e it off down th e road, an d ,
leav in g it in charg e of m y w ife an d ser v ant, rushed into m y
ho u se an d packed a fe w valuables, such plate as w e h ad , an d
55
so fo rth . T h e b eech trees below th e h ou se w ere b urnin g w h ile
I d id th is, an d th e paling s u p th e road g low ed red. W h ile I
w as occu pied in th is w a y, one of th e d ism o u nte d h u ssars cam e
runnin g up . H e w as going from house to house, w arning people
to leav e. H e w as g oin g o n as I came o u t o f m y fron t d o o r,
luggin g m y treasures, do n e u p in a tablecloth. I sho ute d after
h im :
“ W h a t ne w s?”
H e turn ed , stared, b aw led so m ethin g ab o u t “craw lin g ou t
in a th in g like a dish cover,” an d ran o n to th e g ate of th e
ho u se at th e crest. A su dd e n w hirl of black
sm ok e driving across th e road hid h im fo r a m om en t. I ran
to m y neigh b o u r’s d o o r an d rapped to satisfy m y self o f w h at I
already knew, th a t his w ife had go n e to L o n d o n w ith him
an d had lock ed u p their h ou se. I w en t in ag ain , accordin g to
m y pro m ise, to get m y ser van t ’s box, lugged it o u t, clap ped
it b esid e h er on th e tail of th e dog cart, an d th e n caught th e
rein s an d jumped u p in to th e d river’s seat b esid e m y w ife. In
an o th e r m om en t w e w ere clear of th e sm ok e an d noise,
an d spanking down th e opposite slo p e of Maybu r y H ill
to w ard s O ld W oking.
In fro n t w as a qu iet sun n y landscape , a wheat field ahead
o n eith e r sid e o f th e road, a n d th e M ay b u r y In n
w ith its sw ing in g sign . I saw th e d octo r’s cart ahead
of m e. A t th e b otto m of th e h ill I turn e d m y head to
loo k at th e hillsid e I w as leav in g. T h ic k stream ers of blac k
sm oke sh o t w ith th read s of red fire w ere d riv in g u p into th e
still air, an d th ro w in g dark
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
56 57

shadow s u p on th e gree n treeto p s eastw ard . T h e sm ok e already

extended far aw a y to th e east an d w est— to th e B yfleet pine
w ood s eastw ard , an d to W oking o n th e w est. T h e road w as
d o tte d w ith people ru n n in g to w ards u s. A n d ver y fain t n ow,
b u t ve r y d istin c t th ro u g h th e h o t, q u ie t air, one
heard th e whirr o f a m a c h in e -g u n th a t w a s
p resen tly stilled , an d a n in term itten t crack in g of rifles.
Apparently th e M artian s w ere settin g fire to ev ery th in g
w ithin rang e of th eir H e a t-R ay.
I a m n o t an ex pert d riv er, an d I had immediately to tu rn
m y atten tio n to th e h o rse . W h e n I lo oked b ac k
ag ain th e seco n d h ill h ad h idde n th e b lack sm ok e . I
slashe d th e h orse w ith th e whip, an d gav e h im a loose rein
u n til W o king an d S en d lay betw een us an d th a t
quiverin g tum u lt. I o verto ok an d p assed th e do cto r
b etw een W oking an d S en d .
Chapter 10.
In the storm.
L eath erh ea d is ab o u t tw e lve m ile s fro m M ay b u r y
H ill. T h e scen t o f h ay w as in th e air thro ug h th e lu sh
m eadow s bey o n d Pyrford, an d th e hedg es o n eith er side w ere
sw ee t an d gay w ith m ultitu de s of dog-roses. T h e heav y
firing th a t had broken o u t w h ile w e w ere d riv in g dow n
Mayb u r y H ill ceased as ab ru p tly as it b eg an , leavin g th e
evening ver y p eacefu l an d still. W e go t to L eath e rhead
w ith o u t m isad v en ture abo u t nin e o’c loc k, an d th e h orse h ad
an h o u r’s rest w h ile I to o k su pp er w ith m y cou sin s an d
co m m en d e d m y w ife to th eir care.
M y w ife w as curio usly silen t throu gh o u t th e d rive ,
an d
seem ed op presse d w ith fo reb o din g s of evil. I talked
to h er reassu rin g ly, p o intin g ou t th a t th e M a rtians w ere
tied to th e P it b y sheer heav in ess, an d a t th e u tm o s t could
b u t craw l a
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
58
little ou t of it; b u t sh e an sw ere d on ly in m o n o sy llab les. H a d
it n o t been fo r m y prom ise to th e innkeeper, sh e
w ould , I th in k, have urged me to stay in L eathe rhead th at night.
W ould th a t I had ! H e r face, I rem e m b e r, w as ver y white as w e
parted. For m y ow n part, I h a d been fe verish ly
excited all day. S o m e th in g v e r y lik e th e w a r fe ve r
th a t o cca sio n a lly r uns thro ug h a civilise d community h ad
go t in to m y blood, an d in m y heart I w a s n o t so v e r y
so rr y th a t I h a d to re tu rn to M ay bu r y th a t n igh t. I
w as e ven afraid th a t th a t last fusillade
I had h eard m ig h t m ea n th e extermination of our in v ad ers
from M ars. I can b est express m y state of m in d b y say in g th a t
I wanted to be in at th e d eath.
It w as nearly eleven when I started to retu rn . T h e n ig h t
w as u n exp ected ly dark ; to m e , w alk in g ou t of th e ligh te d p as-
sage of m y cousins ’ h ou se , it seem ed in d ee d b lack , an d it w as
as h o t an d c lose as th e day. O verhead th e c loud s w ere d riv ing
fast, alb eit n o t a b reath stirred th e shru b s ab ou t u s. M y cous-
ins’ m a n lit b o th lam p s. H ap p ily, I knew th e road in tim ate ly.
M y w ife sto o d in th e ligh t of th e d o o r w ay, an d w atc h e d me
u n til I jumped u p in to th e dog cart. T h e n ab ru p tly sh e tu rn ed
an d w en t in , leav in g m y co u sin s sid e b y side w ishin g me good
hap.
I w a s a little depressed at first w ith th e contagion of m y
w ife ’s fears, b u t ver y so o n m y tho u gh ts re ve rted to th e M a r-
tians. A t th a t tim e I w as ab so lu tely in th e dark as to th e cou rse
of th e evening ’s fightin g . I did n o t k n o w e ve n th e
circu m -
59
stances th a t h ad precipitated th e conflict. A s I cam e th rou gh
O ckha m (fo r th a t w as th e w ay I retu rn ed , an d n o t thro ug h
S en d an d O ld W okin g ) I sa w alo n g th e w estern
ho riz on a b lo o d -re d g low, w h ich as I drew nearer, crept
slow ly u p th e sky. T h e drivin g cloud s of th e gatherin g
thundersto rm mingled there w ith m asses o f black an d red
sm o ke.
R ip le y S tree t w as deserted, an d ex cep t fo r a ligh te d w in -
do w or so th e villag e sh o w e d n o t a sig n of life ; b u t I n arro w ly
escap ed an acciden t at th e corner of th e road to Pyrford, w here
a k no t of peo ple sto o d w ith th eir b acks to m e. T h e y said n o th -
ing to me as I p assed . I d o n o t k n o w w h at they knew of th e
thin g s h ap penin g bey on d th e hill, n o r do I k no w if th e silen t
houses I passe d o n m y w a y w ere sleep in g secu rely, or deserted
an d em p ty, or h arassed an d w atc hin g ag ain st th e terro r of th e
n ig h t.
Fro m R ipley u n til I c ame thro u g h P y rfo rd I w as
in th e
valley of th e W ey, an d th e red glare w as h id de n from m e . A s
I ascen d e d th e little h ill b ey o n d P y rfo rd C h u rc h
th e g lare cam e into vie w again , an d th e trees ab o u t me
sh ivere d w ith th e first in tim atio n of th e storm th a t w as
u p o n m e . T h e n I heard m id nig h t pealin g o u t from P y rford
C h urc h b eh in d m e, an d th e n cam e th e silhouette of
M ay bu r y H ill, w ith its tree- to p s an d ro o fs b lack an d sharp
ag ain st th e red .
E ven as I beheld th is a lurid green g lare lit th e road ab ou t
me an d sh ow ed th e distan t w ood s tow ard s A d dlesto ne . I felt
a tu g a t th e rein s. I sa w th a t th e d riv in g clo u d s
h a d been
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
60
pierced as it w ere b y a threa d of green fire, su dden ly ligh tin g
th eir con fusio n an d fallin g into th e field to m y left. It w as th e
th ird fallin g star!
Close o n its ap parition , an d blind ingly v io let b y co ntrast,
danced ou t th e first ligh tn in g of th e gath erin g storm , an d th e
th u n d e r bu rst like a rocket overhead . T h e h orse to o k th e b it
betw een h is teeth an d b olted .
A m o d erate in c lin e runs to w ard s th e foot o f Mayb u r y H ill,
an d down this w e clattered. O nc e th e ligh tn in g had begun, it
w en t o n in as rapid a successio n o f flashes as I have eve r seen .
T h e thunderclaps, treadin g one o n th e h eels o f an oth e r an d
w ith a strange crack lin g accompaniment, sounded more like
th e w orking of a gigantic electric machine than th e usu al d eto -
n atin g reverb erations. T h e flickerin g ligh t w a s blinding an d
co n fu sin g , an d a th in hail smote gu stily at m y face as I d rov e
down th e slo p e.
A t first I reg ard e d little bu t th e road before m e , an d th en
ab ru p tly m y atten tio n w a s arreste d b y so m eth in g
th a t w as m o v ing rapidly dow n th e opposite slo p e of
Maybury H ill. A t first I to o k it fo r th e w et roo f of a
ho u se , b u t one flash fo llo w in g an oth e r sho w ed it to be in
sw ift ro llin g movement.
It w a s an elusiv e v isio n — a m om en t of bew ild erin g darkness,
an d th en , in a flash like daylig h t, th e red m asses o f th e O r-
phanage near th e crest of th e h ill, th e g reen to p s o f th e pine
trees, an d th is p rob lem atica l object cam e o u t clear an d sharp
an d b righ t.
61
A n d th is T h in g I saw ! H o w can I describ e it?
A m on-
strou s tripod , highe r tha n m an y houses, stridin g over th e young
pin e trees, an d sm ashin g th em asid e in its career; a w alk in g
engine of glittering metal, stridin g n o w across th e h eather;
articu late rop es of steel dangling from it, an d th e clattering
tu m u lt of its p assag e mingling w ith th e rio t of th e th u n d e r. A
flash , an d it cam e ou t vivid ly, heelin g ov er one w ay w ith two
feet in th e air, to v an ish an d reap pear alm ost in stan tly as it
seem ed , w ith th e nex t flash , a h u n d red yard s nearer. C a n you
im agin e a milking stoo l tilte d an d bow led v io len tly alo n g th e
gro un d ? T h a t w a s th e im pression th ose instan t flash es gav e.
B u t instead of a milking stoo l im agin e it a great bo d y of m a-
chinery o n a trip o d stan d .
T h e n su dden ly th e tree s in th e p in e w o o d ahead
of me
w ere p arted , as b rittle reed s are p arte d b y a m a n
thrusting throu g h th em ; they w ere snapped off an d driven
headlong, an d a secon d huge trip o d ap peared ,
rushing, as it seem ed , headlong to w ard s m e. A n d I w as
gallo pin g h ard to m eet it! A t th e sigh t of th e secon d m on ster
m y ner ve w en t alto geth e r. N o t sto p pin g to lo o k again , I
w renched th e ho rse ’s h ead hard ro u n d to th e righ t an d in
an o th e r m om en t th e dog cart had heeled over u p o n th e
horse; th e sh afts sm ash ed noisily, an d I w a s flu n g
side w a y s an d fell heavily in to a sh allo w p o o l o f
w ater.
I craw led o u t alm o st immediately, an d cro u c h ed , m y feet
still in th e w ater, u n d e r a clu m p o f fu rze. T h e h orse la y m o -
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
62
tion less (his neck w a s broken, poor brute!) an d b y th e lig h t-
n in g flashes I sa w th e b lac k b ulk of th e overturned dog cart
an d th e silhouette of th e w h ee l still spin nin g slow ly. In an -
othe r m om en t th e co lossal mechanism w en t strid in g b y m e,
an d p assed uphill tow ard s Pyrford.
S een n earer, th e T h in g w a s incredib ly strang e, fo r it w as
n o m e re in sen sate machine d riv in g o n its w ay.
M a ch in e it w as, w ith a ringing m etallic p ace, an d lo n g ,
flexib le, glittering ten tacles (one of which gripped a youn g
pin e tree) sw inging an d rattlin g abo u t its strange body.
It p ic ked its road as it w en t stridin g alo n g , an d th e
brazen h o o d th a t surm o u n te d it m oved to an d fro w ith
th e in ev itab le su ggestio n of a h ead lo o k in g ab o u t.
B eh in d th e m ain b o d y w a s a huge m a ss o f white
metal like a gigan tic fisherm a n’s b ask et, an d puffs of
gree n sm ok e squirted ou t from th e joints of th e lim b s as th e
m o n ste r sw ep t b y m e. A n d in an instan t it w a s gone.
S o m u c h I sa w th en , all vaguely fo r th e flick erin g of th e
ligh tn in g , in blinding high lights an d d en se b lack sh ad ow s.
A s it p a sse d it se t u p a n exultant d eafen in g
h o w l th a t drowned th e th under— ”A loo! A loo !” — an d in
an other m in ute
it w a s w ith its co m p an io n , half a m ile aw ay,
stooping over som eth in g in th e field . I hav e n o
d o u b t th is T h in g in th e field w a s th e th ird of th e ten
cy linders they had fired a t us from M ars.
For som e m inutes I lay there in th e rain and darkness w atch -
ing, b y th e in term itten t ligh t, these m o n strou s bein g s of metal
63
m ovin g ab ou t in th e d istan c e over th e hedge to p s. A th in hail
w as n o w beginning, an d as it cam e an d w en t
th eir figu res g re w m isty an d th e n flashed in to clearn ess
ag ain . N o w an d th e n cam e a gap in th e ligh tn in g , an d th e
n ig h t sw allo w ed the m u p .
I w as soaked w ith hail ab ove an d pu d d le w ater b elow. It
w as som e tim e before m y blan k asto nish m en t w ould let me
strug gle u p th e bank to a drier positio n , or thin k at all of m y
im m inen t peril.
N o t far from me w as a little o n e -ro o m e d squ atte r’s h u t of
w o o d , su rrou n de d b y a p atc h of p o tato garden. I stru g gled to
m y feet a t last, an d , cro u c h in g an d making use of e very chance
of cover, I made a ru n fo r th is. I h a m m e red at th e d o o r, b u t I
co u ld n o t m ak e th e p eo ple hear (if th ere w ere
an y p eop le insid e), an d afte r a tim e I d esisted , an d ,
availin g m yself of a ditc h fo r th e greate r part of th e w a y,
su cceed ed in craw lin g, unobse r ved by these m onstrous
m achines, into the pine w oods to w a rd s Mayb u r y.
U n d e r cover of th is I p ush e d o n , w et an d sh ivering n ow,
to w ard s m y ow n h ou se . I w alk ed a m o n g th e tree s tr y ing to
fin d th e footp ath . It w a s v er y dark in dee d in th e w o od , for
th e lig h tn in g w a s n o w b eco m in g in freq u en t, an d
th e h ail, which w a s p o urin g down in a to rren t, fell in
co lum n s thro u gh th e g ap s in th e heav y fo liage.
If I ha d fully realise d th e m eanin g of all th e th in g s I had
seen I should have im m ediately w orked m y w ay ro un d th rough
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
64
B y fleet to S tree t C ob ham , an d so g on e b ack to rejo in m y w ife
at L eath erh ead . B u t th a t n ig h t th e stran geness of th in g s abo ut
m e , an d m y phy sical w retched ness , p reven te d m e, fo r I w as
b ruised , w ear y, w e t to th e sk in , d eafen ed an d blin de d b y th e
sto rm .
I had a vagu e idea of go in g o n to m y o w n h o use , an d th a t
w as as m u c h m otiv e as I h ad . I staggered throu g h th e trees,
fell in to a d itc h an d b ruise d m y knees ag ain st a plank, an d
finally sp lash e d o u t in to th e lan e th a t ra n down
from th e C o lleg e A rm s. I sa y splashed , fo r th e storm w ate r
w as sw eep - ing th e sand dow n th e hill in a m udd y torren t.
T h e re in th e darkness a m a n blundered in to me an d sen t me
reelin g b ack. H e gav e a cr y of terro r, sp rang side w ay s, an d
rushed on befo re I could g ath e r m y w its sufficiently to sp eak
to h im . S o heav y w a s th e stress of th e sto rm just a t th is p lace
th a t I h ad th e hard est task to w in m y w ay u p th e h ill. I w en t
close u p to
th e fen ce o n th e left an d w orked m y w ay alo n g its palings.
N ea r th e to p I stumbled u p o n so m ethin g so ft, an d , b y a
flash o f lig h tnin g , sa w b etw een m y feet a h eap of b lack broad -
clo th an d a p air of boots. B efo re I could distinguish clearly
h ow th e m a n lay, th e flicke r of ligh t had p assed . I sto o d over
him w aitin g fo r th e nex t flash . W hen it came, I sa w th a t h e
w as a stu rd y m an , cheap ly b u t n o t sh ab b ily d ressed ; his head
w as b en t u n d er h is b o d y, an d h e la y cru m p le d u p c lose to th e
fence, as tho u g h h e h ad been flu n g v io len tly against it.
O verco m in g th e rep ug n an c e natu ral to one who ha d ne ver
65
befo re tou che d a dead b od y, I stooped an d tu rn e d h im over
to feel fo r h is h eart. H e w a s q uite dead. Apparently his neck
had been broken. T h e lig h tn in g flashed fo r a th ird tim e, an d
his face leaped u p o n m e. I spran g to m y feet. It w a s th e lan d -
lord of th e S po tte d D o g , w hose co nveyan ce I h ad take n.
I stepped over h im g ing erly an d p ushe d o n u p th e h ill. I
made m y w ay b y th e p o lice statio n an d th e
C olleg e A rm s to w ard s m y ow n h ou se. N o th in g w as burnin g
o n th e h illsid e, th o ug h from th e co m m o n th ere still cam e a
red glare an d a ro llin g tu m ult of rud d y sm ok e beating u p
ag ain st th e drench - ing h ail. S o far as I could see b y th e
flashes, th e h ouses ab out me w ere m ostly u ninjured . B y th e
C olleg e A rm s a dark h eap lay in th e road.
D o w n th e road tow ard s Mayb u r y B ridg e th ere w ere voices
an d th e sou n d o f feet, b u t I had n o t th e cou rag e to sh o u t or
to go to th em . I let m y self in w ith m y latch k ey, c lo sed , locked
an d b olte d th e d o o r, staggered to th e foot of th e staircase, an d
sat down. M y im agin atio n w as fu ll of th o se stridin g m etallic
monsters, an d of th e dead b od y sm ashe d again st th e fence.
I cro uch e d at th e foot of th e staircase w ith m y b ack to th e
w all, shiv ering v io len tly.
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
66
Chapter 11.
At the window.
I have alread y said th a t m y storms of e m o tio n hav e a trick
of ex hau stin g them selves. A fter a tim e I d iscov ered th a t I w as
cold an d w et, an d w ith little po o ls o f w ater abo u t me o n th e
stair c arp et. I go t up alm o st m echanically, w en t in to th e d in -
ing ro o m an d dran k som e w h isk ey, an d th e n I w as m oved to
ch ang e m y cloth es.
A fte r I h a d d on e th a t I w en t u p stairs to m y
stu d y, b u t why I d id so I do n o t kn ow. T h e window of m y
stud y lo o k s over th e trees an d th e railw a y to w ard s H orsell
C o m m o n . In th e h urr y of our departure this w in d o w had
been left op en. T h e passag e w a s dark, an d , b y co ntrast w ith
th e picture th e w in do w fram e enclo sed , th e sid e of th e ro o m
seem ed im p en - etrab ly dark. I stop pe d short in th e d oo r w a y.
67
T h e th un dersto rm had p assed . T h e to w ers o f th e O riental
C o llege an d th e pin e tree s abo u t it had go n e, an d
ver y far aw a y, lit b y a vivid red glare, th e co m m o n about th e
sand pits w a s visible . A cro ss th e ligh t huge black shapes,
gro tesq u e an d strange, m o v ed busily to an d fro .
It seem ed ind ee d as if th e w hole co u n tr y in th a t direction
w as on fire— a broad hillside set w ith m inute tongues of flam e,
sw ayin g an d w rithin g w ith th e gu sts of th e dy in g sto rm , an d
th ro w in g a red reflection u p o n th e c loud scu d ab ove. E ver y
no w an d th e n a h aze of sm ok e from so m e n eare r co nflag ra -
tio n d ro v e across th e w in d o w an d h id th e M artia n sh apes. I
could n o t see w hat they w ere d oin g , n o r th e clear
form o f th em , n o r reco g n ise th e b lack o b jects they w ere
busied u p o n . N eithe r could I see th e nearer fire, tho ug h th e
reflection s of it danced on th e w all an d ceilin g of th e stud y. A
sh arp, resinou s tan g of b urnin g w as in th e air.
I closed th e do o r noiselessly an d crept to w ard s th e w in -
dow. A s I did so, th e view o pene d ou t u n til, o n th e one hand,
it reac h e d to th e hou ses ab o u t W o king statio n , an d
o n th e o the r to th e charred an d blackene d pin e
w ood s of B y fleet. T h ere w as a ligh t d ow n b elo w th e hill,
o n th e railw ay, near th e arch, an d se veral of th e houses
alo n g th e M a y b u r y road an d th e streets near th e statio n
w ere g lo w in g ru in s. T h e ligh t u p o n th e railw a y p uzzled me
at first; th ere w ere a black heap an d a vivid g lare, an d
to th e rig h t of th a t a ro w of yellow o b lo ng s. T h e n
I perceived th is w as a w rec ked train, th e fo re
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
68 69

part sm ashe d an d o n fire, th e hin d e r carriag es still u p o n th e

rails.
B etw een these th ree m ain cen tres o f ligh t— th e
hou ses,
th e tr a i n , a n d th e b u r n in g c o u n ty to w a rd s
C h o b h a m — stretche d irregu la r patch es of dark co u n tr y,
broken here an d th ere b y inte r vals of dim ly g lo w in g an d
sm o kin g gro u nd . It w as th e strangest sp ectacle, th a t black
expanse set w ith fire. It re m in d e d me, m o re th a n
a ny th in g else, o f th e Potteries at night. A t first I could
distinguish n o people at all, th o ug h I p e ere d intently fo r
th e m . L a te r I sa w ag a in st th e lig h t o f W oking
statio n a n u m b e r of blac k figu res h urr y ing one after th e
other across th e lin e.
A n d th is w as th e little w orld in which I had been liv ing
securely fo r years, th is fiery chaos! W h a t ha d
hap pene d in th e last se v en hours I still d id n o t
kn ow ; n o r d id I kn ow, th o ug h I w as beginning to guess,
th e relation betw ee n these m echanica l colossi an d th e
slu gg ish lu m p s I h ad seen d is- go rged from th e
c y linder. W ith a qu ee r feelin g o f im perso n al in te rest I tu rn e d
m y desk chair to th e window, sat d own, an d stared at th e
blac kened co u n tr y, an d particu larly at th e th ree g ig antic
black thin g s th a t w ere g oin g to an d fro in th e g lare ab ou t
th e sand p its.
T h e y seem ed am azin g ly busy. I bega n to ask m y self w hat
th e y could be. W ere they intelligent m echanism s? S uch a th in g
I felt w a s im po ssible . O r d id a M artia n sit w ith in each , rul-
ing, directing, using , m uch as a m a n’s brain sits an d rules in
his body ? I beg an to co m p are th e th in g s to h um a n m achin es,
to ask m yself fo r th e first tim e in m y life how an iro n clad or a
steam engine w ou ld seem to a n intelligent lo w er animal.
T h e sto rm had left th e sky c lear, an d over th e sm ok e of th e
bu rn in g land th e little fad in g pin po in t of M ars w as drop pin g
in to th e w est, when a sold ier cam e into m y garden. I heard a
slight scrap in g at th e fence, an d ro u sin g m yself from th e leth -
argy th a t h ad fallen u p o n m e , I lo ok ed down an d sa w h im
dim ly, c lam b erin g over th e paling s. A t th e sigh t of an o th er
hum a n bein g m y to rp o r p assed , an d I lean ed o u t of th e w in -
dow eag erly.
“H ist!” said I, in a w hisper.
H e sto p pe d astrid e o f th e fence in d o u b t. T h e n he cam e
over an d acro ss th e law n to th e co rn er of th e ho u se . H e b en t
dow n an d stepped softly.
“ W h o’s there?” he said , also w hispering, stan din g
u n d er
th e w in do w an d peerin g u p.
“ W h e re are you going? ” I asked .
“G o d know s.”
“A re you tr y ing to hid e?”
“ T h a t ’s it.”
“Come in to th e h o u se,” I said .
I w en t d own, unfastened th e d o o r, an d let him
in , an d lo cke d th e d o o r ag ain . I could n o t se e his face. H e w as
hatless, an d his coat w a s u nb u tton ed.
“M y G od !” h e said , as I dre w him in.
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
70
“ W h a t h as h appened? ” I asked.
“ W h a t h asn’t?” In th e o b scu rity I co u ld se e h e
made a gesture o f d espair. “ T h e y w ip ed us out—simply
w iped u s ou t,” he repeated again an d ag ain .
H e fo llo w e d me, a lm o s t m e chanica lly, in to th e
d in in g
roo m .
“ Take so m e w h isk ey,” I said , p ou ring o u t a stiff dose.
H e dran k it. T h e n ab rup tly h e sat dow n b efore th e table,
p u t h is head o n his arm s, an d bega n to sob an d w eep like a
little boy, in a perfec t p assio n o f e m o tio n , w h ile I,
w ith a cu rio u s forg etfu lness of m y ow n recent despair,
sto o d b eside him , wondering.
It w a s a lo n g tim e b efo re h e cou ld stead y h is
ner ves to
an sw er m y qu estio n s, an d th e n h e answ ered perp lexin gly an d
broken ly. H e w a s a driver in th e artillery, an d ha d on ly come
in to action ab o u t sev en . A t th a t tim e firin g w a s
g o in g o n across th e co m m o n , an d it w as said th e first party
of M artian s w ere craw lin g slow ly tow ard s their secon d cylinde r
unde r cover of a metal sh ield .
L ate r th is sh ield stag gere d u p o n trip o d leg s an d becam e
th e first o f th e figh tin g -m a c hines I h a d seen . T h e
gu n h e d ro v e had been unlimbered near H orsell, in
order to com - m an d th e sand pits, an d its arrival it w as th a t
had precipitated th e action. A s th e lim ber gunners w en t to
th e rear, h is ho rse tro d in a rabb it h ole an d cam e down,
thro w in g h im in to a depressio n of th e gro u nd . A t th e sam e
m om en t th e gu n ex -
71
ploded b ehin d him , th e am m u n itio n b lew u p , th ere w as fire
all abo u t him , an d h e fou n d him self ly in g u n d er a
heap of charred dead m e n an d dead h orses.
“I la y still,” he said , “scare d ou t of m y w its, w ith th e fo re
quarter of a h orse ato p of m e . W e’d been w iped o u t. A n d th e
sm ell— good G od ! L ik e b urn t m eat! I w as h u rt acro ss th e
b ack b y th e fall of th e ho rse, an d th ere I h ad to lie u n til I felt
b ette r. Ju st lik e parad e it h a d been a m in u te
b efo re — th e n stumble, bang, sw ish!”
“ W iped out!” h e said .
H e h ad hid u n d e r th e dead ho rse fo r a lo n g tim e , peeping
ou t fu rtively across th e co m m o n . T h e C ard iga n m e n ha d tried
a rush, in sk irm ishin g order, at th e p it, sim p ly to be sw ep t o u t
of ex isten ce. T h e n th e m o nste r ha d risen to its feet an d h ad
begun to w alk leisurely to an d fro across th e co m m o n am o n g
th e fe w fug itives, w ith its headlik e h o o d turnin g
ab o u t ex - actly like th e h ead o f a co w led h um a n b ein g . A
kin d of arm carried a com p licate d m etallic case, abo u t which
gree n flashes scin tillated , an d ou t of th e funnel o f this
there sm o ke d th e H e a t-R ay.
In a fe w m inu te s th ere w as, so far as th e sold ier could see,
n o t a liv in g th in g le ft u p o n th e common , an d ever y bush an d
tree u p o n it th a t w as n o t alread y a blackene d
sk eleto n w as b u rnin g . T h e h u ssars ha d been on th e road
bey on d th e cur- vature of th e gro u n d , an d he sa w n o thin g of
th em . H e h eard th e M a rtians rattle fo r a tim e a n d
th e n b eco m e still. T h e
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
72 73

gian t sav ed W o king station an d its c luster of houses u n til th e bubbling o u t

last; th e n in a m om en t th e H e a t-R ay w as bro u g h t to
bear, an d th e to w n becam e a heap of fiery ruin s. T h e n th e
T h in g
s h u t o f f t h e H e a t - R a y, a n d t u r n i n g it s b a c k
u p on th e
artillery m a n , bega n to w ad d le aw ay to w ard s th e sm o u ld e rin g
pin e w o od s th a t sheltered th e seco n d cy linder. A s it d id so a
secon d glittering T ita n b uilt itself u p o u t of th e p it.
T h e seco n d m o n ste r fo llo w e d th e first, an d a t
th a t th e artiller y m a n b e g a n to cra w l ve r y c au tio u sly
acro ss th e h o t heath e r ash to w ard s H orsell. H e managed
to get aliv e in to th e d itc h b y th e sid e o f th e road, an d so
escaped to W o king. T h ere h is sto r y bec am e ejacu lato r y.
T h e p lace w a s im p assab le . It seem s th ere w ere a fe w
people aliv e there , frantic fo r th e m o st p art an d m an y bu rn e d
an d scald ed . H e w a s turne d asid e by th e fire, an d h id
am o n g som e alm ost scorch in g heap s of bro - ken w all as one
of th e M artia n giants retu rn ed . H e sa w th is one pursu e a
m an , catch h im u p in one of its steely ten tacles, an d k n oc k
his h ea d ag ainst th e tru n k of a pin e tree . A t last, after
nightfall, th e artiller y m a n made a rush fo r it an d
go t over th e railw a y e m b an k m en t.
S ince th e n h e had been sk ulkin g alo n g to w ard s Mayb u r y,
in th e h o p e o f g ettin g o u t o f danger L on d o n w a rd .
Peo p le w ere hid in g in tren c hes an d cellars, an d m an y of th e
su r vivors ha d made off to w ards W oking village an d S en d . H e
had been consumed w ith th irst u ntil h e fou n d one of th e
w ate r mains near th e railw a y arch sm ash ed , an d th e w ater
like a sprin g u p o n th e road.
T h a t w a s th e sto r y I go t from him , bit b y b it. H e grew
calm er tellin g me an d tr y in g to m ak e me see th e th in g s h e
had seen . H e had eate n n o fo o d sin ce m id d ay, h e
told me early in h is narrativ e , an d I fou n d som e m u tto n
an d brea d in th e pan tr y an d bro u gh t it in to th e room . W e
lit n o lamp for fear o f attractin g th e M artian s , an d eve r an d
again our han ds w ou ld to u c h u p o n b read or m eat. A s h e
talked, th in g s ab out us cam e d ark ly o u t o f th e darkn ess, an d
th e tra m p le d bush es an d broken ro se trees outside th e
w in do w grew distin ct. It w o u ld see m th a t a nu m b e r
o f m e n or an im als h a d rushed across th e law n . I
beg an to see his face, blackene d an d h ag - gard, as n o dou b t
m in e w a s also .
W hen w e h ad fin ishe d eating w e w en t softly u p stairs to
m y stud y, an d I lo o ke d again ou t of th e op en window. In one
n ig h t th e valley had b eco m e a valle y of ash es. T h e fires h ad
dw in d led n ow. W here flam es had been there w ere n ow stream -
ers o f sm o ke; b u t th e cou ntless ruins of sh attere d an d gu tted
houses an d b lasted an d blackened trees th a t th e
n ig h t had hidd e n sto o d o u t no w gau n t an d terrib le in th e
p itiless ligh t of dawn. Yet here an d th ere so m e ob ject h ad
had th e luc k to escape — a white railw a y sig n al here, th e en d
of a green h ou se th ere , white an d fresh am id th e w reckag e.
N ev er before in th e histo r y of w arfare ha d destru ctio n been
so in discrim in ate an d so u n iv ersal. A n d sh inin g w ith th e
grow in g ligh t of th e east, th ree of th e m etallic giants sto o d
ab o u t th e p it, their cow ls
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
74 75

rotatin g as th o ug h th e y w ere su rvey ing th e d eso latio n

they
had made.
It seem ed to me th a t th e p it had been enlarg ed , an d ever
an d ag ain p u ffs of vivid g reen v ap o u r streamed u p an d ou t o f
it tow ard s th e brightenin g dawn—streamed up , w hirled , broke,
an d vanished .
B eyon d w ere th e p illars of fire abo u t C h o b h am . T h e y b e-
came pillars of blo od sho t sm ok e at th e first touch of day.

Chapter 12.
What I saw of the destruction
of Weybridge and Shepperton.

A s th e dawn g rew brigh te r w e withdrew from th e w in d ow

from w h ic h w e h a d w a tc h e d th e M artia n s , a n d
w en t v er y qu ietly d ow n stairs .
T h e artiller y m a n ag reed w ith me th a t th e h ou se w a s no
p la c e to sta y in . H e proposed, h e sa id , to
m a k e h is w a y L o n d o nw ard , an d thenc e rejo in his
b atte r y—No. 12, of th e H orse A rtillery. M y plan w as to
retu rn at on ce to L eatherhead; an d so g reatly had th e stren g th
of th e M artian s im p resse d me th a t I had d eterm in e d to take
m y w ife to N ew h av en , an d go w ith h er o u t of th e co u n tr y
fo rth w ith . For I already perceiv ed c learly th a t th e
c o u n tr y ab o u t L o n d o n m u st in evitab ly be the scene of
a disastrous struggle before such creatures as these
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
76
could be destroy ed .
B etw een us an d L eath e rh ead , h ow ever, la y th e th ird cy l-
in der, w ith its gu ardin g giants. H a d I been alon e, I th in k I
should h av e take n m y chance an d stru c k across co u n tr y. B u t
th e artiller y m a n d issuaded m e : “It ’s n o k in d ness to th e righ t
sort of w ife,” h e said , “to m ak e h er a w idow ”; an d in th e en d I
agreed to go w ith him , u n d er cover of th e w oo ds, n o rth w ard
as far as S treet C o bh am before I parte d w ith h im . T h enc e I
w ould m ak e a big d eto u r b y E p so m to reach L eath erh ead .
I should have starte d at o nce, b u t m y co m p anio n had been
in activ e ser vice an d he knew b ette r th a n th a t. H e made me
ransack th e h o use fo r a flask , which he filled w ith w hiskey;
an d w e lined every available po c ket w ith p ac k ets o f b iscu its
an d slice s of m eat. T h e n w e crept ou t of th e h ou se, an d ran as
quick ly as w e could down th e ill- made road b y which I had
come o v ern ig h t. T h e ho use s seem ed deserted . In th e road lay
a group of th ree charred bo dies c lose to geth e r, struc k dead by
th e H eat-R ay ; an d here an d th ere w ere thin g s th a t
people h ad dropped—a c loc k, a slipper, a silver spoon, an d
th e like poor valu ab les. A t th e co rn e r tu rn in g u p
to w ard s th e p o st office a little cart, filled w ith boxes an d
furniture , an d horseless, heeled over o n a broken w h eel. A
cash box had been h astily sm ash ed o pe n an d th ro w n u n d e r
th e d eb ris.
Except th e lodg e at th e O rp h an a ge , which w as
still o n
fire, n one of th e hou ses ha d suffered ver y g reatly here. T h e
H e a t-R ay had shav ed th e c h im n e y to p s an d p assed . Yet, sav e
77
o u rse lves, th ere d id n o t see m to be a liv in g so u l o n M ay b u r y
H ill. T h e m ajo rity of th e in h ab itants ha d esc aped, I su ppose,
b y w ay of th e O ld W oking ro ad — th e road I h ad taken when
I dro ve to L eath erhead — o r they had h id den.
W e w en t dow n th e lan e, b y th e bo d y of th e m a n in b lack,
sodden now from th e overnight hail, an d brok e into th e w oods
at th e foot of th e hill. W e pu she d th ro u g h these to w ard s th e
railw ay w ith o u t m eetin g a so u l. T h e w o od s across
th e line w ere b u t th e scarre d an d b lackene d ruins of
w o o d s; fo r th e m o st p art th e tree s ha d fallen , b u t a certain
p ro p o rtio n still sto o d , d ism al grey stem s, w ith dark brown
fo liag e instead o f green .
O n our sid e th e fire had d on e n o more th a n scorch th e
nearer trees; it had failed to secu re its footing. In one place
th e woodmen h ad been at w ork o n S aturday ; trees, felled an d
freshly trim m ed , la y in a clearing , w ith h eap s of saw dust by
th e sawing-machine an d its engine. H a rd b y w a s a te m p o rar y
h u t, deserted . T h ere w a s n o t a breath o f wind th is m o rn ing,
an d ever ything w as strangely still. E ven th e birds w ere h ushed,
an d as w e hurried alo n g I an d th e artiller y m an talked in w his -
pers an d lo ok ed no w an d again over our sho uld ers . O nc e or
tw ice w e sto p pe d to listen .
A fter a tim e w e drew near th e road, an d as w e d id so w e
h eard th e clatter o f h o o fs a n d sa w th ro u g h th e
tre e stem s th ree cavalr y so ld iers ridin g slow ly tow ard s
W oking. W e hailed th em , an d they halte d w h ile w e hu rrie d
to w ard s th em . It w as
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
78
a lieutenan t an d a cou ple of priv ate s of th e 8 th Hussars, w ith
a stan d like a theod olite , w h ich th e artillery m a n told me w as
a heliograph.
“ You are th e first m en I’ve seen co m in g this w ay this m o rn -
ing ,” said th e lieuten an t. “ W h a t ’s bre w ing?”
H is voic e an d face w ere eag er. T h e m e n b ehin d h im stared
curiou sly. T h e artillery m a n jumped dow n th e bank in to th e
road an d saluted .
“G u n d estroy ed last n ig h t, sir. H a ve been hid in g. Tr y in g
to rejoin b atte r y, sir. You’ll com e in sigh t of th e M a rtians, I
exp ect, ab o u t half a m ile alon g this ro ad.”
“ W h a t th e dic k en s are they like? ” ask e d th e lieuten an t.
“Giants in arm o u r, sir. H u n d red feet h igh . T h ree leg s an d
a bo d y like ‘lu m iniu m , w ith a m ig h ty g reat head in a h o o d ,
sir.”
“G e t out!” said th e lieu ten ant. “ W h a t confounded
non-
sense!”
“ You’ ll see, sir. T h e y carry a kin d of box , sir, th a t shoots
fire an d strikes y ou d ead.”
“ W h a t d ’y e mean—a gun?”
“N o, sir,” an d th e artiller y m a n bega n a vivid
acco u n t of th e H e at- R ay. H alfw ay thro ug h , th e lieutenan t
interru p ted h im an d lo o ke d up at m e . I w a s still stan din g o n
th e bank by th e sid e o f th e road.
“It ’s perfectly true,” I said .
“ W ell,” said th e lieu tenant, “I suppo se it’s m y bu sin ess to
79
se e it to o. L o ok h ere ”— to th e artillery m an — ”w e’re detailed
here c learing peop le ou t o f th eir houses. Yo u’d b ette r g o alon g
an d report yourself to B riga d ier -G en e ral M a r v in, an d tell h im
all y ou kn ow. H e ’s at W ey brid g e. K n ow th e w ay?”
“I d o,” I said ; an d h e turne d his h orse southward ag ain .
“H alf a m ile , you say?” said h e.
“A t m ost,” I answ ered, and p ointed over th e treetop s sou th -
w ard . H e than ke d me an d rode o n , an d w e sa w th em n o more.
F arth e r alo n g w e cam e u p o n a group of th ree women an d
two ch ild re n in th e road, b usy clearing ou t a labo urer ’s co t-
tage . T h e y h ad go t h o ld of a little han d tru c k, an d w ere piling
it u p w ith u n clean - lo o k in g b u n d le s an d sh ab b y
fu rn iture. T h e y w ere all to o assid u o u sly en g ag e d to
talk to u s a s w e passed .
B y B yfleet statio n w e em erg ed from th e pin e trees, an d
fo un d th e co u n tr y calm an d p eacefu l u n d e r th e m o rn in g su n -
light. W e w ere far beyon d th e rang e of th e H e a t-R ay th ere,
an d ha d it n o t been fo r th e silen t desertion o f som e of th e
houses, th e stirring movement of p ack in g in others, an d th e
kn o t of so ld iers stan din g o n th e b rid g e over th e railw a y an d
staring d ow n th e lin e to w ard s W o king, th e day w ould hav e
seem ed ve r y like any othe r S un d ay.
S everal farm w ag gon s an d carts w ere m oving creakily along
th e road to A d dleston e , an d su dden ly thro u g h th e gate of a
field w e saw, across a stretch of flat meadow, six tw elve-pounders
stan din g neatly at equ al distances p o intin g to w a rds W o king.
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
80
T h e gunners sto o d b y th e g un s w aitin g , an d th e a m m u n itio n
w ag g on s w ere a t a business-lik e d istan ce . T h e m e n sto o d al-
m o st as if u n d e r inspection.
“ T h a t ’s g ood!” said I. “ T h e y w ill get one fair sh o t, at any
rate.”
T h e artillery m an hesitate d at th e gate.
“I sh all go o n,” h e said .
Far ther o n to w ard s W ey bridg e, ju st over th e bridg e, th ere
w ere a n u m b e r of m e n in white fatigu e jack ets thro w in g u p a
lo n g ra m p art, an d more g u n s b ehin d .
“It ’s bow s an d arrow s again st th e ligh tn in g , an yh ow,” said
th e artiller y m an . “ T h e y ‘av en’t seen th a t fire-beam y et.”
T h e officers who w ere n o t actively engaged stoo d an d stared
over th e treetop s so uth w estw ard , an d th e m e n d igg in g w ould
sto p ever y n ow an d again to stare in th e sam e directio n.
B y fleet w as in a tu m u lt; people packin g , an d a
sco re of
hussars, som e of th em dism o u n ted , som e o n h orseb ack , w ere
huntin g them about. T h ree or fou r black governm en t w ag gons,
w ith crosses in white circles, an d an old omnibus, am on g other
vehic les, w ere bein g lo ad e d in th e villag e street. T h ere w ere
scores of peo ple, m o st of th em su fficien tly sab b atica l to hav e
assum ed their best clothes. T h e so ld iers w ere having th e great-
est d ifficu lty in making the m realise th e g ravity of th eir p o si-
tio n . W e sa w one sh rivelled old fellow w ith a huge box an d a
sco re or more of flo w er p o ts con tainin g o rch id s, ang rily ex -
postulating w ith th e corporal who w ould leav e th em b ehin d .
81
I sto pp e d an d gripped his arm .
“D o y ou kn ow w h at ’s over th ere?” I said , p o intin g at th e
pin e to p s th a t h id th e M artian s.
“E h?” said he, tu rn in g . “I w as exp lainin’ these is vally ble.”
“D eath !” I sho uted . “D eath is co m in g ! D eath !” an d leav ing
him to d ig est th a t if h e cou ld , I hurried on after th e artillery-
m an . A t th e corn er I lo o ke d bac k. T h e sold ier h ad left him ,
an d h e w a s still standin g b y h is box , w ith th e po ts o f orchids
o n th e lid of it, an d staring vaguely over th e trees.
N o one in W ey bridg e cou ld tell us w here th e h ead q u ar -
ters w ere established ; th e w hole place w as in such co nfu sio n
as I had ne ve r seen in any to w n befo re. C arts, carriages every-
w h ere , th e m o st astonishing m iscellan y of convey ances an d
horseflesh . T h e resp ectab le in h ab itants of th e p lace, m e n in
golf an d b oatin g costum es, w ive s prettily d ressed , w ere pack -
ing, river-sid e loafers en erg etically helping, children ex cited ,
an d , fo r th e m o st p art, highly deligh te d at th is astonishing
variatio n of their S u nd ay ex perien ces. In th e m id s t o f it all
th e w o rth y vicar w as ver y plu ck ily h oldin g an early celeb ra-
tio n , an d his b ell w a s jang lin g ou t abov e th e excitem ent.
I an d th e artiller y m an , seated o n th e step of th e d rinking
fountain , made a very passable m eal upo n w hat w e had brought
w ith us. P atrols of soldiers— here no long er hussars, b ut grena -
diers in white— w ere w arnin g people to m o v e n o w or to take
refu g e in their cellars as so o n as th e firing b eg an . W e sa w as
w e cro ssed th e railw a y brid g e th a t a grow in g crow d of people
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
82 83

had assem ble d in an d abou t th e railw a y station , an d th e swarm- E ver y

ing platform w a s piled w ith boxes an d p ac kag es. T h e ord i-
nar y traffic h ad been stop p ed , I believe, in order to allow o f
th e passag e of troop s an d g un s to C h e rtsey, an d I hav e heard
sin ce th a t a savag e stru ggle occu rred fo r places in th e special
train s th a t w ere p u t o n at a later h o u r.
W e remained at W ey bridg e u n til m idd ay, an d at th a t h o u r
w e fou n d ourselves at th e p lace near S h ep p erto n Lock w h ere
th e W ey an d T h a m e s join . Part of th e tim e w e spen t helping
two old women to pack a little c art. T h e W e y has
a treb le m o u th , an d at this p o in t b o ats are to be hired, an d
there w as
a ferr y across th e rive r. O n th e S h ep p erto n side w as an in n
w ith a la w n , a n d b e y o n d th a t th e to w e r o f
S h e p p e r to n C hurch — it has been replaced by a spire— rose
above th e trees. H ere w e fo un d a n ex cite d an d n oisy crow d
of fug itives.
A s yet th e flight ha d n o t gro w n to a p anic, b u t th ere w ere
alread y far more people th a n all th e bo ats go in g to an d fro
could enab le to cross. People cam e p an tin g alo n g u n d e r heavy
bu rden s; one husban d an d w ife w ere even carry ing
a sm all ou th o use do o r b etw ee n th em , w ith som e o f their
household g ood s p iled th e reo n . O n e m a n to ld us h e m ean t
to tr y to get aw a y from S h ep p erto n statio n .
T here w a s a lo t of sho utin g , an d one m a n w as even jesting .
T h e id ea people seem ed to have here w as th a t th e M artian s
w ere sim p ly form id able hu m a n being s, who m ig h t attack an d
sac k th e to wn, to be certain ly d estroy ed in th e end .
n ow an d th e n peo ple w o uld g lan ce n er vously across th e W ey,
at th e m ead ow s tow ard s C h e rtsey, b u t e very th in g over th ere
w as still.
A cross th e T h a m es , ex cep t ju st w h ere th e b oats
landed,
ever y th in g w as quiet, in vivid co ntrast w ith th e S u rrey side.
T h e peop le who landed th ere from th e b oats w en t tra m p in g
off dow n th e lane . T h e big ferr y b oat h ad just made a jou rn ey.
T hre e or fou r so ld iers sto o d o n th e law n of th e inn , staring
an d jestin g at th e fug itives, w ith o u t offering to help. T h e in n
w as clo sed , as it w as n o w w ithin pro h ibite d hours.
“ W h a t ’s th at? ” crie d a b o atm an , an d “S h u t u p, you fool!”
said a m a n near me to a y elpin g dog. T h e n th e sou n d cam e
ag ain , th is tim e from th e d irection o f C h e rtse y, a
m u ffled th u d — th e so u n d of a gu n.
T h e fightin g w as beginning. A lm o st im m ediately unseen
batteries across th e river to our rig ht, unseen becau se of th e
trees, to ok u p th e cho ru s, firing heavily one af ter th e othe r. A
woman screamed. Everyon e sto o d arrested b y th e su d de n stir
of battle , near us an d yet invisib le to u s. N o th in g w a s to be
seen sav e flat m eadow s, co w s feedin g un con cernedly fo r th e
m o st part, an d silver y p o llard w illow s m otion less in th e w arm
su n lig h t.
“ T h e sojers’ ll sto p ‘em ,” said a woman b esid e me, d o u b t-
fully. A haziness ro se over th e treeto ps.
T h e n sudd enly w e sa w a rush o f sm ok e far aw a y up th e
river, a puff o f sm oke th a t jerked u p in to th e air an d hu n g;
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
84
an d fo rth w ith th e grou n d h eav e d u n d e r foot an d a heav y ex -
plo sio n sho o k th e air, sm ashin g tw o or th ree window s in th e
houses near, an d leav in g u s astonished.
“H ere th e y are!” sh o ute d a m a n in a b lu e jersey. “ Yond er!
D ’y er see them? Yonder!”
Q u ic kly, o ne after th e oth e r, o ne, tw o, th ree , fou r o f th e
armoured M artian s app eared , far aw a y over th e little
trees, across th e flat m eadow s th a t stretch e d to w ard s
C h e rtse y, an d striding h u rried ly to w ard s th e river. L ittle
cow led figu res th e y seem ed at first, go in g w ith a
rollin g m otio n an d as fast as fly in g b ird s.
T h en , advancin g obliqu ely to w ard s u s, c am e a fifth . T h eir
armoured b od ies glittered in th e sun as they sw ep t
sw iftly fo r w ard u p o n th e gu ns, grow in g rapidly larg er as
th e y d rew nearer. O n e o n th e extrem e left, th e rem o test
th a t is, flo ur- ished a huge c ase hig h in th e air, an d
th e ghostly, terrib le H e a t-R ay I h ad alread y seen on
Friday n ig h t smote tow ard s C h e r tsey, an d struc k th e to wn.
A t sigh t of these strange, sw ift, an d terrib le creatures th e
crow d near th e w ater’s edg e seem ed to me to be fo r a m om en t
horror-stru c k. T h e re w as n o screaming or sho utin g, b u t a si-
len ce . T h e n a h o arse m urm u r an d a m o vement o f
feet— a splashin g from th e w ater. A m an , to o frig h ten e d to
d ro p th e p o r tm a n te a u h e carrie d on h is shoulder,
sw u n g ro u n d an d sen t me stagg erin g w ith a blow from th e
co rner of h is b urden. A woman thru st at me w ith h e r han d
an d rushed past m e. I
85
turne d w ith th e rush of th e peo ple, b u t I w a s n o t to o terrified
fo r th o u g h t. T h e terrib le H e a t-R ay w a s in m y m ind . To get
u n d e r w ater! T h a t w as it!
“G e t u n d e r w ater!” I sh o uted , u n heed ed .
I faced ab o u t ag ain , an d rushed to w ard s th e approaching
M artian , rushed righ t down th e gravelly beach an d headlong
in to th e w ater. O th er s d id th e sam e . A boatload of
people p uttin g b ack c am e leapin g ou t as I rushed past. T h e
sto nes u n d e r m y feet w ere muddy an d slipper y, an d th e river
w as so low th a t I ran perhaps tw en ty feet scarcely waist-deep.
T h en , as th e M artia n to w ere d overhead scarcel y a couple
of h u n - d red yard s aw ay, I flu n g m y self fo r w ard
u n d e r th e su rface. T h e splash es of th e people in th e boats
leapin g into th e river sounded like th u n d erc laps in m y
ears. People w ere landing hastily o n b o th sides of th e
river. B u t th e M a r tian machine to o k n o more notice fo r th e
m om en t of th e peo ple ru n n in g th is w ay an d th a t th a n a
m a n w o uld o f th e con fusio n o f ants in a n est again st which
his foot h as k ic ked. W h en , half su ffo - cated , I raised m y head
abo ve w ater, th e M artian’s hoo d pointed at th e b atteries th a t
w ere still firing across th e river, an d as it advan ced it sw un g
loo se w h at m u st have been th e generator of th e H e a t-R ay.
In an oth e r m om en t it w as o n th e bank, an d in
a stride
w ad in g halfw ay across. T h e knees of its foremost leg s ben t at
th e farth e r bank, an d in an o th e r m om en t it had raise d itself
to its full heigh t again , close to th e villag e o f
S h ep p erto n .
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
86
For th w ith th e six g u n s w h ic h , u n k n ow n to a n yon e
on th e
rig h t bank, ha d been hid de n b ehin d th e outskirts of th a t vil-
lage, fired sim ultan eo u sly. T h e su d de n near concussion , th e
last c lose u p o n th e first, made m y heart jump. T h e m on ster
w as alread y raisin g th e case generating th e H eat-R ay as th e
first sh ell b urst six yard s ab ov e th e h o o d .
I gav e a cry of asto nish m ent. I sa w an d th o u g h t n o th in g
of th e o th e r fou r M artia n monsters; m y atten tio n w a s riveted
u p o n th e n eare r in cid en t. S im u ltaneo usly two o th e r
sh ells bu rst in th e air near th e b o d y as th e h o o d twisted
ro u n d in tim e to receive, b u t n o t in tim e to dodge, th e
fo u rth sh ell.
T h e sh ell bu rst c lean in th e face of th e T h in g . T h e h o o d
bu lged , flash ed , w as w h irle d off in a d o zen tattere d fragments
of red flesh an d glittering metal.
“H it!” sho ute d I, w ith so m eth in g b etw ee n a scream an d a
cheer.
I h eard an sw erin g shouts from th e p eo p le in
th e w ater ab o u t m e . I co u ld h av e leap e d o u t o f
th e w a te r w ith th a t m o m e n ta r y ex u ltatio n .
T h e decapitated colossu s reeled like a d ru n ke n giant; b u t
it did n o t fall over. It recov ered its balan ce b y a m irac le, an d ,
n o lo n ger heedin g its step s an d w ith th e cam era th a t fired th e
H eat-R ay now rig id ly u p h e ld , it re e le d
s w i f t l y u p o n S h epp e rto n . T h e liv in g intellig en ce, th e
M a r tian w ithin th e h o o d , w as slain an d sp lashed to th e fo u r
w ind s of h eaven , an d th e T h in g w as n ow b u t a mere in tricate
device of metal whirl-
87
ing to d estru ction . It d ro v e alo n g in a straigh t line , incapable
of guidance. It struck th e tow er of S hepperto n C hurch , sm ash -
ing it down as th e impact of a b atterin g ra m m igh t h av e d o ne,
sw erved asid e, blun d e red o n an d collap se d w ith trem en d ou s
fo rce into th e river o u t of m y sigh t.
A violen t ex p lo sio n sh o o k th e air, an d a sp ou t of w ater,
steam, m u d , an d sh atte red metal sh o t far u p in to th e sky. A s
th e camera of th e H e a t-R ay h it th e w ate r, th e latter h ad im -
m ediately flashed into steam. In an oth er m om ent a huge w ave,
like a muddy tidal bore but alm ost scalding ly h o t, cam e sw eep -
ing ro u n d th e b en d upstream. I sa w peop le strug glin g sh o re -
w ards, an d h eard their scream in g an d sh o utin g fain tly above
th e seething an d ro ar of th e M artian’s collap se.
For a m om en t I heede d noth in g of th e h eat,
forgot th e
paten t n eed o f self-preser v ation . I splash ed th rou g h th e tu -
m ultuo u s w ater, p ushin g asid e a m a n in black to do so, u n til
I co u ld se e ro u n d th e b e n d . H a lf a d o ze n
deserted b o ats pitche d aim lessly up o n th e confusion of th e
w av es. T h e fallen M a rtia n c ame in to sigh t downstream,
ly ing across th e river, an d fo r th e m o st p art su b m erg ed .
T hic k clo u d s o f steam w ere po urin g off th e w reckag e, an d
throu g h th e tu m ultu o u sly w h irlin g w isp s I cou ld see, in ter-
m itten tly an d vaguely, th e gig an tic lim b s ch u rnin g th e w ater
an d flin g in g a sp lash an d sp ray of m u d an d fro th in to th e air.
T h e ten tacles sw ayed an d stru ck like living arm s, an d , sav e for
th e h elp less p u rp o selessn ess of these m o vem en ts , it w as as if
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
88
som e wounded thin g w ere strugglin g fo r its life am id th e w aves.
E n o rm o u s q uantitie s of a ru dd y -b ro w n fluid w ere
sp urtin g u p in n oisy jets o u t of th e machine.
M y atte n tio n w a s d iv erte d from th is d eath flu rr y
by a
fu riou s y ellin g , lik e th a t o f th e th in g called a
sire n in our manufacturing towns. A m an , knee -deep near
th e towing path, shoute d inaudibly to me an d p o inted .
L oo kin g back , I saw th e othe r M artian s ad vancin g w ith
gig an tic strid es down th e riv erb an k fro m th e d irection
o f C h erts e y. T h e S h e p p e rto n gu n s sp ok e this tim e
u nav ailin g ly.
A t th a t I du c ked at once un d e r w ater, an d ,
ho ldin g m y
b re ath u n til m o v e m e n t w a s a n ag o n y, b lu n d e red
p ain fu lly ahead u n d er th e surface as lo n g as I cou ld . T h e
w ate r w a s in a tu m u lt ab o u t m e , an d rapidly grow ing h o tte r.
W hen fo r a m om en t I raised m y h ead to take b reath an d
thro w th e hair an d w ater from m y eyes, th e steam w a s risin g
in a w hirlin g white fog th a t at first h id th e
M artian s alto - geth e r. T h e noise w as d eafenin g . T h e n I saw
th em dim ly, co - lossa l figu res of grey, m ag nifie d b y th e m ist.
T h e y ha d p assed b y m e , an d two w ere stooping over th e
fro thin g , tu m u ltu ou s ruins of th eir co m rad e.
T h e th ird an d fo u rth stoo d b esid e him in th e w ater, one
perhaps two h u n d r e d y a rd s from m e , th e o th e r
to w a rd s L aleham. T h e g enerato rs of th e H e a t-R ay s w av ed
h igh , an d th e hissin g beam s smote down this w ay an d th at.
T h e air w a s full of sou n d , a deafen in g an d confusin g con -
89
flict of noises—the clang orou s din of th e M artian s , th e crash
of fallin g h ouses, th e th u d o f trees, fences, shed s flashin g in to
flam e, an d th e cracklin g an d roaring of fire. D ens e black sm oke
w as leap in g u p to m in gle w ith th e steam from th e r iver, an d
as th e H e a t-R ay w en t to an d fro over W ey bridg e its impact
w as marked b y flashes of incandescent white, th a t gav e place
at on ce to a sm o k y d an ce o f lu rid flam es. T h e nearer houses
still sto o d intact, aw aitin g their fate , shadow y, fain t an d p al-
lid in th e steam, w ith th e fire b eh in d the m go in g to an d fro .
For a m om en t perhaps I sto o d there, b reast-h ig h in th e
alm ost bo ilin g w ater, d u m b fo un d e d at m y p o sitio n , h o p eless
of esc ape . T hro u g h th e reek I co uld see th e people who had
been w ith me in th e river scram blin g o u t of th e w ater th rou gh
th e reed s, like little fro gs hurr y ing th rou g h grass
fro m th e ad v anc e of a m a n , or ru n n in g to an d fro in utte r
d ism ay on
th e towing p ath.
T h e n sudd enly th e white flashe s of th e H eat-
R ay cam e leap in g to w ard s m e . T h e ho uses c aved in as th ey
disso lved at its to u ch , an d d arte d o u t flam es; th e
tree s changed to fire w ith a roar. T h e R ay flick ered up
an d dow n th e tow in g p ath , lick in g o ff th e p eop le who ran
this w ay an d th at, an d cam e dow n to th e w ater’s ed g e n o t
fifty y ard s from w h ere I stoo d .
It sw ep t across th e river to S h ep p erto n , an d th e w ate r in its
trac k ro se in a bo ilin g w eal crested w ith steam. I turne d sh o re -
w ard .
In an o th e r m om en t th e huge w ave , well-nigh a t th e b o il-
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
90 91

in g -p oin t had rushed upo n m e. I scream ed aloud, an d scalded,

half blind ed , ag o nised , I staggered thro u g h th e leap in g , h iss -
ing w ater tow ard s th e sh ore . H a d m y foot stumbled, it w ould
hav e been th e en d . I fell helplessly, in fu ll sigh t of th e M a r-
tians, u p o n th e broad, bare gravell y spit th a t runs
down to mark th e angle of th e W ey an d T h am es . I
expected no thin g b u t death.
I hav e a dim m e m o r y of th e foot of a M a rtian
coming
down w ithin a sco re of yard s of m y h ead , d riv in g straig h t in to
th e loose gravel, w hirlin g it this w ay and th at an d liftin g again;
of a lo n g su sp en se , an d th e n of th e fo u r c arry in g th e debris of
Chapter 13.
How I fell in with the curate.
th eir co m rad e b etw een th em , n o w clear an d th e n presently
fain t th ro u g h a veil o f sm oke, reced in g interm inab ly, A fter gettin g th is su dd e n lesso n in th e p ow er of terrestrial
as it seem ed to m e , across a vast sp ace of river an d meadow. w eapons, th e M artian s retreate d to their original position upon
A n d th en , ver y slow ly, I realised th a t b y a m irac le I had H orsell C om m o n ; an d in their haste, an d encumbered w ith
escap ed. th e deb ris of their sm ashed co m p anion , they n o d o ub t ov er-
lo o k e d m an y su c h a stray an d n eg lig ib le v ictim as
m yself. H a d they left th eir co m rad e an d pu sh e d o n fo rth w ith ,
there w as no thin g a t th a t tim e b etw ee n th e m an d L o n d o n b u t
b at- teries of twelve-pounder gun s, an d they w ould certain ly
have reache d th e capital in ad van ce of th e tidings of their
ap p ro ach ; as su d den , dread fu l, an d destructiv e their adv en t
w ould h ave been as th e earth qu ak e th a t destroyed L isbo n a
centu r y ago. B u t th e y w ere in n o hurr y. C y linder follow ed
c y linder on
its interplaneta r y flight; every tw en ty-fou r hours brough t them
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
92
reinforcem en t. A n d m ean w h ile th e military an d nava l
au -
th orities, n o w fully aliv e to th e trem en d o u s pow er
of th eir antagonists, w o rked w ith fu rio us en erg y. E ver y
m in u te a fresh gu n c am e in to position u n til, b efo re
tw iligh t, e ver y co p se, ever y row of suburban villas on th e
hilly slopes about Kingston a n d R ic h m o n d , m a s k e d a n
e x p e c ta n t b la c k m u z z le . A n d th ro u g h th e charred
and d e so la te d a re a — p e rh a p s tw e n ty square m iles
alto geth er — th at encircled th e M artia n en ca m p - m en t o n
H orsell C o m m o n , thro u g h charred an d ruine d vil- lages
am o n g th e green trees, thro ugh th e blackened and sm o k - ing
arcad e s th a t h ad been b u t a day ag o pin e sp inn ey s, craw led th e
dev oted sco u ts w ith th e h elio g rap h s th a t w ere p resently to
w arn th e gunners of th e M artia n approach. B u t th e M a r-
tians n ow un dersto o d our co m m an d of artillery an d th e d an -
ger of hum a n proxim ity, an d n o t a m a n v entu red
w ithin a m ile of eithe r c y linder, sav e a t th e price of his life.
It w ould seem th a t these giants spen t th e earlier part of
th e afternoo n in going to an d fro, transferring every thin g from
th e seco n d an d th ir d cy lin d ers — th e seco n d in
A d d lesto n e G o lf L in k s an d th e th ird at Pyrford—to their
original p it on H orsell C o m m on . O ver th a t, ab ov e th e
blackene d h eath er an d ru ine d b u ildin g s th a t stretche d far
an d w ide , stoo d one as sentinel, w h ile th e rest aban do n e d
th eir vast fig htin g -m a- ch ines an d d escen d e d in to th e pit.
T h e y w ere h ard at w o rk there far in to th e nig ht, an d th e
towering p illar of d ense g reen sm ok e th a t ro se th erefro m
could be seen from th e h ills ab ou t
93
M errow, an d e ven , it is said , fro m Banstead an d E psom D ow ns.
A n d w h ile th e M artian s b ehin d me w ere th u s preparing
fo r their nex t sally, an d in fro n t of me H u m an ity gath e red for
th e b attle , I made m y w a y w ith in fin ite p ain s
a n d lab o u r from th e fire an d sm o ke of bu rn in g W e y bridge
tow ard s L o n - d o n .
I sa w a n ab and o ne d b oat, v er y sm all an d re m o te , d rifting
d o w n - stre a m ; a n d th r o w in g o ff th e m o s t o f m y
sodden cloth es, I w en t after it, gained it, an d so escap e d
ou t o f th a t d estructio n . T h e re w ere n o o ars in th e b o at, b u t I
co n trived to p ad d le, as w ell as m y parboiled h and s w ould
allow, down th e river to w ard s H alliford an d W alto n , go in g
ve r y tedio usly an d continu ally lo ok in g b ehin d m e , as you
m ay w ell u n d erstan d .
I follow ed th e river, becau se I considered th a t th e w ater gav e
me m y b est chanc e of escap e should these giants retu rn.
T h e h o t w ater from th e M a rtian’s overthrow d rifted do w n -
stream w ith m e , so th a t fo r th e b est part o f a m ile I could see
little of either bank. O n c e, how e ve r, I made ou t a string o f
black figu res h urr y in g across th e meadow s fro m th e direction
of W ey brid ge . H alliford , it seem ed , w a s deserted , an d several
of th e hou ses facin g th e river w ere o n fire. It w a s strange to
se e th e p lace q uite tran qu il, q uite desolate u n d er th e h o t blu e
sky, w ith th e sm ok e an d little thread s of flam e g o in g straigh t
u p in to th e h eat of th e aftern o o n . N ever before h ad I seen
houses bu rn in g w ith o u t th e accompaniment of an
ob struc - tiv e crow d . A little farth er o n th e d r y reed s u p th e
bank w ere
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
94
sm o kin g an d glow ing , an d a lin e of fire inlan d w as marching
stead ily across a late field o f hay.
For a lo n g tim e I d rifted , so pain fu l an d w ear y w as I after
th e v io lence I had been thro ug h , an d so inten se th e h ea t u p o n
th e w ater. T h e n m y fears go t th e b ette r of me ag ain , an d I
resum ed m y p ad d lin g. T h e sun scorched m y bare
bac k. A t last, as th e bridg e at W alto n w a s coming in to sigh t
ro u n d th e b en d , m y feve r an d faintness o v ercam e m y fears,
an d I landed o n th e M id d lese x bank an d la y down, d ead ly
sick , a m id th e lo n g grass. I suppo se th e tim e w as
th e n abo u t fo u r or five o’c lock. I go t u p presently,
w alk ed perhaps half a m ile w ith - ou t m eetin g a so u l, an d
th e n lay down again in th e sh ado w of
a hedge. I seem to re m e m b e r talking, w an d ering ly, to m y self
d u r ing th a t la st sp u rt. I w a s a lso v e r y th irs ty, a n d
b itte rly regretfu l I had d r u n k n o m o re w ater. It is a cu rio us
th in g th a t
I felt angry w ith m y w ife; I c an n o t acco un t fo r it,
but m y
im p oten t desire to reach L eath erhea d w orried me excessiv ely.
I do n o t clearly remember th e arrival o f th e curate , so th a t
p rob ab ly I dozed. I becam e aw are of h im as a seate d fig u re in
soo t- smudged sh irt sleeves , an d w ith h is u pturned ,
clean- sh av en face staring at a fain t flick erin g th a t danced
over th e sk y. T h e sk y w a s w h a t is called a m ackerel
sk y — row s a n d ro w s of fain t d o w n -p lu m e s of clou d, just
tin te d w ith th e m id - summer sunset.
I sat u p , an d at th e ru stle o f m y m o tio n h e loo k ed at me
q u ic k l y.
95
“H a v e y ou an y w ater? ” I ask ed ab ru p tly.
H e sh oo k his head.
“ You h av e been askin g fo r w ate r fo r th e last h o u r,” h e said .
For a m om en t w e w ere silent, takin g sto ck of each oth e r. I
dare sa y he fo u n d me a strange en o u g h figure , naked, sav e for
m y w ater- so aked tro u sers an d socks, scald ed , an d
m y face an d sh ou lders blackened b y th e sm o k e. H is
face w a s a fair w eak n ess, h is chin retre ated , an d his hair
lay in crisp , alm ost flaxen cu rls o n h is low forehead ; his
eye s w ere rath e r larg e, p ale b lu e, an d b lan k ly staring.
H e sp o k e ab ru p tly, lo o k in g vacantly aw a y from m e.
“ W h a t d o e s it m ean ? ” h e said . “ W h a t d o these
th in g s
m ean?”
I stared at him an d made n o answ e r.
H e extended a th in white h an d an d sp o k e in
alm o st a complaining to n e.
“ W h y a re these th in g s permitted? W h a t sin s
h a v e w e done? T h e m o rn in g ser vice w a s over, I w a s
w alk in g th ro u gh th e road s to clear m y brain fo r th e
aftern o on , an d then — fire, earthquake, d eath ! A s if it w ere
S od o m an d G o m o rrah ! A ll our w o rk u n d on e, all th e
w o rk — — W h a t are these M a r- tians?”
“ W h a t are w e?” I answ ered , c learin g m y thro at.
H e gripped his knees an d turne d to loo k at me again . Fo r
half a m in u te, perhaps, he stared silently.
“I w as w alk in g thro u g h th e road s to clear m y b rain ,” h e
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
96
said . “A n d suddenly — fire, earth q uake , d eath !”
H e relap sed in to silen ce, w ith h is chin n o w sunken alm ost
to h is knees.
P resently h e beg an w av in g his han d.
“A ll th e w o rk — a ll th e S u n d ay schools—Wh a t
h av e w e do ne — w h at h a s W ey bridg e do ne? E ver y th in g
g on e — ev er y- th in g destroy ed. T h e ch u rch ! W e rebuilt it
o n ly th ree y ears ag o. G on e ! S w ep t o u t o f existence! W h y?”
A n o the r pau se, an d h e b ro k e ou t again like one d e m en ted .
“ T h e sm oke of h e r bu r n in g go eth u p fo r e ver an d e v er!” h e
sh o u ted .
H is eye s flam ed , an d he p o in te d a lean finger in th e direc -
tion of W ey brid g e.
B y th is tim e I w a s beginning to take h is
m easu re. T h e tre m end o u s traged y in which h e ha d been
involved — it w as e vident he w a s a fu g itiv e from
W ey bridge—had d rive n him to th e ver y verg e of h is reaso n .
“A re w e far from S u n b u r y?” I said , in a m atter -
o f-fact
to n e.
“ W h a t are w e to do? ” h e asked . “A re these creatu res ever y-
w h ere? H a s th e earth been giv en over to th em ?”
“A re w e far from S u n b u r y?”
“O nly th is m o rn in g I officiate d at early celebration — — ”
“ T h in g s h av e ch an g ed ,” I said , quietly. “ You m u st
k eep you r h ead . T h ere is still hope.”
“H o pe!”
97
“ Yes. P lentifu l hope—for all this destruction !”
I beg an to ex p lain m y vie w of our p o sitio n . H e listen ed at
first, b u t as I w en t o n th e interest dawning in h is eye s gave
place to their former stare , an d his regard w an d ere d from m e.
“ T his m u st be th e beginning of th e en d,” h e said , in ter-
ru p tin g m e . “ T h e end ! T h e great an d terr ib le day of th e L ord !
W hen m e n sh all c all up on th e m o u n tain s an d th e ro cks to
fall u p o n th em an d hid e th e m — h id e th em from th e face o f
H im th a t sitteth u p o n th e thron e!”
I began to u n d erstan d th e po sitio n . I ceased m y lab o u red
reaso nin g , stru gg led to m y feet, an d , stan din g over him , laid
m y h an d o n his shoulder.
“B e a m an!” said I. “ You are scared ou t of yo u r w its ! W h at
good is religio n if it collapses u n d e r calamity? T h in k o f w hat
earthquakes an d flo o d s, w ars an d v olcanoes, h av e do n e before
to m en ! D id you th in k G o d had ex em pted W ey bridge ? H e is
n o t an in surance agen t.”
For a tim e h e sat in b lan k silen ce.
“B u t h ow can w e escape? ” h e asked , suddenly. “ T h e y are
invulnerable , they are pitiless.”
“N eith er th e one n o r, perhaps, th e othe r,” I answ ered . “A n d
th e m igh tie r th e y are th e m o re san e an d w ar y should w e be.
O n e of th em w as k illed y o nd er n o t th ree hours ago.”
“K illed!” h e said , staring ab ou t him . “H ow c an G o d ’s m in -
isters be kille d?”
“ I sa w it h a p p e n .” I p ro c e e d e d to tell h im .
“ W e have
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
98
ch anced to com e in fo r th e th ic k of it,” said I, “an d th a t is all.”
“ W h a t is th a t flicker in th e sky?” h e ask e d ab ru ptly.
I told him it w as th e heliograph signalling—that
it w as th e sig n o f h um a n help an d effo rt in th e sky.
“ W e are in th e m id st of it,” I said , “q uiet as it
is. T h a t flicker in th e sky tells of th e gath e ring sto rm . Yo n d er,
I take it are th e M artians, an d L ond on w ard , w here those hills
rise about R ich m o n d an d Kingston an d th e tree s giv e cover,
earthworks are bein g thro w n u p an d gu n s are b ein g placed .
P resently th e M artian s w ill be coming th is w a y ag ain.”
A n d even as I spo k e he spran g to his feet an d sto pp e d me
b y a gestu re.
“L isten!” he said .
Fro m bey on d th e low hills across th e w ater c am e th e dull
resonance of distan t g un s an d a rem o te w eird cry in g . T h e n
ever ything w as still. A cockchafer cam e d ronin g over th e hedge
an d past u s. H ig h in th e w est th e crescen t m o o n h un g faint
an d pale abov e th e sm o ke o f W ey bridg e an d S h ep p e rto n an d
th e h o t, still splendour o f th e sunset.
“ W e h ad b ette r follow th is path ,” I said , “n o rth w ard .”
99
Chapter 14.
In London.
M y y oung er bro th e r w as in L o n d o n when th e M artian s
fell at W o king. H e w a s a m ed ic al stud en t w o rk in g fo r an im -
m inen t examination, an d h e heard n othin g of th e arrival u n -
til S atu rd ay m o rn in g . T h e m o rn ing papers o n S aturd a y co n -
tain ed , in ad d itio n to len gth y special articles o n
th e planet M ars , o n life in th e planets, an d so forth , a brief
an d vaguely w o rd ed teleg ram , all th e more strik in g fo r its
brev ity.
T h e M artian s , alarm ed b y th e approach o f a crow d , h ad
k ille d a n u m b e r o f p eo p le w ith a quick-firing gu n ,
so th e sto r y ran . T h e teleg ra m concluded w ith th e w ords:
“Form i- dable as they see m to be , th e M artian s hav e n o t
m oved from th e p it into which they have fallen , an d ,
in deed , seem in ca - p able o f doin g so. P ro bably th is is due to
th e relativ e streng th
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
100
o f th e ea rth ’s g rav itatio n a l en erg y.” O n th a t la st text
th eir
lead er-w riter ex pan de d ver y co m fo rtin gly.
O f co u rse all th e stu dents in th e cram m e r’s b iolo g y c lass,
to w h ich m y bro th e r w en t th a t day, w ere intensely interested,
but th e re w ere no sig n s of an y u n u su a l
ex c ite m en t in th e streets. T h e aftern o on pap ers puffed
scraps of ne w s u n d e r big h ead lin es. T h e y had no th in g to tell
bey on d th e m o v em ents o f tro o p s abo u t th e co m m o n ,
an d th e bu rn in g of th e pine w o o d s betw ee n
W o king an d W ey brid g e , u n til eigh t. T h e n th e S T.
JA M E S ’S G A Z E T T E , in a n extra-special editio n ,
an n o u n ce d th e b are fac t o f th e in terru p tio n o f
teleg rap h ic com m u n ic ation . T h is w as th o u g h t to be due to
th e fallin g o f b urnin g pin e tree s across th e lin e. N o th in g
more of th e fig h t- ing w a s known th a t night, th e nigh t of m y
driv e to L eatherhead an d b ack.
M y bro th e r felt n o anx iety ab o u t u s, as he knew from th e
description in th e p apers th a t th e cy lin d er w a s a
good two m iles from m y ho u se . H e made u p his
m in d to ru n down th a t n ig h t to me, in order, as he say s, to
se e th e T h in g s befo re they w ere killed. H e dispatched a telegram ,
which never reached m e , ab ou t fo u r o’clock , an d sp en t th e
evenin g at a m usic h all. In L o n d o n , also , o n S aturd ay n ig h t
there w a s a th u n d er - sto rm , an d m y bro the r reach e d
W ater lo o in a cab. O n th e platform from which th e
m id n ig h t tra in u su a lly starts h e learn ed , afte r so m e
w aiting , th a t an acciden t prev ente d trains from reac hin g
W o king th a t n ig h t. T h e natu re of th e acciden t
101
h e could n o t ascertain ; in d eed , th e railw a y au th oritie s d id n o t
c learly kn ow a t th a t tim e . T h e re w a s ver y little excitem en t in
th e statio n , a s th e o fficials, failin g to realise th a t
an yth in g fu rther th a n a breakd ow n betw een B y fleet an d
W o king ju n c - tio n had occu rred , w ere ru n n in g th e th eatre
train s which u su - a lly p a ss e d th ro u g h W o king ro u n d
b y V irg in ia W a te r or G u ild fo rd . T h e y w e re b u sy
making th e n ecessa r y arran ge - m en ts to alter th e route
of th e S o u th am p ton an d Por tsm o u th S u nd ay L eag u e
ex cu rsions. A n octu rn a l n e w spaper reporter, mistaking m y
b roth e r fo r th e traffic manager, to w h o m h e b ears a
slight resem blanc e, w ay laid an d tried to inte r view him . Fe w
p eo p le , e x cepting th e ra ilw a y o fficials, connected th e
break d ow n w ith th e M artian s.
I have read , in an oth e r acco u n t o f these ev ents, th a t on
S un day m o rn in g “all L o n d o n w as electrified b y th e ne w s fro m
W o king.” A s a m atte r of fact, th ere w as no thin g to
justify th a t ver y extravagan t ph rase. P len ty of
L o n d o n ers d id n o t hear o f th e M artia n s u n til th e
p an ic o f M o n d a y m o rn in g. T h ose who d id too k som e
tim e to realise all th a t th e h astily w ord ed teleg ram s in th e
S un da y papers co nveyed. T h e m a- jo rity of peo ple in
L o n d o n do n o t rea d S u n da y p a pers.
T h e h abit of personal secu rity, m oreo v er, is so d eep ly fixed
in th e L o n d o n e r’s m ind , an d startlin g intellig en ce so m uch a
m atte r of co u rse in th e p apers, th a t they could rea d w ith o u t
a n y p ers o n a l tre m o rs : “A b o u t se v e n o ’c lo ck la st
n ig h t th e M artians c ame ou t of th e cy linder, an d , m oving
ab o u t u n d er
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
102 103

a n a r m o u r o f m e ta llic sh ie ld s , h a v e c o m p le te ly p reviou s nig ht. T h e re he h eard allusions made to th e in v a -

w reck ed sio n , an d a special p ray er fo r peace. C om in g o ut, h e b o u g h t a
W oking statio n w ith th e adjacen t houses, an d m assac red an
R E F E R E E . H e becam e alarm ed at th e n ew s in this, an d w ent
en tire b attalio n o f th e C ard ig a n R e gim en t. N o again to W aterlo o statio n to fin d ou t if co m m u n ic ation w ere
d etails are known. M ax im s h av e been ab so lu tely resto red. T h e o m n ibu ses , carriages, c yc lists, an d in n u m e rab le
useles s ag ain st th eir arm o u r; th e field g u n s have people w alk in g in their b est clo th es seem ed scarcely affected
been disabled b y th em . F ly in g h u ssars hav e been b y th e strange in tellig enc e th a t th e n ew s ven d ers w ere dis-
gallo pin g into C h e r tsey. T h e M a rtians ap - pear to be m ov ing
seminating. Peo ple w ere inte rested, or, if alarm ed ,
slo w ly to w ard s C h e rtsey or W indsor. G reat an x ie ty pre vails
alarm ed on ly o n acco u n t of th e local residents. A t th e statio n
in W e st S u rre y, a n d e a rth w o rk s are b ein g th ro w n u p
h e heard fo r th e first tim e th a t th e W in dso r an d C hertse y
to ch eck th e adv an ce L o n d o n w ard.” T h a t w a s h ow th e
lin es w ere n ow in terru p ted . T h e p o rters told h im th a t
S u n da y S U N p u t it, an d a cleve r an d rem arkably pro m pt
se veral re m ark - ab le telegram s had been receiv ed in th e
“handb ook ” article in th e R E F E R E E compared th e affair to a m o rn in g from B y fleet an d C h ertse y stations, b u t th a t
m en ag erie sud denly let lo o se in a village.
these h a d ab ru p tly ceased . M y b roth e r could get ver y
N o one in L o n d o n knew positively of th e n atu re of th e
little precise d etail o u t of th em .
armoured M artian s , an d th ere w a s still a fixed idea th a t these
“ T h e re ’s figh tin g go in g o n ab o u t W ey bridg e ” w as th e ex -
monsters m u st be slu g g ish : “craw ling, ” “creep in g p ain fu lly” —
ten t of th eir inform atio n.
such expression s occurred in alm ost all th e earlie r reports. N one
T h e train ser vice w a s n ow v er y m u ch disorg an ised . Q uite
of th e telegram s cou ld have been w ritte n b y an eyew itness of
a n u m b e r o f p eo p le who h a d been exp ectin g
th eir ad v an ce. T h e S u n da y papers prin te d sepa rate edition s as
frien d s from places on th e S o u th - W estern n etw ork w ere
furth e r new s cam e to h an d , som e ev en in d efau lt of it. B u t
stan din g ab o ut th e statio n . O n e grey-headed old gentlem a n
there w as practically no th in g more to tell people u n til late in
cam e a n d ab used th e S o u th -W estern C o m p an y b itte rly to m y
th e aftern o on , when th e autho ritie s gav e th e p ress agencies
b roth e r. “It w an ts sh ow in g up,” h e said .
th e n ew s in their po ssessio n . It w a s stated th a t th e people of
O n e or two train s came in from R ich m o n d , P utn e y, an d
W alton and W ey bridg e, an d all the district w ere pou ring along
Kingston , co n tainin g people who had g on e o u t fo r
th e road s L o n d o n w ard , an d th a t w as all.
a day ’s b oatin g an d fo u n d th e lock s clo sed an d a feeling of
M y brothe r w en t to chu rch at th e Fo u n d lin g H ospita l in pan ic in th e air. A m an in a blue and white blazer add ressed
th e m o rn in g , still in ign o ranc e of w hat ha d hap pene d o n th e
m y bro the r,
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
104
full of strange tidin gs.
“ T h e re ’s hosts o f p eop le d riv in g in to Kingston
in traps an d carts an d thin gs , w ith boxes o f valuables an d all
that,” h e said . “ T h e y come from Molesey an d W ey bridg e
an d W alto n , an d th e y say th ere’s been g u n s heard at C h e rtsey,
heav y firing, an d th a t m o un te d so ld iers have told th em to
get off at once b ecau se th e M a rtians are coming. W e
heard g u n s firing at H am p to n C o u rt station , b u t w e
th o u g h t it w a s th u n d e r. W h at th e d icken s do es it all m ean ?
T h e M a rtians can’t get ou t of th eir pit, can they?”
M y b ro th e r co uld n o t tell him .
A fter w ard s h e fo u n d th a t th e vagu e feelin g of alarm had
sp read to th e c lie n ts o f th e un d ergro u n d railw ay, an d th a t th e
S u n da y ex cu rsion ists bega n to return from all over th e S o u th -
W estern “ lung” — B arnes, W im bledon, R ic hm o nd Park, K ew,
an d so fo rth — a t u nn atu rally early h ou rs; b u t n o t a so u l h ad
any th in g more th a n vagu e hearsay to tell of. Everyo n e con -
necte d w ith th e term in u s seem ed ill-te m p ered .
A b o u t five o’cloc k th e gath erin g crow d in th e statio n w as
im m en sely ex cited b y th e o penin g of th e lin e of co m m un ica -
tio n , which is alm o st inv ariably closed , betw een th e S o u th -
E aste rn an d th e S o u th -W estern stations, an d th e passag e o f
carriag e tru ck s bearin g huge gun s an d carriag es crammed w ith
so ld iers. T h e s e w ere th e g u n s th a t w e re b ro u g h t
u p from W o o lw ich an d C h ath a m to co v er Kingston . T here
w as an ex - chan g e of p leasan tries: “ You’ ll get eaten!” “ W e’re
th e b east-
105
tam ers!” an d so forth . A little w h ile after th a t a squ ad of p o -
lice cam e into th e statio n an d beg an to clear th e pub lic off
th e platforms, an d m y b roth e r w en t ou t into th e street ag ain .
T h e ch urc h bells w ere ringing fo r ev en so n g , an d a sq uad
of S alvation A rm y lassie s came sin g in g dow n W aterlo o R oad .
O n th e b rid g e a n u m b e r o f loafers w ere watching a curiou s
brown scu m th a t cam e driftin g down th e stream in patches.
T h e sun w a s ju st settin g , an d th e C lo c k Tow er an d th e H o uses
of P arliam en t ro se ag ain st one of th e m o st peacefu l sk ies it is
p o ssib le to im ag ine , a sky of g old , barred w ith lon g tran sv erse
str ip es of red dish -p u rple c loud. T h ere w a s talk of a floatin g
b od y. O n e of th e m e n th ere, a reser vist h e said he w as, to ld
m y bro th e r h e h ad seen th e heliograph flick erin g in th e w est.
In W ellin gto n S treet m y b roth e r m e t a coup le of sturdy
ro u g h s who h a d ju st been ru shed o u t o f F le e t
S treet w ith still-wet new spapers an d staring placard s.
“D readfu l catastro - p he!” th e y b aw le d one to th e o th e r dow n
W ellin gto n S treet.
“ F ig h tin g a t W e y brid g e ! F u ll d e sc rip tio n ! R e p u lse o f
th e
Martians! L o n d o n in D ang er!” H e ha d to giv e threepence for
a copy of th a t paper.
T h e n it w as, an d th e n on ly, th a t h e realised so m ethin g o f
th e full pow er an d terro r of these monsters. H e learn ed th a t
they w ere n o t m erely a h and fu l o f sm all slug g ish creatures,
b u t th a t they w ere m in d s sw ay in g vast m ech an ica l
b o d ie s; an d th a t they cou ld m ov e sw iftly an d smite w ith
such pow er th a t ev en th e m ightiest g un s cou ld n o t stan d
ag ain st th em .
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
106 107

T h e y w ere describ e d as “vast spiderlik e m achin es , n early a

hu n dre d feet h igh , cap ab le of th e speed o f an express train ,
an d ab le to sh o o t o u t a beam of intens e heat.” M aske d b atter -
ies, ch iefly o f field g u n s, h a d been p lan te d in th e
co u n tr y ab o u t H o rse ll C o m m on , an d especially b etw een th e
W o king d istric t a n d L o n d o n . F iv e o f th e m a ch in e s
h a d been seen m o v in g to w ards th e T h a m es , an d on e,
b y a h ap py chan ce, ha d been d estro yed . In th e othe r
case s th e shells had m issed, an d th e batteries had been at
once an nihilate d b y th e H e at- R ays. H eav y lo sse s of
so ld iers w ere m en tio n ed , b u t th e to ne of th e dispatch w as
optimistic.
T h e M artian s h ad been rep ulsed ; they w ere n o t invulner-
ab le. T h e y had retreated to their triang le of c y lin d ers ag ain ,
in th e circle abo u t W o king. S ig n allers w ith helio g raphs w ere
pu shin g fo r w ard u p o n th e m from all sides. G uns w ere in rapid
tran sit from W indsor, Por tsm o u th , A ld ersh ot,
W o o lw ich — ev en from th e n orth ; am o n g others, lo n g wire-
guns o f n inety - fiv e to n s from W oo lw ic h . A lto geth e r one
h u n d red an d six - tee n w ere in position or bein g h astily
placed , ch iefly co verin g L o n d o n . N ev er before in E ng lan d
had th ere been such a vast or rapid concentration of military
m ate rial.
A n y fu rth e r cy lin d ers th a t fell, it w a s h o p e d ,
co u ld b e
destroyed a t once b y hig h explosives , which w ere b ein g rap -
idly manufactured an d distrib uted . N o d o u b t, ran th e rep ort,
th e situatio n w a s of th e strangest an d gravest description, b u t
th e p ublic w a s exhorted to avo id an d d isco u rag e panic. N o
 do u b t th e M artian s w ere strange an d terrib le in th e ex trem e,
b u t at th e outside th ere could n o t be more th a n
tw enty of th em ag ain st our m illion s.
T h e autho ritie s h ad reaso n to sup pose , from th e size of
th e cy lin d ers , th a t a t th e outside th ere co u ld n o t
b e more th a n fiv e in each cy linder— fiftee n alto geth e r. A n d
o n e at least w as d isp osed of— perhaps m o re. T h e pub lic
w ould be fairly w arn e d o f th e ap p ro a ch o f danger, an d
elabo rate m easu res w ere being taken for th e protectio n of th e
people in the th reat- en e d southwestern su bu rbs. A n d so ,
w ith reiterate d assur- an ces of th e safety of L o n d o n an d
th e ab ility o f th e au th o ri- ties to cope w ith th e difficulty, this
quasi-pro c lam ation c lo sed. T h is w as prin te d in enormous typ e
o n paper so fresh th at
it w as still w et, an d th ere h ad been n o tim e to ad d a w ord of
co m m e n t. It w as cu rio us, m y b ro th e r said , to see how ru th -
lessly th e u su al co nten ts of th e paper h ad been h ack e d an d
taken ou t to giv e th is p lace.
A ll d ow n W ellin gto n S tree t people co uld be seen flutter-
ing ou t th e pin k sh eets an d reading, an d th e S tran d w as su d -
d en ly no isy w ith th e voice s of an arm y o f haw kers fo llo w in g
these pio neers. M e n cam e scram blin g off bu ses to secure co p -
ies. C ertain ly this new s excited people intensely, w hatever their
p reviou s apath y. T h e sh utters of a m a p shop in th e
S tran d w ere b ein g take n down, m y b ro th e r said , an d a
m a n in h is S u n da y raim e n t, lem on -yello w glove s ev en , w as
visible in side th e w in d o w h astily fasten in g m ap s of S u rrey to
th e glass.
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
108
G o in g o n alo n g th e S tran d to Trafalgar S q u are , th e paper
in h is h an d , m y bro the r sa w som e of th e fug itiv es from W est
S urrey. T h ere w as a m a n w ith his w ife an d two boy s an d som e
articles o f furniture in a cart such as green grocers u se. H e w as
d riv in g from th e direction of W estm inste r Brid ge; an d c lose
b eh in d h im cam e a hay w aggo n w ith five or six resp ectab le -
lo o kin g p eople in it, an d some boxes an d b u n d les. T h e faces
of these people w ere haggard, and their entire appearance con-
traste d co n sp icu o u sly w ith th e S ab b ath -b est
appearanc e of th e p eople o n th e om n ibu ses. Peo ple in
fashionab le c lothin g p eep ed at the m ou t of cab s. T h e y
sto p pe d at th e S q uare as if undecided which w a y to
take, an d fin ally tu rne d eastw ard alon g th e S trand .
Some w ay behin d these cam e a m an in w ork - day clo th es,
ridin g one of th o se o ld - fashio ned tricycles w ith
a sm all fro n t w heel. H e w a s d irty an d white in th e face.
M y b ro th e r tu rn e d down to w a rd s V icto ria , a n d
m e t a nu m b e r of such p eo p le . H e had a vagu e idea th at
h e m igh t see so m ethin g of m e . H e no tice d a n u nu sual
n u m b e r of p o - lice reg u latin g th e traffic. Some of th e
refug ees w ere exch an g - ing n ew s w ith th e p eople o n th e
o m n ib u ses . O n e w a s p rofess- ing to have seen th e M artian s .
“B oilers o n stilts, I tell y o u, stridin g alo n g like m en .” M os t
of th em w ere ex cited an d an i- m ate d b y their strange
exp erien ce.
B eyon d V ictoria th e public-houses w ere doin g a lively trade
w ith these arrivals. A t all th e stree t corners g ro u p s of people
w ere reading papers, talking excitedly, or starin g at these u n -
109
u sua l S u nd ay v isitors. T h e y seem ed to in crease as n ig h t d rew
o n , u n til at last th e ro ads, m y b roth e r said , w ere like E psom
H ig h S treet o n a D erb y Day. M y bro th e r add ressed severa l of
these fug itiv es an d g o t u nsatisfacto ry an sw ers fro m m ost.
N one of th em could tell him any ne w s of W oking ex cep t
one m an , who assu red him th a t W o king h ad been
en tirely destroyed o n th e p rev io u s nigh t.
“I com e from B y fleet,” he said ; “m a n o n a
bicyc le cam e thro u g h th e p lace in th e early m o rn in g , an d
ran from d oo r to d oo r w arn in g us to com e aw a y. T h e n cam e
so ld iers. W e w ent o u t to look , an d th ere w ere clo ud s of
sm ok e to th e so uth — n o th in g b u t sm ok e, an d n o t a sou l
coming th a t w ay. T h e n w e heard the g uns at C h e rtsey, an d
folks coming from W eybridge. S o I’v e lo ck ed up m y ho use
an d com e o n .”
A t th e tim e th ere w as a stron g feelin g in th e streets th a t
th e au th oritie s w ere to blam e fo r th eir in cap acity to d ispo se
of th e in v aders w ith o u t all this inconv enience.
A b o u t eigh t o’cloc k a noise of heav y firin g w as d istin ctly
audib le all over th e so u th of L o n d o n . M y bro th e r co uld n o t
hear it fo r th e traffic in th e m ain thoroughfares, b u t b y strik -
ing thro u g h th e q uiet back streets to th e river h e w a s ab le to
distinguish it q uite p lain ly.
H e w a lk e d from W e s tm in s te r to h is a p a rtm e n t s
near
R egen t ’s Park, ab o u t tw o. H e w as n ow ver y an x io u s o n m y
account, a n d d istu r b e d a t th e e v id e n t m a g n itu d e
o f th e trouble. H is m in d w as incline d to ru n , even as m in e
had ru n
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
110
o n S atu rd ay, o n military details. H e th o u g h t of all th ose si-
len t, exp ectan t g un s, of th e suddenly nomadic
co u n tr y side;
h e trie d to im ag in e “boilers o n stilts” a hu ndre d feet h igh .
T here w ere one or two cartload s of refu gees p assin g alo ng
O x fo rd S treet, an d se ver al in th e M a r y lebo ne R o ad , b u t so
slow ly w as th e ne w s sp readin g th a t R egen t S treet an d Port-
land P lace w ere full of th eir u sua l S u n d a y -n igh t promenaders,
albeit th e y talked in g ro u p s, an d alo n g th e edg e of R egen t ’s
Park th ere w ere as m an y silen t co u p les “w alkin g o u t ” to geth er
u n d e r th e scatte red gas lam p s as e ver th ere had
been. T h e n ig h t w a s w arm an d still, an d a little oppressive ;
th e so u n d of
g u n s c o n tin u e d in te rm itte n t l y, a n d a f te r m id n ig h t
th e re
seem ed to be sheet ligh tn in g in th e so uth .
H e read an d re -rea d th e paper, fearing th e w orst ha d h ap -
pene d to m e . H e w as restless, a n d afte r su p per prow led out
again aim lessly. H e retu rn e d an d tr ie d in vain to d ivert his
atten tio n to h is examination notes. H e w en t to bed a little
after m id nigh t, an d w a s aw akene d from lurid dream s in th e
sm all hours of M o nd a y b y th e so u n d of d oo r kn ocke rs, feet
ru n nin g in th e street, distan t dru m m in g , an d a
clam o u r of b ells. R e d reflectio n s danced o n th e ceilin g. For
a m om en t h e la y astonished, wondering w h ethe r d ay had
com e or th e w orld g one m ad . T h e n h e jumped ou t of bed
an d ra n to th e w in - d ow.
H is ro o m w a s a n attic an d as he th rus t his h ea d ou t, u p
an d down th e street th ere w ere a d o zen ech o es to th e n oise of
111
his window sash , an d h ead s in e very kin d of n ig h t d isarray
ap p eared . E n q u iries w ere b ein g sho uted . “ T h e y are co m ing!”
b aw led a p o licem an , ha m m erin g at th e door; “th e M artian s
are com ing!” an d hurried to th e nex t d o o r.
T h e so u n d of d ru m m in g an d tru m p etin g cam e from th e
Albany S treet B arrac k s, an d ever y chu rch w ithin earshot w as
h ard at w ork killin g sleep w ith a vehement diso rd erly tocsin.
T here w as a no ise of d oo rs op en in g , an d w ind o w afte r w in -
do w in th e ho uses opposite flashed from darkness into yellow
illu m in a tio n .
U p th e street cam e gallopin g a clo sed carriag e,
bu rstin g
ab ru ptly in to no ise a t th e corner, r isin g to a c lattering c lim ax
u n d e r th e window, an d d y in g aw a y slow ly in th e
d istan ce. Close o n th e rea r of this cam e a couple o f cabs,
th e fo reru n - n ers of a lo n g processio n of flyin g vehicles, g oin g
fo r th e m o st part to C h alk Farm station , w he re th e N o rth -
W estern special train s w ere loadin g u p , instead o f coming
down th e gradient into E u sto n .
For a lo n g tim e m y b roth e r stared o u t of th e window in
blan k asto nish m ent, watching th e p o licem e n h am m e rin g at
do o r after do o r, an d deliv erin g th eir in com p rehen sib le m es -
sag e. T h en th e d oo r b ehin d h im op en ed , an d th e m a n who
lo d ged across th e landing cam e in , dressed on ly in sh irt, tro u -
sers, an d slip p ers, h is braces lo ose abo u t h is w aist,
his h air diso rde red from h is pillow.
“ W h a t th e devil is it?” he asked . “A fire? W h a t a devil of a
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
112
row !”
T h e y b o th cran ed their h ead s o u t of th e w ind o w, strain -
ing to hear w h at th e p olicem e n w ere sh o utin g . Peop le w ere
coming ou t o f th e side streets, an d stand in g in g ro u p s at th e
corners talking.
“ W h a t th e devil is it all ab out?” said m y b roth e r’s fellow
lodger.
M y b ro th e r an sw ere d h im vaguely an d b egan to d ress, ru n -
n in g w ith each garm en t to th e w in do w in order to m iss n o th -
ing o f th e g ro w in g excitem en t. A n d p resen tly m e n
sellin g un naturally early new spapers cam e b aw lin g in to th e
street:
“L o n d on in danger of suffo cation! T h e Kingston and R ich -
m on d d efen ce s fo rced ! Fearful m assac res in th e T h a m e s Val-
ley!”
A n d all abo u t him — in th e ro o m s b elow, in th e hou ses on
each side an d across th e road, an d b ehin d in th e Park Terraces
an d in th e h u ndre d othe r streets of th a t part of M a r y leb o ne,
an d th e W estbourne Park district an d S t. P an cras, an d w est-
w ard an d n o rth w a r d in K ilb u rn a n d S t. John’s
W o o d an d H am pstead , an d eastw ard in S ho reditch an d
H ig h b u r y an d H a g gersto n an d H o x to n , an d , in deed ,
throu g h all th e vast- n ess of L o n d o n from E alin g to E as t
H a m — p eo p le w ere ru b - bing th eir eyes , an d o penin g
w indow s to stare o u t an d ask aim less q uestio n s,
dressin g h astily as th e first breath of th e co m in g sto rm
of Fear b lew th ro u g h th e streets. It w as the dawn of
th e great pan ic . L o n d o n , which had go n e to bed on
113
S u n da y n ig h t ob liv iou s an d in ert, w as aw akened , in th e sm all
hours of M o n day m o rnin g , to a vivid sense o f danger.
Unable from h is w in do w to learn w hat w as
hap penin g, m y bro th e r w en t down an d ou t into th e street,
just as th e sky b etw ee n th e parap ets of th e hou ses grew pin k
w ith th e early dawn. T h e fly in g peop le o n foot an d in
vehicles g re w more nu m e rous eve ry m om en t. “B lack S m oke!”
he heard people cry- ing, an d ag ain “B lack S m oke!” T h e
contagion of such a un an i- m ous fear w as inevitable. A s m y
broth er hesitated on th e d oor- step, h e sa w an o th e r n ew s
vender approaching, an d go t a p a - per fo rthw ith . T h e m a n
w as ru n n in g aw a y w ith th e rest, an d sellin g his p apers fo r a
shillin g each as h e ran—a gro tesqu e mingling of pro fit an d
pan ic.
A n d from th is paper m y b ro th e r rea d th a t
catastrophic dispatch of th e C o m m an d er -in -C h ief:
“ T h e M artians are ab le to d isc harg e eno rm o u s c loud s o f a
black an d p o iso no u s v ap o u r b y m ean s of ro ck ets. T h e y hav e
sm o there d our batteries, destroy ed R ich m o n d , K in gsto n , an d
W im b led o n , an d are advan cin g slow ly to w ard s L o n d o n , d e -
stroy ing e ver y th in g o n th e w ay. It is im possib le to sto p th em .
T here is n o safety from th e B lack S m ok e b u t in instan t flig h t.”
T h a t w a s all, b u t it w a s en o u gh . T h e w hole p o pulatio n of
th e great six -m illio n city w a s stirring, slipp ing , ru n nin g ; pres -
ently it w o uld be p o urin g E N M A S S E n o rth w ard .
“B lac k S m oke!” th e voice s cried . “Fire!”
T h e b ells o f th e neighbouring ch u rc h made a
jan g lin g
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
114 115

tu m u lt, a cart carelessl y d riv e n sm ash ed , a m id

sh riek s an d
curses, again st th e w ater tro u g h u p th e street. Sickly yellow
lights w en t to an d fro in th e houses, an d som e of th e p assin g
cabs flaunted unextinguished lam p s. A n d overhead th e dawn
w as g row in g brig h te r, c lear an d stead y an d calm .
H e heard fo otstep s ru n nin g to an d fro in th e rooms, an d
u p an d down stairs b eh in d h im . H is landlad y
cam e to th e do o r, loosely w rapped in d ressin g gow n an d
shaw l; h e r h u s- b an d fo llo w e d ejacu lating .
A s m y b ro th e r b e g a n to realise th e im p o r t o f
all these
Chapter 15.
thin gs , h e turne d h astily to his o w n ro o m , p u t all h is av ailable What had happened in Surrey.
m on ey — so m e te n po u n d s alto gether — into his po ckets, an d
w en t o u t again into th e streets. It w a s w h ile th e cu rate h ad sat an d talked so w ildly to me
u n d e r th e hedge in th e flat m eadow s near H alliford , an d w h ile
my brother was watching th e fu g itiv e s
stream o v e r W estm inste r B ridg e , th a t th e M a rtians had
resu m ed th e of- fen sive. S o far as one can ascertain from
th e co n flictin g ac - counts th a t h av e been p u t fo rth ,
th e m ajo rity of th e m re - m ain e d b usie d w ith
preparations in th e H orsell p it u ntil nin e th a t nig ht, h u rr y ing
o n som e operation th a t disengag e d huge vo lu m es o f g reen
sm o ke.
B u t th ree certain ly cam e o u t abo u t eigh t o’cloc k an d , ad -
v an cin g slow ly an d cau tio usly, made their w ay thro u g h B y fleet
an d P y rford to w ard s R ip le y an d W ey brid ge , an d so came in
sigh t of th e ex p ectan t batteries again st th e settin g sun. T h ese
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
116
M a rtians did n o t adv an ce in a bo d y, b u t in a lin e, eac h per-
haps a m ile an d a half from his n earest fellow. T h e y commu -
nicated w ith one an o th e r b y m ean s of siren lik e h ow ls, ru n -
n in g u p an d dow n th e scale fro m one no te to an oth e r.
It w as th is h ow lin g an d firin g of th e g un s at R ip ley an d
S t. G eorg e ’s H ill th a t w e h ad h eard at U p pe r H alliford . T h e
R ip le y gunners, unseaso n e d artiller y volu nteers who
ou g ht n ev er to have been placed in such a p o sitio n , fired
one w ild, p re m atu re , ineffectu al volley, an d b olte d o n
ho rse an d foot thro u g h th e deserted village , w h ile th e
M artian , w ith o u t us- ing h is H e a t-R ay, w alke d seren e ly
over th eir g u n s, stepped g ing erly a m o n g th em , p assed in
fro n t of th em , an d so cam e un ex p ected ly u p o n th e g un s in
Painshill P ark , which h e d e - stro y ed .
T h e S t. G eo rg e ’s H ill m en , h o w ever, w ere b ette r led or of
a b ette r m e ttle. H id d e n b y a pin e w o o d as they w ere, they
seem to h av e been quite u n su specte d b y th e M artia n n earest
to them . T h e y laid their g un s as deliberate ly as if they had
been o n p arade , an d fired a t ab o u t a th o u san d yards ’ ran g e.
T h e shells flashed all ro u n d him , an d h e w a s seen to ad -
vance a fe w paces, stag ger, an d g o down. E v ery b od y
yelled to geth e r, an d th e gu n s w ere reload ed in frantic
haste. T h e overthrown M artia n set u p a prolonged ululation,
an d im m e - d iately a second glittering giant, answ ering him ,
appeared over th e trees to th e so uth . It w o uld seem th a t a leg
of th e trip od h a d been sm ash e d b y one o f th e sh ells.
T h e w h o le o f th e
117
secon d volle y fle w w ide of th e M artia n o n th e gro u nd , an d ,
sim ultaneo usly, b oth his com panions brough t their H e at-R ays
to bear o n th e b atte r y. T h e a m m u n itio n b le w u p,
th e pine trees all abo u t th e g u n s flashed in to fire, an d only
one or two of th e m e n who w ere alread y ru n n in g o ver th e
crest of th e hill escaped.
A fter th is it w ould seem th a t th e thre e to o k cou n se l to -
geth e r an d h alted , an d th e scou ts who w ere watching th em
report th a t th e y remained absolutely station a r y fo r th e n ex t
half h o u r. T h e M a rtia n who had been overth ro w n
craw led ted io u sly o u t of his h o o d , a sm all brown figu re , oddly
sugges- tive from th a t distanc e of a sp eck of bligh t, an d
ap p aren tly en gage d in th e repair of h is sup p ort. A b o u t nin e
h e had fin - ished, fo r his cow l w a s th e n seen abov e th e trees
ag ain .
It w as a fe w m inu te s past nin e th a t n ig h t when these th ree
sentinels w ere jo ined b y fo u r o th e r M artians, each carry in g a
thic k b lack tub e. A sim ilar tu b e w a s h an d e d to each of th e
th ree , a n d th e seven p ro ceed e d to d istrib u te
th e m se lv e s at equal distan ces alon g a cu r ved lin e betw een S t.
G eorg e ’s H ill, W ey brid g e, an d th e villag e of S en d ,
southwest of R ip ley.
A d o zen rock ets spran g ou t of th e h ills before
th em so so o n as they b eg an to m ov e, an d w arn ed th e
w aitin g batteries ab o u t D itto n an d E sh e r. A t th e sam e tim e
fo u r of th eir fig h t- ing m achines, sim ilarly arm e d w ith
tubes, cro sse d th e river, an d tw o of them , blac k against
th e w este rn sky, cam e into sigh t of m yself an d th e curate
as w e h urrie d w earily an d p ain -
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
118
fully alo n g th e road th a t runs n o rth w ar d o u t o f
H allifo rd .
T h e y m ov ed , as it seem ed to u s, u p o n a clo ud , fo r a m ilky
m ist cov ered th e field s an d ro se to a th ird of th eir h eigh t.
A t th is sigh t th e cu rate crie d fain tly in h is
th ro at, a n d
beg an ru n nin g ; b u t I kne w it w as n o good ru n nin g from a
M artian , an d I turne d asid e an d craw le d thro ug h dew y nettles
an d b ram b le s in to th e broad ditc h b y th e side of th e road. H e
lo o ked b ack , sa w w hat I w a s d oin g , an d turne d to join m e.
T h e two h a lte d , th e n e a re r to u s sta n d in g
and fa c in g S u n b u r y, th e re m o te r bein g a grey
indistinctness to w ards th e evening star, aw ay tow ards S taines.
T h e o ccasion al h o w lin g of th e M artian s h ad ceased ; they
to o k u p their position s in th e huge crescen t abo u t th eir cylin -
ders in abso lute silence. It w as a crescen t w ith tw elv e m iles
betw een its h orns. N eve r sin ce th e d ev isin g of gunpowder w as
th e beginning of a battle so still. To us an d to an
obser ver ab o u t R ip le y it w ould h av e ha d precisely th e sam e
effect— th e M a rtians seem ed in solitary p o ssessio n
of th e d ark lin g nig ht, lit only as it w as b y th e slen d er
m o o n , th e stars, th e afterglow of th e daylight, an d th e rudd y
glare fro m S t. G eorg e ’s H ill an d th e w ood s of Painshill.
B u t facin g th a t crescen t everyw here— at S taines, H ounslow,
D itto n , E she r, O c kh a m , b e h in d hills an d w ood s so uth of th e
river, an d across th e flat grass meadow s to th e
n o rth of it, w h erev er a cluster of trees or villag e
houses gav e sufficient cover— th e g u n s w ere w aiting. T h e
sig na l roc kets b urst an d
119
rained their sp ark s thro ug h th e n ig h t an d van ished , an d th e
spirit of all tho se watching batteries ro se to a tense exp ecta-
tio n . T h e M a rtians h ad b u t to adv an ce into th e lin e of fire,
an d instantly th o se m otion less b lack form s of m en , th o se g un s
glittering so d ark ly in th e early n ig h t, w ould ex p lod e in to a
th u n d ero u s fu r y of battle.
N o d ou b t th e th o u g h t th a t w as u p perm o s t in a th o u san d
of tho se v ig ilan t m in ds, ev en as it w as u pp erm o s t in m ine , w as
th e riddle—how m u ch they un dersto o d of u s. D id they grasp
th a t w e in our m illion s w ere organ ized , disciplined , w ork in g
together? O r did they interpre t our spurts of fire, th e sud d en
stinging of our sh ells, our stead y investment of th eir en ca m p -
m en t, as w e should th e furiou s un anim ity of onslaught in a
disturb e d h iv e of bees? D id they drea m they m ig h t exterm i-
n ate us? (A t th a t tim e n o one knew w hat fo o d they needed.)
A hu n dre d such q u estio n s stru g gled to geth e r in m y m in d as
I watched th a t vast sentinel sh ape . A n d in th e b ack
of m y
m ind w as th e sense of all th e huge un kno w n and hidden forces
L o n d o nw ard . H a d th e y prep ared pitfalls? W ere th e pow der
m ills at H o un slow read y as a snare? W ould th e
L o n d o ners h av e th e h eart an d co u rag e to m ak e a greater
M osco w of their mighty p ro v in c e of h ou ses?
T hen , after an interm inab le tim e, as it seem ed to us, crouch -
ing an d peerin g thro u g h th e hedge, cam e a so un d
like th e distan t con cu ssion of a gu n . A n othe r nearer,
an d th e n an - o th e r. A n d th e n th e M a rtia n b e sid e
u s raised h is tu b e on
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
120 121

high an d discharged it, gunw ise, w ith a heavy rep ort th at made
th e grou n d h eav e. T h e one to w ard s S taines answ ered
him . T h ere w as n o flash , n o sm ok e, sim p ly th a t lo ade d
d eto n atio n .
I w a s so ex cite d b y these heav y m in u te -g u n s
fo llo w in g
one an o th e r th a t I so far forgot m y personal safety an d m y
scalde d han d s as to clam be r u p in to th e hedge an d stare to -
w ard s S u n b u r y. A s I d id so a seco n d report fo llo w ed , an d a
big p rojectile hu rtled ov er h ead tow ard s H ou nslow. I expected
at least to see sm ok e or fire, or som e such evidence of its w ork.
B u t all I sa w w as th e deep blu e sky ab ove, w ith one solitar y
star, an d th e white m ist sp readin g w id e an d low b en eath . A n d
there ha d been n o crash , n o an sw ering ex p losio n . T h e silence
w as restored ; th e m in u te len gth ene d to th ree.
“ W h a t h as happened? ” said th e cu rate, stan din g u p b esid e
m e.
“H eave n know s!” said I.
A bat flick ered by an d vanished. A distant tum ult of sho ut-
ing b eg an an d ceased . I loo ke d ag ain a t th e M artian , an d saw
he w as now m oving eastw ard along th e riverbank, w ith a sw ift,
rollin g m otion,
E very m om en t I expected th e fire of som e h id de n b atter y
to sp ring u p o n him ; b u t th e evenin g c alm w a s u n broken. T h e
fig u re of th e M artia n grew sm aller as h e reced ed , an d pres -
ently th e m ist an d th e gatherin g n ig h t had
sw allo w ed him u p. B y a co m m o n im p u ls e w e
c lam b e red h ig h e r. To w a rd s S u n b u r y w a s a dark
ap p earan ce , as th o ug h a co n ical hill had
suddenly com e into bein g th ere , hid in g our view o f th e far-
th er co u n tr y ; an d th en , rem o te r across th e river, over W alton,
w e saw an other such su m m it. T h ese hill-like form s grew low er
an d broader ev en as w e stared.
Moved by a su dden th o ug h t, I looked n orth w ard, and th ere
I perceived a th ird o f these clou d y black k o p jes h ad risen .
E very th in g had suddenly becom e ver y still. Far
aw a y to
th e southeast, marking th e quiet, w e heard th e M artian s h o o t-
ing to one an o th e r, an d th e n th e air q uiv ered again w ith th e
d istan t th u d o f their g u ns. B u t th e earth ly artiller y made
no re p ly.
N o w a t th e tim e w e could n o t u n d erstan d these th in gs,
b u t later I w as to learn th e m eanin g of these ominous
k op jes th a t gath ere d in th e tw ilight. E ac h of th e M artian s ,
stan din g in th e great crescen t I have described , had discharged ,
b y m eans of th e g u nlik e tu b e h e carried , a huge caniste r over
w hatev er h ill, co p se , clu ster of hou ses, or othe r po ssib le
cover fo r g u ns, chan ce d to be in fro n t of him . Some fired
only one of these, som e tw o — as in th e case of th e one w e
had seen ; th e one at R ip le y is said to hav e d ischarg e d n o
few e r th a n five at th a t tim e . T h es e can isters sm ashe d on
strik in g th e gro u n d — th e y did n o t exp lod e — an d
inco ntinentl y d isen gage d a n enormous v o lu m e of heav y, ink y
v ap o u r, co ilin g an d p o u ring up w ard in
a huge an d ebo n y cum ulu s clo ud , a gaseou s hill th a t san k an d
sp read itself slow ly o ver th e surrou n din g co u ntr y. A n d
th e to u c h of th a t v apo u r, th e inhaling of its p u n gen t w isps,
w as
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
122
death to all th a t breathes.
It w a s heav y, th is v apo u r, h eav ie r th a n th e d en sest sm ok e,
so th at, after th e first tu m ultuo u s u prus h an d outflo w of its
im p act, it san k down thro u g h th e air an d po ure d
over th e gro u n d in a m an n e r rath e r liq uid th a n g aseou s,
ab an d o nin g th e h ills, an d streaming into th e valley s an d
ditches an d w a - tercourse s even as I have heard th e carbonic-
acid gas th a t pours from v olcanic clefts is w o n t to d o . A n d
w h ere it cam e u p o n w ater som e chem ical action o ccu rred ,
an d th e surface w ould b e in stan tly cov ered w ith a p ow dery
scu m th a t san k slow ly an d made w ay fo r m o re . T h e scu m
w as abso lutely inso lub le, an d it is a strange th in g , seein g th e
instan t effect o f th e g as, th a t one co uld d rin k w ith o u t h u rt
th e w ater from which it h ad been strained. T h e v ap o u r d id
n o t d iffu se as a true gas w ould d o . It hu n g to geth e r in b an k s,
flo w in g sluggish ly down th e slo p e o f th e land an d drivin g
relu ctantly before th e wind, an d ver y slow ly it co m b in e d
w ith th e m ist an d m o istu re of th e air, an d san k to th e earth
in th e fo rm of d u st. S ave th a t an u n kn o w n element g iv in g a
group of fo u r lin es in th e blu e o f th e spectrum is con cern ed ,
w e are still entirely ign o ran t of th e n atu re of this substance.
O n c e th e tu m u ltu o u s u ph eaval of its d isp ersio n w a s over,
th e b lack sm ok e clun g so closely to th e grou n d , even before
its precipitatio n , th a t fifty feet up in th e air, o n th e roo fs an d
up p er stories of h ig h h ouses an d o n great trees, th ere w a s a
ch ance o f esc aping its po iso n alto geth e r, as w as proved e ven
123
th a t n ig h t at S tree t C ob ha m an d D itto n .
T h e m a n who escape d at th e former p lace tells a w o n d er -
ful sto r y of th e stran g eness of its co ilin g flow, an d
h ow h e lo ok ed down from th e chu rc h sp ire an d sa w th e
houses of th e village risin g like gh o sts ou t o f its in k y
no thin gn ess . For a day an d a half he remained there, w eary,
starving an d sun-scorched, th e earth u n d e r th e blu e sky an d
ag ain st th e pro sp ect of th e distant hills a velv et-b lack expanse,
w ith red roofs, green trees, an d , later, b lack -v eiled sh ru b s an d
gates, barns, outhouses, an d w alls , risin g here an d th ere in to
th e su nligh t.
B u t th a t w a s at S tree t C o bh am , w here th e b lack v ap ou r
w as allo w ed to remain u n til it san k of its ow n accord in to th e
grou n d . A s a rule th e M a rtians, when it had served its p u r-
pose, cleare d th e air of it again b y w ad in g in to it an d direct-
ing a jet of steam u p o n it.
T h is they did w ith th e v ap o u r ban k s near u s, as w e sa w in
th e starligh t from th e w in do w of a deserted ho u se at U pp er
H a llifo rd , w h ith e r w e ha d retu rn ed . From th ere w e cou ld see
th e search lig hts o n R ich m o n d H ill an d Kingston H ill g oin g
to and fro , an d about eleven th e w indow s rattled , an d w e heard
th e so un d o f th e huge sieg e gu n s th a t had been p u t in p o si-
tio n th ere. T h ese co ntin ue d in te rm itten tly fo r th e sp ace of a
quarter of an h o u r, sending chance shots at th e inv isib le M a r-
tians at H am p to n a n d D itto n , an d th e n th e pale b eam s of th e
electric ligh t vanished , an d w ere rep laced b y a brig h t red g low.
T h e n th e fo u rth cy lin d e r fell— a brilliant green m eteor—
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
124
as I learn ed after w ards, in B ush ey Park. B efo re th e g un s o n
th e R ich m o n d an d Kingston lin e of h ills b eg an , th ere w a s a
fitfu l cannonade far aw a y in th e southwest, due, I believe, to
g u n s b ein g fire d h ap h azar d b efo re th e b lack v ap o u r
co u ld over w helm th e gunners.
S o , settin g ab o u t it as m etho d ically as m e n m ig h t sm oke
ou t a w asps ’ n est, th e M artian s sprea d this strange
stiflin g v ap o u r ove r th e L o n d o nw ard co u n tr y. T h e h orn s o f
th e cres- cen t slow ly m ove d apart, u n til at last they formed a
lin e from H an w ell to C o o m b e a n d M ald e n . A ll
n ig h t th ro u g h th eir destructiv e tubes advanced . N ev er
on ce, after th e M artia n at S t. G eorg e ’s H ill w as b rou gh t
d own, d id they giv e th e artil- ler y th e gh ost of a chance
ag ain st th em . W herever th ere w as a p o ssib ility of gu n s bein g
laid fo r th em unseen, a fresh canis- ter of th e b lack v ap o u r
w as disch arg ed , an d w here th e gu n s w ere openly disp lay ed
th e H e a t-R ay w a s b ro u g h t to bear.
B y m idn igh t th e blazin g trees alo n g th e slop es of R ich -
m on d P ark an d th e g lare o f Kingston H ill thre w their light
u p o n a network o f b lack sm ok e , blo ttin g ou t th e w hole valley
of th e T h a m e s an d extending as far as th e eye could reach .
A n d th ro u g h th is two M artian s slow ly w ad ed , an d
tu rn ed their hissin g steam jets th is w a y an d th at.
T h e y w ere sparin g of th e H eat-R a y th a t n ig h t, eithe r b e-
cause they h ad b u t a lim ite d sup p ly of m aterial fo r its p ro -
du ctio n or becau se th e y did n o t w ish to destroy th e co u n tr y
bu t only to crush an d overaw e th e oppositio n they had aroused.
125
In th e latter aim they certain ly su cceed ed . S un d ay n ig h t w as
th e en d of th e o rg anise d o pp o sitio n to th eir m o v em ents. A f-
ter th a t n o b o d y o f m e n w ould stan d ag ain st them , so h o p e -
less w a s th e enterprise. E ven th e crew s of th e torp ed o -b o ats
a n d d estro y e rs th a t h a d b ro u g h t th e ir q u ic k -firers
u p th e T h a m e s refu sed to sto p, m utin ied , an d w en t dow n
ag ain . T h e o n ly offensiv e o peratio n m e n ventured u p o n after
th a t n ig h t w as th e prep aratio n of mines an d p itfalls, an d
even in th at th eir en erg ies w ere frantic an d spasm odic.
O n e h as to im ag in e, as w ell as one m ay, th e fate of th ose
batteries to w ards E sh e r, w aitin g so ten sely in th e
tw ilig h t. S ur vivors th ere w ere n o ne. O n e m ay pictu re th e
orderly ex - pectation , th e o fficers alert an d w atchful, th e
gunners ready, th e a m m u n itio n p iled to h an d , th e lim b er
gunners w ith th eir horses an d w ag go n s, th e g ro u p s of civilian
sp ectators stan din g as near as they w ere p erm itted , th e evenin g
stilln ess, th e am - b u la n ce s a n d hospital ten ts w ith th e
b u rn e d a n d wounded from W ey brid g e ; th e n th e dull
reso nan c e o f th e shots th e M artian s fired , an d th e
clum sy projectile w hirlin g over th e trees an d houses an d
sm ash in g am id th e neighbouring field s. O n e m ay picture, to o ,
th e su d de n shifting o f th e atten -
tio n , th e sw iftly sp readin g coils an d belly in g s o f th a t black-
n ess advancin g headlong, towering heavenw ard , turn in g th e
twilight to a palpable d arkn ess, a strange an d horrible antag o -
n ist of vap o u r stridin g u p o n its v ictim s, m e n an d horses near
it seen dim ly, ru n n in g , sh riek ing , fallin g h ead long, shouts of
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
126 127

d is m a y, th e g u n s suddenly a b a n d o n e d , m e n choking
and
w rithin g o n th e grou n d , an d th e sw ift bro ad en in g -o u t of th e
opaque cone of sm o ke. A n d th en n ig h t an d extin ction — n oth -
ing b u t a silen t m ass of impenetrable v ap ou r hid in g its dead.
B efo re dawn th e b lack v apo u r w as p ou rin g throu g h
th e streets of R ich m o n d , an d th e disintegrating organ ism of
go v - ernm en t w as, w ith a last exp irin g effo rt, ro u sin g th e
p o p u la -
tio n o f L o n d o n to th e necessity of flight.
Chapter 16.
The exodus from London.

S o y o u u n d erstan d th e roaring w av e o f fear

th a t sw ept thro ug h th e greatest city in th e w orld
just as M on d a y w as daw ning — the stream of flight rising
sw iftly to a torrent, lashing in a foam in g tum u lt ro u n d
th e railw a y stations, banked u p into a h orrib le
stru g g le ab ou t th e shipping in th e T h a m e s, an d
hurr y ing b y ever y available chann e l n o rth w ard an d east-
w ard . B y te n o’cloc k th e p o lice organisation, an d b y m id day
even th e railw a y o rgan isation s , w ere lo sin g co heren c y, lo sin g
sh ap e an d efficien cy, gu tte ring, soften in g, r u n n in g at last in
th a t sw ift liquefaction of th e social b od y.
A ll th e railw a y lin es n o rth of th e T h a m e s an d th e S o u th -
E astern people a t C an n o n S tree t ha d been w arn ed b y m id -
n ig h t on S un d ay, an d train s w ere b ein g filled . People
w ere
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
128
fightin g savagely fo r stan ding - ro o m in th e carriages even at
two o’clock. B y three, people w ere being tram pled an d crushed
even in B isho p sg ate S treet, a coup le o f hu n dre d yard s or more
from L iv erp o o l S tree t statio n ; revolver s w ere fired ,
p eo ple stabbed, an d th e p olicem e n who h ad been sen t to
direct th e traffic, ex hau ste d an d infuriated, w ere b reak in g
th e h ead s o f th e peo ple they w ere called ou t to p ro tect.
A n d as th e day advanced an d th e engine d rivers an d stok -
ers refu sed to return to L o n d o n , th e pressu re of
th e flight d rov e th e peop le in an ever-thickening m ultitud e
aw a y from th e stations an d alo n g th e n orthw ard -run n in g
ro ads. B y m id - day a M artia n had been seen at B arnes, an d a
clou d of slow ly sin k in g black vap o u r d rove alon g th e
T h a m e s an d across th e flats o f L am beth , cuttin g off all
escap e over th e b rid ges in its slu g g ish ad van ce. A no the r
bank d rov e over E alin g , an d su r- ro u n d e d a little islan d of
su r vivors o n C astle H ill, aliv e, b u t u nable to escap e.
A fter a fru itless stru g g le to get ab o ard a N o rth -W este rn
train at C halk F arm — the engines of the trains th at had loaded
in th e g o o d s y a rd th er e P L O U G H E D th ro u g h
sh rie k in g peo ple, an d a d o zen stalw art m e n fou gh t to keep
th e cro w d from cru sh in g th e d riv e r ag ain s t h is
fu rn ace — m y b ro th er em erge d u p o n th e C halk F arm road,
dodged across thro u g h a h u rr y ing sw arm of vehic les, an d had
th e luck to be fo remost in th e sack of a c ycle shop. T h e
fro n t tire of th e m ach in e h e go t w a s p u n ctu red in d raggin g it
throu g h th e window, b u t h e
129
go t u p an d off, n o tw ith stan din g, w ith n o fu rth er injury th an
a cu t w rist. T h e stee p foot of H a v ersto ck H ill w as im p assab le
ow in g to severa l overturned horses, an d m y b roth e r
stru ck in to B elsize R o ad.
S o he go t ou t of th e fu r y of th e pan ic , an d , sk irtin g th e
Edgware R o ad , reach e d Edgware ab o u t sev en ,
fastin g an d w earied , b u t w ell ahead of th e crow d . Along
th e road people w ere stand in g in th e roadw ay, cu rious,
w o n d ering. H e w as p asse d b y a n u m b e r of cyclists , som e
ho rsem en , an d two m o - to r cars. A m ile from Edgware th e
rim of th e w h ee l b ro k e, an d th e machine becam e unridable.
H e left it b y th e ro adside an d trudged th rou gh th e village.
T h e re w ere shop s half open ed in th e m ain stree t of th e p lace,
an d peop le crow ded o n th e pav e m en t an d in th e do o r w ay s
an d window s, staring aston - ished at th is extraordinary
procession of fug itiv e s th a t w as beginning. H e
su cceed ed in gettin g so m e fo o d at an inn.
For a tim e h e remained in E d gw a re n o t kn ow in g
w h at
nex t to d o. T h e fly in g peo ple in crease d in n u m b e r. M a n y of
th em , like m y bro th e r, seem ed in c lined to loiter in th e p lace.
T here w a s n o fresh n ew s of th e in v aders from M ars.
A t th a t tim e th e road w a s cro w d ed , b u t as yet
far from con g ested . M os t of th e fug itives at th a t hou r w ere
m ou nted o n cycles , b u t th ere w ere so o n m oto r cars, h an so m
cab s, an d carriages h urr y in g alon g, an d th e d u st h un g in
heav y c lou ds alon g th e road to S t. A lban s.
I t w a s perhaps a v a g u e i d e a o f making h i s
w a y to
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
130
C helm sfo rd , w h ere som e frien d s of his lived , th a t a t last in -
du ced m y bro th e r to strik e in to a q uiet lan e
ru n nin g east- w ard . P resently he cam e u p o n a stile,
an d , cro ssin g it, fol- lo w ed a fo o tp ath no rth eastw ard . H e
p asse d near severa l farm - houses an d som e little places
w hose n am es h e did n o t learn . H e saw few fugitives until, in a
grass lan e tow ard s H ig h B arnet, he ha p pene d u p o n two ladies
who becam e h is fello w travel- lers. H e cam e u p o n th em just
in tim e to sav e th em .
H e heard their scream s, an d , h urr y ing ro u n d th e co rner,
sa w a cou ple of m e n stru gg lin g to d ra g th em o u t of th e little
po n y -chaise in which they had been driving , w h ile
a th ird w ith difficulty h eld th e frigh ten e d po n y ’s head .
O n e of th e lad ies, a sh o rt woman dressed in white, w as
sim p ly scream ing ; th e othe r, a dark, slender figu re, slashed at
th e m a n who gripped he r arm w ith a whip sh e held in h er
disen gage d hand.
M y b ro th e r im m ediately g rasped th e situ atio n , sh o uted ,
an d h urrie d to w ard s th e struggle. O n e of th e m e n d esisted
an d turne d to w ard s h im , an d m y bro th e r, realisin g from his
antago nis t ’s face th a t a fig h t w a s unavoid able , an d bein g an
expert b oxer, w en t in to him fo rth w ith an d sen t him
d o w n against th e w h ee l of th e ch aise.
It w a s n o tim e fo r pugilistic chiv alry an d m y bro th e r laid
him qu iet w ith a k ick , an d gripped th e co llar of th e m a n who
pu lled at th e slen der lady ’s arm . H e h eard th e c latter of hoofs,
th e whip stun g across h is face, a th ird antago nis t stru ck him
betw een th e eyes, an d th e m a n h e held w renche d h im self free
131
an d made off down th e lan e in th e direction from which h e
had co m e.
Partly stu n n ed , he fo un d him self facin g th e m a n who had
held th e horse ’s head , an d bec am e aw are o f th e chaise reced -
ing from h im down th e lane , sw ayin g from sid e to side, an d
w ith th e w o m e n in it lo o k in g bac k. T h e m a n before him , a
burly ro u gh , trie d to close, an d h e stop p e d him w ith a b lo w
in th e face. T h en , realisin g th a t he w as deserted , h e dodged
ro u n d an d made off down th e lan e after th e ch aise, w ith th e
sturdy m an close behin d him , and the fug itiv e, who had turned
n ow, follow in g remotely.
S u d d en ly h e stumbled a n d fell; h is im m e d iate
p u rsu er
w en t headlong, an d h e ro se to h is feet to fin d him self w ith a
couple of antagonists ag ain . H e w o uld h av e had little ch ance
ag ain st th em had n o t th e slen d er lady ver y plu ck ily pu lled u p
an d retu rn e d to h is help. It seem s sh e h ad had a revo lve r all
this tim e , b u t it h ad been u n d e r th e seat when sh e an d h er
co m p anio n w ere attacked. She fired a t six yards’ distan ce , n ar-
row ly m issin g m y b roth e r. T h e less cou rag eo u s of th e ro b bers
made off, an d h is co m p anio n fo llo w e d him , cursin g his cow-
ardice . T h e y b o th sto pp e d in sigh t d ow n th e lan e , w h ere th e
th ird m a n la y insen sib le.
“ Take this!” said th e slen d er lady, an d sh e gav e m y b roth er
her revolver.
“Go b ac k to th e chaise,” said m y b roth e r, w ipin g th e blood
from his sp lit lip .
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
132 133

She turne d w ith o u t a w o rd — th ey w ere b o th T h at w as th e sto r y th e y told m y brother in fragments when

pantin g — presently they stopped again, nearer to N ew B arnet. H e pro m -
an d they w en t back to w h ere th e lady in white strug gled to ised to stay w ith th em , at least u ntil they could
h o ld back th e frigh ten e d p o ny. determ in e w ha t to d o , or u n til th e m issin g m a n arriv ed , an d
T h e ro b bers had eviden tly had eno u g h of it. p rofessed to b e a n exp ert sh o t w ith th e rev o lv er— a
W hen m y
w eap o n strange to h im — in order to giv e th e m
b roth e r lo o ked ag ain they w ere retreatin g.
co n fiden ce.
“I’ll sit here,” said m y b roth e r, “ if I m ay” ; an d he g o t u p on
T h e y made a so rt of encam p m en t b y th e w ayside, an d th e
th e em p ty fron t seat. T h e lady lo ok ed over h e r shoulder.
po n y b ecam e hap p y in th e hedge. H e told th em of h is o w n
“G iv e me th e reins,” sh e said , an d laid th e whip alo n g th e
escap e o u t o f L o n d o n , an d all th a t he k new of these M artian s
po n y ’s side . In an o th e r m o m en t a b en d in th e road h id th e
an d th eir w a y s. T h e sun crep t high e r in th e sky, an d after a
three m en from m y brothe r ’s ey es.
tim e their talk died ou t an d gav e p lace to a n un easy state of
S o, qu ite u nexp ecte d ly, m y bro th e r fo u n d h im self, p a n t-
anticipatio n . S everal w ayfarers cam e alo n g th e lane ,
ing, w ith a cu t m o u th , a bru ised ja w, an d bloodstained knuck -
an d of these m y bro th e r gath e red such ne w s as he co u ld .
les, drivin g alo n g a n u n kn o w n lan e w ith these two women.
Every bro - ken an sw e r h e had deepened his im p ressio n of
H e learne d they w ere th e w ife an d th e you nger sister of a
th e great d i- saster th a t h ad com e on hum an ity, deepened
su rg eo n liv in g at S tan m o re , who h ad co m e in th e sm all hours
his p ersuasion o f th e im m ed iate n ecessity fo r
from a dang ero u s c ase at P in n er, an d h eard at some railw ay
p ro secu tin g th is flight. H e urged th e m atte r u p o n th em .
statio n o n his w a y of th e M artia n ad van ce. H e had hu rried
“ W e h av e m o n e y,” said th e slen d er woman, an d h esitated .
h om e, ro u se d th e w o m en — their ser van t ha d le ft th em tw o
H e r ey es m et m y bro th e r’s, an d h er hesitatio n end ed.
day s before— packed som e p rov isio n s, p u t h is revolve r u n d er
“S o hav e I,” said m y b ro th e r.
th e seat— lu ck ily fo r m y bro th er— an d told th em to d riv e on
She explained th a t they ha d as m u ch as th irty po u nd s in
to Edgware, w ith th e idea o f gettin g a train th ere . H e stop p ed
go ld , b eside s a five-pound n o te, an d sug gested th a t w ith th a t
b eh in d to tell th e neighbours. H e w ould o v ertak e th em , h e
they m ig h t get u p o n a train at S t. A lb an s or N e w B arn et. M y
said , at abo u t half past fo u r in th e m o rn in g , an d n o w it w as
b ro th e r th o u g h t th a t w a s h o p eless , se e in g th e fu r y
nearly nin e an d they had seen no thin g of h im . T h e y could
o f th e L o n d o n er s to cro w d u p o n th e trains, an d broached
n o t sto p in Edgware becau se of th e grow in g traffic th rou gh
his o w n idea of strikin g across E sse x to w ard s H a r w ic h an d
th e p lace, an d so they h ad com e into this sid e lan e.
then c e es-
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
134
caping from th e co u ntr y alto gethe r.
M rs. E lp h inston e — that w as th e na m e o f th e woman in
w h ite — w ou ld liste n to n o reaso nin g , an d kep t callin g u p o n
“G eo rge”; b u t h er sister-in-law w a s astonishin gly q uiet an d
delib erate, an d at last agreed to m y b roth e r’s sug g estion . S o,
desig nin g to cro ss th e G re a t N o rth R oad , they w en t o n to -
w ard s B arnet, m y b ro th e r leadin g th e p o n y to sav e it as m u ch
as po ssib le. A s th e sun crept up th e sky th e day becam e exces-
sively h o t, an d u n d er foot a thick , w hitis h sand g rew b urnin g
an d blinding , so th a t th ey travelled only very slow ly. T h e hedges
w ere grey w ith d u st. A n d as they advanced to w ard s B arn e t a
tu m ultuous m u rm uring grew stronger.
T h e y b ega n to m eet more p eo p le . For th e m o st part these
w ere staring b efore th em , m u r m u rin g in d istin c t
q u estio n s, jaded , haggard, unclean . O n e m a n in
evenin g d ress p assed th em o n fo ot, his ey es o n th e
grou n d . T h e y heard his voice, an d , lo ok in g b ack a t h im , sa w
one han d clutched in h is h air an d th e o th e r beating invisib le
thin gs . H is paro xy sm of rag e over, he w en t o n his w ay
w ith o u t once lo ok in g b ac k.
A s m y b roth e r’s party w en t o n tow ard s th e cro ssro ad s to
th e so u th of B arne t they sa w a woman approaching th e road
across so me field s on th eir le ft, carry ing a ch ild an d w ith tw o
othe r children ; an d th e n p assed a m a n in d irty b lack , w ith a
thic k stic k in one h an d an d a sm all p o rtm an tea u in th e othe r.
T h e n ro u n d th e corne r of th e lan e , from betw een th e villas
th a t guarded it at its con fluenc e w ith th e hig h road, cam e a
135
little cart drawn b y a sw eatin g black p on y an d
driven b y a
sallow yo u th in a bow ler h at, g rey w ith d u st. T h ere w ere th ree
girls, E ast E n d facto ry girls, an d a coup le of little
c h ild ren crow ded in th e cart.
“ T his’ ll tike us rahn d E d g w are?” ask ed th e d river, w ild -
eyed , w h ite-faced ; an d when m y b ro th e r told h im it w ould if
h e tu rn e d to th e left, h e whipped u p a t o n c e
w ith o u t th e fo rm ality of th an ks.
M y brother noticed a pale grey sm oke or haze rising am on g
th e houses in fro n t of th em , an d veilin g th e white facad e of a
terrac e bey on d th e road th a t ap peared b etw ee n th e b acks o f
th e villas. M rs. E lp hinsto n e suddenly cried o u t at a n u m b er
of tongues of sm o k y red flam e leap in g u p abov e th e ho uses in
fron t o f th em again st th e h o t, blu e sk y. T h e tu m u ltuo u s noise
resolved itself no w into th e disorderly mingling of m an y voices,
th e grid e of m an y w h eels, th e creak in g of w ag go n s, an d th e
staccato of hoofs. T h e lan e cam e ro u n d sh arply n o t fifty yard s
from th e cro ssro ad s.
“G oo d h eavens!” cried M rs. E lp hinsto ne. “ W h a t is
this
you are drivin g u s into?”
M y bro th e r
sto p ped .
For th e m ain road w a s a bo ilin g stream of peo ple, a torren t
of hum a n being s rushing n o rth w ard , one pressin g o n an o th e r.
A great bank of d u st, white an d luminous in th e b laze of th e
sun, made every th in g w ith in tw en ty feet of th e gro u n d grey
an d in distinc t an d w as perpetually renew ed b y th e hu rr y in g
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
136 137

feet of a den se crow d o f horses an d of m e n an d women o n h o st. It had n o ch aracte r o f

fo ot, an d b y th e w h eels of vehicles of every d escriptio n .
“ W ay!” m y b roth e r heard voice s cr y in g. “M a k e w ay!”
It w as like ridin g in to th e sm ok e of a fire to approach th e
m eetin g po in t o f th e lan e an d ro ad ; th e crow d roared like a
fire, an d th e d u st w as h o t an d p u n gen t. A nd , in deed , a little
w a y up th e road a villa w as b urnin g an d sending rollin g m asses
of black sm ok e across th e road to ad d to th e co nfu sio n .
Tw o m e n cam e past th em . T h e n a dirty woman, carry in g
a heav y bundle an d w eepin g . A lo st retriever dog, w ith h an g -
ing tongue , circled dubiously roun d them , scared an d wretched,
an d fled at m y b roth e r’s th reat.
S o m u ch as they cou ld see of th e road L o n d o n w ar d b e-
tween th e ho uses to th e rig h t w a s a tu m u ltu ou s
stream o f d irty, h urr y ing peop le , p en t in betw een th e
villas on eith er side ; th e black h ead s, th e crow ded form s,
grew in to distin ct- n e ss as th e y r ushed to w a rd s th e
co rn e r, h u rrie d past, a n d merged their indiv iduality again
in a recedin g m u ltitu d e th a t w as sw allow ed u p at last in a
clou d of d u st.
“Go on ! G o o n !” cried th e voices . “ W ay! W ay!”
O n e m a n’s h a n d s p re sse d o n th e b a c k o f
a n o th e r. M y b ro th e r sto o d a t th e p o n y ’s h e ad .
Irre sistib ly a ttracted, h e adv anced slow ly, p ace b y p ace,
d ow n th e lan e.
Edgware had been a scen e of con fu sio n , C h alk
F arm a riotous tum u lt, b u t th is w a s a w ho le
p o p u latio n in move- m en t. It is h ard to im ag in e th a t
its own. T h e figu res po ure d ou t past th e corn er, an d receded
w ith their back s to th e group in th e lan e . Along th e margin
cam e th ose who w ere o n foot th reaten e d b y th e w h eels, stu m -
blin g in th e ditc h es, blu n d e ring into one an o th e r.
T h e carts an d c arriages crow ded c lose u p o n on e an o th e r,
making little w a y fo r tho se sw ifte r an d more im p atien t ve -
hic les th a t dar ted fo rw ard every n o w an d th e n when an o p -
po rtunity sh o w ed itself of do in g so, sending th e peop le scat-
terin g against th e fences an d gates of th e villas.
“P ush on!” w as th e cr y. “P ush on! T h e y are com ing !”
In one cart sto o d a blin d m a n in th e u niform of th e S alv a -
tio n A rm y, gesticu latin g w ith his cro o ke d fing ers an d bawl-
ing, “ E tern ity! E te rn ity!” H is voic e w a s ho arse an d ve r y loud
so th a t m y bro th e r co uld hear him lon g after h e w as lo st to
sigh t in th e d u st. Some of th e peop le who
crow ded in th e carts whipped stup id ly a t th eir
h o rse s an d q u arrelle d w ith othe r d rivers; so m e sat
m otio n less , staring at no th in g w ith m iserable eyes;
som e g naw ed their h an d s w ith th irst, or lay prostrate in th e
b o tto m s of th eir co nveyances. T h e horses ’ bits w ere covere d
w ith foam , their eye s bloo d sh ot.
T here w ere cab s, carriages, shop cars, w ag g o n s,
bey on d counting; a m ail c art, a road -c leaner’s c art m a rked
“ Vestry of S t. P an cras,” a huge tim b e r w agg o n crow de d w ith
roughs. A brew er’s d ray rumbled b y w ith its two near
w h eels splashed w ith fresh blood.
“C lear th e w ay!” cried th e voices . “C lear th e w ay!”
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
138
“Eter-nity! Eter-nity!” cam e ech oin g down th e road.
T h e re w ere sad , haggard w om e n tr am p in g b y, w ell d ressed,
w ith children th a t crie d an d stumbled, their dainty
cloth es sm o th ere d in d u st, th eir w eary face s sm eare d w ith
tears. W ith m an y of these cam e m en , so m etim e s helpful,
so m etim e s low- erin g a n d sa vage . F ig h tin g sid e b y
sid e w ith th e m p u sh ed som e w eary street outcast in faded
black rag s, wide-ey ed, loud - voiced , an d foul-m outhed . T h ere
w ere stu rdy workmen th rust- ing th eir w a y alon g ,
wretched, u n ke m p t m en , clo th e d lik e clerk s or
sh o p m en , strug g lin g spasm odically ; a wounded sol- dier m y
b roth e r n oticed , m e n dressed in th e clo thes of rail- w a y
porters, one wretched creature in a n ig h tshir t w ith a co at
thro w n over it.
B u t varied as its composition w as, certain th in g s all th a t
h o st had in common . T h ere w ere fear an d p ain o n th eir faces,
an d fear b ehin d th em . A tum u lt u p th e road, a qu arrel fo r a
place in a w aggo n , sen t th e w hole h o st of th em q uicken in g
th eir pace; even a m a n so scare d an d broken th a t h is knees
ben t u n d e r h im w as galvanised fo r a m om en t into ren ew ed
activ ity. T h e h eat an d du st had alread y been at
w ork u p o n th is m u ltitu d e . T h e ir sk in s w e re d r y,
th e ir lip s b la c k a n d cracked. T h e y w ere all thirsty, w eary,
an d foo tso re. A n d a m id th e v ario u s cries one heard
dispu tes, rep ro ach es , g ro an s o f w earin ess an d fatigue; th e
voice s of m o st of th em w ere ho arse an d w eak . T hro u g h it all
ran a refrain:
“ W ay! W ay! T h e M a rtians are com ing!”
139
Few sto pp e d an d c am e asid e fro m th a t floo d . T h e
lane
op ene d slantingly into th e m ain road w ith a n arro w o penin g,
an d h ad a delusiv e appearanc e of coming from th e direction
of L ond o n . Yet a kin d of ed d y of people drove in to its m ou th ;
w eak lin g s elbo w e d o u t o f th e stream, who fo r th e m o st part
rested b u t a m om en t before plunging into it again . A little
w a y down th e lane , w ith two friend s ben din g over him , lay a
m a n w ith a bare leg, w rapp ed ab ou t w ith b lo o d y rag s. H e w as
a luck y m a n to hav e frien d s.
A little o ld m an , w ith a grey military m o u sta ch e
an d a filth y black fro ck co at, limped o u t an d sat down
b esid e th e trap , rem o ved his boot—his sock w a s blood-
stained—shook o u t a peb ble, an d hobbled o n again ; an d
th e n a little g irl o f eigh t or nin e, all alon e , th re w h erself
u n d e r th e hedge clos e by m y b roth e r, w eepin g.
“I c an’t go on! I can’t go on!”
My b ro th e r w oke from h is to rp o r of
asto n ish m en t an d lifted h er u p, sp eakin g gen tly to her, an d
carried h er to Miss E lp h inston e . S o so o n as m y b roth e r
to uche d h er sh e becam e q u ite still, as if frigh ten ed .
“E llen!” sh rieke d a woman in th e crow d , w ith tears in h er
voice— ”E llen!” A n d th e ch ild sud denly d arte d aw a y from m y
bro the r, cry ing “Mother!”
“ T h e y are coming,” said a m a n o n h orsebac k, r id in g past
alo n g th e lan e.
“O u t of th e w ay, there!” b aw led a coachman, to w ering high;
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
140
an d m y b roth e r sa w a close d carriag e turnin g in to th e lane.
T h e people crushed back o n one anothe r to avoid th e horse.
M y b ro th e r p ushe d th e p on y an d ch aise b ack in to th e hedge,
an d th e m a n d rove b y an d sto p pe d at th e tu rn of th e w a y. It
w as a carriag e, w ith a pole fo r a p air of horses, b u t o nly one
w as in th e traces. M y b roth e r sa w dim ly th rou g h
th e d u st th a t two m e n lifte d o u t so m ethin g o n a white
stretche r an d p u t it gently o n th e grass b en eath th e privet
hedge.
O n e of th e m e n cam e r u n n in g to m y b roth e r.
“ W h e re is th ere any w ater? ” he said . “H e is dy ing fast, an d
ver y thirsty. It is L ord G arric k.”
“L o rd G arrick !” said m y brother; “th e C h ie f Justice?”
“ T h e w ater? ” h e said .
“ T h e re m a y be a tap,” said m y bro th e r, “in so m e
of th e ho uses. W e have n o w ate r. I d are n o t leav e m y peop le.”
T h e m a n p ush e d ag ain st th e crow d to w ard s th e
gate of
th e co rn er h ou se.
“Go on!” said th e peop le, th rusting at h im . “ T h e y are co m -
ing ! G o on!”
T h e n m y bro th e r’s atten tio n w as distracte d b y a bearded,
eagle- faced m a n luggin g a sm all han db ag , which sp lit even as
m y b roth e r ’s ey es rested o n it an d disg o rged a m ass of sover-
eign s th a t seem ed to break u p in to separate co in s as it stru ck
th e gro u nd . T h e y ro lled h ith e r an d th ith e r am o n g th e str u g -
glin g feet of m e n an d h orses. T h e m a n stop p e d an d loo k ed
stup idly at th e h eap , an d th e shaft of a cab stru ck h is sh o u l-
141
der an d sen t him reeling . H e gav e a sh riek an d dodged back,
an d a c artw h eel shav ed him narrow ly.
“ W ay!” crie d th e m e n all abo u t h im . “M a k e w ay!”
S o so o n as th e cab had p assed , h e flun g h im self, w ith b o th
hand s open , upo n th e heap of coins, an d began thrustin g h and -
fuls in his pocket. A h orse ro se clos e u p o n him , an d in an -
othe r m om en t, half risin g , h e had been born e
down u n d er th e h orse ’s hoofs.
“S top!” scream ed m y bro th e r, an d p ushin g a w o m a n ou t of
his w a y, trie d to c lutc h th e bit o f th e ho rse.
B efo re h e could get to it, h e heard a screa m
u n d e r th e w h eels, an d sa w throu g h th e d u st th e rim
p assin g over th e poor w retch’s b ack. T h e d river of th e c art
slashe d his whip at m y brothe r, who ran ro u n d b eh in d th e
c art. T h e m u ltitu d i- nous sh o utin g con fused h is ears.
T h e m a n w a s w rith in g in th e d u st am on g his scattere d
m on e y, u nab le to r ise, fo r th e w h ee l ha d broken his back ,
an d his lo w e r lim b s lay limp an d dead. M y b ro th e r stoo d u p
an d yelled at th e n ex t d river, an d
a m a n o n a black h orse cam e to h is assistance.
“G e t h im o u t of th e ro ad ,” said he ; an d , c lutc h in g th e m a n’s
co llar w ith h is free han d , m y bro th e r lugged him sid ew ays.
B u t he still c lutc h e d after h is m o n e y, an d regarde d m y b roth er
fierce ly, ha m m e ring at h is arm w ith a h an d fu l of gold. “Go
on! G o on!” sh o ute d angry voice s b ehin d .
“ W ay ! W ay!”
T here w as a sm ash as th e pole of a carriag e crash ed into
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
142
th e cart th a t th e m an o n horseback stopped . M y brothe r looked
up , an d th e m a n w ith th e g old twisted h is h ea d ro u n d an d b it
th e w rist th a t held his collar. T h ere w as a con cussio n , an d th e
black horse cam e staggerin g sidew ays, an d th e carthorse pushed
b esid e it. A hoof m issed m y b ro th e r’s foot b y a hair’s b read th .
H e released his g rip o n th e falle n m a n an d jumped b ack . H e
sa w an ger chan g e to terro r o n th e face of th e poor wretch on
th e gro u nd , an d in a m om en t h e w a s h idd e n an d m y b roth er
w as bo rn e backw ard an d carried past th e entrance o f th e lan e,
an d had to figh t h ard in th e torren t to recov er it.
H e sa w Miss E lph in sto n e cov erin g h er eyes, an d a little
child, w ith all a child ’s w an t of sy m p athetic imagination , staring
w ith dilated eye s at a dusty so m ethin g th a t lay black an d still,
gro und an d crushed u n der th e rolling w h eels. “L et us go back!”
h e sh outed , an d b ega n tu rn in g th e po n y ro u n d . “ W e canno t
cross this— hell,” h e said an d they w en t b ack a h un dre d yards
th e w a y they had com e , u ntil th e figh tin g crow d w as h id den.
A s they passe d th e b en d in th e lan e m y b roth e r sa w th e face
of th e dyin g m a n in th e ditc h u n d e r th e privet, dead ly white
an d d raw n , an d shinin g w ith persp iration . T h e tw o women
sat silent, cro uch in g in their seat an d shiv ering .
T h e n bey on d th e b en d m y b roth e r sto p pe d again .
Miss
E lp h in sto n e w a s white an d p ale , an d h e r sister-in-
law sat w eeping, too wretched even to call up o n “G eorg e.”
M y brother w a s horrified an d p erp lexed . S o soo n as they had
retreate d h e realised how u rgen t an d unav oidable it w a s to
attem p t this
143
cro ssin g . H e turne d to Miss E lph in ston e , sudden ly reso lute.
“ W e m ust go th a t w ay,” h e said , an d led th e pony ro u n d
again .
For th e seco n d tim e th a t day this g irl proved h er quality.
To fo rc e th eir w ay in to th e to rre n t o f p eo p le, m y
b ro th er plunged in to th e traffic an d held back a cab ho rse ,
w h ile sh e d ro v e th e p on y across its head . A w aggo n lo ck ed
w h eels fo r a m om en t an d rip pe d a lo n g splinter from th e
chaise . In an - o th e r m om en t they w ere cau gh t an d
sw ep t fo rw ard b y th e stream. M y b ro th e r, w ith th e
cab m a n’s whip m ark s red across his fac e an d han ds,
scram b le d in to th e ch aise an d to o k th e reins from he r.
“Po in t th e revolver at th e m a n b eh in d ,” he said , g iv in g it to
h er, “if h e p resse s us to o h a rd . N o!— p oin t it at his ho rse.”
T h e n he beg an to lo o k ou t fo r a chan ce of ed gin g to th e
rig h t across th e road. B u t once in th e stream he seem ed to
lose volition , to b ecome a part of th a t d u sty rou t. T h e y sw ept
throu g h C hipp in g B arne t w ith th e torren t; they w ere nearly
a m ile b ey o n d th e centre of th e to w n before they h ad fo u ght
across to th e opposite side of th e w ay. It w a s din an d co nfu -
sio n in describable ; b u t in an d b eyo n d th e to w n th e road fo rk s
repeatedly, an d th is to som e extent relieved th e stress.
T h e y struc k eastw ard thro u g h H a d le y, an d th ere on either
side of th e road, an d at an o th e r place farth er o n they cam e
u p o n a great m u ltitu d e of p eople drin kin g at th e stream, som e
fightin g to co m e at th e w ater. A n d farth er o n , fro m a lull near
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
144 145

E ast B arnet, they sa w two train s ru n n in g slow ly one after th e

othe r w ith o u t sign a l or order— train s sw arm in g w ith peo ple,
w ith m e n even am o n g th e coals b ehin d th e eng ines— go ing
n o rth w ard alon g th e G reat N o r th ern R ailw a y. M y
b ro th er su p p o ses they m u st have filled outside
L o n d o n , fo r at th a t tim e th e fu rio u s terro r of th e people
had ren d ere d th e central term in i im possible.
N ea r th is place they halte d fo r th e rest of th e aftern o on ,
fo r th e v io len ce of th e day had alread y utterly ex hau ste d all
thre e of th em . T h e y b eg an to suffer th e beginnings of h u n -
ger; th e n ig h t w a s cold , an d n o n e o f th em dared to sleep . A n d
in th e e vening m a ny people c ame hurr y ing alon g
th e road n earb y their stop pin g p lace, fleein g from
un kn o w n dan gers before them , an d goin g in th e direction
from which m y brother had co m e.
Chapter 17.
The “Thunder Child ”.
H a d th e M artian s aimed o nly at d estru ction , they m igh t
o n M on da y h av e an nihilate d th e entire p o p ulatio n o f L o n -
do n , as it sp read itself slow ly thro u g h th e h o m e co u nties . N o t
only along th e road through B arnet, b ut also through Edgware
and W alth a m Abbey, a n d a lo n g th e road s
e a s tw a r d to S o u th en d an d S h o eb u r y n ess, an d so u t h
o f th e T h a m e s to D eal an d B ro adstairs , po ure d th e
sam e frantic ro u t. If one could have h un g th a t Jun e
m o rn in g in a ballo o n in th e blaz - ing blu e abov e L on d o n
every n o rth w ard an d eastw ard road ru n n in g o u t of th e
tangled m aze of streets w ould have seem ed stippled black
w ith th e streaming fu g itiv es, each d o t a h um an ag o n y of
terro r an d p hysical distress. I hav e set forth at len gth in th e
last ch ap te r m y b ro th e r’s acco un t of th e road th rou gh
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
146
C h ip p in g B arnet, in order th a t m y read ers m ay realise how
th a t sw arm in g of black d o ts ap peared to one of th o se con -
cern ed . N e ve r before in th e histo r y o f th e w o rld ha d such a
m ass o f h um a n being s m ov ed an d su ffere d to geth e r. T h e leg -
en dar y hosts of G o th s an d H u n s , th e hugest arm ies A sia has
eve r seen , w ould h av e been b u t a d ro p in th a t current. A n d
this w a s n o discipline d march; it w as a stampede—a stam -
pede g igantic an d terrib le — w ith o u t order an d w ith o u t a g o al,
six m illio n peop le u narm e d an d u n pro visio ned , drivin g h ead -
lo n g . It w a s th e beginning of th e ro u t of civ ilisation , of th e
m assacre of m an kin d .
D irectly b e lo w h im th e b allo o n is t w o u ld h av e
see n th e
network of streets far an d w ide , hou ses, ch u rches ,
sq uares, crescents, g ard en s — alread y d erelict— sp read ou t like
a huge m a p, an d in th e southward B L O T T E D . O ver E alin g,
R ic h - m o n d , W im b led o n , it w ould hav e seem ed as if som e
m o n - stro us p e n h ad flu n g in k u p o n th e ch ar t. S teadily,
incessantly, each b lack sp lash grew an d sp read , sho otin g ou t
ram ification s th is w a y an d th a t, no w banking itself ag ainst
risin g gro un d , n ow po u ring sw iftly over a crest into a n e w -
fo u n d valley, ex - actly as a go u t of in k w ou ld sp read itself u p o n
b lottin g paper. A n d b ey o n d , over th e blu e h ills th a t rise
southward o f th e riv e r, th e glitte ring M a rtians w en t to
a n d fro, c alm ly a n d m etho d ically sp readin g their p oiso n
clou d over this p atc h o f co u n tr y an d th e n over th a t, lay ing it
again w ith their steam jets when it h ad served its p u rp ose,
an d takin g p o ssessio n of
147
th e conquered co u n tr y. T h e y do n o t seem to have aimed at
extermination so m u c h as a t co m p lete demoralisation an d th e
destru ctio n of any op po sitio n . T h e y ex plo ded any
sto res of p ow der they cam e u p on , cu t ev er y
teleg ra ph , a n d w rec ked th e railw a y s h e re an d th ere. T h ey
w ere h a m stringing m an - k in d . T h e y seem ed in n o h urr y to
ex ten d th e field of their operations, an d d id n o t com e
bey on d th e cen tral part o f L o n - d o n all th a t day. It is
p o ssib le th a t a ver y co n sid erable n u m - ber of peo ple in
L o n d o n stuc k to their hou ses thro u g h M o n - day m o rnin g .
C ertain it is th a t m an y died at h o m e su ffo cated b y th e B lack
Smoke.
U n til ab o u t m id da y th e Po o l of L o n d o n w a s an aston ish -
ing sc en e . Steamboats a n d shipping o f all so rts la y
th ere , tem pte d b y th e enormous su m s o f m on e y
offered b y fu gi- tiv es, an d it is said th a t m an y who sw am
ou t to these vessels w ere thrust off w ith boathooks and drowned.
A bou t one o’clock in th e aftern o o n th e th in n in g rem n an t of a
clou d of th e b lack v ap o u r app eared b etw ee n th e arch es of
B lack friars B ridg e. A t th a t th e Poo l becam e a scen e of m a d
confu sio n , figh tin g, an d co llisio n , an d fo r so m e tim e a
m u ltitu d e of b oats an d barg es jammed in th e n o rth ern arch
of th e Tow er Bridg e , an d th e sailors an d ligh term e n h ad to
figh t savagely against th e people who sw arm e d u p o n the m
from th e riverfro n t. Peo ple w ere actually clam berin g down
th e piers of th e bridg e from abo ve. W hen , an h ou r later, a
M artian appea red beyon d th e C lo c k Tow er an d w aded dow n th e
river, nothin g bu t w reckag e floated
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
148
abov e L im eh o use.
O f th e fallin g o f th e fifth cy lin de r I have presently to tell.
T h e sixth star fell at W im b led o n . M y b roth e r, k eep in g w atc h
b esid e th e women in th e chaise in a m ead o w, sa w th e g reen
flash o f it far beyo n d th e hills. O n Tuesd ay th e little party,
still set u p o n gettin g across th e sea, made its w a y thro u g h th e
sw arm in g c o u n tr y to w a rd s C o lc hester. T h e n e w s
th a t th e M artian s w ere n o w in p o ssessio n o f th e w hole o f
L o n d o n w as confirm ed . T h e y h ad been seen at H igh gate,
an d even , it w as said , a t N easd en . B u t th e y did n o t
come in to m y bro th e r ’s view until th e m o rrow.
T h a t d ay th e sc attere d m u ltitu d e s b e g a n to
realise th e
u rgen t n ee d of p rov ision s. A s th e y g rew hu ng r y th e righ ts of
property ceased to be regard ed . Farmers w ere o u t to defend
their cattle -sheds, granaries, an d ripenin g ro ot crop s w ith arm s
in th eir h and s. A n u m b e r o f people n ow, like m y b ro th e r, had
th eir face s eastw ard , an d th ere w ere som e d esp erate so uls ev en
go in g back to w ard s L o n d o n to get fo od . T h ese w ere chiefly
people from th e n o rth ern suburbs, w hose kno w led g e of th e
B lac k S m ok e c am e b y hearsay. H e h eard th a t abo u t h alf th e
members of th e government had gathere d a t
B irm in gh am , an d th a t enormous qu antitie s of hig h
explosive s w ere bein g prepared to be used in auto m atic
mines across th e M idlan d co u nties.
H e w a s also told th a t th e M idlan d R ailw ay C o m p an y h ad
rep laced th e desertio n s of th e first day ’s p an ic, h ad resu m ed
149
traffic, an d w a s ru n nin g n o rth w ar d train s from S t. A lb an s to
relieve th e co ng estio n of th e h o m e co u nties. T h e re w a s also a
placard in C h ipp in g O n g a r an no u ncin g th a t larg e stores o f
flou r w ere available in th e n orth er n towns an d th a t
w ithin tw e n ty -fo u r hours b re a d w o u ld b e d istrib u te d
a m o n g th e starv in g p eo ple in th e n eigh b o urh o o d . B u t
this intellig ence d id n o t d eter him from th e plan of escap e he
had formed, an d th e th re e p ressed eastw ard all day, an d
heard n o m o re of th e bread d istrib u tio n th a n th is p rom ise.
N or, as a m atte r of fact, d id any one else hear more of it.
T h a t n ig h t fell th e se venth star, fallin g u p o n Pr im ro se H ill.
It fell w h ile Miss E lp hin sto ne w a s watching, fo r sh e
to o k th a t duty altern ately w ith m y brother. S h e saw it.
O n W ed nesd ay th e th ree fu g itiv es—they h ad passe d th e
n ig h t in a field of u nrip e w h eat— reach ed C helm sfo rd , an d
there a bo d y of th e in h ab itants , callin g itself th e C om m ittee
of P u b lic S upply, seiz ed th e pony as p rov ision s, an d
w ould giv e no th in g in ex ch an g e fo r it b u t th e pro m ise of a
sh are in it th e n ex t day. H e re th ere w ere rumours of M artians
at E pp ing, an d ne w s of th e d estruction of W alth a m Abbey
Pow d er M ills in a vain attem p t to b lo w up one of th e
in vad ers.
Peop le w ere w atc h in g fo r M a rtians h ere from th e ch u rch
to w ers. M y b roth e r, ver y luckily fo r him as it chanced , p re-
ferred to p ush o n at once to th e coast rath e r
th a n w ait for foo d , alth o u g h all th ree of th em w ere very
hu n g r y. B y m id - day they passed through T illin gham , which,
strange ly enou gh ,
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
150
seem ed to be q uite silen t an d deserted, sav e fo r a fe w fu rtive
plunderers h u n tin g fo r fo o d . N ear T illin gh a m th e y suddenly
cam e in sigh t o f th e sea, an d th e m o st am azin g crow d of sh ip -
pin g of all sorts th a t it is p o ssib le to im ag ine.
For af ter th e sailors cou ld n o lo ng er com e up th e T h a m es,
th e y cam e o n to th e E sse x coast, to H a r w ich an d W alto n an d
C lacto n , an d after w ard s to Fo u ln ess an d S ho ebu r y, to bring
off th e p eo p le . T h e y la y in a huge sic kle-shaped cu rv e th a t
vanished in to m ist at last to w ard s th e N aze . Close
inshore w a s a m u ltitu d e o f fish in g sm ack s— E n glish , S cotc h ,
Fren c h , D utch, and S w edish; steam launches from th e T ha m es,
yachts, electric boats; an d b ey o n d w ere ship s of larg e b urden ,
a m u l- titu d e of filth y co lliers, trim m erch an tm en , cattle
sh ips, p as - sen ger b oats, petroleu m tan ks, ocean
tram p s , an old white tran sp o rt even , n eat white an d grey
liners from S ou th am p to n an d H am b urg ; an d alo n g th e blu e
coast across th e B lackw a - ter m y bro th e r could m ak e o u t
dim ly a den se sw arm of bo ats chafferin g w ith th e peo ple o n
th e b each , a sw arm which also extended u p th e B la ck w ater
alm ost to M ald on.
A b o u t a cou ple of m iles o u t lay an iron c lad , ver y low in
th e w ater, almost, to m y b roth e r’s p ercep tion , like a
w ater- lo gged ship. T h is w as th e ra m T H U N D E R C H IL D .
It w as th e on ly w arsh ip in sight, b u t far aw a y to th e righ t
over th e s m o o th su rfa c e o f th e se a — fo r th a t d ay
th er e w a s a dead calm — lay a serpen t o f b lack sm ok e to
mark th e n ex t ironclads of th e C hanne l F leet, which hovered
in an extended lin e, steam
151
u p an d read y fo r action, across th e T h a m e s estua r y
d u ring
th e co u rse of th e M artia n conquest, v ig ilant an d yet po w er -
less to p rev en t it.
A t th e sigh t of th e sea, M rs. E lp hinsto ne , in sp ite of th e
assu ran ces of h e r sister-in-law, gav e w ay to pan ic .
S h e had n ev er been ou t of E ng lan d befo re, sh e w ould
rath e r d ie th an tru st h erself frien d less in a foreig n co u n tr y,
an d so fo rth . S h e seem ed , poor w o m a n , to im agin e th a t
th e Fren c h a n d th e M artians m ig h t p ro v e ve ry sim ilar.
S h e had been grow in g in - creasingly h y sterical, fearfu l,
an d depressed du rin g th e two days’ jou rney ings . H e r
great id ea w a s to return to S tan m o re. T h in g s h a d been
alw a y s w e ll an d sa fe a t S tan m o re . T h e y w o uld fin d
G eorg e at S tan m o re.
It w a s w ith th e g reatest difficulty they could get h er down
to th e b each , w here p resen tly m y b ro th e r su cceed e d
in at- tractin g th e atten tio n of som e m e n o n a paddle
steam er from th e T h a m es . T h e y sen t a boat an d d rove a
bargain fo r th irty- six p o un d s fo r th e th ree. T h e steam er
w as g oin g, these m en said , to O sten d.
It w as ab o u t tw o o’clock when m y bro the r,
havin g paid th eir fares at th e gang w ay, fo un d him self
safely ab oard th e steamboat w ith his charges. T h e re w as
fo o d abo ard , albeit at exorbitant p rices, an d th e th ree
of them con trive d to eat a m eal o n one of th e seats
fo rw ard .
T here w ere alread y a cou p le of sco re of p assen g ers aboard,
som e of w h o m h ad exp end e d their last m o n ey in secu rin g a
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
152
passage, b u t th e captain la y off th e B lack w ate r u n til five in
th e afterno o n , pick in g u p p assen g ers u n til th e seate d d eck s
w ere even d ang ero u sly cro w d ed . H e w ou ld p ro b ab ly have re-
m ain e d lo n g e r h a d it n o t been fo r th e so u n d o f
g u n s th a t b egan abo u t th a t h o u r in th e so u th . A s if in
an sw e r, th e iro n - clad seaw ard fired a sm all gu n an d h o iste d a
strin g of flags. A jet of sm o k e spran g o u t of h er fun n els.
Some o f th e p assen g ers w ere of o pinio n th a t this
firin g
cam e from S hoeb u r yness, u ntil it w as noticed th at it w as grow -
ing lo ud er. A t th e sam e tim e, far aw a y in th e southeast th e
m asts an d up p er w o rk s of th ree iro n c lad s ro se one after th e
othe r ou t o f th e sea, b en eath clo u d s of b lack sm o ke . B u t m y
b roth e r’s atten tio n sp eed ily reverted to th e distan t firing in
th e so uth . H e fancied he sa w a column of sm ok e risin g ou t of
th e distan t grey haze.
T h e little steam er w as alread y flap pin g h er w a y eastw ard
of th e big crescen t of shipping, an d th e lo w E sse x co ast w as
grow ing blu e an d ha z y, when a M ar tian ap peared, sm all an d
fain t in th e re m o te distance , advancin g alo n g th e muddy coast
from th e d irection of Fouln ess. A t th a t th e captain
o n th e brid g e sw o re a t th e to p of his voic e w ith fear an d
an g er at h is ow n delay, an d th e p ad d les seem ed in fected
w ith his terro r. E very sou l ab oard sto o d a t th e b u lw ark s or
o n th e seats of th e steam er an d stared at th a t d istan t sh a pe ,
high e r th a n th e trees or church tow ers inland, and advancing
w ith a leisurely parody of a hum a n stride.
153
It w as th e first M artia n m y b roth e r had seen , an d h e sto od ,
more am azed th a n terr ified , w atc hin g th is T itan adv ancing
d eliberately to w ard s th e shipping, w ad in g farth e r an d farther
in to th e w ate r as th e coast fell aw a y. T h en , far aw a y beyo n d
th e C ro u c h , c am e an o th e r, striding over som e stu n te d trees,
an d th e n y et an o th e r, still farth er o ff, w adin g deep ly th ro u gh
a shin y m u d fla t th a t seem e d to h an g halfw ay u p b etw een sea
an d sky. T h e y w ere all stalk in g seaw a rd , as if to in tercep t th e
escap e o f th e m u ltitu din o u s vessels th a t w ere
crow ded b e- tween Fo u ln ess an d th e N aze. In spite of th e
thro b b in g ex er- tion s of th e en gin es o f th e little p ad dle -b o a t,
an d th e p ou rin g foa m th a t he r w h eels flu n g b ehin d h er, sh e
receded w ith te r- rify in g slo w ness from th is ominous
adv an ce.
G lancin g northwestward, m y b roth e r sa w th e larg e cres-
cen t of shipping alread y w rithin g w ith th e approaching te r-
ror; one ship p assing b eh in d an oth e r, an o th e r coming ro u n d
from broad sid e to en d o n , steam ship s w h istlin g an d giv ing
off vo lu m e s of steam, sails b ein g let o ut, launches
rushing h ith e r an d th ith e r. H e w as so fascinate d b y this
an d b y th e creepin g danger aw a y to th e left th a t h e had n o
eye s fo r an y - th in g seaw ard . A n d th e n a sw ift movement o f
th e steamboat
(sh e had suddenly com e ro u n d to avo id b ein g ru n down) flun g
h im headlong from th e sea t u p o n which h e w a s
stan d in g. T h ere w as a sh ou tin g all ab ou t h im , a tra m p lin g of
feet, an d
a ch ee r th a t seem ed to be answ ered faintly. T h e
steamboat lurched an d rolled him over up o n h is h and s.
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
154
H e sp ran g to his feet an d sa w to starboard, an d n o t a h u n -
dre d yard s from their heeling , pitch in g bo at, a vast iro n b ulk
like th e blad e of a plough tearing throu g h th e w ate r, to ssin g it
o n eithe r side in huge w ave s of foam th a t leaped to w ard s th e
steam er, fling in g h er p ad d les help lessly in th e air, an d th en
suckin g h e r deck down alm ost to th e w aterline.
A douche o f sp ra y b lin d e d m y b ro th e r fo r a
m o m e n t.
W hen h is ey es w ere clear again he saw th e m o nster had passed
an d w a s rushing land w ard . B ig iro n u p per w o rks ro se ou t o f
this headlong structure, an d from th a t tw in fun n els p ro jected
an d spat a sm o kin g blast sh o t w ith fire. It w a s th e to rp ed o
ram , T H U N D E R C H IL D , steaming h ead lon g, coming
to th e rescu e of th e threaten e d shipping.
K eepin g his footing o n th e heavin g deck b y clutching th e
b u lw ark s, m y b roth e r lo ok ed past th is cha rgin g lev iath a n at
th e M artian s again , an d h e sa w th e th ree of the m n o w close
to geth e r, an d stan din g so far ou t to sea th a t their trip o d su p -
po rts w ere alm ost entirely sub m erg ed . T h u s sunken, an d seen
in re m o te p ersp ectiv e, they app eared far less form id ab le th a n
th e huge iro n bu lk in w hose w ak e th e steam er w as pitch in g so
help lessly. It w ould see m th e y w ere regardin g this
n e w an - tago n ist w ith asto nishm en t. To th eir intelligence,
it m ay be, th e gian t w a s even such an o th e r as themselves.
T h e T H U N - D E R C H IL D fired n o gu n , b u t sim ply d rov e
full sp eed to - w ard s them . It w a s p ro b ab ly h er n o t firin g
th a t enabled h er to get so near th e enem y as sh e d id . T h e y
d id n o t k n o w w hat
155
to m ak e of h er. O n e shell, an d they w o uld h av e sen t h er to th e
bo tto m fo rth w ith w ith th e H e a t-R ay.
She w as steaming at such a pace th a t in a m in ute sh e seem ed
halfw ay b etw een th e steamboat an d th e M artians — a d im in -
ishing black b ulk again st th e reced in g ho rizo nta l exp anse of
th e E sse x co ast.
S u d den ly th e foremost M artia n lo w ered h is tu b e an d dis-
ch arg ed a can ister of th e b lack gas at th e iron clad . It h it h er
larb o ard sid e an d g lanced off in an ink y jet th a t ro lle d aw ay
to seaw ard , an unfolding to rren t of B lack Smoke, from which
th e iro nc lad drove c lear. To th e w atch ers from th e steam er,
lo w in th e w ater an d w ith th e sun in th eir eyes, it seem ed as
th o ug h sh e w ere alread y am o n g th e M artian s.
T h e y sa w th e gau n t fig ure s sep aratin g an d risin g o u t of
th e w ate r as they retreate d sh o rew ard , an d one o f th e m raised
th e camera-like gen erato r o f th e H e a t-R ay. H e h eld it p o in t-
ing obliq uely do w n w ard , an d a bank of steam
sp ran g from th e w ate r a t its to u ch . It m u st have driv en
throu g h th e iro n o f th e ship’s sid e like a w h ite -h o t iro n ro d
throu g h paper.
A flicker of flam e w en t u p throu g h th e risin g steam, an d
th e n th e M artia n reeled an d stag gered . In an o th e r m om en t
h e w a s cu t down, an d a great bo d y of w ater an d steam sh ot
h i g h i n t h e a i r. T h e g u n s o f t h e T H U N D E R
C H IL D
sounded thro ug h th e reek , going off one after th e oth e r, an d
one sh o t sp lashed th e w ate r hig h c lose b y th e steam er, rico -
chete d tow ard s th e othe r flying ship s to th e n orth , an d sm ashed
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
156
a sm ack to matchwood.
B u t n o one heed e d th a t ver y much . A t th e sigh t
of th e M a r tian’s collap se th e captain o n th e bridg e y elled
inarticu - lately, an d all th e crow din g p assen g ers o n th e
steam er’s stern sh o ute d to geth e r. A n d th e n th e y y elled
ag ain . Fo r, surgin g out beyon d th e white tum ult, drove
so m ethin g lon g an d b lack , th e flam es streaming from its
middle parts, its ventilato rs an d fu n nels spouting fire.
S he w as aliv e still; th e stee ring gear, it seem s, w as in tact
an d h e r en gin es w orkin g . She h ead e d straigh t fo r a second
M artian , an d w a s w ithin a hun dre d yard s of him when th e
H e a t-R ay cam e to bear. T h e n w ith a violen t th u d , a blinding
flash , h e r d ec k s, h e r fu n n els, leap e d u pw ard . T h e
M a r tian stag gere d w ith th e v io lence o f h er exp lo sio n , an d
in an o th er m om en t th e flam in g w rec kag e, still d riv in g
fo r w ard w ith th e impetus of its p ace, had struck him
an d crumpled h im u p like a th in g of card b oard . M y
b roth e r sho ute d invo lun ta rily. A b o ilin g tum ult of steam
hid every th in g again .
“ Tw o!,” yelled th e captain.
E ver y on e w as sh ou tin g. T h e w ho le steam er from en d to
en d rang w ith frantic cheerin g th a t w as take n u p first b y one
an d th e n b y all in th e cro w din g m u ltitu d e of ship s an d b o ats
th a t w as drivin g o u t to sea.
T h e steam h u n g u p o n th e w ate r fo r m an y m in utes, h id -
ing th e th ird M a rtian an d th e coast alto gethe r. A n d all this
tim e th e b oat w as paddling stead ily o u t to sea an d aw a y from
157
th e fight; an d when at last th e co n fu sio n cleared , th e d riftin g
bank o f b lac k v ap o u r in te r v ened , an d n oth in g of th e T H U N -
D E R C H IL D cou ld be made out, n o r could th e th ird M a r-
tian be seen . B u t th e ironclad s to seaw ard w ere
no w q uite clos e an d stand in g in to w ard s sh ore past th e
steamboat.
T h e little vesse l co ntin u e d to beat its w a y
seaw ard , an d
th e ironclads receded slow ly tow ards the coast, which w as h id -
d e n still b y a m arb le d bank of v ap o u r, part steam, part blac k
gas, ed d y ing an d combining in th e stran gest w ay. T h e fleet o f
refug ees w a s scattering to th e n ortheast; severa l sm ack s w ere
sailin g b etw een th e iro nclad s an d th e steamboat. A fter a tim e,
an d before they reached th e sink in g clou d bank, th e w arships
turne d n orth w ard , an d th e n abru ptly w en t abo u t an d p assed
into th e thic kening haze of evening southward. T h e coast grew
faint, an d at last indistinguishable am id th e low bank s of clouds
th a t w ere gath erin g ab ou t th e sink in g sun.
T h en sudd enly o u t of th e g old en haze of th e su nset cam e
th e v ib ratio n of g u ns, an d a form o f b lack shadow s m ov ing .
E v er y on e struggled to th e rail of th e steam er an d p eere d into
th e blinding fu rnace of th e w est, b u t n o th in g w as to be dis-
tin gu ishe d c learly. A m ass of sm ok e ro se slanting an d barred
th e face of th e sun. T h e steamboat th robbed on its w ay through
an interm inable su sp ense.
T h e sun san k in to grey clouds, th e sky flush ed an d d ark -
en ed , th e ev enin g star trem b le d in to sight. It w a s deep tw i-
ligh t when th e captain crie d o u t an d p o in te d . M y
b ro th er
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
158 159

strained h is eyes. S o m eth in g rushed u p in to th e sky ou t o f

th e grey ness— rushed slan ting ly u p w ard an d very sw iftly into
th e luminous clearness abo v e th e clou d s in th e w estern sky;
som eth in g flat an d broad, an d ver y larg e, th a t sw ep t ro u n d in
a vast cu r ve, grew sm aller, san k slow ly, an d v anished again
in to th e g rey m y stery of th e n igh t. A n d as it flew it rained
down dark ness u p o n th e land . Book 2.
The Earth under the Martians.

Chapter 1.
Under foot.

In th e first b oo k I have w and ere d so m u ch from m y o w n

ad v en tu re s to tell of th e ex periences of m y b roth e r
th a t all throu g h th e last two chapters I an d th e cu rate have
been lurk - ing in th e empty h ou se at H alliford w h ith e r w e
fled to escape th e B lack S m oke. T h ere I w ill resu m e . W e
sto p pe d th ere all S u n da y n ig h t an d all th e n ex t day—the
day of th e panic—in
a little islan d of d aylig h t, cu t off b y th e B lack S m o k e from
th e rest of th e w o rld. W e co uld do n o th in g b u t w ait in ac h in g
in activ ity d u ring th o se two w ear y days.
M y m in d w as occupied b y anx iety fo r m y w ife. I figured
h er at L eathe rh ead , terr ified , in danger, m o u rn in g me already
as a dead m an . I paced th e rooms an d cried
alo u d when I th o u g h t o f h ow I w a s cu t o ff from he r, of all
th a t m igh t h ap -
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
160
p e n to h er in m y ab sen ce. M y cousin I kn ew w as brav e eno u gh
fo r any em erg en c y, b u t he w as n o t th e so rt of m a n to realise
danger qu ickly, to rise p ro m p tly. W h a t w a s needed n ow w as
n o t brav ery, b u t circum spectio n . M y o n ly consolation w as to
believ e th a t th e M artian s w ere m oving L ondon -w ard an d aw ay
from h er. S uch vagu e an x ieties k eep th e m in d sensitiv e an d
painful. I grew ver y w ear y an d irritab le w ith th e cu rate’s p er-
petual ejacu latio n s; I tired of th e sigh t of h is selfish despair.
A fter som e ineffectua l remonstrance I kep t aw a y from h im ,
stay ing in a ro om—ev idently a children’s schoolroom—con -
tainin g g lo b es, form s, an d cop y bo oks. W he n he follow ed me
th ith e r, I w en t to a box ro o m a t th e to p o f th e h ou se an d , in
order to be alon e w ith m y achin g m iseries, lo ck ed m y self in .
W e w ere ho p elessly h e m m e d in b y th e B lack S m o k e all
th a t day an d th e m o rn in g of th e n ex t. T h ere w ere
sig n s of p eople in th e n ex t h ou se o n S un d ay evening — a face
at a w in - dow an d m ovin g lights, an d later th e slam m in g of a
do o r. B u t
I do n o t kn o w who these people w ere, n o r w h at becam e of
th em . W e sa w no th in g of th em nex t day. T h e B lac k S m oke
d rifte d slow ly river w ard all throu g h M o n d a y m o rn in g , creep -
ing n eare r an d n earer to u s, drivin g at last alo n g th e ro ad w ay
outside th e h o use th a t h id u s.
A M a rtia n c am e across th e field s ab o u t m id d ay,
lay in g
th e stuff w ith a jet of superheated steam th a t h issed ag ain st
th e w alls, sm ash ed all th e w indow s it to u ch ed , an d scalded
th e cu rate’s h an d as he fled ou t of th e fro n t ro o m . W hen at
161
last w e crept across th e sodden rooms an d lo ok ed ou t ag ain ,
th e co u n tr y n o rth w ard w as as tho u g h a blac k sn owstorm had
p asse d over it. L o oking to w ard s th e river, w e w ere astonished
to see an u nacco u ntab le redness mingling w ith th e b lack of
th e sco rched m eado w s.
For a tim e w e did n o t see h ow th is change affected our
po sitio n , sav e th a t w e w ere reliev ed of our fear of th e B lack
Smoke. B u t later I p erceiv e d th a t w e w ere n o lo ng er h em m e d
in , th a t n ow w e m igh t get aw a y. S o soo n as I realised th a t th e
w a y of escap e w a s o pen , m y drea m of action retu rn ed . B u t th e
cu rate w as letharg ic , un reason able.
“ W e are safe here,” h e rep eated ; “sa fe h ere.”
I reso lved to leav e him—would th a t I had ! W ise r n o w for
th e artille r y m a n’s teaching, I so u g h t o u t fo o d a n d
d rin k . I had fo un d o il an d rag s fo r m y burns, an d I also too k
a h a t an d
a flan nel shirt th a t I fou n d in one of th e bedrooms. W hen it
w as clear to him th a t I m ean t to go alone—had reconciled
m yself to go in g alon e — he suddenly ro used him self to co m e.
A n d all bein g quiet throughou t th e afternoon , w e started about
five o’clock , as I should ju dge, alon g th e b lack ene d road to
S u n b u r y.
In S u n b u r y, an d a t in te r vals alon g th e road, w ere
dead b o d ie s ly in g in co n to rte d attitu d es , h o rse s as
w ell as m e n , overturned carts an d lug g ag e, all covered
thick ly w ith black d u st. T h a t p all of cindery pow de r made
me th in k of w hat I ha d read of th e destruction of Po mpeii.
W e go t to H am p to n
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
162
C o u rt w ith o u t m isad ventu re , our m ind s full of strange an d
un fam ilia r appearances, an d at H am p to n C o u rt our eye s w ere
reliev ed to fin d a p atc h o f gree n th a t h ad escap e d th e suffo -
c atin g d rift. W e w e n t th ro u g h B u sh e y Pa rk , w ith its
d ee r g o in g to an d fro u n d e r th e ch estn u ts , an d
so m e m e n a n d women hurr y ing in th e d istan ce
to w ard s H a m p to n , an d so w e came to Tw ic ken ha m . T h es e
w ere th e first p eop le w e sa w. A w a y a c r o s s t h e road t h e
w o o d s b e y o n d H a m a n d Petersham w ere still afire.
Tw ic kenh a m w a s u ninju red b y ei- the r H eat-R a y or B lack
Smoke, an d th ere w ere more people ab o u t here, th ou g h
n o ne cou ld giv e u s ne w s. For th e m o st part they
w ere like ourselves, takin g advantag e of a lull to
shift their quarters. I have an im p ressio n th a t m an y
of th e h o u se s here w ere still o ccu p ie d b y sc are d
in h a b ita n ts , to o frigh tene d even fo r flight. H ere to o th e
ev idence of a hasty ro u t w a s ab u n d an t alo n g th e road. I
remember m o st vividly th ree sm ash ed bicycle s in a heap ,
p o u n d e d in to th e road by th e w heels of su bseq u en t carts. W e
cro sse d R ic hm o n d Bridge abo u t h alf past eigh t. W e h urried
across th e ex p o se d bridg e, of cou rse, b u t I n otice d flo atin g
down th e stream a n u m b er of red m asses, som e m an y feet
across. I d id n o t kn o w w h at these w ere — th ere w a s n o
tim e fo r scru tin y — an d I p u t a m o re horrible
interpretation on them tha n they deserved. H e re again o n th e
S urre y side w ere black d u st th a t had on ce been sm o ke , an d
dead bodies— a heap near th e approach to th e
statio n ; b u t w e h ad n o glim pse of th e M artian s u n til w e w ere
163
som e w a y tow ard s B arnes.
W e sa w in th e blac kened distan ce a group of th ree p eo ple
ru n n in g dow n a sid e street to w ard s th e river, b u t o ther w ise it
seem ed deserted. U p th e hill R ich m o n d to w n w a s
bu rn in g briskly ; outside th e to w n o f R ich m o n d th ere w as n o
trace of th e B lack Smoke.
T h e n suddenly, as w e ap pro ac h ed K ew, came a n u m b e r of
people ru n n in g , an d th e u pp er w o rk s of a M a rtian figh tin g -
machine loomed in sigh t o ver th e housetops, n o t a h un dred
yard s aw ay from u s. W e stoo d aghast at our danger, an d h ad
th e M artia n lo o k e d down w e m u st im m e d iately
h av e p er- ished. W e w ere so terrified th at w e dared not go on ,
bu t tu rned asid e an d hid in a shed in a garden. T h e re th e
cu rate cro u c h ed , w eepin g silently, an d refusin g to stir again .
B u t m y fixed idea o f reachin g L eath erh ea d w ou ld n o t let
me rest, an d in th e twilight I ventured o u t
ag a in . I w e n t thro ug h a sh rubbery, an d alon g a p assag e
b esid e a big ho use stan din g in its o w n grounds, an d so
em erg ed u p o n th e road to w ard s K ew. T h e cu rate I left in th e
shed, b u t h e came h u r- r y ing after m e.
T h a t secon d start w as th e m o st foo lhard y th in g I eve r d id .
For it w as manifest th e M artians w ere ab o u t u s. N o so o ner
had th e cu rate overtaken me th a n w e sa w eith er th e figh tin g -
m ach in e w e had seen befo re or an oth e r, far aw a y across th e
meadow s in th e direction of K ew L o dg e . Four or fiv e little
black figu res h urrie d b efore it across th e g reen -g rey
of th e
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
164
field , an d in a m om en t it w as eviden t th is M artia n pursued
th em . In th ree strides he w as am o n g th em , an d they ra n rad i-
atin g from h is feet in all directions. H e used n o H eat-R ay to
destro y th em , b u t picked th em u p one b y o ne. Apparently h e
to ssed th em into th e great m etallic carrier which
pro jected b ehind him , m uch as a workman’s basket hangs over
his sh o ul- der.
It w a s th e first tim e I realise d th a t th e M artian s
m ig ht
have any o the r p u rp o se th a n d estru ctio n w ith defeated h u -
m anity. W e sto o d fo r a m om en t petrified , th e n
tu rn e d an d fled throu g h a gate b ehin d us in to a w alled
garden, fell into, rath e r th a n fo u n d , a fo rtu n ate d itch , an d la y
there , scarce d ar- ing to w h isper to each othe r u n til th e stars
w ere o u t.
I suppose it w as n early eleven o’cloc k before w e gath ered
cou rag e to start again , n o lon g er venturing in to th e road, b u t
sneaking alon g hedgerow s an d throug h plantations, an d w atch -
ing keen ly thro u g h th e dark ness, he o n th e rig h t an d I o n th e
left, fo r th e M artian s , who seem ed to be all ab o u t u s. In one
place w e blundered u p o n a scorched an d b lack ene d area, no w
coolin g an d ashen, an d a n u m b e r of scattere d dead bo dies o f
m en , bu rn e d horribly ab o u t th e head s an d tru n k s
b u t w ith their leg s an d boots m ostly intact; an d of dead
horses, fifty feet, perhaps, b eh in d a lin e of fou r rip pe d gu n s
an d sm ashed gu n carriag es.
S heen , it seem ed , had escap ed destructio n , b u t th e place
w as silen t an d deserted. H ere w e happene d o n n o dead, though
165
th e n ig h t w a s to o dark fo r us to see in to th e side road s of th e
p lace . In S h een m y co m p an io n suddenly co m plain e d of fain t-
n ess an d th irst, an d w e decid ed to tr y one of th e ho uses.
T h e first ho u se w e entered , after a little
difficu lty w ith
th e window, w a s a sm all se m i-d etach e d villa , an d I
fo u n d n o th in g eatab le left in th e p lace b u t so m e
m o u ld y ch eese. T h e re w as, h o w e ve r, w ate r to d rin k ;
an d I to o k a h atch et, which promised to be u sefu l in
our n ex t house-breaking.
W e th e n cro ssed to a p lace w h ere th e road tu rns tow a rd s
M o rtlake . H ere th ere sto o d a white h ou se w ithin a
w alled garden, an d in th e p an tr y of this dom icile w e fou n d a
sto re of fo od — tw o loave s of b read in a p an , a n uncooked
steak , a n d th e half of a h am . I giv e th is catalo gu e so precisely
b ecau se, as
it hap pened , w e w ere destine d to su b sist u p o n th is store for
th e nex t fortn ig h t. B o ttle d beer sto o d u n d er a sh elf, an d th ere
w ere tw o bag s of h arico t b ean s an d some limp lettu ces. T h is
pa ntr y o pene d into a kin d of w ash -u p kitch en , an d
in th is w as firew o o d ; th ere w a s also a cupboard, in which
w e fou n d nearly a dozen of burgu n d y, tin n e d sou p s
an d salm o n , an d two tin s of biscuits.
W e sat in th e ad jacen t kitc hen in th e d ark — fo r w e d a red
n o t strik e a light— an d ate bread an d h a m , an d d ran k beer
ou t of th e sam e b ottle . T h e cu rate, who w a s still tim o ro u s an d
restless, w as n ow, o d d ly en ou gh , fo r p ushin g o n , an d I w as
urging h im to keep up h is streng th b y eating when th e th in g
hap pene d th a t w a s to imprison u s.
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
166
“It can’t be m idn ig h t yet,” I said , an d th e n c am e a b lin d -
ing g lare of vivid gree n ligh t. E ver y th in g in th e kitch en leaped
ou t, clearly visible in green an d b lack , an d
vanished again . A n d th e n fo llo w e d such a concussio n as I
have n eve r heard b efore or sin ce. S o close o n th e h eels of this
as to seem instan - taneous cam e a th u d b eh in d m e, a clash of
glass , a crash an d rattle of fallin g m ason r y all ab o u t u s, an d
th e plaste r of th e ceilin g cam e down u p o n u s,
sm ash in g in to a m u ltitu d e o f fragments upo n our heads.
I w a s k no cked headlong across th e flo o r ag ain st th e o v en
han dle an d stu n n ed . I w a s insensible fo r a lo n g tim e , th e
cu rate to ld m e , an d when I cam e to w e w ere in da rkness
ag ain , an d h e, w ith a face w et, as I fo u nd after w ard s, w ith
blood fro m a cu t fo rehead , w as dabbing w a - ter over m e.
For som e tim e I could n o t reco llec t w hat had hap pened .
T h e n thin g s c am e to me slow ly. A bru ise o n m y te m ple as -
serted itself.
“A re y ou b etter?” ask ed th e cu rate in a w hisper.
A t last I answ ered h im . I sat u p.
“D o n’t m ove,” he said . “ T h e flo o r is cove red w ith sm ashed
crock er y fro m th e d resser. You can’t p ossib ly m ov e
w ith o u t making a noise, an d I fan c y T H E Y are o u tsid e.”
W e b o th sa t q uite silent, so th a t w e co uld
sc arcely hear
each other breathin g. E ver y th in g seem ed deadly still, b ut once
som ethin g near us, som e plaster or broken brickw ork , slid down
w ith a rumbling sou n d . O utside an d ver y near w as an in ter-
167
m itte n t, m etallic rattle.
“ T h at!” said th e cu rate, when presently it h app ene d again .
“ Yes,” I said . “B u t w h at is it?”
“A M a rtian!” said th e cu rate.
I listened again .
“It w as n o t like th e H e a t-R ay,” I said , an d fo r a tim e I w as
in c lin e d to th in k one o f th e great fig h tin g -
m a c h in e s h a d stumbled against th e h ou se , as I had seen one
stumble again st th e to w er o f S h ep p erto n C h urch.
O u r situ atio n w a s so strange an d inco m preh ensible th a t
for three or four hours, until th e dawn cam e, w e scarcely m oved.
A n d th e n th e ligh t filtere d in , n o t th ro u g h th e window, which
remained b lack , b u t thro u g h a triangular aperture betw een a
beam an d a h ea p of broken bric ks in th e w all b ehin d u s. T h e
interio r of th e kitche n w e no w sa w greyly fo r th e first tim e.
T h e w in d o w had been b urst in b y a m ass o f garden m o uld,
which flo w e d over th e table u p o n which w e had been sittin g
an d la y ab o u t our feet. O u tsid e , th e so il w a s
banked h ig h ag ain st th e h ou se. A t th e to p of th e w in do w
fram e w e could see an u p ro oted drainpipe. T h e floo r w as littered
w ith sm ashed hardw are ; th e en d of th e kitche n to w ard s th e
ho u se w a s bro - ken in to , an d sin ce th e d aylig h t shone in th ere ,
it w a s evid en t th e g reater p art of th e h ou se had co llap sed .
C o ntrastin g viv - id ly w ith th is ruin w as th e n eat d resse r,
stained in th e fashion , p ale green , an d w ith a n u m b e r o f cop pe r
an d tin vessels b elo w it, th e w allp ap er im itatin g blu e an d
white tiles, an d a coup le
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
168 169

of colou red supplements flutterin g from th e w alls abov e th e there , silen t an d shivering , u n til our tired atten tio n failed . . . .
kitch e n ran g e. A t last I fo u n d m y self aw ak e an d very hu ng r y. I a m in -
A s th e dawn gre w c learer, w e sa w th ro u g h th e gap in th e clined to believ e w e m u st h av e spen t th e g reater p o rtio n of a
w all th e b o d y of a M artian , stan din g sentinel, I suppose, over day before th a t aw akening . M y h un ge r w as at a stride so in -
th e still g low in g c y linder. A t th e sigh t o f th a t w e craw le d as sistent th a t it m oved me to action. I told th e
circu m sp ectly as p o ssib le ou t of th e twilight of th e kitch en cu rate I w as g oin g to seek foo d , an d felt m y w ay tow ard s
in to th e dark ness o f th e scu llery. th e pan tr y. H e made me n o an sw e r, b u t so so o n as I began
Abruptly th e rig h t in terp retatio n dawned u p o n m y m ind. eating th e faint noise I made stirred him u p an d I heard
“ T h e fifth cy linder,” I w hispered, “the fifth sh ot from M ars, him craw lin g after m e.
has struc k this ho u se an d buried us u n d er th e ruins!”
For a tim e th e cu rate w as silen t, an d th e n he w hispered:
“G od hav e m ercy u p o n us!”
I heard h im presently whimpering to h im self.
S ave fo r th a t so un d w e lay qu ite still in th e scullery ; I for
m y part scarce dared breathe , an d sat w ith m y eye s fixed on
th e fain t ligh t of th e k itc he n d o o r. I cou ld just see th e cu rate’s
face, a dim , ova l shap e, an d his co llar an d cuffs. O utsid e th ere
beg an a m etallic ha m m erin g , th e n a v iolen t h o o tin g , an d th en
ag ain , after a q uiet in te r val, a h issin g like th e hissin g of an
engine. T h es e no ises, fo r th e m o st part problem atical, con tin -
ued interm ittently, an d seem ed if any thing to increase in n u m -
ber as tim e w o re o n . P resen tly a m easu re d
th u dd in g an d a v ib ratio n th a t made e very th in g ab ou t us
quiv er an d th e ves - sels in th e pantr y ring an d shif t, bega n
an d continu ed . O nce th e ligh t w as ec lipsed , an d th e ghostly
kitc hen d o o r w ay b e- cam e abso lutely dark. For m an y hours
w e m ust hav e cro u c h ed
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
170
Chapter 2.
What we saw from the ruined house.
A fter eating w e crept back to th e sculler y, a n d th ere I m u st
have dozed ag ain , fo r when presently I lo ok ed ro u n d I w as
alo ne . T h e th u dd in g v ib ratio n co ntinu e d w ith w eariso m e p er-
sistence . I w hispere d fo r th e cu rate severa l times, an d at last
felt m y w a y to th e d o o r of th e kitchen . It w a s still d aylig h t,
an d I perceived him across th e ro o m , lyin g against th e trian -
gular h ole th a t lo o ke d ou t u p o n th e M artian s . H is sh ou lders
w ere h u n ch ed , so th a t h is h ead w as h id de n from m e.
I could hear a n u m b e r of n o ise s alm o st like th o se in an
engine sh ed ; an d th e place ro ck ed w ith th a t
beating th u d . T hro u g h th e aperture in th e w all I could see
th e to p of a tree to uch e d w ith g old an d th e w arm b lu e o f a
tranq uil even ing sky. For a m in u te or so I remained
w atc hin g th e cu rate, an d
171
th e n I advanced , cro uch in g an d stepping w ith extrem e care
am id th e broken cro ck e ry th a t littere d th e floo r.
I touch e d th e cu rate ’s leg, an d h e started so v io len tly th a t
a m ass of p laster w en t slid in g down outside an d fell w ith a
loud im p act. I gripped his arm , fearing h e m igh t cr y o ut, an d
fo r a lon g tim e w e cro u c h e d m o tio n less. T h e n I tu rn e d to see
h ow m uch of our rampart remained. T h e d etach m en t of th e
plaster ha d left a v ertical slit o pen in th e d eb ris, an d b y rais-
ing m yself cau tio usly across a beam I w a s ab le to se e ou t of
this gap in to w h at ha d been overnight a qu iet suburban road -
w ay. Vast, in deed , w as th e ch ang e th a t w e beheld.
T h e fifth cy lind e r m u st hav e fallen rig h t in to th e m id s t of
th e h ou se w e had first v isited . T h e building h ad
vanished ,
completely sm ash ed , pu lve rise d, an d dispersed b y th e blow.
T h e cy lin de r lay no w far b en eath th e o rig inal foundations—
deep in a hole, alread y vastly larg er th a n th e p it I h ad loo k ed
in to a t W o king. T h e earth all ro u n d it had splashed
u n d er th a t trem en d ou s im p act— ”sp lash ed ” is th e only
word—and la y in heaped piles th a t hid th e m asses of th e
ad jacen t hou ses.
It ha d behav ed exactly like m u d u n d e r th e violen t b lo w of a
h a m m e r. O ur h o u se ha d collapse d bac k w ard; th e fro n t p o r-
tion, ev en on th e groun d flo o r, had been destroy ed com pletely ;
b y a chance th e k itc hen an d sculler y had escaped, an d sto o d
buried n o w u n d er soil an d ruins, clo sed in b y to n s of earth on
ever y sid e sav e to w ard s th e c y linder. O ver th a t aspect w e h un g
n ow on th e ver y edg e o f th e great circu lar p it th e M artians
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
172
w ere en g ag ed in making. T h e heav y beating sou n d w a s evi-
dently just b ehin d u s, an d ever an d again a bright green v apo ur
d rov e u p like a veil across our peeph o le.
T h e cy lin de r w as alread y o pene d in th e centre of th e pit,
an d o n th e farthe r edg e o f th e pit, am id th e
sm ash ed an d grav el-h eape d sh rubbery, one of th e g reat
fightin g -m a c hines, deserted by its occupant, stood stiff an d
tall against th e evening sky. A t first I scarcely no tice d
th e p it an d th e cy linder, al- tho u g h it ha s been
co n venien t to d escrib e th em first, o n ac - co u n t of th e
ex traordin a r y glitte ring mechanism I sa w busy in th e
excavation , an d o n acco u n t of th e strange creatures th a t w ere
craw lin g slow ly an d pain fu lly across th e heaped m o u ld near
it.
T h e mechanism it certain ly w as th a t held m y
atten tio n
first. It w as one of th ose co m p licate d fab rics th a t hav e sin ce
been called h an d ling - m achin es , an d th e stud y of which has
alread y g iven such a n enormous impetus to terrestria l in ve n -
tio n . A s it dawned u p o n me first, it presented a so rt of m etal-
lic spid er w ith five join ted , agile legs, an d w ith a n ex trao rd i-
nar y n u m b e r of jointe d le vers , bars, an d reach in g an d c lutc h -
ing ten ta c les abo u t its bo d y. M o st o f its arm s w ere retracted,
b u t w ith th ree lo n g ten tacles it w as fish in g ou t a n u m b e r o f
ro d s, p lates, an d b ars which lined th e co v erin g an d app aren tly
stren gth en e d th e w alls o f th e cy linder. T h es e, as it ex tracted
th em , w ere lifted ou t an d deposited u p o n a leve l surface o f
earth b e hin d it.
173
Its m o tio n w a s so sw ift, co m p lex , an d p erfect th a t at first
I d id n o t see it as a m ach ine, in sp ite of its metallic glitte r.
T h e fightin g -m ach in e s w ere coordinated an d anim ate d to an
extraordinary pitch , b u t n o thin g to compare w ith this. People
who h av e n eve r seen these structures, an d h av e on ly th e ill-
imagined effo rts of artists or th e im p erfec t
d escrip tio n s o f such ey e-w itn esse s as m yself to go u p o n ,
scarcel y realise th at liv in g quality.
I recall p articu larly th e illustration of one of th e first pam -
ph lets to giv e a co n secu tiv e acco u n t of th e w ar. T h e artist had
ev id en tly made a hasty stud y of one of th e figh tin g -m a chin es,
an d th ere his k now ledg e en ded . H e presented th em as tilted ,
stiff tripo d s, w ith o u t eithe r flex ib ility or subtlety, an d
w ith a n alto geth e r m islead in g m o no to n y of effect. T h e
p a m p h let containin g these renderings ha d a considerab le
vogu e, an d I m en tio n th e m here sim p ly to w a rn th e
read e r ag ain st th e im p ressio n th e y m ay h av e created.
T h e y w ere n o more like th e M a rtians I sa w in action th a n
a D utch d o ll is like a h u - m a n b ein g. To m y m ind , th e
pa m ph let w ou ld hav e been m u ch b ette r w ith o u t th em .
A t first, I sa y, th e han d lin g -m achin e d id n o t im p ress me
as a machine, b u t as a crab lik e creature w ith a glittering in -
teg u m en t, th e controlling M artia n w hose delicate
tentacles actuated its m o v em ents seem in g to be sim ply th e
equivalen t of th e crab’s cereb ral p o rtion . B u t th e n I perceived
th e rese m - b lance of its gre y-brown, sh in y, leathery
integu m en t to th a t
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
174
of th e o th e r spraw lin g bod ies b ey o nd , an d th e tru e n atu re o f
th is d e x te r o u s workman dawned upon me.
W i t h t h a t realisatio n m y interest shifted to th ose
othe r creatures, th e real M artian s . A lread y I had
had a tran sien t im p ressio n of these, an d th e first
nausea n o lo n ger obscu red m y ob ser va - tio n . M o reover, I
w as co ncealed an d m o tio nless , an d u n d er n o u rg en cy of
action.
T h e y w ere, I n ow sa w, th e m ost unearth ly creatu res it is
possib le to conceiv e. T h e y w ere huge ro u nd b odies— or, rath e r,
heads—about fou r feet in d iam ete r, eac h bo d y havin g in fro n t
of it a face. T h is face had n o n o strils— in deed , th e M artians
d o n o t seem to have h ad any sen se of sm ell, b u t it h a d a pair
of ver y larg e dark-coloured ey es, an d just b en eath th is a kin d
of flesh y beak . In th e b ack of th is head or bo d y — I scarcely
kn o w how to sp eak of it— w as th e sing le tig h t ty m p anic sur-
face, sin ce kn ow n to be anatomically an ear, tho u g h it m u st
hav e been alm o st useles s in our dense air. In a group ro u n d
th e m o u th w ere six tee n slen d e r, alm o st w h ip lik e
ten ta c les, arranged in tw o bu nch es of eigh t each . T h es e
bunch es h av e sin c e been na m e d rath e r aptly, b y th a t
distinguished an ato - m ist, P rofesso r H o w es, th e
H A N D S . E ven as I sa w these M artian s fo r th e first
tim e they seem ed to be en deavo u rin g to raise th em selv es o n
these han ds, b u t of co u rse , w ith th e in - crease d weight of
terrestria l conditions, this w as im po ssib le. T h ere is reaso n to
suppo se th a t o n M ars they m ay have p ro - gressed u p o n
th em w ith som e facility.
175
T h e in te rn al anato m y, I m ay remark h ere, as
d issection
has sin ce shown, w a s alm o st equ ally sim ple. T h e g reater part
of th e structure w a s th e brain, sending enormous ner ve s to
th e ey es, ear, an d tactile ten ta c les. B esid es th is w ere th e bu lk y
lungs, in to which th e m o u th op ened , an d th e h eart an d its
vessels . T h e p ulm o n a r y distress caused b y th e d en se r atm o -
sp h ere an d greate r grav itatio n a l attractio n w a s only to o evi-
d en t in th e convulsiv e m ov em ents of th e o uter skin .
A n d th is w as th e sum of th e M artia n o rg ans. Strange as it
m ay seem to a hu m a n bein g , all th e co m p lex
apparatus of digestion, which m akes u p th e b ulk of
our bodies, did n o t exist in th e M a rtians. T h e y w ere
heads—merely head s. E n - trails th e y h ad n o n e . T h e y did
n o t eat, m u ch less d ig est. In - stead, they too k th e fresh ,
liv in g blood o f othe r creatu res, an d IN JE C T E D it in to their
ow n vein s. I have m yself seen this b ein g d o ne, as I sh all
m entio n in its p lace. B u t, squ eam ish as
I m ay seem , I can n o t bring m yself to d escrib e w hat I could
n o t en d u re e ven to co n tin u e watching. L e t it suffice to sa y,
blood ob tain e d from a still liv in g animal, in m o st case s from a
hum a n bein g , w a s ru n directly b y m ean s of a
little pip ette in to th e recipient can al. . . .
T h e bare idea of th is is n o do u b t horribly rep ulsiv e to u s,
b u t at th e sam e tim e I th in k th a t w e should remember how
rep ulsiv e our carn iv o ro u s h abits w ould seem to a n intelligent
ra b b it.
T h e phy sio log ical advan tag e s of th e practice of injection
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
176
are undeniable, if one th in k s of th e tre m en do u s w aste of h u -
m a n tim e an d en erg y o ccasio ne d b y eating an d th e d ig estive
p rocess. O u r bod ies are half made up of gland s an d tubes an d
org an s, occupied in turn in g heterogeneous fo o d in to blood.
T h e d ig estiv e processe s an d th eir reaction u p o n th e ner vous
sy ste m sap our stren gth an d colou r our m in ds. M e n g o happ y
or m iserable as they hav e healthy or u n health y livers, or so u nd
g astric g lan ds. B u t th e M a rtian s w ere lifted abov e all these
organ ic fluctu ation s of m o o d an d e m o tio n .
T h e ir undeniable p referen c e fo r m e n a s th eir
so u rc e o f
n o u rish m en t is partly ex plained b y th e n atu re of th e rem ains
of th e v ictim s they had bro u g h t w ith the m as pro v isio n s from
M ars. T h ese creatu res, to judg e from th e sh rivelled rem ain s
th a t hav e falle n in to hum a n han ds , w ere bip ed s w ith flim sy,
siliciou s sk eleton s (alm ost like th o se of th e siliciou s sp onges)
an d feeb le m u sculatu re , stand in g ab o u t six feet hig h an d h av -
ing ro u n d , erect head s, an d larg e ey es in flin ty soc k ets. Tw o or
thre e of these seem to h av e been b ro u gh t in each cylinder,
an d all w ere k illed before earth w a s reached . It w as just as w ell
fo r th em , fo r th e mere attem p t to stan d u p rig h t
u p o n our plan e t w ould hav e broken every bone in their
bodies.
A n d w h ile I a m en gage d in this description, I m ay ad d in
this place certain fu rth e r d etails which, alth o u g h they w ere
n o t all ev iden t to us at th e tim e , w ill enab le th e reader who is
un acq uainte d w ith th e m to form a cleare r picture
of these offensiv e creatu res.
177
In thre e othe r points their physio log y differed
strang ely
from o u rs. T h eir organ ism s did n o t sleep, any more th a n th e
h eart of m a n sleep s. S ince they had n o ex tensiv e
m uscu lar mechanism to recu perate , th a t periodica l
extinction w a s u n - known to th em . T h e y ha d little or n o
sen se of fatig ue , it w ould seem . O n earth they co uld n ev er
have m oved w ith o u t effo rt, y et ev en to th e last they kep t in
action. In tw e n ty - fo u r hours they d id tw enty -fo u r hours of
w ork , as even o n earth is p er- haps th e case w ith th e ants.
In th e n ex t p lace, w o nd erfu l as it seem s in a sexua l w orld,
th e M artian s w ere ab so lu tely w ith o u t sex , an d therefore w ith -
ou t any of th e tu m u ltu o u s em o tion s th a t arise from th a t d if-
feren ce am o n g m en . A you n g M artian , th ere can n o w be no
dispute, w a s really b o rn u p o n earth d u ring th e w ar, an d it w as
fo un d attache d to its p aren t, p artially B U D D E D off, just as
y o u n g lily b u lb s b u d o ff, or lik e th e y o u n g
an im als in th e fresh-water po ly p.
In m an , in all th e high e r terrestria l anim als, such a m etho d
of in crease h as disappeared ; b u t ev en o n this earth it w as cer-
tain ly th e prim itiv e m eth o d . A m o n g th e lo w er an im als, u p
even to th o se first co u sin s o f th e verteb rated anim als, th e Tu-
nicates, th e two p rocesse s o ccu r sid e b y side, b u t finally th e
sexual m ethod superseded its com petitor altogethe r. O n M ars,
h ow ever, just th e re verse h a s apparen tly been th e case.
It is w o rth y of remark th a t a certain speculativ e w riter of
qu asi- scien tific rep ute , writing lo n g before th e M artia n in -
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
178
vasio n , did fo recast fo r m a n a fin al structure n o t u nlik e th e
actual M artian condition. H is prophecy, I remember, ap peared
in N o v em b e r or D ecem b e r, 1893, in a lon g -d efu n c t publica-
tio n , th e PA L L M A L L B U D G E T, an d I recall a c aric atu re
of it in a pre-M artia n perio dica l called P U N C H . H e p o inted
ou t— w ritin g in a foolish , facetio u s to ne — tha t th e p erfectio n
o f m ech an ica l ap p lia n c e s m u st u ltim ately su p ersed e
lim b s; th e p erfectio n of chem ical devices, d ig estio n ;
th a t such o r- gan s as h air, ex ternal n o se , teeth , ears, an d
chin w ere n o longer essen tial parts of th e h um a n bein g , an d
th a t th e ten d en c y of n atu ra l selectio n w o uld lie in th e
direction o f th eir stead y d im in u ti on th ro u g h th e
co m in g ag es. T h e b rain alo n e re- m ain e d a cardinal
n ecessity. O n ly one othe r part of th e b o d y h ad a stro n g case
fo r su r vival, an d th a t w a s th e h an d , “tea c h er an d agen t of th e
b rain.” W hile th e rest of th e b o d y d w in d led , th e hand s
w ould grow larg e r.
T here is m an y a tru e w ord w ritte n in jest, an d here in th e
M artian s w e have b eyo n d dispute th e actual accomplishment
of such a su ppressio n of th e anim al side o f th e organ ism by
th e intellig ence. To me it is q uite credib le th a t th e M artians
m ay be d esce n d e d from b ein g s not u n lik e
o u rselv es, b y a g rad ua l d ev elo p m en t o f brain an d
h an d s (th e latter g iv in g rise to th e two b un ch es of
delicate ten tacles at last) at th e expense of th e rest of
th e b o d y. W ith o u t th e b o d y th e brain w ould , of cou rse,
becom e a mere selfish intelligence , w ith o u t any of th e
emotional su bstratu m of th e h um a n bein g .
179
T h e last salien t p oin t in which th e system s of these crea-
tures differed from o urs w a s in w h at one m igh t hav e th o u g h t
a ver y trivial particular. M icro -organism s , which cause so m uch
disease an d pain o n earth , have eithe r nev e r app eare d u p o n
M ars or M artian sanitary science eliminated th em ages ago.
A h un dre d d iseases, all th e fevers an d con tag io n s of hum an
life, c o n su m p ti o n , ca n c e rs, tu m o u rs and su c h
morbidities, nev er en ter th e schem e of th eir life. A n d
speak in g of th e d if- feren ces b etw ee n th e life o n M ars an d
terrestria l life, I m ay allud e here to th e curiou s sug g estio n s
of th e red w eed .
Apparently th e v eg eta b le kin g d o m in M ars ,
instead o f
havin g g reen fo r a d om inan t co lou r, is of a vivid blo o d -red
tin t. A t any rate , th e seed s which th e M artian s (intentionally
or accid en tally ) bro u gh t w ith th em gav e rise in all
case s to red-coloured growths. O n ly th at known p o p u larly
as th e red w eed , h ow e ver, g ain ed a ny footing in
co m p etitio n w ith te r- restrial fo rm s. T h e red creep er w as
qu ite a transitory g row th , an d few peo ple hav e seen it
grow in g. For a tim e, h o w ever, th e red w eed grew w ith
astonishing vigour an d luxuriance. It spread u p th e sides of th e
p it b y th e th ird or fo urth day of our im - priso n m en t, an d
its cactus-lik e branch es formed a carm ine fringe to th e
edg e s o f our triangular window. A n d after w ard s
I fo un d it bro ad c ast thro u gh o u t th e co u n tr y, a n d esp ecially
w h ere ver th ere w as a strea m of w ater.
T h e M a rtians had w hat ap pears to h av e been an au dito r y
organ, a sin g le ro u n d d r u m at th e back of th e head -bo d y, an d
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
180 181

eyes w ith a visua l rang e n o t ver y d ifferen t from ou rs excep t T h e M a rtians w ore n o c lo th in g. T h eir co nceptio n s o f o r-
th a t, accordin g to P hilips, blu e an d v io le t w ere as
black to th em . It is co m m on ly su p p osed th a t they
communicated by sou n d s an d tentacular gesticulatio ns; this
is asserted , fo r in - stan c e , in th e ab le b u t h astily
co m p ile d p a m p h le t (w ritten ev iden tly b y so m eo n e no t an
eye-w itness of M artia n actio n s) to w h ich I have alread y
allu d ed , an d w h ic h , so far, h as been th e ch ief so u rce of
inform atio n con cernin g th em . N o w n o su r vivin g
hum a n bein g sa w so much of th e M a rtians in ac - tio n as I
d id . I take n o credit to m yself fo r an accid en t, b u t th e fact
is so. A n d I assert th a t I watched th em closely tim e after
tim e, an d th a t I h av e seen fou r, fiv e, an d (on ce ) six o f th em
sluggish ly performing th e m o st elab o rately co m plicated
operations to geth e r w ith o u t eithe r so un d or g estu re.
T h eir p ecu liar h o o tin g in variab ly preceded feed ing ; it had n o
m o d u - lation , an d w as, I believe, in n o sen se a sig n al, b u t
m erely th e exp iration o f air p repa rato r y to th e su ctional
operatio n . I hav e
a certain c laim to at least an elementary kn ow led g e of p sy -
cholo g y, an d in this m atte r I a m co nv in ced — as firmly as I a m
c o n v in c e d of a n y th in g — th a t th e M a r tia n s
in te r c h a n g e d th o u g h ts w ith o u t an y p h y sica l
in term e d iatio n . A n d I h av e been con vince d of this in
sp ite of stro n g preconceptions. B e- fore th e M artian invasion,
as an occasional reader here or there m ay remember, I had
w r itte n w ith so me little v ehemence ag ain st th e
telepathic theo r y.
nam en t an d decorum w ere necessarily different from
o u rs;
an d n o t only w ere they ev id ently m uch less sen sible of changes
of tem p erature th a n w e are, b u t chan ges of pressure do n o t
seem to h av e affecte d their h ealth at all serio usly. Yet tho u g h
they w o re n o clo thin g , it w as in th e othe r artificia l ad ditio ns
to their b o d ily reso u rce s th a t their great superio rity ov er m a n
lay. W e m en , w ith our bicyc les an d road-skates, our L ilienth al
soaring-machines, our g u n s an d stick s an d so forth , are just in
th e beginning of th e evolutio n th a t th e M artian s have w orked
ou t. T h e y hav e becom e practically m ere brains, w earing d if-
feren t b odies acco rdin g to th eir need s ju st as m e n w ear su its
of c loth es an d take a bicyc le in a hurr y or an u m b rella in th e
w et. A n d of their appliances, perhaps n othin g is more w on -
derfu l to a m a n th a n th e curiou s fact th a t w h at is th e d o m i-
n an t featu re o f alm o st all h um a n device s in
mechanism is absent— th e W H E E L is ab sen t; am o n g
all th e thin g s they b ro u gh t to earth th ere is n o trace or
suggestio n of their use of w h eels. O n e w ou ld hav e at least
expected it in locomotion. A n d in th is connection it is
curio u s to remark th a t ev en o n this earth N ature ha s n ev e r
h it u p o n th e w h eel, or h a s pre - ferred o th e r exped ients to
its development. A n d n o t only d id th e M artian s eith er n o t
kn o w of (w h ich is incred ib le), or ab - stain from, th e w heel,
b u t in their apparatus sin gularly little u se is made of th e
fixed pivo t or relatively fixed piv ot, w ith circu la r m o tio n s
thereab o u t confined to one plane . A lm o st all th e
jo in ts o f th e m ach inery p resent a com plicated sy ste m
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
182 183

of slidin g parts m ovin g over sm all b u t beautifu lly cu r ved fric- an d w o rkin g its w a y ro u n d th e p it, excavatin g an d embanking
tio n bearin gs. A n d w h ile u p o n th is m atte r o f detail, it is re - in a m etho dic al an d d isc rim inatin g m an n e r. T h is it w a s which
m arkable th a t th e lo n g leverage s of their m achine s are in m o st had cau sed th e regular beating noise, an d th e rh yth m ic sh ock s
case s actuated b y a sort of sham m u scu latu re o f th e d isk s in th a t h a d k e p t our ruinous re fu g e q u iv e rin g . It
a n elastic sh eath ; these d isk s b eco m e po larised an d piped a n d w h istled as it w o rk ed . S o far as I could
drawn closely an d po w erfu lly to geth e r when traverse d b y a see, th e th in g w as w ith o u t a directing M artia n at all.
current of electricity. In this w ay th e cu rio us
parallelism to an im al m o tio ns, which w as so striking an d
disturbin g to th e h um an beholder, w a s attain ed . S uch qu asi-
m uscles ab ou n de d in th e c rab lik e h an dlin g -m ach in e which,
o n m y first peeping o u t o f th e slit, I watched unpacking
th e c y linder. It seem e d in fi- nitely more aliv e th a n th e
actual M artian s lyin g beyo n d it in th e su n set light,
p an tin g , stirring ineffectua l ten tacles , an d m ovin g
feebly afte r their vast jo u rn ey across space.
W h ile I w a s still watching their slu gg ish m o tio ns in th e
su nligh t, an d n o tin g each strange d etail of their
form, th e curate re m in de d me of his p resen ce b y
pu llin g v io len tly at m y arm . I turne d to a sco w lin g face,
an d silent, eloquent lips. H e wanted th e slit, which
p erm itte d on ly one of us to peep through ; an d so I had
to foreg o watching th e m fo r a tim e w h ile h e en jo yed
th a t p riv ileg e.
W hen I lo oked again , th e busy han d lin g -m a c h in e had al-
read y p u t to geth e r severa l of th e pieces o f apparatus it had
taken o u t of th e cy lind e r in to a shap e hav in g an u n m istak able
likeness to its ow n ; an d down o n th e left a busy little dig gin g
m echanis m had come in to vie w, e m ittin g jets of g reen v ap o u r
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
184
Chapter 3.
The days of imprisonment.
T h e arrival of a secon d figh tin g -m ach in e d ro v e u s from
our p eep ho le in to th e scullery, fo r w e feared th a t
fro m his elev atio n th e M artia n m ig h t se e down u p o n us
b eh in d our barrier. A t a later d ate w e b ega n to feel less in
danger o f th eir eyes, fo r to an eye in th e d azzle of th e
su nligh t outside our refug e m u st hav e been blan k b lackn ess,
b u t at first th e sligh t- est suggestio n of app roach d ro v e u s
in to th e scullery in heart- thro b b in g retreat. Yet terrib le as
w as th e danger w e incurred, th e attractio n o f peeping w as fo r
b o th of us irresistib le . A n d I recall n o w w ith a sort of
wonder th at, in spite o f th e infin ite danger in w h ich w e
w ere betw ee n starvatio n an d a still m o re terrible death , w e
could yet strugg le bitterly fo r th a t horrible p rivileg e of sight.
W e w o uld race across th e k itc hen in a gro -
185
tesque w ay betw een eagern ess an d th e dread of making a noise,
an d strike each o the r, an d th r ust ad d k ic k, w ithin a few inc h es
of ex p osu re.
T h e fact is th a t w e h ad ab so lu tely incompatible disposi-
tio n s an d h ab its of th o u g h t an d action, an d our danger an d
isolatio n on ly accentuated th e incompatibility. A t H a lliford
I had alread y com e to h ate th e cu rate’s trick of help less exc la-
m atio n , his stu pid rigidity of m ind . H is en d less
m utterin g monologue v itiated ev ery effo rt I made to th in k
ou t a lin e o f action, an d d rov e me at times, thu s p en t u p
an d intensified, alm ost to th e verg e of crazin ess. H e w as as
lack in g in restra in t as a silly woman. H e w ould w eep fo r
hours to geth e r, an d I verily belie ve th a t to th e ver y
en d th is spoiled ch ild of life
th o u g h t his w eak tears in som e w a y efficacious. A n d I w ould
sit in th e dark ness u n ab le to keep m y m in d off h im b y reason
of his im p o rtu nities . H e ate more th a n I did , an d it w as in
vain I p oin te d ou t th a t our on ly chan ce of life w a s to sto p in
th e h o use u n til th e M artian s had do n e w ith their pit, th a t in
th a t lo n g p atie n c e a tim e m ig h t p resen tly co m e
when w e should need fo o d. H e ate and dran k im pulsively in
heavy m eals at lon g in te r vals. H e slep t little.
A s th e day s w o re o n , his u tte r carelessness of any con sid -
eratio n so intensified our distress an d danger th a t I h ad , m u ch
as I loath e d d oin g it, to resort to th reats , an d at last to blow s.
T h a t b ro u gh t h im to reaso n fo r a tim e . B u t he w a s one o f
th ose w eak creatures , vo id of pride, tim o ro us, an aem ic , h ate -
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
186
ful sou ls, full of sh ifty cunn in g , who face n eith e r
G o d no r
m an , who face n o t ev en them selv es.
It is d isag reeab le fo r me to recall an d w rite these thin gs,
b u t I set th em d ow n th a t m y sto r y m ay lac k n oth in g . T hose
who have escap ed th e dark an d terrible asp ects of
life w ill fin d m y brutality, m y flash of rage in our fin al
traged y, easy eno u g h to b lam e; fo r th e y kn ow w h at is w ron g
as w ell as any, b u t n o t w ha t is po ssib le to torture d m e n . B u t
th ose who hav e been u n d er th e shadow, who h av e go n e
d ow n a t last to el- em en ta l thin gs , w ill hav e a w ider ch ar ity.
A n d w h ile w ith in w e fo u gh t o u t our dark, dim co ntes t of
w hisp ers , sn atche d fo o d an d d rin k , an d gripping h and s an d
blo w s, w ith o u t, in th e p itiless su nligh t of th a t terrible June,
w as th e strange wonder, th e u nfam ilia r ro u tin e of th e M a r-
tians in th e pit. L e t me return to th ose first new experien ces
of m ine . A fter a lo n g tim e I ventured b ack to th e peeph ole , to
fin d th a t th e new-comers had been reinfo rce d b y th e occu-
pants of n o fe w er th a n th ree of th e fightin g -m a c hines. T h ese
last had bro u gh t w ith th em certain fresh ap p lian ces th a t stoo d
in an orderly m an n e r abo u t th e cy linder. T h e
secon d h a n - d lin g -m a c h in e w a s no w com p leted , an d w a s
busied in ser v- ing one of th e novel contrivance s th e big
machine h ad brought. T h is w a s a b o d y resem blin g a m ilk
can in its general form, a b ov e which o scilla te d a pear-
sh ap e d recep tacle , an d from which a stream of white
po w de r flo w e d in to a circu lar basin b elow.
187
T h e oscillatory m o tio n w a s im p a rted to this b y o ne te n -
tacle of th e h an d lin g -m ac h ine . W ith two spatulate hand s th e
h an d lin g -m ach in e w a s d igg in g o u t an d fling in g m asse s of clay
into the pear-shaped recep tacle above, w h ile w ith an oth er arm
it p eriod ically op ene d a d o o r an d rem o ved ru sty an d black-
en ed clin k ers from th e middle part of th e machine. A no ther
steely tentacle directed th e p o w d er from th e basin
alo n g a ribbed channel to w ard s som e receiver th a t w as
hid de n from me b y th e m ou n d of b lu ish d u st. Fro m this
unseen receiv er a little threa d of green sm ok e ro se ve rtically
in to th e q uiet air. A s I lo o ked , th e h an d lin g -m ach in e , w ith
a fain t an d m u sical clin king, extended, telesco pic fashion , a
tentacle th at had been
a m om en t before a mere b lu n t projection, u n til its en d w as
hid de n b eh in d th e m o u n d of c lay. In an o th e r secon d it had
lifted a b ar of white alu m in iu m into sight, u n tarnish e d as y et,
an d shinin g dazzling ly, an d deposited it in a g row ing stack of
b ars th a t sto o d a t th e sid e o f th e p it. B etw ee n
su n se t a n d starligh t th is d exterou s machine m u st hav e made
more th a n a h u n d red such b ars o u t of th e crude clay, an d th e
m ou n d of b luish d u st ro se stead ily u ntil it to p p e d th e sid e of
th e pit. T h e con trast b etw een th e sw ift an d co m p lex
m ov em ents
of these co ntrivan ce s an d th e inert p antin g clu m sin ess o f their
m asters w as acute, an d fo r day s I h ad to tell m yself repeatedly
th a t these latter w ere in dee d th e liv in g of th e two thin gs.
T h e curate ha d p o ssessio n of th e slit when th e first m en
w ere b ro u g h t to th e p it. I w a s sittin g b e low,
h u d d le d u p ,
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
188
listen in g w ith all m y ears. H e made a su dd e n movement back -
w ard , an d I, fearful th at w e w ere observed, crou ched in a spasm
of terro r. H e cam e slidin g dow n th e rubbish an d crept besid e
me in th e dark ness, inarticulate, g esticulatin g , an d fo r a m o -
m en t I shared his pan ic . H is gestu re sug gested a resignation
of th e slit, an d after a little w h ile m y cu rio sity gav e me co ur -
age, an d I ro se u p , stepped across him , an d clam bere d u p to
it. A t first I could see n o reaso n fo r his frantic behav io u r. T h e
twilight h ad n o w co m e , th e stars w ere little an d faint, b u t th e
p it w a s illuminated b y th e flic k e rin g g ree n fire
th a t cam e from th e alu m iniu m -m a kin g . T h e w ho le picture
w as a flick - erin g schem e of gree n g leam s an d shifting ru sty
black shad - ow s, strangely tr y ing to th e eyes. O ver an d
th rou g h it all w en t th e bats, heedin g it n o t at all. T h e
spraw lin g M a rtians w ere n o lo n ger to be seen , th e m ou n d
of blue-green p ow d er had risen to cover th em from sight,
an d a figh tin g -m ach in e , w ith its leg s co ntracted , crumpled,
an d abbreviated , stoo d across th e co rner of th e p it.
A n d th en , a m id th e clangou r of th e m ac hinery, cam e
a d riftin g suspicio n of h u m a n voices , th a t I en tertaine d at
first on ly to d ism iss.
I cro u c h e d , w atc h in g this fightin g -m ac h in e c losely, satis-
fy in g m yself n o w fo r th e first tim e th a t th e h o o d d id in deed
co ntain a M artian . A s th e gree n flam e s lifted I cou ld se e th e
oily gleam of his in tegu m e n t an d th e brightness of his eyes.
A n d su dden ly I heard a yell, an d sa w a lo n g tentacle reachin g
over th e shoulder of th e machine to th e little cag e th a t hunched
189
u p o n its bac k. T h e n so m ethin g — so m ethin g stru gglin g vio -
lently— w as lifted h ig h ag ainst th e sky, a b lac k, vagu e enigma
against the starlight; and as th is black object cam e down again ,
I sa w b y th e gree n brightness th a t it w a s a m an . For an instan t
h e w a s c learly visible . H e w a s a sto u t, ru d d y,
m id d le-aged m an , w ell d ressed ; th re e day s before , h e m u st
have been w alk - ing th e w orld , a m a n of con siderab le
conseq uence . I could see his staring eye s an d g leam s of ligh t
o n his studs an d w atch chain. H e van ish ed behin d th e
m o u n d , an d fo r a m o m ent th ere w a s silence. A n d th e n
beg an a shriek in g an d a su stain ed an d ch eerfu l h o otin g from
th e M artian s.
I slid down th e rubbish, strug g led to m y feet, clapp ed m y
han d s over m y ears, an d b olte d into th e scullery. T h e cu rate,
who h ad been cro uch in g silen tly w ith h is arm s over his head ,
lo o ked u p as I p assed , crie d ou t qu ite lo ud ly a t m y desertion
of h im , an d ca m e ru n n in g after m e.
T h a t n ig h t, as w e lu rked in th e sculler y, balanced b etw een
our h orro r an d th e terrible fascinatio n th is peeping h ad , al-
th o ug h I felt a n u rgen t n ee d of action I trie d in vain to con -
ceiv e som e plan of escap e; b u t after w ard s, d u ring th e second
day, I w as ab le to consider our po sitio n w ith g reat c learness.
T h e curate , I foun d , w a s qu ite incapable of discu ssio n ; this
new an d culminating atrocity ha d robbed him of all vestiges
of reaso n or fo reth o u gh t. P ractically he had alread y sunk to
th e leve l of a n animal. B u t as th e sayin g g oes, I gripped m y -
self w ith b o th han ds. It g rew u p o n m y m in d , once I could
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
190 191

face th e facts, th a t terrib le as our position w as, th ere w as as like heav y gu n s.

y et n o ju stification fo r abso lute despair. O ur ch ief c hance lay It w a s ver y late in th e n ig ht, an d th e m o o n w a s shin in g
in th e p o ssib ility o f th e M a rtia n s making th e p it brightly. T h e M a rtians had taken aw a y th e
n o th in g more th a n a tem po ra r y en ca m p m en t. O r even if ex cav atin g -m a - chine, an d , sav e fo r a fightin g -m ach in e th a t
th e y kep t it perm an en tly, th e y m ig h t n o t co nsider it sto o d in th e re - m o te r bank of th e p it an d a h an d lin g -
necessar y to guard it, an d a chan ce of escap e m igh t be m ach in e th a t w as b u r- ied o u t of m y sigh t in a
affo rde d u s. I also w eigh ed ve r y carefu lly th e p ossibility co rner of th e p it im m ediately b e- n eath m y p eeph o le ,
of our digg in g a w ay ou t in a direction aw a y from th e p lace w a s deserted b y th em . Except fo r th e p ale
th e p it, b u t th e chances of our em erg ing w ithin sight of som e glo w from th e h an d lin g -m ach in e an d th e b ars an d
sentinel fightin g -m achine seem ed at first to o great. A n d I patch es of white m o o n lig h t th e p it w as in darkness, an d ,
should hav e h ad to do all th e d igg in g m yself. T h e curate excep t fo r th e clink in g of th e h an d lin g -m ach in e , q uite still.
w ould certain ly have failed m e. T h a t n ig h t w as a b eau tifu l seren ity ; sav e fo r one plan et, th e
It w as on th e th ird d ay, if m y m e m o r y ser ve s m o o n seem ed to have th e sky to h erself. I h eard a dog h o w l-
me rig ht, ing, an d th a t fam iliar so u n d it w as th a t made me listen . T h en
th a t I sa w th e lad killed . It w as th e on ly o ccasio n o n which I I heard q uite d istin ctly a b oo m in g exactly like th e so un d o f
actually saw th e M artians feed. A fter th at ex perience I avoided great g u ns. Six d istin c t reports I cou nted , an d after
th e ho le in th e w all fo r th e b ette r part of a day. I w en t in to a lo ng inte r val six again . A n d th a t w as all.
th e scullery, rem o ved th e d oo r, an d sp en t some hours dig ging
w ith m y h atch e t as silen tly as p ossib le ; b u t when I had made
a h ole abo u t a coup le of feet deep th e loo se earth co llap sed
noisily, an d I did n o t d are con tin u e . I lost heart, an d la y d ow n
o n th e scu llery flo o r fo r a lon g tim e, havin g n o spirit even to
m o v e. A n d after th a t I aband o ne d alto gethe r th e idea of es -
capin g b y excavatio n.
It say s m u ch fo r th e im pressio n th e M artian s h ad made
u p o n me th a t at first I en tertain e d little or n o h o p e of our
escap e b ein g bro u gh t abo u t b y their ov erthro w throu g h any
hum a n effo rt. B u t o n th e fo u rth or fifth n ig h t I h eard a so u nd
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
192
Chapter 4.
The death of the curate.
It w as o n th e sixth day of our im p riso n m en t th a t I p eeped
fo r th e last tim e , an d presen tly fo u n d m yself alon e . In stea d of
keepin g c lose to me an d tr y ing to oust me fro m th e slit, th e
cu rate had g on e b ack into th e scullery. I w a s stru ck b y a sud -
d e n th o u g h t. I w en t b ack quick ly an d q u ietly into th e scul-
ler y. In th e dark ness I heard th e curate d rin kin g . I sn atc h ed
in th e darkness, an d m y fin g ers c au gh t a b ottle of bu rgu n d y.
For a few m in ute s th ere w a s a tu ssle . T h e b o ttle struck th e
flo o r an d bro k e, an d I desisted an d ro se . W e sto o d p antin g
an d threatenin g each o the r. In th e en d I plante d m y self b e-
tween him an d th e foo d , an d told h im of m y d eterm in atio n
to b egin a discipline . I divided th e fo o d in th e pantr y, into
rations to last us ten days. I w ould n o t let h im eat an y more
193
th a t day. In th e af tern o o n h e made a feeb le effo rt to get at th e
fo o d . I had been dozing, b u t in a n in stan t I w a s aw ake. A ll
day an d all n ig h t w e sat fac e to face, I w ear y b u t resolu te, an d
h e w eepin g an d complaining of his im m ed iate h u n ge r. It w as,
I kn ow, a n ig h t a n d a day, b u t to me it se em ed — it
see m s
now—an in ter- minable len gth of tim e.
A n d so our w iden ed in com patib ility end ed at last in o pen
con flict. For tw o vast day s we struggle d in
u n d erto n es an d w restlin g contests. T h ere w ere times when
I beat an d k ic ked h im m a d ly, times when I c ajo le d
an d p ersu ad e d h im , an d once I trie d to brib e him w ith
th e last b o ttle of bu rgu n d y, fo r th ere w as a rain -w ater p u m p
from w h ich I co uld get w ater. B u t n eith e r force n o r
kin dn ess availed ; h e w as in dee d bey on d
reaso n . H e w ould n eith e r d esist from h is attack s o n th e fo od
n o r from his no isy b ab b lin g to him self. T h e r u d im en ta r y p re-
caution s to keep our im p riso n m en t end u rable h e w o u ld n o t
obser ve. S low ly I bega n to realise th e com p lete overth row of
his intelligen ce , to perceiv e th a t m y sole co m p anio n in this
close an d sickly dark ness w as a m a n insane.
Fro m certain vagu e m e m o ries I a m in c lined to th in k m y
ow n m ind w andere d at times. I had strange and hideous dream s
w heneve r I slept. It sou n d s p arad o x ical, b u t I a m in cline d to
th in k th a t th e w eakn ess an d in sanity o f th e cu rate
w arned m e , b raced m e, an d kep t me a san e m a n .
O n th e eig h th day h e b ega n to talk alo u d instead o f w his -
pering, an d n oth in g I could do w ould m o d erate his speech .
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
194
“It is ju st, O G od!” he w o uld say, over an d over again . “It is
just. O n me an d m ine be the pu nish m ent laid. W e have sinned ,
w e hav e fallen short. T h e re w as poverty, sorrow ; th e poor w ere
tro dd e n in th e d u st, an d I held m y peace. I preached accept-
ab le folly — m y G o d , w hat fo lly !— w hen I should have stoo d
u p , th o u g h I died fo r it, a n d called u p o n th e m
to rep en t- repen t! . . . Oppressors of th e poor an d
need y . . . ! T h e w ine p ress of G od!”
T h e n he w ou ld sudden ly revert to th e m atte r of th e foo d
I w ithheld from him , praying, begging , w eeping, at last th reat-
enin g . H e beg an to raise his v o ice — I pray ed h im n o t to . H e
perceiv ed a h old o n m e — h e threaten e d h e w ould sh o u t an d
b ring th e M a rtians u p o n u s. For a tim e th a t scared m e ; b u t
any co n cessio n w ould have sh orten e d our chan ce of
escape bey on d estim atin g . I defied h im , alth o u g h I felt n o
assu ran ce th a t h e m ig h t n o t do this th in g. B u t th a t day, at
any rate, h e did n o t. H e talked w ith h is voic e risin g slow ly,
th rou g h th e g reater part of th e eig hth an d n in th day s—
th reats, entreaties, mingled w ith a torren t of half-sane an d
alw ay s frothy rep en - tance fo r h is vac an t sham of G o d ’s
ser vice, such as made me p ity h im . T h e n h e slep t
aw h ile , an d b eg a n ag ain w ith re - new ed stren gth , so
lou d ly th a t I m u st need s m ak e h im desist.
“B e still!” I implored.
H e ro se to his kn ees, fo r h e h ad been sittin g in th e d ark -
n ess near th e co p per.
“I h av e been still to o lon g,” he said , in a ton e th a t m u st
195
hav e reach e d th e pit, “an d n ow I m u st bear m y w itn ess. W oe
u n to th is unfaithful city! W oe ! W oe ! W oe ! W oe !
W oe ! To th e in h abitants o f th e earth b y reaso n of th e o th e r
voice s o f th e trumpet——”
“S h u t up!” I said , risin g to m y feet, an d in a terro r lest th e
M a rtians should hear u s. “For G o d ’s sake — — ”
“N ay,” sh o ute d th e cu rate, a t th e to p of h is voic e, stan d in g
lik ew ise a n d extending h is arm s . “S p eak ! T h e w o rd
o f th e L ord is u p o n m e!”
In thre e strid es h e w a s a t th e do o r leadin g into th e kitchen .
“I m u st bear m y w itness! I go! It h as alread y been to o lo ng
delayed.”
I p u t ou t m y h an d an d felt th e m eat chopper han gin g to
th e w all. In a flash I w a s after him . I w a s fierce
w ith fear. B efo re h e w a s halfw ay across th e kitche n I had
overtaken him . W ith one last to u c h of h u m an ity I turn e d th e
blad e b ack an d str uck h im w ith th e b u tt. H e w en t head lon g
fo r w ard an d lay stretche d o n th e grou n d . I stumbled over him
an d sto o d p an t- ing. H e la y still.
S u d den ly I h eard a n oise w ith o u t, th e ru n an d sm ash o f
slip p in g plaster, an d th e trian gu lar ap ertu re in th e w all w as
darkened. I lo o ked u p an d sa w th e lo w e r su rface of a h a n -
dlin g -m achin e coming slow ly across th e hole. O n e of its grip -
pin g lim b s curled a m id th e debris; an o th e r limb
ap p eared , feelin g its w a y over th e fallen beam s. I sto o d
petrified, star- ing. T h e n I sa w throu g h a so rt o f glas s plate
near th e edg e o f
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
196
th e b o d y th e face, as w e m ay call it, an d th e larg e dark eye s of
a M artian , p eerin g , an d th e n a lon g m etallic sn ak e of tentacle
cam e feelin g slow ly throu g h th e hole.
I turned by an effort, stumbled over th e curate, and stop ped
a t th e scu lle r y d o o r. T h e ten ta c le w a s n o w some
w ay, two yard s or more, in th e ro o m , an d twisting an d
turnin g , w ith qu ee r su d d e n m o vem en ts, this w ay an d
th a t. For a w h ile I sto o d fascin ate d b y th a t slow,
fitfu l ad v an ce . T h e n , w ith a faint, h oarse cr y, I forced
m y self across th e sculler y. I trem bled v io lently ; I could
scarcel y stan d u p righ t. I o pene d th e d oo r of th e coal cellar,
an d sto o d th ere in th e d arkness staring at th e faintly lit
do o r w ay in to th e k itc hen , an d listening. H a d th e M a r tian
seen m e? W h a t w as it do in g n o w ?
S om ethin g w a s m ov in g to an d fro th ere, ve r y quietly ; ev-
ery n ow an d th e n it tap p e d again st th e w all, or starte d on its
m ov em ents w ith a fain t m etallic ringing, like th e m ov em ents
of key s o n a split-ring. T h e n a heav y b o d y — I knew to o w ell
w hat— w as d rag ge d across th e flo o r of th e kitch e n tow ard s
th e o p en in g . Irresistib ly attracte d , I crept to th e
d o o r an d p eepe d in to th e kitchen . In th e triangle of brigh t
ou ter su n - ligh t I sa w th e M artian , in its B riareu s of a
hand lin g - m a- chine, scrutinizin g th e cu rate’s h ead . I
th o u g h t at o nce th a t it w ould in fer m y p resence from
th e mark o f th e b lo w I had g iv en h im .
I crept back to th e coal cellar, sh u t th e d o o r, an d b eg an to
cover m yself u p as m u ch as I co uld , an d as noiselessly as p o s -
197
sible in th e d arkn ess , a m o n g th e firew oo d an d coal th erein .
E v ery n o w an d th e n I pau sed , rigid , to hear if th e M artian
had thrus t its ten tacles throu g h th e o penin g ag ain .
T h e n th e fain t m etallic jin g le retu rn ed . I traced it slow ly
feelin g over th e kitch en . P resen tly I heard it nearer—in th e
sculler y, as I ju d ged . I th o u g h t th a t its len gth m ig h t be in -
sufficien t to reach m e. I pray ed co p io u sly. It p assed , scraping
fain tly across th e cella r d o o r. A n ag e o f alm o st
in to lerab le su sp en se in te r v en ed ; th e n I heard it fumbling a t
th e latch ! It had fo u n d th e d o o r! T h e M a r tian s u n d ersto o d
doo rs!
It w o rried at th e catch fo r a m in u te , perhaps, an d th e n th e
do o r op en ed.
In th e darkness I co u ld ju s t see th e
thing—like a n elep h an t ’s tr u n k more th a n a ny thin g
else— w av in g to w ard s me an d tou chin g an d exam in in g
th e w all, coals, w o o d an d ceilin g . It w as like a black
w o rm sw ay in g its blin d h ea d to an d fro .
O n ce, even , it to uch e d th e heel of m y b o o t. I w a s o n th e
verg e of scream ing ; I b it m y hand . For a tim e th e tenta c le w as
silent. I co uld h av e fancied it had been w ith d r aw n . P resently,
w ith an ab ru p t click , it gripped so m ethin g — I th o u g h t it had
m e!— an d seem ed to go o u t of th e cellar ag ain . For a m in ute I
w as n o t sure. Apparently it had taken a lu m p o f coal to exam-
ine.
I seized th e op p ortu nity of slig h tly shifting m y p osition ,
which h ad becom e cramped, an d th e n listened. I w hisp ered
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
198 199

passio nate pray ers for safety.

T h e n I heard th e slow, deliberate sou n d creep in g tow ard s
me again . S low ly, slow ly it drew near, scratc hin g ag ainst th e
w alls an d tap p in g th e furn iture.
W h ile I w as still d o ub tfu l, it rapped sm artly against th e
cellar do o r an d c losed it. I h eard it go in to th e pantr y, an d th e
biscuit- tin s rattle d an d a b o ttle sm ash ed , an d th e n cam e a
heav y b u m p again st th e cellar do o r. T h e n silen ce th a t p assed
in to an in fin ity o f su sp en se.
H a d it g one?
A t last I decid ed th a t it h ad .
It c ame in to th e scu ller y n o m o re; b u t I lay all th e te n th
day in th e close d arkness , buried am o n g coals an d firew ood ,
n o t daring even to craw l ou t fo r th e d rin k fo r which I crav ed.
It w a s th e ele v e n th d ay b efo re I ventured so far
from m y secu rity.
Chapter 5.
The stillness.
M y first act b efore I w en t in to th e p an tr y w a s to fasten
th e d oo r b etw een th e kitch e n an d th e sculler y. B u t th e p a n -
tr y w as em p ty ; ever y scrap of fo o d had gone. A pp aren tly, th e
M a rtian h ad take n it all o n th e prev iou s day. A t th a t d iscov-
ery I despaired fo r th e first tim e . I to o k n o fo od , or n o d rin k
eithe r, o n th e ele venth or th e tw elfth day.
A t firs t m y m o u t h a n d th r o a t w e re parched,
a n d m y stren g th eb b e d sen sib ly. I sa t ab o u t in th e
d a rk n ess o f th e sculler y, in a state of d esp o n d en t
w retched ness. M y m in d ran o n eating. I th o u g h t I
h a d becom e d eaf, fo r th e n o ise s o f movement I had
been accusto m e d to hear from th e p it h ad ceased ab solutely.
I did n o t feel stro n g en o u g h to craw l noise - lessly to th e
peeph ole , or I w ould have go n e th ere.
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
200 201

O n th e twelfth day m y thro a t w a s so painfu l th at, tak in g

th e ch ance of alarm in g th e M artian s , I attacked th e creaking
rain -w ater p u m p th a t stoo d b y th e sink , an d go t a co uple o f
glassfuls of blac kened an d tain te d rain w ater. I w a s
greatly refresh e d b y th is, an d emboldened b y th e
fact th a t n o en - quiring tentacle fo llo w ed th e n oise of
m y p u m p in g.
D u r ing these day s, in a rambling, in c o nclu siv e
w a y, I
th o u g h t m u c h of th e curate an d of th e m an n e r of h is death .
O n th e th irteen th day I dran k som e more w ate r, an d dozed
an d th o u g h t d isjoin tedly o f eating an d of vagu e im p ossible
plan s o f esc ape . W h en e ver I dozed I d rea m t of h orrib le p h an -
tasm s, of th e d eath of th e curate, or of sumptuous dinners;
bu t, asleep or aw ake, I felt a keen p ain th a t urged me to drin k
again an d ag ain . T h e ligh t th a t c am e in to th e scullery w as n o
longer grey, b u t red . To m y d iso rd ered im aginatio n it seem ed
th e colou r o f blood.
O n th e fo u rteenth day I w en t in to th e kitch en , an d I w as
su rprised to fin d th a t th e fronds of th e red w eed had gro w n
rig h t across th e h o le in th e w all, turn in g th e h alf-ligh t of th e
place into a crim so n - colo u red obscu rity.
It w as early o n th e fifteenth day th a t I heard
a curiou s, fam iliar seq u enc e o f so u n d s in th e
kitch en , a n d , listening, identified it as th e snu ffin g an d
scratch in g of a dog. G o in g into th e kitchen , I sa w a dog ’s
nose peerin g in th ro u g h a break a m o n g th e rud d y fronds.
T h is greatly su rprised m e . A t th e scen t of me h e barked
shortly.
 I th o u g h t if I could induce him to com e into
th e place
q u ietly I should be ab le, perhaps, to kill an d eat him ; an d in
any case, it w ould be advisable to kill him , lest
his actio n s attracte d th e atten tio n o f th e M artian s.
I crep t fo rw a rd , say in g “G o o d d og!” ve r y so ftly ; b u t
he
suddenly withdrew his hea d an d d isap p eared .
I listened—I w a s n o t deaf—but certain ly th e p it w as still.
I heard a so u n d like th e flu tte r o f a bird ’s w in g s, an d a ho arse
croak in g , b u t th a t w a s all.
For a lo n g w h ile I la y c lose to th e p eeph o le, b u t n o t daring
to m o v e asid e th e red plants th a t obscu red it. O nc e or tw ice I
heard a fain t p itter-p atte r like th e feet of th e dog g o in g h ith e r
an d th ith e r o n th e sand far b elo w m e, an d th ere w ere
more birdlik e so un d s, b u t th a t w as all. A t len gth ,
en cou rag e d by th e silence, I loo k ed o ut.
E xcept in th e corn er, w he re a m ultitu d e of crow s h o p p ed
an d fo u gh t over th e skeleton s of th e dead th e M artian s had
consumed, th ere w a s n o t a liv in g th in g in th e pit.
I stared ab o u t m e , scarcel y b eliev in g m y eyes. A ll th e
m a - chinery ha d g o n e. S ave fo r th e big m o u n d of
gre y ish -b lue p ow der in one co rn er, certain b ars of
alu m iniu m in an oth e r, th e black b irds, an d th e skeleton s of
th e killed , th e place w as m erely an empty circu lar p it in th e
sand.
S low ly I th rus t m yself ou t thro ug h th e red w eed , an d stoo d
u p o n th e m ou n d of rub ble . I could se e in any direction save
b eh in d m e, to th e n o rth , an d n eith e r M artian s n o r
sig n of
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
202 203

M a rtians w ere to be seen . T h e p it dro pp e d sh ee rly from m y T h e day seem ed , b y co ntras t w ith m y recent co n fin em e nt,
feet, b u t a little w ay alo n g th e rubbish affo rded a practicab le d azzlin g ly b rig h t, th e sk y a g lo w in g b lu e . A gentle
slo p e to th e su m m it of th e ruins. M y chan ce of escap e had b reeze ke p t th e red w eed th a t co ve red e ver y scra p
co m e. I b egan to tremble. o f u n o ccu p ied gro un d gently sw aying . A n d oh! th e
I hesitate d fo r som e tim e , an d th en , in a gust of d esp erate sw eetn ess of th e air!
r e s o lu t io n , a n d w i t h a heart t h a t t h r obbed
v i o le n tl y, I scram ble d to th e to p o f th e m o un d in which I
had been b u r- ied so lon g .
I lo oked ab o u t again . To th e n o rth w ard , to o, n o M a r tian
w as visible.
W hen I had last seen th is part of S heen in th e daylig h t it
h a d been a strag g lin g stree t o f co m fo rtab le white
an d red houses, intersperse d w ith ab u n d an t sh ad y trees.
N o w I stoo d on a m ound of sm ashed brick w o rk, clay, and
gra v el, over which spread a m u ltitu d e of red cactus-
shaped plants, kn ee -h ig h , w ith o u t a solitary terrestrial
grow th to dispute th eir footing. T h e trees near me w ere
dead an d brown, b u t fu rthe r a n e t- w ork o f red threa d
scaled th e still liv in g stem s.
T h e neighbouring ho uses h ad all been w recked , b u t n o n e
had been bu rn ed ; their w alls stoo d , so m etim e s to th e second
sto r y, w ith sm ash ed window s an d sh atte red do o rs.
T h e red w eed g rew tu m u ltuo u sly in their roo fless rooms.
B elo w me w a s th e great p it, w ith th e cro w s stru gg lin g fo r
its refu se. A n u m b e r o f othe r b ird s h o p p e d ab ou t
am o n g th e ruins. F ar aw a y I sa w a gau n t ca t slink
crouch ing ly alo n g a w all, b u t traces of m e n th ere w ere
n o n e.
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
204
Chapter 6.
The work of fifteen days.
For so me tim e I stoo d to tte ring o n th e m ou n d regard less
o f m y sa fe ty. W ith in th a t n o iso m e d e n from w h ic h
I h ad em erge d I had th o u g h t w ith a narro w intensity only
of our im m ediate secu rity. I had n o t realised w hat
had been h ap - p enin g to th e w o rld , had n o t anticip ate d
this startling v ision o f un fam ilia r th in gs . I had expected to
se e S hee n in ruins — I fo un d ab ou t me th e lan dscape ,
w eird an d lurid, of an o th er p lan et.
For th a t m om en t I touch e d an e m o tio n be y on d th e co m -
m o n ran g e of m en , yet one th a t th e poor brutes w e d o m in ate
kn o w on ly to o w ell. I felt as a rab bit m igh t feel retu rn in g to
his bu rro w an d sud denly con fronte d b y th e w ork of a d o zen
busy navvie s d ig g in g th e foundations of a house . I
felt th e
205
first inkling o f a th in g th a t presen tly grew quite clear in m y
m in d , th a t oppressed me fo r m an y days, a sense of d ethro n e -
m en t, a persuasio n th a t I w as n o longer a master, b u t an an i-
m a l am o n g th e anim als, u n d er th e M artia n heel. W ith us it
w ould be as w ith them , to lu rk an d watch, to ru n an d hide;
th e fear an d empire of m a n had p assed aw ay.
B u t so soo n as this strangen ess had been realised it p assed,
an d m y dom in an t m o tiv e b ecam e th e h un ge r of m y lo n g an d
dism al fast. In th e direction aw a y from th e p it I sa w, bey on d
a red -c overed w all, a patch of garden gro u n d u n b u ried . T h is
gav e me a h in t, an d I w en t kn ee - deep, an d so m etim e s n eck -
deep, in th e red w eed . T h e den sity of th e w eed
ga v e me a reassu ring sen se of hid in g . T h e w all w as some
six feet h igh ,
an d when I attem p te d to clam ber it I fo u n d I cou ld n o t lift
m y feet to th e crest. S o I w en t alon g b y th e side of it, an d
cam e to a co rn er an d a ro ck w ork th a t en ab le d me to get to th e
to p , an d tu m b le in to th e garden I cov eted . H ere I fo un d som e
youn g onions, a couple of g lad io lu s bulbs, an d a q uantity of
im m atu re carrots, all of which I secured , an d , scram blin g over
a ruine d w all, w en t o n m y w a y thro u g h scarle t an d crim son
trees to w ard s K ew — it w a s like w alk in g thro ug h an av enu e o f
gig an tic blood drops— possessed w ith two ideas: to get more
fo o d , an d to limp, as so o n an d as far as m y stren gth p erm it-
ted , ou t of th is accu rsed unearthly reg io n of th e p it.
S ome w ay farther, in a grassy p lac e, w as a group o f m u sh -
rooms which also I devo ured , an d th e n I cam e u p o n a brown
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
206
sheet of flow in g shallow w ater, w here meadow s u sed to b e.
T h es e fragments of n o u rish m en t ser ved o n ly to w het m y h u n -
ger. A t first I w as su rprised at th is floo d in a h o t, d r y summer,
b u t after w ard s I d iscovered th a t it w a s c aused b y th e tropical
exu beran ce of th e red w eed. D irectly this extraord ina ry g row th
en co u ntere d w ater it straig htw a y becam e g igan tic an d of u n -
paralleled fecun dity. Its seed s w ere sim p ly p o ure d dow n in to
th e w ater of th e W ey an d T h a m es , an d its sw iftly
gro w ing an d T itanic w ater fronds sp eed ily ch oked b o th th ose
rivers. A t P u tn e y, as I af ter w ard s sa w, th e bridg e w a s alm o st
lo st
in a tangle of this w eed , an d at R ich m o n d , to o, th e T h a m es
w ate r p o ure d in a broad an d sh allo w stream across th e m ead -
ow s o f H am p to n an d Tw icken ham . A s th e w ater sp read th e
w eed follow ed th em , u n til th e r uin ed villas of th e
T h a m es valle y w ere fo r a tim e lost in this red sw am p , w hose
margin I exp lored , an d m u ch of th e d eso lation th e M artian s
had cau sed w as concealed .
In th e en d th e red w eed succum be d alm o st as qu ick ly as it
had spread . A cank erin g disease, due, it is believed ,
to th e action of certain bacteria , presen tly seize d u p o n it.
N o w by th e action o f natu ra l selection , all terrestria l plants
have ac - quired a resistin g pow er again st bacterial d iseases—
th ey n ev er succum b w ith o u t a severe strugg le, b u t th e red
w eed ro tted like a th in g alread y dead. T h e fronds b ecam e
bleached , an d th e n sh rivelled an d brittle . T h e y brok e off at
th e least to u ch , an d th e w aters th a t ha d stim u late d their
early gro w th carried
207
th eir last vestiges ou t to sea.
M y first act o n coming to this w ater w as, of
cou rse, to slak e m y thirst. I dran k a great deal of it and ,
m oved b y an im p u lse , g n a w e d so m e fronds o f red
w eed ; b u t they w e re w ate ry, an d ha d a sickly, m etallic
taste. I fou n d th e w ater w as su fficien tly shallow fo r me to
w ad e secu rely, alth o u g h th e red w eed im pede d m y feet a
little; b u t th e flo o d ev id en tly got deeper to w ard s th e
river, an d I turne d b ack to M o r tlak e. I managed to
m ak e ou t th e road b y m ean s of o ccasion al ruins of its villa s
an d fences an d lam ps, an d so presen tly I go t ou t of th is
sp ate an d made m y w a y to th e h ill g o in g u p
to w ard s R o eh a m p to n an d cam e o u t o n P utne y C om m o n.
H ere th e scen e ry chan ge d from th e stran g e an d un fam il-
iar to th e w reck ag e o f th e fam iliar: patch es o f gro u n d exhib-
ited th e d evastatio n of a cyclon e, an d in a fe w score yard s I
w ould com e u p o n perfectly u n disturbe d sp aces, h ouse s w ith
th eir b lin d s trim ly drawn an d d o o rs clo sed , as if
they had been left fo r a day b y th e o w ners, or as if their
in h abitan ts slep t w ith in . T h e red w eed w a s less ab u n d an t;
th e tall trees alon g th e lan e w ere free from th e red creeper.
I h u n te d fo r foo d a m o n g th e trees, finding n oth in g ,
an d I also raided a co u ple o f silen t h ou ses, b u t
they ha d alread y been broken into an d ran sacked . I
rested fo r th e remainder of th e d aylig h t in a sh rubbery, b eing ,
in m y en feeb led co n ditio n , to o fatig ued to p u sh o n .
A ll this tim e I sa w n o h um a n being s, an d n o sig n s of th e
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
208 209

M a rtians. I en co u n te red a co u p le o f h u n g r y -lo o king co u n tr y d eso lated , seek in g foo d else w h ere. Perhaps eve n n ow
d o g s, they w ere d estro y in g B erlin or Paris, or it m ig h t be they h ad
b u t b o th h urrie d circuitously aw a y from th e advances I made
go n e n o rth w ard .
th em . N ea r R o eh a m p to n I had seen two hum a n skeletons—
n o t bodies, b u t skeleton s, picked clean — an d in th e w o o d by
me I fo u n d th e cru she d an d scattere d b o ne s of severa l cats
an d rab bits an d th e sk u ll of a sh eep . B u t th ou g h I gn aw ed
parts of these in m y m o u th , th ere w a s n oth in g to be go t from
th em .
A fter su nset I strugg led o n alo n g th e road to w ard s P u tney,
w h ere I th in k th e H eat-R ay m u st have been used fo r som e
reaso n . A n d in th e garden bey on d R o eh a m p to n I go t a q u an -
tity of im m atu re potatoes, suffic ien t to stay m y hu n ge r. Fro m
this garden one lo ok ed down u p o n P u tney an d th e river. T h e
aspect of th e p lace in th e d usk w a s sin gu larly deso late: black-
en ed trees, blacken ed , desolate ruins, an d down th e hill th e
sh eets of th e flo od ed river, red -tin ge d w ith th e
w eed . A n d over all— silen ce. It filled me w ith indescribable
terror to thin k how sw iftly th a t d eso latin g chan g e had co m e.
For a tim e I believed th a t m an kin d ha d been sw ep t o u t o f
ex isten ce, an d th a t I sto o d th ere alo n e, th e last m a n left alive.
H a rd b y th e to p o f P u tn e y H ill I cam e u p o n an o th e r skel-
eto n , w ith th e arm s d islocate d an d rem oved severa l yard s from
th e rest of th e b o d y. A s I p roceed e d I bec am e m o re an d more
convinced th a t th e extermination of m an kin d w as, sav e for
such strag g lers as m yself, alread y accom plishe d in this part o f
th e w o rld. T h e M a rtians, I th o u g h t, h ad g o n e o n an d left th e
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
210 211

th e n ig h t. B efo re I w en t to bed I had an in te r val of restless-

n ess, an d prow led from window to w in d o w, p eerin g ou t fo r
som e sig n of these monsters. I slep t little. A s I lay in bed I
fo un d m yself th ink in g co n secutively — a th in g I do n o t re -
m e m b e r to hav e d on e sin ce m y last argu m en t w ith th e cu rate.
D urin g all th e in te r v en in g tim e my m en ta l
con d itio n h ad been a hurr y ing su ccessio n of vagu e
em o tion al states or a so rt of stu pid receptivity. B u t in th e
n ig h t m y brain, rein forced , I su p po se , b y th e fo o d I

Chapter 7. h a d eaten , g rew clear ag ain , a n d I th o u g h t.

T h re e th in g s stru g g le d fo r p o ssessio n o f m y
m in d : th e
The man on Putney Hill.
killin g o f th e cu rate , th e w h ereab o uts o f th e M artian s , an d
th e po ssib le fate of m y w ife. T h e former gav e me n o sen sation
I sp en t th a t n ig h t in th e in n th a t stands at part of L o n d o n fo r fo o d in
th e to p o f P u tn e y H ill, sleep in g in a made bed fo r th e
first tim e sin ce m y flight to L eath erh ead . I w ill n o t tell th e
n eed less trouble
I had b reak in g in to th a t ho use— after w ard s I fo un d th e fro n t
do o r w a s o n th e latc h — n o r h ow I ran sac ked e ver y ro o m fo r
fo o d , u n til ju st o n th e v erge of desp air, in w hat seem ed to me
to be a ser v an t ’s bedroom , I foun d a rat-g naw e d
cru st an d two tin s of pin eapp le . T h e place ha d been
alread y searched an d em p tied . In th e bar I after w ards fo un d
so me b iscu its an d san d w ic h es th a t ha d been ov er lo o ked . T h e
latter I could n o t eat, they w ere to o ro tten , b u t th e former
n o t o nly stay ed m y h u n ge r, b u t filled m y po ckets. I lit
n o lam p s, fearing som e M artia n m igh t com e beating th at
of h o rro r or rem o rse to recall; I sa w it sim p ly as a th in g do ne,
a m em o r y infinitely disag reeab le b u t q uite w ith o u t th e
q u al- ity of rem o rse. I sa w m y self th e n as I se e m y self n ow,
d riven step b y step to w a rd s th a t h asty b low, th e
creatu re o f a se - q uen c e of accidents leadin g in evitably
to th a t. I felt n o co n - d e m n atio n ; y et th e m em o r y, static,
u n p ro g ressiv e, h au n ted m e . In th e silen ce of th e n igh t, w ith
th a t sen se of th e nearness o f G o d th a t so m etim e s co m es in to
th e stilln ess an d th e dark - n ess, I sto o d m y trial, m y only
trial, fo r th a t m om en t of w rath an d fear. I retraced ever y
step of our conversatio n from th e m om en t when I had
fo un d him cro uch in g b esid e m e , heed - less of m y thirst,
an d p o in tin g to th e fire an d sm o k e th a t streamed
u p from th e ru in s of W ey brid g e. W e had been in -
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
212 213

cap ab le of co -o p eratio n — g rim chanc e ha d take n n o h eed of

th a t. H a d I foreseen , I should have left h im at H allifo rd . B u t
I did n o t fo resee ; an d crim e is to fo resee an d d o . A n d I set
this dow n as I h av e set all th is sto r y down, as it w as. T h ere
w ere n o w itn esses— all these th in g s I m ig h t h av e con cealed .
B u t I set it down, an d th e read er m u st form his ju d gm en t as
h e w ill.
A n d when, b y an effo rt, I had set asid e th a t picture of a
p ro strate bo d y, I faced th e pro blem of th e M a rtians an d th e
fate o f m y w ife. For th e former I h ad n o data; I could im ag in e
a hu ndre d thin g s, an d so, u nh ap pily, I cou ld fo r th e
latter.
A n d su dden ly th a t n ig h t b ecam e terrible. I fou n d m y self sit-
tin g u p in bed, staring a t th e dark. I fo un d
m yself praying th a t th e H eat-R a y m ig h t hav e sud denly an d
painlessly struck
h e r o u t o f b e in g . S in c e th e n ig h t o f m y
r e t u r n from L eath erh ea d I had n o t prayed. I had uttered
prayers, fetish p ray ers, had prayed as h eath en s m u tte r ch arm s
when I w as in extrem ity ; b u t n o w I prayed in d eed , p leadin g
steadfastly an d san ely, face to face w ith th e dark ness o f G o d .
S tran g e night! Strangest in th is, th a t so soo n as dawn ha d
co m e, I, who had talked w ith G o d , crept ou t of th e ho use
like a rat leav in g its hid in g place — a creatu re scarcely large r,
an inferio r animal, a th in g th a t fo r an y p a ssin g whim
o f our m a sters m ig h t b e h u n te d an d k illed . Perh aps
th e y also pray ed co nfidently to G o d . S u re ly, if w e
h av e learn e d n o th in g else, th is w a r h as tau g h t u s
p ity — p ity fo r th o se w itless so u ls th a t su ffe r our
d o m in io n .
T h e m o rn in g w a s b rig h t a n d fin e , a n d th e
eastern sk y g lo w e d pin k , an d w a s frette d w ith little go lden
cloud s. In th e road th a t runs from th e to p of P utne y
H ill to W im b led o n w a s a n u m b e r of poor vestiges of th e
pan ic to rren t th a t m u st have poured L on d o n w ard on th e
S unday nigh t after th e fig ht- ing b eg an . T h ere w a s a little
two-wheeled cart inscribe d w ith th e n am e of T h om a s L obb,
G reen g ro cer, N ew M ald en , w ith
a sm ashe d w h ee l an d an ab an d o ne d tin tru n k ;
there w a s a straw h a t tram p le d into th e n o w h ardene d
m u d , an d at th e to p of W est H ill a lo t of blo od -staine d
glas s ab o u t th e o ver- turn e d w ater tro u gh . M y m o v em ents
w ere languid, m y plan s of th e v agu est. I had an id ea of go in g
to L eath erh ead , th ou g h
I k n ew th a t th ere I h a d th e poorest ch anc e o f
finding m y w ife. C ertain ly, u n less death had overtaken
th em suddenly, m y co u sin s an d sh e w o uld have fled thence;
b u t it seem ed to me I m ig h t fin d or learn th ere w h ith e r th e
S urre y peo ple h ad fled . I knew I wanted to fin d m y w ife,
th a t m y h e art ach ed fo r h e r an d th e w orld of m en , b u t I had
n o clear idea how th e finding m igh t be d o ne. I w as also
sh arp ly aw are no w o f m y inten se lo n elin ess. Fro m th e
co rner I w ent, u n d er cove r of a thic ke t of tree s an d bushes,
to th e edg e of W im b led o n C o m - m o n , stretc h in g w ide an d
far.
T h a t dark ex pan se w as lit in p atche s b y yello w go rse an d
broom; th ere w a s n o red w eed to be seen , an d as I prow led ,
hesitatin g , o n th e verg e of th e op en , th e sun ro se, flo o din g it
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
214
all w ith ligh t an d vitality. I cam e u p o n a busy sw arm of little
frog s in a sw am p y p lace a m on g th e trees. I stop p e d to loo k at
th em , d raw in g a lesso n from their sto u t resolv e to live . A n d
p re se n tly, tu rn in g suddenly, w ith a n o d d fe e lin g o f
b e in g watched, I beheld so m e th in g c ro u c h in g a m id
a c lu m p o f bushes. I sto o d reg ard in g th is. I made a step
to w ard s it, an d it ro se up an d becam e a m a n arm e d w ith a
cu tlass. I approached h im slow ly. H e stoo d silen t an d
m otio n less , regardin g m e.
A s I drew nearer I perceive d he w as dressed in clothe s as
dusty an d filth y as m y ow n ; h e loo k ed , ind eed , as th o ug h h e
had been d ragged thro ug h a culvert. N earer, I distinguished
th e g reen slim e of ditches m ixin g w ith th e p ale drab of dried
c lay an d shin y, coaly patch es. H is b lack hair fell over h is ey es,
an d his face w a s dark an d dirty an d sunken, so th a t a t first I
d id n o t recog n ise h im . T h e re w as a red cu t acro ss th e low er
part o f h is face.
“Stop!” h e cried , when I w a s w ithin te n yard s o f him , an d
I stop p ed . H is voic e w as h o arse . “ W h e re do you com e from ?”
h e said.
I th o u g h t, su r vey ing h im .
“I co m e from Mortlake,” I said . “ I w a s buried near th e p it
th e M a rtians made abo u t th eir cy linder. I hav e w ork ed m y
w a y o u t an d escaped.”
“ T h e re is n o fo o d ab o u t here,” he said . “ T h is is m y co un -
tr y. A ll th is hill d ow n to th e rive r, an d back to C lap h am , an d
u p to th e ed g e of th e co m m o n . T h e re is on ly foo d fo r on e.
215
W h ic h w ay are you going?”
I an sw e red slow ly.
“I d o n’t kn ow,” I said . “I hav e been bu ried in th e r uin s of a
ho u se th irtee n or fo u rtee n day s. I d o n’t kn ow w h at h a s h ap -
pened .”
H e lo o ke d at me doubtfully, th e n started , an d lo oked w ith
a changed ex p ression .
“I’v e n o w ish to sto p abo u t h ere,” said I. “I th in k I sh all go
to L eath erh ead , fo r m y w ife w a s th ere.”
H e sh o t ou t a p oin tin g fin ger.
“ It is y o u ,” sa id h e ; “ th e m a n fro m W o king.
A n d y o u w ere n’t k illed at W e ybridge?”
I recognise d h im at th e sam e m om en t.
“ You are th e artiller y m a n who cam e in to m y gard en .”
“G oo d luck!” he said . “ W e are luc ky ones! Fan c y Y O U !”
H e p u t ou t a h an d , an d I too k it. “ I craw le d up a drain,” h e
said . “B u t th e y did n’t k ill ever yon e. A n d after th e y w en t aw ay
I go t o ff to w ard s W alto n across th e field s. B u t— — It ’s n o t
six teen day s altogether— an d y ou r hair is grey.” H e loo k ed
over his shoulder suddenly. “O n ly a roo k,” h e said . “O n e gets
to kn ow th a t b ird s hav e shadow s these day s. T h is
is a b it open . L et u s craw l u n d e r th ose b ushes an d talk .”
“H av e you seen any M artians? ” I said . “S ince I
craw led
o u t— — ”
“ T h e y ’v e g o n e a w a y a c ro s s L o ndon,” h e sa id . “ I
g u e ss th e y ’ve go t a bigg er cam p th ere. O f a n ig ht, all o v er
th ere,
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
216
H am p stea d w a y, th e sk y is aliv e w ith their lights. It ’s like a
great city, an d in th e g lare you can ju st see th em m ov in g . B y
dayligh t y ou can’t. B u t nearer— I h aven’t seen
them—” (he cou nte d o n h is fingers) “fiv e day s. T h e n I sa w a
couple across H am m ersm ith w ay carry ing so m eth in g
big . A n d th e n ig h t befo re last ”— h e sto p pe d an d sp o k e
im pressiv ely— ”it w as just
a m atte r of lights, b u t it w a s so m ethin g up in th e air. I b eliev e
th e y ’ve b uilt a fly in g -m a c h in e, an d are learnin g to fly.”
I stop ped , o n han d s an d k nees, fo r w e h ad com e to th e
b u shes.
“ F ly!”
“ Yes,” he said , “fly.”
I w en t o n into a little bow er, an d sat d own.
“It is all over w ith hum an ity,” I said . “ If they c an do th a t
they w ill sim p ly go ro u n d th e w o rld.”
H e n o d d ed .
“ T h e y w ill. B ut— — It w ill relie ve th in g s over h ere a bit.
A n d besides— — ” H e loo k ed at m e . “A ren’t y ou satisfied it IS
u p w ith hum an ity? I am . W e ’re d o w n; w e’re beat.”
I stared. Strange as it m ay seem , I had n o t arriv ed at th is
fact— a fact perfectly obv io u s so so o n as h e sp oke . I h ad still
held a vagu e hope; rath e r, I had kep t a lifelon g h ab it of m in d.
H e repeated h is w ord s, “ W e’re b eat.” T h e y c arried ab solute
conviction.
“It ’s all over,” h e said . “ T h ey ’v e lo st O N E — ju s t
O N E.
A n d they’ve made their footing goo d an d crippled th e great-
217
est pow er in th e w o rld. T h e y ’ve w alk e d over u s. T h e death o f
th a t one at W ey brid g e w as an accid ent. A n d these are o n ly
pio neers. T h e y kep t o n coming. T h es e g reen stars—I’ve seen
n o n e these five or six day s, b u t I’ve n o do ub t th e y ’re fallin g
somew he re ev ery n ig h t. N othin g ’s to be d on e. W e’re under!
W e’re beat!”
I made h im n o an sw er. I sat staring before me, tr y in g in
vain to devise some cou nte r vailin g th o u g h t.
“ T h is isn’t a w ar,” said th e artillery m an . “It ne ver
w as a w ar, any m o re th a n there ’s w ar betw een m a n an d an ts.”
S ud den ly I recalled th e n ig h t in th e ob ser vato ry.
“A fter th e ten th sh o t th e y fired n o m o re—at least, u n til
th e first cy lin d er cam e.”
“H ow d o y ou kno w ? ” said th e artiller y m an . I exp lained.
H e th o u g h t. “Something w ro n g w ith th e g u n,” he said . “B u t
w h at if th ere is? T h e y ’ll get it righ t again . A n d even if there ’s
a delay, h ow can it alter th e end ? It ’s just m e n an d ants. T here ’s
th e ants bu ild s their cities, live th eir lives, hav e w ars, rev o lu -
tio ns, u n til th e m e n w an t th em ou t of th e w ay, an d th e n they
go ou t of th e w ay. T h a t ’s w hat w e are no w — ju st ants. O n ly—
—”
“ Yes,” I said.
“ W e ’re eatab le an ts.”
W e sat lo o kin g at each o th e r.
“A n d w h at w ill th e y d o w ith us?” I said .
“ T h a t ’s w h at I’v e been th in kin g ,” he said ; “th at ’s w h at I’ve
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
218 219

been th ink in g . A fter W ey bridg e I w en t so uth — thin kin g. b y W an dsw o rth , p ic king ho uses to p ieces an d ro u tin g am o n g
I th e w rec kag e. B u t they w o n’t keep o n do in g th a t. S o soon as
sa w w hat w as u p . M o st of th e peop le w ere h ard at it sq u eal- th e y ’ve settled all our g un s an d ships, an d sm ash ed our rail-
ing an d ex citin g themselves. B u t I’m n o t so fo n d o f squ eal-
w ays , an d d on e all th e thin g s they are d oin g over th ere , they
ing. I’v e been in sig h t o f d ea th o n ce or tw ice; I’m
w ill b eg in catching us sy stem atic , pickin g th e best an d sto r-
n o t an orn am en ta l so ldier, an d a t th e best an d w o rst,
ing us in cages an d th in gs . T h a t ’s w hat th e y w ill start do in g
d eath — it ’s just death. A n d it ’s the m an th a t keep s on thinking
in a bit. L ord! T h e y h av en’t begun o n us y et. D o n’t y ou see
com es through. th at?”
I sa w e ver yo n e tracking aw ay so u th . S ay s I, “Foo d w o n’t last “N o t begun!” I exclaim ed .
this w a y,” an d I tu rn e d rig h t b ac k. I w en t fo r th e M artians
“N o t begun. All th a t ’s hap pene d so far is thro ug h our n o t
like a sp arro w g oes fo r m an . A ll round”—he w aved a h an d to
havin g th e sense to keep quiet—worry ing th em
th e ho riz on—”they ’re starv in g in h eap s, b oltin g , tread in g o n
w ith g u ns an d such fo o le r y. A n d lo sin g our h ead s, an d
each othe r. . . .”
rushing off in crow ds to w he re th ere w asn’t an y m o re safety
H e sa w m y face, an d halte d aw k w ard ly.
th a n w he re w e w ere. T h e y do n’t w an t to b o th e r us y et.
“N o d oubt lots who had m o n e y have gone aw ay to France,”
T h e y ’re making their thin gs — m a kin g all th e thin g s they
h e said . H e seem ed to hesitate w h ethe r to ap o lo g ise, m et m y
couldn’t bring w ith th em , gettin g thin g s ready fo r th e rest
eyes, an d w en t on: “ T h e re’s fo o d all ab o u t h e re. C an n e d th in gs
of their peo ple. Ver y lik ely th a t ’s why th e c y lin d ers
in sho ps; w in es, spirits, mineral w aters; an d th e w ater mains
h ave sto p p e d fo r a b it, fo r fear o f hittin g th ose who
an d d rain s are em p ty. W ell, I w a s tellin g you w h at I w as th in k -
are here. A n d instead of our rushing ab ou t blind , o n th e h ow l,
ing. “H ere’s intelligent th in gs,” I said , “an d it seem s th e y w ant
or gettin g dynamite o n th e ch an ce of b u st- ing th e m u p ,
us fo r fo o d . F irst, they’ll sm ash us up — sh ips, m achines, gu n s,
w e’v e go t to fix ourselves u p accordin g to th e ne w state of
cities, all th e order an d organisation. A ll th a t w ill g o . If w e
affairs. T h a t ’s h ow I fig u re it ou t. It isn’t qu ite accordin g to
w ere th e siz e of ants w e m ig h t pull thro u gh . B u t w e’re n ot.
w h at a m a n w ants fo r his species, b u t it ’s ab ou t w ha t th e
It ’s all to o b ulk y to sto p. T h a t ’s th e first certain ty.” E h ?”
facts po in t to. A n d th a t ’s th e principle I acted u p on . C ities,
I assented .
nations, civ ilisation , progress— it ’s all over. T h a t gam e’s u p.
“It is; I’ve th o u g h t it o u t. Ver y w ell, then — next; at present
W e ’re b eat.”
w e’re cau gh t as w e’re wanted. A M a r tian h as o n ly to g o a fe w
“B u t if th a t is so , w h at is th ere to live for?”
m iles to get a crow d o n th e run . A n d I sa w on e, one d ay, ou t
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
220
T h e artiller y m a n lo ok ed at me fo r a m om en t.
“ T h e re w o n’t be any m o re blessed co ncerts fo r a m illion
y ears or so; th ere w o n’t be any R oyal A cadem y o f A rts, a n d n o
nice little feed s at restau ran ts. If it ’s a m u sem en t you’re after, I
reck o n th e g am e is u p . If y ou’v e go t any d raw in g -ro o m m an -
ners or a dislik e to eating peas w ith a knife or dropping aitches,
you ’d b ette r ch u ck ‘em aw a y. T h e y ain’t n o fu rth er use.”
“ You m ean — — ”
“I m ean th a t m e n lik e me are go in g o n
liv in g — fo r th e sak e o f th e breed . I tell you , I’m grim set on
liv in g . A n d if I’m n o t mistaken, yo u’ll show w h a t
in side s Y O U ’V E go t, to o, befo re lon g. W e aren’t going to
be ex term in ated . A n d I do n’t m ean to be cau gh t eith er, an d
ta m e d an d fattene d an d bred like a th un derin g ox . U gh !
F ancy th o se brown creepers!”
“ You d on’t m ea n to say — — ”
“I do. I’m g oin g o n , u n d er their feet. I’ve go t it planned;
I’ve th o u g h t it o ut. W e m e n are beat. W e d o n’t kn ow eno u gh .
W e’ve g o t to learn before w e’ve go t a chance. A n d w e’ve go t to
liv e an d keep in d ep en d en t w h ile w e learn . S ee! T h a t ’s w hat
has to be don e.”
I stared, astonished, an d stirred profou n d ly by th e m a n’s
resolution.
“G rea t G od !,” cried I. “B u t you are a m a n indeed !” A n d
suddenly I gripped his h an d.
“E h!” h e said , w ith h is eye s shinin g . “I’v e th o u g h t it ou t,
eh?”
221
“Go on ,” I said .
“ W ell, th ose who m ean to esc ap e th eir catc h in g m u st get
ready. I’m gettin g ready. M in d you , it isn’t all of us th a t are
made fo r w ild b easts; an d th a t ’s w h at it ’s g o t to
be . T h a t ’s why I w atc h e d you. I had m y d ou bts. You’re
slen d er. I d id n’t k n o w th a t it w a s you, you see, or ju st h ow
you ’d been bu ried . A ll th ese — th e so rt of peop le th a t lived
in these hou ses, an d all th ose d a m n little clerk s th a t used to
live down th a t w ay — th e y ’d be n o good. T h e y hav e n’t any
spirit in th em — n o prou d d ream s an d n o p rou d lu sts; an d a
m a n who hasn’t one or th e o th er — L o rd ! W h a t is h e
b u t funk an d p re c au tions? T h e y ju st u se d to
sk edad dle o ff to w o rk — I’ve see n h u n d red s o f
‘em , bit of b reak fast in han d , ru n n in g w ild an d
shinin g to
catch their little season-ticket train , fo r fear th e y ’d get
dis- m issed if they did n’t; w o rk in g at bu sinesses th e y w ere
afraid to take th e trouble to u n derstan d ; sk edad dlin g b ack
fo r fear they wouldn’t b e in tim e fo r d in n e r; keepin g
indoors after din n e r fo r fear of th e b ack streets, an d sleepin g
w ith th e w ives they married, n o t becau se they wanted th em ,
b u t becau se they h ad a bit of m o ne y th a t w ou ld m ak e fo r
safety in their one little m iserable skedadd le thro ug h
th e w orld . L ives insured an d a b it invested fo r fear of
accidents . A n d o n S unday s— fear of th e h ereafter. A s if hell
w as b uilt fo r rab b its! W ell, th e M artian s w ill just be a
godsend to these. Nice room y cages, fattenin g fo od , c arefu l
breeding , n o w orr y. A fter a w eek or so chasin g ab ou t th e
field s an d lan d s o n em p ty sto m ach s , th e y ’ll
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
222
com e an d be cau gh t cheerfu l. T h e y ’ll be quite glad
after a
bit. T h e y ’ll wonder w h at p eople d id befo re there w ere M a r-
tians to take care of th em . A n d th e b ar loafers, an d m ashers,
an d sin gers— I can im agin e th em . I can im ag in e them,” h e
said , w ith a so rt o f sombre g ra tific a tio n . “ T h ere ’ll
b e an y am ou n t of sentim e n t an d relig io n loo se am on g them .
T here ’s h u n d red s of thin g s I saw w ith m y eye s th a t I’ve
only begun to see c learly these last few day s. T h ere ’s lo ts w ill
take th in gs as they are — fat an d stupid; an d lots w ill be
w o rried b y a sort of feelin g th a t it ’s all w ro n g, an d th a t th e y
ou g h t to be doin g so m ethin g . N o w w hen eve r thin g s are so
th a t a lo t of peop le feel they o ug h t to be do in g so m eth in g ,
th e w eak , an d th ose who go w eak w ith a lo t of co m plicate d
th ink in g , alw ay s m ake fo r a so rt of d o -n o th in g relig io n , ver y
piou s an d superio r, an d su b m it to p ersecutio n an d th e w ill
of th e L ord . Ver y likely you’ve seen th e sam e th in g. It ’s
en erg y in a gale of funk, an d tu rn ed c lean in sid e ou t. T h es e
cages w ill be full o f p salm s an d h y m n s an d p iety. A n d th ose
of a less sim ple sort w ill w ork in
a bit of—what is it?— ero ticism .”
H e pau sed .
“ Ve r y lik ely these M a r tians w ill m ak e pets o f
so m e o f them ; train th e m to do tricks— w h o k no w s?— get
sen tim en - tal over th e p et boy who g rew u p an d ha d to be
killed . A n d so m e , m ay b e, they w ill train to h u n t us.”
“N o,” I cried , “th at ’s im po ssib le! N o h um a n being — — ”
“ W h a t ’s th e good of g oin g o n w ith such lies?”
said th e
223
artillery m a n . “ T h ere ’s m e n who’d d o it cheerful. W h a t n o n -
sen se to p reten d th ere isn’t!”
A n d I succum be d to his co nviction .
“If they co m e after m e,” h e said ; “Lord, if they com e after
m e!” an d subsided into a grim m ed itatio n .
I sa t co nte m p latin g these th in gs . I cou ld fin d n oth in g to
bring against this m a n’s reaso n in g . In th e day s befo re th e in -
vasio n n o one w o uld h av e questioned m y intellectu a l su peri-
ority to his— I, a p ro fessed an d recognise d w riter o n ph ilo -
sophical th em es, an d h e, a co m m o n so ld ier; an d y et h e had
alread y formulated a situ atio n th a t I had scarcely realised.
“ W h a t are you doing?” I said p resen tly. “ W h a t plan s h av e
you m ade?”
H e hesitated.
“ W ell, it ’s like this,” h e said . “ W h a t hav e w e to d o? W e
have to invent a sort of life w h ere m e n can live an d breed, an d
be su fficien tly secu re to bring th e children u p.
Yes— w ait a bit, an d I’ll m ak e it clearer w h at I thin k
ou g h t to be d on e. T h e tam e ones w ill go like all ta m e
b easts; in a fe w genera - tio n s they’ll b e b ig , b ea u tifu l,
r ic h -b lo o d e d , stu p id — ru b - bish ! T h e risk is th a t w e who
keep w ild w ill go savage — de- g en erate into a so rt of big,
savag e rat. . . . You see, h ow I m ean to live is un dergrou n d .
I’v e been th in kin g abo u t th e drains. O f co u rse th ose who
do n’t kn ow drains th in k horr ib le thin gs; b u t u n d e r th is
L o n d o n a re m ile s a n d miles—hundreds o f m iles—
an d a fe w day s rain an d L o n d o n empty w ill leave
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
224
th em sw ee t an d c lean . T h e m ain d rain s are big en ou g h an d
air y en o u g h fo r any on e. T h e n th ere ’s cellars, vau lts,
sto res, from which boltin g passages m ay be made to th e
drains. A n d th e railw ay tun nels an d subw ay s. E h ? You begin
to see? A n d w e fo rm a b an d — able -b o died , c lean -m in d e d
m en . W e ’re n o t g o in g to p ic k up any rubbish th a t d rifts in .
W eak lin g s go o ut again.”
“A s you m ean t me to go?”
“ W ell— l parley ed , did n’t I?”
“ W e w o n’t q uarrel ab o u t th at. G o o n .”
“ T ho se who sto p ob ey o rders. A ble -b o died , c lean -m in d ed
women w e w an t also — m others an d teach ers . N o lackadaisical
ladies— no b lasted rollin g ey es. W e c an’t h av e any
w eak or silly. L ife is real ag ain , an d th e useles s an d
cu m berso me an d m isc hievou s hav e to d ie . T h e y o ug h t to d ie .
T h e y o ug h t to be w illin g to d ie . It ’s a sort o f d isloyalty, after
all, to live an d tain t th e race. A n d they can’t be hap p y.
M o re over, dy ing’s n o n e so d read fu l; it ’s th e funking m akes it
bad. A n d in all th ose p laces w e shall gath e r. O ur district
w ill be L on d on . A n d w e m ay even be ab le to keep a
watch, an d ru n abo u t in th e o pen when th e M a r tians keep
aw a y. P lay cric ket, perhaps. T h a t ’s h ow w e shall sa v e th e race.
E h ? It ’s a p o ssib le thing? B u t savin g th e race is no thin g in
itself. A s I sa y, th a t ’s only bein g r ats. It ’s savin g our
know ledg e an d ad din g to it is th e thin g. T here m en
like y ou co me in . T h e re ’s book s, there’s m o dels. W e m u st
m ak e great safe places down deep, an d get all th e boo k s w e
225
can ; n o t novels an d p o etr y sw ip es, b u t id eas, scien ce books.
T h a t ’s w h ere m e n like you co me in . W e m u st go to th e Brit-
ish M u seu m an d pick all th ose book s thro u gh . E sp ecially w e
m ust keep u p our scien ce — learn m o re. W e m ust w atch these
M a rtians. S o me of us m u st go as sp ies. W he n it ’s all w ork in g ,
perhaps I w ill. G e t caught, I m ean . A n d th e great th in g is, w e
m ust leav e th e M a rtians alon e . W e m ustn’t ev e n steal. If w e
get in their w a y, w e c lear o ut. W e m u st show th em w e m ean
n o h arm . Yes, I kn ow. B u t th e y ’re in telligent thin gs , an d th e y
w on’t h u n t u s d ow n if th e y h av e all th e y w a n t,
a n d th in k w e’re just harm less verm in.”
T h e artiller y m an p au se d an d laid a brow n h an d up o n m y
arm .
“A fter all, it m ay n o t be so much w e m ay hav e
to learn befo re— Just im ag in e this: fou r or five of their
fightin g m a- ch in es sud denly startin g o ff— H eat-R ay s righ t
an d left, an d n o t a M artia n in ‘em . N o t a M artia n in ‘em ,
b u t m en — m en who hav e learn e d th e w ay how. It m ay be in
m y tim e, e ven— th o se m en . F ancy havin g one of th em
lovely thin gs , w ith its H e a t-R ay w id e an d free ! Fan cy
havin g it in co n trol! W h at w ould it m atte r if you
sm ash ed to smithereens at th e en d o f th e ru n , after a b ust
like th at? I reck on th e M a rtians ’ ll o pen their b eautifu l eyes!
C a n’t you see them , m an ? C a n’t you see th em h u rr y in g,
hurr y ing — p uffin g an d b lo w in g an d h o o tin g to their othe r
m echanica l affairs ? S o m eth in g ou t of g ear in e ver y case.
A n d sw ish , bang, rattle, sw ish ! Ju st as they are
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
226 227

fumbling over it, S W IS H co m e s th e H e a t-R ay, an d , b ehold ! ob jec -

m a n ha s com e b ack to h is o w n .”
For a w h ile th e im agin ativ e daring of th e artiller y m an , an d
th e ton e o f assu ranc e an d co u rag e h e assum ed ,
co m p letely d o m in ate d my m in d . I b eliev e d
unhesitatingly b o th in h is fo recast of hum an destiny an d
in th e p racticab ility of h is as- to n ish in g sch em e , an d th e
read er who thin k s me su scep tib le an d foolish m u st con trast
his po sitio n , reading stead ily w ith all his tho u gh ts ab ou t his
subject, an d m ine , cro uch in g fear- fully in th e bush es an d
listening, distracted b y apprehension. W e talked in th is
m an n e r throu g h th e early m o rn in g tim e, an d later crept ou t
of th e b ush es, an d , afte r scan n in g th e sky fo r M a rtian s ,
hu rrie d precipitately to th e ho u se o n P utney H ill
w h ere h e had made h is lair. It w as th e coal cellar of th e
p lace , an d when I sa w th e w ork h e ha d sp en t a w eek up o n —
it w as a b u rro w scarcel y te n yard s lon g , which h e d esig ne d to
reac h to th e m ain drain o n P utn e y H ill— I h ad m y first in -
klin g of th e g u lf b etw een h is dream s an d h is p ow ers. Such a
ho le I could hav e dug in a day. B u t I believed in h im suffi-
cien tly to w ork w ith him all th a t m o rn in g u n til past m id day
at h is d igg in g. W e had a garden barrow an d sh o t th e earth w e
re m oved ag ainst th e kitch en ran ge . W e refreshe d
o u rse lves
w ith a tin o f m o c k - tu rtle so u p a n d w in e
from t h e
neigh b o u ring pantr y. I fo u n d a cu riou s relie f from th e ac hin g
strangen ess of th e w o rld in this stead y labo u r. A s w e w o rked,
I turne d his p roject ov er in m y m in d , an d p resen tly
tio n s an d d ou bts beg an to arise; b u t I w o rked th ere all th e
m o rn in g , so g lad w as I to fin d m yself w ith a p u rp o se ag ain .
A fter w o rkin g a n h o u r I b eg an to specu late o n th e d istan ce
one ha d to go before th e cloaca w as reach ed , th e chan ces w e
had of m issin g it alto gethe r. M y im m ediate trouble w as w hy
w e should d ig th is lon g tu n n el, when it w as p o ssib le to get
in to th e d rain at o nce down one of th e manholes, an d w ork
b ack to th e ho u se . It seem ed to m e, to o , th a t th e ho u se w as
incon veniently cho sen , an d required a n eed less len gth o f tu n -
n el. A n d ju st as I w a s beginning to fac e these
th in g s , th e artillery m a n stop p e d d igg in g, an d lo o ked at m e.
“ W e’re w o rking w ell,” h e said . H e p u t d ow n h is
spade.
“L et u s k no c k off a b it ” he said . “I th in k it ’s tim e w e reco n -
n o itre d from th e roo f of th e h o u se.”
I w as fo r g oin g o n , an d afte r a little hesitatio n he resu m ed
his sp ad e; an d th e n sudden ly I w as struck b y a
th o u g h t. I sto p ped , an d so did h e at on ce.
“ W h y w ere you w alk in g ab ou t th e common,” I said , “ in -
stea d of b ein g here?”
“ Tak in g th e air,” h e said . “I w a s coming b ac k. It ’s safer by
night.”
“B u t th e w ork?”
“O h , one can’t alw ays w o rk,” h e said , an d in a flash I saw
th e m a n plain. H e hesitated , ho ldin g h is spade . “ W e o ug h t to
reco n n oitre n ow,” he said , “ becau se if any com e near they m ay
hear th e spad e s an d d ro p u p o n us u naw ares.”
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
228 229

I w a s n o longer disposed to object. W e w en t to geth e r to down th e

th e roo f an d stoo d on a ladd er peeping o u t of th e ro o f do o r.
N o M artian s w ere to be seen , an d w e ventured
ou t o n th e tiles, an d slipped down u n d er shelter of th e
parapet.
Fro m this p osition a sh rubbery hid th e g reater p o rtio n of
P u tn e y, b u t w e co u ld see th e rive r b elow, a bu b b ly m ass of
red w eed , an d th e low parts of L a m b eth flo o de d an d red . T h e
red creeper sw arm ed up th e trees abo u t th e old p alace, an d
th eir b ran ch e s stretche d ga u n t an d dead, an d se t w ith shriv-
elled leaves , from am id its clu ste rs. It w a s strange how en -
tirely d ep en d en t b o th these th in g s w ere u p o n flo w in g w ater
fo r their pro p agatio n . A b o u t us n eith e r had g aine d a foo tin g;
laburnums, p in k m ay s, sno w b alls, an d trees of
arbor-vitae, ro se o u t of lau rels an d hy dran geas , green
an d brilliant in to th e su nligh t. B eyon d K ensin gto n den se
sm ok e w as rising , an d th a t an d a blu e h az e h id th e
n o rth w ar d h ills.
T h e artiller y m a n b egan to tell me of th e so rt of
people
who still remained in L o n d o n.
“O n e n ig h t last w eek,” h e said , “som e fools go t th e electric
ligh t in order, an d th ere w a s all R egen t S treet an d th e C ircus
ab laze, crow ded w ith p ain te d an d rag ged dru n kards , m e n an d
women, dancing and shoutin g till dawn. A m an who w as there
told m e. A n d as th e day cam e they b ecam e aw are of a fig h t-
in g -m achine standin g near by th e L an gh a m and lo okin g down
at th em . H eave n k now s how lo n g h e h ad been th ere . It m u st
have given som e of th em a nasty turn . H e cam e
road to w ard s them , an d picked u p nearly a h un dre d to o d ru n k
or frightene d to r u n aw a y.”
G rotesq u e g leam of a tim e n o histo r y w ill ever fully d e -
scribe!
Fro m th a t, in an sw er to m y q uestio n s, h e cam e ro u n d to
his gran d io se plan s ag ain . H e grew enthusiastic. H e talked so
eloquently of th e p o ssib ility of capturing a fightin g -m achin e
th a t I more th a n h alf believed in h im again . B u t n o w th a t I
w as beginning to u n d erstan d so m ethin g o f h is quality, I could
d iv in e th e stress h e laid o n do in g no thin g p recip itate ly. A n d I
no te d th a t n o w th ere w as n o question th a t h e p erso n ally w as
to capture an d figh t th e great machine.
A fter a tim e w e w en t down to th e cellar. N eith e r
of us
seem ed disposed to resu m e dig gin g , an d when h e sugg ested a
m eal, I w as n o th in g lo ath . H e becam e suddenly ver y gen er -
ous, an d when w e had eate n h e w en t aw a y an d retu rn e d w ith
some exce llen t cigars. W e lit these, an d his o ptim is m g low ed .
H e w as inclin ed to reg ard m y coming as a great occasio n.
“ T h e re ’s som e cha m p agn e in th e cellar,” h e said.
“ W e can d ig b ette r o n th is T h a m es -sid e bu rg u n d y,” said
I.
“N o,” said h e; “I a m h o st to da y. Champagne! G reat G o d !
W e’ve a heav y en o u g h task befo re us! L et us take a rest an d
gath e r stren g th w h ile w e m ay. L o o k at these b listered h and s!”
A n d p ursu an t to this idea of a holiday, he in sisted u p o n
p lay in g card s afte r w e had eaten . H e taug h t me eu chre, an d
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
230
after d ividin g L o n d o n betw een u s, I takin g th e n orth er n sid e
an d he th e so uth ern , w e played fo r parish p oints . G ro tesq u e
an d fo olish as th is w ill see m to th e so ber read er, it is ab so -
lu tely tru e, an d w h at is more rem ark ab le , I fou n d
th e card g am e an d severa l others w e played ex trem ely
interestin g.
Strange m in d o f m an ! th a t, w ith our species u p o n th e edge
of extermination or appallin g degrad ation , w ith n o clear p ro s-
pect before u s b u t th e ch an ce of a horrible death , w e could sit
fo llo w in g th e chan ce of th is p ainte d pasteboard, an d p lay in g
th e “ jok er” w ith vivid delight. A fter w ard s h e taug h t me po k er,
an d I beat h im at th ree to u g h ch ess gam es. W h en dark c am e
w e decide d to take th e risk , an d lit a lamp.
A fter an interm in able strin g of gam es, w e supped, an d th e
artillery m an fin ishe d th e champagne. W e w en t o n sm ok in g
th e cig ars. H e w a s n o lo n g er th e energetic regenerator of h is
species I h ad en cou ntere d in th e m o rn in g . H e w a s still o p ti-
m istic, b u t it w as a less kinetic, a more th o u g h tfu l o ptim ism .
I remember he wound u p w ith m y h ealth, proposed in a speech
of sm all variety an d considerable in te rm ittence . I to o k a cigar,
an d w en t up stairs to loo k a t th e lights of which h e ha d sp o -
ken th a t blazed so green ly alo n g th e H ig h gate h ills.
A t first I stared un in telligently across th e L o n d o n valley.
T h e n orth ern h ills w ere sh ro ud e d in darkness; th e fires near
K ensin gto n g low ed redly, an d n ow an d th e n an o ran ge -red
to n gu e o f fla m e flash e d u p a n d v an ish ed in th e
deep b lu e nig h t. A ll th e rest o f L o n d o n w as b lack . T h en ,
nearer, I per-
231
ceived a stran g e light, a pale, v io let- p u rp le fluo rescen t g low,
q u iv e ring u n d e r th e n ig h t b ree ze . For a sp ac e I
co u ld n o t u n d e rstan d it, an d th e n I k new th a t it m u s t be th e
red w eed
from which t h i s f a in t ir r a d ia t io n p r o c e e d e d . W it h
th a t
realisation m y d o rm an t sen se of w on d er, m y sen se of th e p ro -
p o rtio n of th in gs , aw o k e again . I glanced from th a t to M ars,
red an d c lear, g low in g hig h in th e w est, an d th e n g az ed lon g
an d earn estly at th e d arkn ess of H am pstea d an d H ig h gate.
I remained a ver y lo n g tim e u p o n th e roo f, wondering at
th e gro tesqu e ch an g es of th e day. I recalled m y m enta l states
from th e m idn ig h t p ray e r to th e foolish card -p lay in g . I h ad a
violen t revu lsio n of feelin g . I remember I flu n g aw a y th e ci-
gar w ith a certain w astefu l sy m b o lism . M y folly cam e to me
w ith glarin g exaggeratio n . I seem ed a traito r to m y w ife an d
to m y kind; I w as filled w ith rem o rse . I reso lved to leav e th is
strange u n d iscip lin e d dreamer o f great th in g s to
h is d rin k an d glu tto ny, an d to go on in to L ond o n . T here, it
seem ed to m e, I had th e best chanc e o f learnin g w hat th e
M artian s an d m y fello w m e n w ere do in g . I w a s still u p o n th e
roo f when th e late m o o n ro se.
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
232
Chapter 8.
Dead London.
A fter I had p arte d fro m th e artiller y m an , I w ent
d o w n th e hill, an d b y th e H ig h S treet across th e bridg e to
Fu lh am . T h e red w eed w as tu m u ltu o u s at th a t tim e, an d
nearly choked th e b rid g e ro ad w ay ; b u t its fronds w ere
alread y w hiten e d in p atch es b y th e spread in g d isease th a t
presently rem oved it so sw iftly.
A t th e co rn er o f th e lan e th a t runs to P utn e y B rid g e sta-
tio n I fo un d a m a n ly ing . H e w a s as b lack as a sw eep w ith th e
black d ust, alive, b ut helplessly and speechlessly dru n k. I could
get n othin g from h im bu t curses an d furio u s
lunges at m y h ead . I th in k I should have stay e d b y h im
b u t fo r th e brutal ex p ressio n of h is face.
T here w as b lack d u st alo n g th e ro ad w ay from th e b ridg e
233
o nw ards, an d it grew th ic k e r in Fulh am . T h e streets w ere h o r-
rib ly q u iet. I g o t fo o d — so u r, h ard , a n d m o u ld y, b u t
q u ite eatab le — in a baker’s shop h ere. S o me w ay tow ards
W alham G reen th e streets becam e c lear of pow der, an d I
p asse d a white terrac e o f h o u se s o n fire; th e n o ise
o f th e b u rn in g w a s an abso lute relief. G oin g o n tow ard s
B ro m p to n , th e streets w ere qu iet again .
H er e I cam e on c e more u p o n th e b lack p ow d e r
in th e
streets an d u p o n dead bod ies. I sa w alto gethe r ab ou t a d o zen
in th e len gth of th e Fulha m R oad . T h e y had been dead m any
day s, so th a t I h urried q uic kly past th em . T h e black p ow der
cove red th em over, an d soften e d th eir outlines. O n e or two
had been disturb e d b y dog s.
W here there w a s n o black po w der, it w as cu riou sly lik e a
S un day in th e C ity, w ith th e c lo sed sho p s, th e ho uses locked
u p an d th e blind s drawn, th e desertion, an d th e stilln ess. In
som e places plunderers had been at w ork , b u t rarely at other
th a n th e p rov isio n an d w in e sh op s. A jew eller’s window had
been broken o p en in one p lace, b u t ap p arently th e thief h ad
been disturbed , an d a n u m b e r of go ld ch ain s an d a w atch lay
scattered o n th e pavement. I d id n o t trouble to to u c h them .
F arth e r o n w as a tattere d woman in a h eap o n a doorstep; th e
han d th a t h un g over h e r k n ee w a s g ash ed an d bled down h er
ru sty brown d ress, a n d a sm ash e d m a gn u m o f
champagne formed a p oo l across th e pavement. She
seem ed asleep , b u t sh e w as dead.
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
234
T h e farther I p en etrated into L o n do n, the profou nder g rew
th e stilln ess. B u t it w as n o t so m u ch th e stilln ess of d eath — it
w as th e stilln ess o f su sp en se, of ex p ectatio n . A t any tim e th e
destructio n th a t h ad alread y sin ge d th e no rth w estern bo rders
of th e metropolis, an d had ann ihilate d E alin g an d Kilburn,
m ig h t strik e a m o n g these h ouses an d leav e th em sm o k in g ru -
in s. It w as a city co n de m n e d an d derelict. . . .
In S o u th K ensin gto n th e streets w ere clear o f dead an d of
black po w der. It w a s near S o u th Kensington th a t I first heard
th e h ow lin g . It crept alm o st im percep tib ly u p o n m y sen ses.
It w as a so b bin g alternatio n of two n otes, “U lla,
u lla, u lla, ulla,” keepin g o n perpetually. W he n I passe d
streets th a t ran north w ard it grew in volu m e, an d houses an d
building s seem ed to deaden an d cu t it o ff ag ain . It cam e in
a full tid e down E x h ib itio n R oad . I sto p ped , staring tow ard s
K ensin gto n G a r- dens, wondering at this strange, rem o te
w ailin g . It w as as if th a t mighty desert of h ouses ha d fou n d a
voic e fo r its fear an d so litu d e.
“U lla, u lla, u lla, ulla,” w aile d th a t su p erh u m a n n ote — g reat
w a v es o f so u n d sw eep in g d ow n th e b road, sunlit
ro ad w a y, betw een th e tall bu ild in g s o n each sid e. I turne d
no rth w ard s, m a r velling, to w ard s th e iro n g ates of H y d e Park.
I had h alf a m in d to break in to th e N atural H isto r y
M u seu m an d find m y w a y u p to th e summits of th e tow ers,
in order to see across th e park. B u t I d ecid ed to keep to th e
grou n d , w h ere quick hid in g w a s po ssib le, an d so w en t o n u p
th e E x h ib itio n R o ad .
235
A ll th e larg e m ansio n s o n each sid e o f th e road w ere empty
an d still, an d m y foo tstep s echo ed again st th e
sides o f th e h ouses. A t th e to p , near th e park gate, I cam e
u p o n a strange sight—a bu s overturned, an d th e sk eleto n of
a ho rse p icked clean. I p uzzled over this fo r a tim e , an d th e n
w en t o n to th e bridge over th e S erpentine. T h e voice grew
stronger an d stron - g er, th ou g h I could see n o th in g ab ove
th e housetops on th e n o rt h side of th e park, sav e a haze of
sm ok e to th e n orth w est.
“U lla, u lla, u lla, ulla,” cried th e voice , coming, as it seem ed
to me, from th e district ab ou t R egen t ’s Park. T h e desolating
cry w orked u p o n m y m in d . T h e m o o d th a t h ad sustaine d me
p assed . T h e w ailin g to ok p o ssessio n of m e . I fo un d I w as in -
tensely w ear y, fo otso re, an d n ow again hu n g r y an d th irsty.
It w a s alread y past no on . W h y w a s I w and ering alon e in
this city of th e d ead ? W h y w as I alon e when all L o n d o n w as
ly ing in state, an d in its b lack sh ro u d ? I felt intole rab ly lon ely.
M y m in d ra n o n o ld friend s th a t I had fo rgo tte n fo r y ears. I
th o u g h t of th e p oiso n s in th e chem ists’ sho p s, of th e liquors
th e w in e m erch an ts sto red ; I recalled th e two sodden crea-
tures of despair, who so far as I knew, sh ared th e city w ith
m yself. . . .
I cam e in to O x fo rd S tree t b y th e M arble A rch , an d here
again w ere b lack p o w d er an d severa l bod ies, an d an evil, o m i-
nous sm ell from th e g ratin g s o f th e cellars of
som e of th e h ouses. I grew ver y th irs ty afte r th e
h eat of m y lon g w alk. W ith infinite trouble I managed
to b reak in to a public-house
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
236
an d get fo o d an d d rin k . I w as w ear y after eating, an d w ent
in to th e parlou r b eh in d th e bar, an d slep t o n a b lack horsehair
sofa I fo u n d th ere.
I aw o k e to fin d th a t dism al ho w lin g still in m y ears, “U lla,
u lla, u lla, ulla.” It w as no w du sk , an d afte r I had ro u te d o ut
som e b iscu its an d a ch eese in th e bar— th ere w as a m e at safe,
bu t it containe d nothin g bu t maggots—I w andere d o n through
th e silent residential squares to B aker S treet— Portm an S quare
is th e only one I can nam e — an d so cam e ou t at
last u p o n
R egen t ’s Park. A n d as I em erg ed from th e to p of B aker S treet,
I sa w far aw a y over th e tree s in th e clearn ess of th e su n set th e
h oo d of th e M artian giant from which this how ling proceeded .
I w as n o t terrified. I cam e u p o n h im as if it w ere a m atte r of
cou rse. I watched h im fo r som e tim e , b u t he d id n o t m o v e.
H e app eared to be stan din g an d y ellin g , fo r n o reaso n th a t I
could discov er.
I trie d to fo rm u late a plan of action. T h a t perpetual so u nd
of “U lla, u lla, ulla, ulla,” con fused m y m in d . Perhaps I w as to o
tire d to be ver y fearfu l. C er tain ly I w a s more cu rio us to kn ow
th e reaso n of this m o no to nous cry ing th a n afraid . I tu rn ed
b ack aw a y from th e park an d stru ck in to P ark R oad , in ten d -
ing to skirt th e park, w en t alo n g u n d e r th e shelter of th e te r-
races, an d g o t a view of this statio na r y, h o w lin g M a r tia n fro m
th e direction of S t. Joh n’s W o od . A coup le of h u n d red yards
ou t of B ak er S treet I h eard a y elp in g cho ru s, an d sa w, first a
dog w ith a p iece of p utrescen t red m eat in h is jaw s coming
237
head lon g to w ard s m e , an d th e n a p ack of starv in g m o ngrels
in p u rsu it o f h im . H e made a w id e cu r v e to
av o id me, as th ou g h h e feared I m igh t p rove a
fresh co m petito r. A s th e yelp in g died aw a y down th e
silen t road, th e w ailin g sou n d of
“U lla, u lla, u lla, ulla,” reasserte d itself.
I cam e u p o n th e w reck ed h an d lin g -m ac h in e
halfw ay to S t. Jo h n’s W o o d statio n . A t first I th o u g h t a
ho u se h ad fallen across th e road. It w a s on ly as I clam bere d
am o n g th e ruins th a t I sa w, w ith a start, this m echanical
S amson ly ing, w ith its tentacle s ben t an d sm ash e d an d
twisted, a m o n g th e ruins it ha d made. T h e fo repa rt w a s
sh attered . It seem ed as if it had d riven blin d ly straight at th e
house, an d had been overw helm ed in its overth row. It seem ed
to me th e n th a t th is m ig h t h av e h ap p en e d b y a
h a n d lin g -m a c h in e esca p in g from th e g u id - ance of its
M artian . I cou ld n o t clam ber a m o n g th e ruins to see it, an d
th e twilight w as n o w so far adv anced th a t th e blood w ith
which its seat w a s sm eared , an d th e gn aw e d gristle of th e
M artia n th a t th e do g s h ad left, w ere in visib le to m e.
W on d ering still more at all th a t I had seen , I p ushe d on
to w ard s Prim ro se H ill. Far aw a y, th ro u g h a gap in th e trees, I
sa w a seco n d M artia n , as m otio n less as th e first, stand in g in
th e park to w ard s th e Z o olo gica l G ard en s , an d silen t. A little
beyon d th e ruins about th e sm ashed h an dlin g -m achin e I cam e
u p o n th e red w eed again , an d fou n d th e R egen t ’s
C an al, a spo n g y m ass of d ark -re d veg etatio n .
A s I cro sse d th e bridg e , th e so u n d of “U lla, u lla, u lla, ulla,”
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
238
ceased . It w as, as it w ere, cu t off. T h e silence cam e like a th u n -
d erclap .
T h e d usk y houses ab o u t me stoo d fain t an d tall an d dim;
th e trees to w ard s th e park w ere g row in g b lack . A ll ab ou t me
th e red w eed clam bere d am on g th e ruins, w rithin g to get above
me in th e d im n ess. N ig ht, th e m o th e r of fear an d m y stery,
w as coming u p o n m e . B u t w h ile th a t voic e sounded th e soli-
tu d e, th e d eso latio n , h ad been end urable ; b y virtu e of it L o n -
do n h ad still seem ed alive , an d th e sen se of life abo u t me h ad
up h eld m e . T h e n suddenly a change, th e p assin g of
so m e - th in g — I knew n o t w hat— an d th e n a stilln ess th a t
could be felt. N o th in g b u t this gau n t quiet.
L o n d o n abo u t me g az ed at me spectrally. T h e w in dow s in
th e white houses w ere like th e eye so ckets of sku lls. A b o u t me
m y im aginatio n fou n d a th o u san d n o iseless enem ies m ov in g .
Terror seized me, a h o rro r of m y te m erity. In fro n t of me th e
road becam e pitch y black as tho u g h it w a s tarred , an d I sa w a
conto r ted sh ap e ly ing across th e pathway. I could n o t bring
m y self to go on . I tu rn e d dow n S t. John’s W o o d R o ad , an d
ran headlong from this unendurable stilln ess to w ard s Kilburn.
I h id from th e n ig h t an d th e silen ce, u ntil lon g
after m id - n igh t, in a cab m e n’s shelter in H a rrow R oad .
B u t b efo re th e dawn m y cou rag e return ed , an d w h ile th e
stars w ere still in th e sk y I tu rn e d once more to w ards
R egen t ’s Park. I m issed m y w ay am o n g th e streets,
an d presently sa w down a lon g av enue, in th e h alf-
ligh t of th e ear ly dawn, th e cu rve of P rim -
239
ro se H ill. O n th e su m m it, towering u p to th e fad in g stars,
w as a th ird M artian , erect an d m otion less like th e oth ers.
A n in san e resolv e po ssesse d m e. I w ould die an d en d it.
A n d I w ould sav e m yself even th e trouble of killin g m yself. I
m a rched o n rec klessly to w a rd s this T itan , an d th en , as I drew
nearer an d th e ligh t g rew, I sa w th a t a m u ltitu d e
o f b lac k bird s w as circlin g an d clusterin g ab ou t th e h o o d .
A t th a t m y h eart gav e a b o u n d , an d I beg an ru n n in g alo n g
th e road.
I hurried thro ug h th e red w eed th a t ch o ked S t. E d m u n d ’s
Terrace (I w aded breast-h ig h across a torren t of w ater th at
w as rushing dow n from th e w ater w o rk s to w ard s th e A lb ert
R oad), an d em erg ed u p o n th e grass befo re th e risin g of th e
sun. G rea t m o u n d s h ad been heaped ab ou t th e crest of th e
hill, making a huge red o u b t of it— it w as th e fin al an d largest
place th e M artian s ha d m ade — an d from b ehin d these heaps
there ro se a th in sm o ke ag ainst th e sky. Against th e sky lin e
a n e a g e r dog ra n a n d d isa p p e a red. T h e th o u g h t
th a t h a d flashed into m y m in d grew real, g rew credible. I
felt n o fear, o nly a w ild , trem b lin g ex ultatio n , as I ran u p th e
hill to w ards th e m otion les s m o nste r. O ut of th e h o o d h u n g
lan k sh red s of brown, at which th e hu n g r y b ird s p ec ked an d
to re.
In an oth e r m om en t I h ad scram ble d up th e earth e n ram -
part an d stoo d u p o n its crest, an d th e in terio r of th e red o u b t
w as b elo w m e. A mighty sp ace it w as, w ith gigan tic m ach ines
here an d th ere w ithin it, huge m o u n d s of m aterial an d strange
shelter places. A nd scattered about it, som e in their overturned
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
240
war-machines, som e in the now rig id han dlin g -m achin es, an d
a dozen of th em stark an d silen t an d laid in a row, w ere th e
M a rtia n s — D E A D ! — slain b y th e p u trefactiv e an d
d ise ase bacteria again st which th eir sy stem s w ere unprepared;
slain as th e red w eed w as b ein g slain ; slain , after all m a n’s
device s had failed , b y th e hu m b lest thin g s th a t G o d , in his
w isdo m , h as p u t u p o n th is earth.
For so it had co me abo ut, as in dee d I an d m a ny m e n m igh t
have foreseen had n o t terro r an d disaster blin de d our m in d s.
T h es e germ s of d isease hav e take n to ll of h u m anity sin ce th e
beginning of th in gs — take n to ll of our preh u m a n an cesto rs
sin ce life b eg an here. B u t b y virtu e of th is natura l selectio n of
our kin d w e h av e d evelo p e d resistin g p o w er; to n o germ s d o
w e succum b w ithou t a struggle, an d to many—those tha t cause
p u trefactio n in dead m atte r, fo r instanc e —our liv in g fram es
are alto gethe r im m u n e . B u t th ere are n o b acteria
in M ars, an d d irectly these in v ad ers arriv ed , d irectly
they dran k an d fed , our m icro scop ic allies beg an to w ork
th eir over th row. A l- read y when I watched the m they w ere
irrevocably do o m ed, dy in g an d ro ttin g even as they w en t to
an d fro . It w as in evi- table. B y th e to ll of a billio n d eath s m a n
has b o u gh t h is b irth - rig h t of th e earth , an d it is h is ag ainst all
co m ers; it w ould still be his w ere th e M artians te n times as
m ig h ty as they are. Fo r n eith e r d o m e n live n o r d ie in v ain .
H ere an d th ere th e y w ere scattered , nearly fifty alto geth e r,
in th a t great gulf they had made, ov ertake n b y a death th a t
241
m u st h av e seem ed to th em as in com p rehen sib le as any death
could be . To me also at th a t tim e this d eath w a s in c om p re-
hen sible . A ll I knew w a s th a t these th in g s th a t had been alive
an d so terrib le to m e n w ere dead. For a m om en t I b elieved
th a t th e destructio n of Sennacherib h ad been repeated, th a t
G o d had rep en ted , th a t th e Angel o f D e ath h ad slain th em in
th e n igh t.
I stoo d staring into th e pit, an d m y h eart lighten e d glori-
ously, ev en as th e risin g sun stru ck th e w o rld to fire ab ou t me
w ith his ray s. T h e p it w as still in dark ness; th e m ig h ty en -
gines, so great an d wonderful in th eir pow er an d com plexity,
so unearthly in th eir to rtu o u s fo rm s, ro se w eird
an d vague an d strange o u t o f th e shadow s to w ard s th e
light. A m u lti- tu d e of dogs, I could hear, fough t over
th e b odies th a t lay d ark ly in th e d ep th of th e pit, far
b elo w m e. A cro ss th e p it o n its farthe r lip , flat an d vast an d
strange, la y th e great flyin g - machine w ith which they ha d
been experimenting u p o n our denser atm osphere when decay
an d death arrested them . D eath had com e n o t a day to o so o n .
A t th e so u n d of a caw in g o v er- head I lo ok ed u p at th e
huge fightin g -m achin e th a t w ould figh t n o m o re fo r e ver, at
th e tattere d red sh reds of flesh th a t drip pe d down u p o n th e
overturned seats o n th e su m m it o f Primrose H ill.
I turn e d an d loo k ed down th e slo p e o f th e h ill to w here,
enhaloed n o w in birds, sto o d tho se o th e r two M artian s th a t I
had seen overnight, just as death ha d overtaken them . T h e
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
242
one had died, even as it h a d been cr ying to its co mpanions;
perhaps it w a s th e last to d ie , an d its voic e had go n e o n p er-
petually u ntil th e force o f its machinery w as ex hau sted . T h e y
glittered n ow, h arm less trip o d to w ers o f shin in g metal, in th e
brightness of th e risin g sun.
A ll ab ou t th e p it, an d saved as b y a m iracle from everlast-
ing destruction , stretche d th e great M o th e r of C ities . T ho se
who have only seen L o n d o n veiled in h er so m b re
robes of sm ok e can scarcel y im ag in e th e naked clearness an d
beauty of th e silen t w ild ern ess of hou ses.
E astw ard , over th e blac kened ruin s of th e A lb ert Terrace
an d th e splintered sp ire of th e ch urch , th e sun blaze d daz -
zlin g in a c lear sky, an d h e re an d th ere som e facet in th e great
w ild ern ess of roo fs caught th e ligh t an d glared w ith a white
in te n sity.
N o r t h w a r d w e r e Kilburn a n d H a m p s t e d , b l u e
and
crow ded w ith h o u ses; w estw ard th e great city w a s dim m ed ;
a n d southward, b ey o n d th e M artia n s , th e g re e n
w ave s o f R egen t ’s Park, th e L an gh a m H o te l, th e dom e of
th e A lb ert H all, th e Imperial Institu te , an d th e gian t
m an sio n s of th e B ro m p to n R o ad cam e o u t clear an d little
in th e sunrise , th e jagg e d ruin s of W estm in ste r risin g hazily
beyo n d . Far aw ay an d blu e w ere th e S u rrey hills, an d th e
to w ers of th e C r y stal Palace glitte red like two silve r ro ds.
T h e d o m e of S t. Pau l’s w as dark against th e sunrise, an d
injured, I saw fo r th e first tim e , b y a huge g apin g cavity o n
its w estern side.
243
A n d as I loo k ed a t th is w id e ex pan se o f ho uses an d facto -
ries an d ch u rches , silen t an d abandoned; as I th o u g h t of th e
m u ltitu d in o u s hopes an d effo rts, th e innumerable
hosts o f live s th a t h ad g o n e to build th is h um a n reef, an d
of th e sw ift a n d ru th less d estru ctio n th a t h a d h u n g
o ver it all; when I realised th a t th e sh ad o w ha d been
rolled b ack , an d th a t m en m ig h t still live in th e streets, an d
this dear vast dead city of m in e be o nce more aliv e an d
pow erful, I felt a w av e o f em o - tio n th a t w a s near akin to
tears.
T h e to rm en t w a s over. E ven th a t day th e healin g w o uld
beg in . T h e su rvivors of th e people scattere d over th e coun -
tr y — lead e rless, law less , fo o d less, like sh eep w ith o u t a shep -
h erd — th e th o usand s who had fled b y sea, w ould
beg in to retu rn ; th e p u lse of life, g row in g stronger an d
stronger, w ould beat again in th e empty streets an d
po u r across th e vacan t squares. W h ate ver destruction w as
do n e, th e han d of th e d e - stro ye r w a s stay ed . A ll th e gau n t
w recks, th e blacken e d sk el- eto n s of hou ses th a t stared so
dism ally a t th e sunlit grass of th e hill, w ou ld presen tly be
ech oin g w ith th e ha m m ers of th e restorers an d ringing w ith
th e tap p in g of their trow els. A t th e th o u g h t I extended
m y h an d s to w ard s th e sk y an d b e g an than kin g G od .
In a y ear, th o u g h t I— in a yea r. . .
W ith over whelming fo rce cam e th e th o u g h t of m y self, of
m y w ife, an d th e old life of ho p e an d ten d e r helpfu lness th a t
had ceased fo r e ver.
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
244
Chapter 9.
Wreckage.
A n d n ow co m es th e strangest th in g in m y sto r y. Yet, p er-
haps, it is n o t altogethe r strange. I remember, clearly an d cold ly
an d vivid ly, all th a t I d id th a t day u n til th e tim e th a t I sto od
w eepin g an d p raisin g G o d u p o n th e su m m it of Primrose H ill.
A n d th e n I fo rget.
O f th e n ex t th re e da y s I k n o w n o th in g . I
h av e learn ed sin ce th a t, so far from m y b ein g th e
first d iscov erer of th e M a r tian ov er th row, several such
w anderers as m y self had al- read y d isco v ere d th is o n th e
p rev io u s nig ht. O n e m a n — th e first—had g o n e to S t.
M a r tin’s-le- G ran d , an d , w h ile I sh el- tered in th e cabmen’s
h u t, h ad co n triv ed to telegraph to Paris. T henc e th e joyfu l
n ew s had flashed all over th e w o rld ; a th o u - sand cities,
chilled b y g h astly apprehensions, sud den ly flashed
245
in t o f r antic i l luminations; they kne w o f it i n
D ublin, E d in b u rg h , M a n c h este r, B ir m in g h a m , a t th e
tim e when I sto o d u p o n th e verg e of th e pit. A lread y
m en , w eepin g w ith joy, as I have heard , sh o utin g an d stay in g
th eir w o rk to shake hand s an d sh out, w ere making up trains,
even as near as Crewe, to d escen d u p on L o nd o n . T h e chu rch
b ells th a t h ad ceased a fortn igh t sin ce sudden ly caught th e
n ew s, u n til all E n glan d w as bell-ringing. M en o n cycles, lean-
faced, unkem pt, scorched alo n g ev er y co u n tr y lan e
sh o utin g of u n h o p e d deliv eran ce, sho utin g to gau n t,
staring fig u res o f despair. A n d fo r th e food ! A cro ss th e
C han nel, across th e Irish S ea, across th e A tlantic, corn,
bread, an d m eat w ere tearing to our relief. A ll th e sh ip - pin g
in th e w o rld seem ed go in g L o n d o n w ar d in th ose days.
B u t of all th is I hav e n o m e m o r y. I d rifted — a d e m en te d m an .
I fou n d m yself in a h o use of k ind ly peo ple , who h ad fou n d
me o n th e th ird day wandering, w eeping , an d rav in g thro ug h
th e streets o f S t. Jo hn’s W o od . T h e y h av e told me sin c e th a t I
w as sing in g som e insan e do gg erel ab o u t “ T h e L ast M a n L ef t
A liv e! H urrah ! T h e L ast M a n L eft A liv e!” Tro u bled as th e y
w ere w ith th eir o w n affairs, these peo ple , w hose n am e , m uch
as I w ou ld like to express m y gratitu d e to th em , I m ay n o t
even giv e here, n ev ertheless cumbered th em selv e s w ith m e,
sheltered m e, an d protecte d me from m yself. Apparently they
had learn ed som eth in g of m y sto r y from me d u ring th e day s
of m y lap se.
Ver y gen tly, when m y m in d w as assu red ag ain , d id th e y
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
246
break to me w h at they h ad learn ed of th e fate of L eath e rh ead .
Tw o day s after I w a s imprisoned it had been destroy ed, w ith
ever y sou l in it, b y a M a r tian . H e ha d sw ep t it o u t o f ex ist-
ence, as it seem ed , w ith o u t any p ro v ocation , as a boy m ig ht
crush a n an t hill, in th e m e re wanton n ess of p ow er.
I w as a lon ely m an , an d th e y w ere ver y kin d to m e. I w as a
lon ely m a n an d a sad o n e , an d they b o re w ith m e . I remained
w ith th em fo u r day s after m y recov er y. All th a t tim e I felt a
vagu e, a grow in g cravin g to loo k once more o n w hatever re -
m aine d of th e little life th a t seem ed so happ y an d b righ t in
m y past. It w a s a mere h o p eless d esire to feast u p o n m y m is-
ery. T h e y dissuad ed m e . T h e y did all they could to div er t me
from this m o r b id ity. B u t at last I cou ld resist th e im p ulse no
longer, an d , prom isin g faith fu lly to retu rn to th em , an d part-
ing, as I w ill co nfess, from these four-day frien d s w ith tears, I
w en t o u t again in to th e streets th a t had lately been so dark
an d stran g e an d em p ty.
A lread y they w ere busy w ith return in g p eop le; in p laces
even th ere w ere sho p s op en , an d I sa w a d rin kin g fo un tain
ru n n in g w ater.
I remember how m o ck in g ly brigh t th e day
seem ed as I w en t back o n m y m elancho ly pilg rim ag e to
th e little hou se at W oking, how busy th e streets an d vivid th e
m ovin g life abo ut m e. S o m any people w ere ab road
ever y w he re, busied in a th o u - sand activ ities, th a t it seem ed
in credible th a t any great p ro - p o rtio n of th e p o p ulatio n
could hav e been slain . B u t th e n I
247
no tice d how yello w w ere th e sk in s of th e p eople I m et, how
shagg y th e hair of th e m en , how larg e an d b rig h t their eyes,
an d th a t e ver y othe r m a n still w o re his d irty rags. T h eir faces
seem ed all w ith one of two ex p ressio n s— a leap in g ex ultatio n
an d en erg y or a grim resolution. S av e fo r th e ex p ressio n of th e
faces, L o n d o n seem ed a city of tram ps. T h e vestries w ere in -
d iscriminately distrib utin g brea d sen t us b y th e Fren ch gov-
ernm ent. T h e ribs of th e fe w horses show ed dism ally. H a g -
gard special con stab le s w ith white b ad g e s sto o d at th e corners
of ever y street. I sa w little of th e m isc hief w rou gh t
b y th e M a rtians u n til I reac h e d W ellington S treet, an d
there I saw th e red w e e d c la m b e ring o ve r th e
b u ttre sse s o f W a te r lo o B rid g e.
A t th e corn er of th e b rid g e, to o , I sa w one of th e co m m on
contrasts of th a t g rotesq u e time—a sheet of paper flaunting
ag ain st a th icke t of th e red w eed , tran sfix e d b y a stick th a t
kep t it in p lace. It w a s th e placard of th e first new sp ape r to
resu m e p u b lic a tio n — th e D A ILY M A IL . I b o u g h t a
co p y fo r a blackened shillin g I fo u n d in m y pocket. M o st o f
it w as in b lan k , b u t th e solitar y compositor who d id th e
th in g had am used him self b y making a gro tesqu e sch em e of
ad v ertise - m en t stereo on th e b ac k p ag e . T h e m atter
h e p r in te d w as emotional; th e n ew s organisation h ad n o t
as y et fo u n d its w ay b ack . I learn ed n o th in g fresh ex cep t th a t
alread y in one w eek th e examination of th e M artia n
m echanism s ha d y ielde d as- to n ishin g results. A m o n g o th e r
thin gs , th e article assu re d me
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
248
w h at I did n o t believe at th e tim e , th a t th e “S ecret of F lyin g,”
w as disco v ered . A t W aterlo o I fo u n d th e free trains th a t w ere
takin g peop le to th eir h o m es. T h e first rush w as alread y over.
T here w ere fe w peo ple in th e train , an d I w as in n o m o o d for
casual conversation . I go t a co m p artm en t to m yself, an d sat
w ith fold ed arm s, loo k in g greyly a t th e sunlit devastatio n th at
flo w e d past th e w indow s. A n d ju st outside th e term inu s th e
train jo lted o ver tem p o ra r y rails, an d o n eith e r sid e
of th e railw ay th e ho uses w ere b lac kened r u ins. To
C lap ha m Junc- tio n th e face of L o n d o n w as g rim y w ith
po w de r of th e B lack Smoke, in spite o f two day s of
th u n d erstorm s an d rain, an d at C lap h a m Junction th e
lin e h a d been w rec k e d ag ain ; th ere w ere h u n d red s of
o u t-o f-w o rk clerk s an d sh op m e n w orkin g side b y side w ith
th e customary nav vies, an d w e w ere jolted over a hasty
relay in g .
All dow n th e lin e from th ere th e aspect of th e
co u n tr y
w as gau n t an d u nfam iliar; W im b led o n p articu larly ha d suf-
fered . W alton , b y virtu e of its u n b u rn e d pin e w oo ds, seem ed
th e least h u rt of any p lace alo n g th e line . T h e W an d le, th e
M o le , e very little stream, w as a heaped m ass of red w eed , in
ap p earance betw een butc h e r’s m eat an d p ickled cabbag e. T h e
S urrey pin e w o od s w ere to o d r y, h ow e ver, fo r th e festoon s of
th e red c lim be r. B eyo n d W im b ledo n , w ithin sigh t of th e line,
in certain nursery grounds, w ere th e heaped m asses o f earth
ab o u t th e sixth cy linder. A nu m b e r of people w ere stan din g
ab o u t it, an d so me sap pers w ere busy in th e m id s t of it. O ver
249
it flaunted a U n io n Jack , flap p in g ch eerfu lly in th e m o rnin g
breeze. T h e nursery grou n d s w ere ever y w h e re crim so n w ith
th e w eed , a w id e expanse o f livid colou r cu t w ith purple shad -
ow s, an d ver y p ain fu l to th e ey e. O n e ’s gaze w en t w ith infi-
nite relie f from th e scorch e d grey s an d su llen red s of th e fore -
grou n d to th e blue-green so ftness of th e eastw ard h ills.
T h e lin e o n th e L o n d o n sid e of W o king statio n w as still
undergoing rep air, so I d escen d e d a t B y fleet statio n an d to o k
t h e r oad t o M a y b u r y, past t h e p l a c e w h e r e I
a n d t h e artiller y m a n h ad talked to th e hu ssars, an d
on b y th e sp ot w here th e M artia n had appeared to me in
th e th un derstorm . H e re, m oved b y cu rio sity, I tu rn e d
asid e to fin d , amon g a tangle of red fronds, th e w arped
an d broken dog cart w ith th e w hitene d bon es of th e horse
sc atte red an d gn aw ed . For a tim e
I sto o d reg ardin g these vestiges. . . .
T h e n I retu rn e d thro ug h th e p in e w o o d , n eck -h ig h w ith
red w eed here an d th ere , to fin d th e landlord of th e S po tted
D o g ha d alread y fo u n d bu rial, an d so cam e h o m e
past th e C olleg e A rm s. A m an standin g at an open cottage
doo r greeted me b y n am e as I p assed.
I lo o ked at m y h o use w ith a quick flash o f h o p e th a t faded
immediately. T h e d o o r h a d been fo rced ; it w a s
unfast an d w a s op en in g slow ly as I approached.
It slam m ed ag ain . T h e cu rtains of m y stud y fluttere d ou t
of th e o p en w in d o w from which I an d th e artillery m a n had
watched th e dawn. N o one had c lo sed it sin ce. T h e sm ashed
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
250 251

bushes w ere just as I had left th em nearly fo u r w eek s ago . I N o one has been here these ten days. D o n o t stay
stumbled in to th e hall, an d th e ho u se felt em p ty. here to
T h e stair c arp e t w a s ru ffle d a n d d isco lo u re d w h e re torm en t yourself. N o one escap e d b u t you.”
I had c ro u c h e d , so aked to th e skin from th e I w as startled. H a d I sp ok e n m y th o u g h t aloud ? I turn ed,
th u nderstor m th e n ig h t o f th e catastrophe. O u r muddy an d th e Fren ch window w as o p en b ehin d m e . I made a step
to it, an d sto o d lo ok in g o ut.
fo o tste p s I sa w still w en t u p th e stairs.
A n d th ere , am aze d an d afraid , even as I sto o d am aze d an d
I follow ed th em to m y stud y, an d fo un d ly ing o n m y w rit-
in g -tab le still, w ith th e selenite paper weight u p o n a fra id , w e re m y c o u sin a n d m y w ife — m y w ife
it, th e sheet of w ork I had left o n th e afterno o n of th e white a n d tear less. S h e ga v e a fain t cry.
op enin g of th e cy linder. For a space I stoo d readin g over m y “I cam e,” sh e said . “ I knew — knew — — ”
ab an d o ned arguments. It w a s a paper o n th e She p u t h er han d to h er thro at— sw ayed . I made a step
pro bable develop m en t of M o ra l Id eas w ith th e fo r w ard , an d cau gh t h er in m y arms.
dev elop m en t of th e civilisin g process; an d th e last sentence
w as th e o penin g of a prop hecy : “In ab o ut two h un dre d years,”
I had w ritten , “w e m ay expect— — ” T h e se n ten c e en d e d
ab ru p tly. I remembered m y inability to fix m y m in d
th a t m o rnin g , scarcely a m on th g o n e b y, an d how I had
broken off to get m y D A ILY C H R O N IC L E from th e
n e w sbo y. I remembered h o w I w en t d ow n to th e gard e n g ate
as h e c am e alon g, an d h ow I had listen ed to h is o d d sto r y o f
“M en from M ars.”
I cam e down an d w en t in to th e dinin g room . T h ere w ere
th e m u tto n an d th e bread, b o th far gone n ow in d ec ay, an d a
beer b o ttle overtu rn ed , just as I an d th e artiller y m a n h ad le ft
th em . M y h o m e w a s desolate . I p erceiv ed th e
folly o f th e fain t h op e I had ch erished so long. A n d then a
strange th in g occurred. “It is n o u se,” said a voice . “ T h e
ho u se is deserted.
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
252
su c h d ead ly effect, a n d th e g en erato r of th e H e at- R a y s
Chapter 10.
The epilogue.
I cann o t b u t reg ret, n ow th a t I a m co nc luding m y sto r y,
how little I a m ab le to co ntrib ute to th e d iscu ssio n
of th e m an y d eb atable qu estio n s which are still
un settled . In one respect I sh all certain ly p ro v ok e criticism .
M y p articula r pro v - ince is specu lativ e philosophy. M y
know ledg e of comparativ e phy sio log y is confined to a bo o k or
two, b u t it seem s to me th a t C ar ver’s suggestion s as to th e
reaso n of th e rapid death of th e M artian s is so probable as to be
regarded alm ost as a proven conclu sio n . I have assum ed th a t in
th e b o d y of m y n arrativ e. A t any rate, in all th e bod ies of
th e M artian s th a t w ere ex am ined after th e w ar, no bacteria
except those already kn ow n as terrestrial species w ere fou n d .
T h a t they d id n o t b u r y an y of their dead, an d th e reckless
slaughter they perpetrated , point
253
also to an entire ig n oran ce o f th e p utrefactiv e
p rocess. B u t p ro b ab le as th is seem s, it is b y n o m ean s a
proven conclusion . N eith e r is th e composition of th e
B lack S m o k e known, which th e M artian s u se d w ith
rem ain s a puzzle. T h e terr ib le disasters at th e E alin g an d
S outh K ensin gton laboratories have disin c lined an aly sts fo r
fu rth er investigation s u p o n th e latter. S pectru m analysi s of
th e black po w d er p oints u n m istak ably to th e p resenc e of an
un kn o w n element w ith a brilliant group of th ree lin es in th e
green , an d it is p o ssib le th a t it co m bin es w ith argon to form a
co m pou nd which acts at once w ith dead ly effect u p o n so m e
co n stitu en t in th e blood. B u t such unproven sp eculatio n s w ill
scarcely be of inte rest to th e g en eral read er,
to w h o m this sto r y is ad d ressed . N on e of th e brow n
scum
th a t d r if te d down th e Thames a f te r th e
d e s t r uction o f S h ep p erto n w as ex am in e d at th e tim e , an d
no w n o n e is fo rth - coming.
T h e results of an anatom ica l examination o f th e M artian s,
so far as th e p ro w lin g do g s had left such an examination p o s-
sible, I hav e alread y giv en . B u t ever y one is fam iliar w ith th e
magnificent an d alm o st co m plete sp ecim en in sp irits at th e
N atu ral H isto r y M u seu m , an d th e coun tless d raw in g s
th a t hav e been made from it; an d b ey o n d th a t th e interest o f
th eir p hy sio log y an d structure is p u rely scien tific.
A question of grave r an d u niv ersa l interest is th e p o ssibil-
ity of an oth e r attack from th e M artian s . I d o n o t th in k th a t
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
254
nearly en o u g h atten tio n is bein g given to this aspect of th e
m atte r. A t p re sen t th e p la n e t M a rs is in
conjunction, b u t w ith e ver y retu rn to opposition I,
fo r on e, anticipate a re - n ew a l of th eir adventure . In any
case, w e should be prepared.
It seem s to me th a t it should be p o ssib le to d efin e th e p osi-
tio n o f th e gu n from which th e shots are d ischarged , to k eep
a sustaine d w atc h u p o n th is part of th e p lanet, an d to antici-
pate th e arrival of th e n ex t attack.
In th a t case th e cy lind e r m ig h t be destro ye d w ith d yn a -
m ite or artiller y before it w as su fficien tly co o l fo r th e M a r-
tians to em erg e, or they m igh t be b utch ere d b y m ean s of g u ns
so so o n as th e screw o pen ed . It seem s to me th a t they hav e
lo st a vast advan tag e in th e failu re of th eir first su rprise. Po s -
sibly they see it in th e sam e light.
L essin g h as adv anced ex cellen t reaso n s fo r su p po sin g th a t
th e M artian s have actually succeed ed in effectin g a landing
o n th e plane t Ven u s. S even m on th s ag o n o w, Ven u s an d M ars
w ere in align m en t w ith th e sun ; th a t is to say, M ars w as in
op p ositio n from th e p oin t of view of an obser ver on Ven u s.
S ubsequen tly a p ecu liar luminous an d sinuo u s marking ap -
peared o n th e unillumined half of th e in n er planet, an d al-
m o st sim ultaneo usly a fain t dark mark of a sim ilar
sinuo us ch aracte r w a s d etecte d u p o n a p h o to grap h
o f th e M artia n disk . O n e n eed s to see th e draw ing s of
these appearance s in order to appreciate fully th eir rem arkable
resem blance in char- acter.
255
A t any rate, w h ethe r w e ex pec t an o th e r in vasio n or n o t,
our view s of th e h um a n future m u st be g reatly modified by
these events. W e have learn ed n ow th a t w e cann o t reg ard th is
plan e t as bein g fenced in an d a secu re abiding place fo r M an ;
w e can n ev er anticipate th e unseen good or evil th a t m ay com e
u p o n us sud denly o u t of space. It m ay be th a t in th e larg er
desig n of th e u n iv erse this in vasio n from M ars is n o t w ith o u t
its ultim ate benefit fo r m e n ; it h as robbed us of th a t seren e
confidenc e in th e future which is th e m o st fruitfu l so u rce o f
decadence , th e g ifts to hum a n science it ha s b ro u gh t are en or-
mous, an d it h as do n e m u ch to p ro m o te th e conception of
th e co m m o nw ea l of m an kin d . It m ay be th a t across th e im -
m en sity of space th e M artian s hav e watched th e fate of these
pio neers o f theirs an d learne d th eir lesso n , an d th a t o n th e
plan e t Ven u s th e y hav e fou n d a secu re r settle m ent. B e th a t as
it m ay, fo r m an y y ears y et th ere w ill certain ly be n o relaxation
o f th e ea g e r scr u tin y o f th e M a rtia n d isk , a n d
th o se fier y d arts of th e sk y, th e sh o otin g stars, w ill b ring
w ith th em as they fall an u navoidable apprehension to all th e
so n s o f m en . T h e broadening of m e n’s view s th a t has resulted can
scarcely
be exaggerate d. B efo re th e cy lind e r fell th ere w a s a general
persu asio n th a t thro ug h all th e deep of sp ace n o life ex isted
bey on d th e petty su rface o f our m in u te sph ere . N o w w e see
fu rth er. If th e M a rtians can reach Ven us, th ere is n o reaso n to
suppo se th a t th e th in g is im possible fo r m en , an d when th e
slo w coo lin g of th e sun m akes th is earth un in h abitable , as at
 HG Wells. War of the Worlds.
256 257

last it m u st d o , it m ay b e th a t th e th rea d o f life b u t th e g h osts of th e past, hau n tin g th e streets th a t I have

th a t h as seen silen t an d wretched, go in g to an d fro , p hantasm s in a
begun here w ill hav e streamed ou t an d caught our siste r plan et dead city, th e m o cker y of life in a galvanised bod y. A n d strange,
w ithin its toils. to o , it is to stan d o n Primrose H ill, as I did b u t a day befo re
D im an d w o nd erfu l is th e v isio n I have co nju re d u p in m y w ritin g th is last c h apte r, to see th e great p ro v in ce of h ouses,
m in d of life sp readin g slow ly from this little seed bed of th e
d im an d blu e thro u g h th e haze of th e sm o k e an d m ist, van -
so la r sy ste m th ro u g h o u t th e in an im ate v astn ess o f
ishing at last into th e vagu e low er sk y, to se e th e peo ple w alk -
sid e rea l space. B u t th a t is a rem o te drea m . It m ay be , o n ing to an d fro am o n g th e flo w e r bed s o n th e hill, to see th e
th e o th er hand , th a t th e d estru ctio n of th e M artian s is only sight-seers abo u t th e M artia n machine th a t stands th ere still,
a rep riev e. To them , an d n o t to u s, perhaps, is th e futu re
to hear th e tum u lt o f p lay in g children, an d to recall th e tim e
ordain ed .
when I sa w it all b rig h t an d clear-cut, h ard an d silen t, u n d er
I m u st con fess th e stress an d danger of th e tim e h av e left th e dawn of th a t last great day. . . .
an abiding sense o f do u b t an d insecurity in m y m ind . I sit in
A n d strang est of all is it to h o ld m y w ife’s h an d ag ain , an d
m y stud y writing b y la m p ligh t, an d sudd enly I see again th e
to th in k th a t I hav e cou nte d h er, an d th a t sh e has cou nted
healin g valle y belo w se t w ith w rithin g flam es, an d
m e , a m o n g th e dead.
feel th e ho u se b ehin d an d ab o u t me empty an d desolate . I
go ou t in to th e B y flee t R oad , an d veh icles pass m e, a
bu tche r boy in a cart, a cab fu l o f visitors, a workman
o n a bicycle , children g oin g to schoo l, an d suddenly they
becom e vagu e an d u nreal, a n d I h u rr y ag ain w ith th e
artille r y m a n th ro u g h th e h o t, brooding silen ce . O f a
n ig h t I see th e b lack p o w d e r darkening th e silen t streets, an d
th e co nto rte d bodies shro u de d in th a t laye r; th e y rise u p o n
me tatte red an d d og -b itten . T h e y gib - b er an d grow fiercer,
paler, ug lie r, m a d disto rtio n s of h u m a n - ity at last, an d I
w ak e, co ld an d wretched, in th e darkness o f th e n igh t.
I go to L o n d o n an d see th e busy m ultitu de s in F leet S treet
an d th e S tran d , an d it co m e s across m y m in d th a t they are