Reading Help War of the worlds by H. G. Wells. Book 1
about midnight, and again the night after; and so for ten nights, a `
` flame each night. Why the shots ceased after the tenth no one on `
` earth has attempted to explain. It may be the gases of the firing `
` caused the Martians inconvenience. Dense clouds of smoke or dust, `
` visible through a powerful telescope on earth as little grey, `
` fluctuating patches, spread through the clearness of the planet's `
` atmosphere and obscured its more familiar features. `
` `
` Even the daily papers woke up to the disturbances at last, and `
` popular notes appeared here, there, and everywhere concerning the `
` volcanoes upon Mars. The seriocomic periodical _Punch_, I remember, `
` made a happy use of it in the political cartoon. And, all `
` unsuspected, those missiles the Martians had fired at us drew `
` earthward, rushing now at a pace of many miles a second through the `
` empty gulf of space, hour by hour and day by day, nearer and nearer. `
` It seems to me now almost incredibly wonderful that, with that swift `
` fate hanging over us, men could go about their petty concerns as they `
` did. I remember how jubilant Markham was at securing a new photograph `
` of the planet for the illustrated paper he edited in those days. `
` People in these latter times scarcely realise the abundance and `
` enterprise of our nineteenth-century papers. For my own part, I was `
` much occupied in learning to ride the bicycle, and busy upon a series `
` of papers discussing the probable developments of moral ideas as `
` civilisation progressed. `
` `
` One night (the first missile then could scarcely have been `
` 10,000,000 miles away) I went for a walk with my wife. It was `
` starlight and I explained the Signs of the Zodiac to her, and pointed `
` out Mars, a bright dot of light creeping zenithward, towards which so `
` many telescopes were pointed. It was a warm night. Coming home, a `
` party of excursionists from Chertsey or Isleworth passed us singing `
` and playing music. There were lights in the upper windows of the `
` houses as the people went to bed. From the railway station in the `
` distance came the sound of shunting trains, ringing and rumbling, `
` softened almost into melody by the distance. My wife pointed out to `
` me the brightness of the red, green, and yellow signal lights hanging `
` in a framework against the sky. It seemed so safe and tranquil. `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER TWO `
` `
` THE FALLING STAR `
` `
` `
` Then came the night of the first falling star. It was seen early `
` in the morning, rushing over Winchester eastward, a line of flame high `
` in the atmosphere. Hundreds must have seen it, and taken it for an `
` ordinary falling star. Albin described it as leaving a greenish `
` streak behind it that glowed for some seconds. Denning, our greatest `
` authority on meteorites, stated that the height of its first `
` appearance was about ninety or one hundred miles. It seemed to him `
` that it fell to earth about one hundred miles east of him. `
` `
` I was at home at that hour and writing in my study; and although my `
` French windows face towards Ottershaw and the blind was up (for I `
` loved in those days to look up at the night sky), I saw nothing of it. `
` Yet this strangest of all things that ever came to earth from outer `
` space must have fallen while I was sitting there, visible to me had I `
` only looked up as it passed. Some of those who saw its flight say it `
` travelled with a hissing sound. I myself heard nothing of that. Many `
` people in Berkshire, Surrey, and Middlesex must have seen the fall of `
` it, and, at most, have thought that another meteorite had descended. `
` No one seems to have troubled to look for the fallen mass that night. `
` `
` But very early in the morning poor Ogilvy, who had seen the `
` shooting star and who was persuaded that a meteorite lay somewhere on `
` the common between Horsell, Ottershaw, and Woking, rose early with the `
` idea of finding it. Find it he did, soon after dawn, and not far from `
` the sand pits. An enormous hole had been made by the impact of the `
` projectile, and the sand and gravel had been flung violently in every `
` direction over the heath, forming heaps visible a mile and a half `
` `
` away. The heather was on fire eastward, and a thin blue smoke rose `
` against the dawn. `
` `
` The Thing itself lay almost entirely buried in sand, amidst the `
` scattered splinters of a fir tree it had shivered to fragments in its `
` descent. The uncovered part had the appearance of a huge cylinder, `
` caked over and its outline softened by a thick scaly dun-coloured `
` incrustation. It had a diameter of about thirty yards. He approached `
` the mass, surprised at the size and more so at the shape, since most `
` meteorites are rounded more or less completely. It was, however, `
` still so hot from its flight through the air as to forbid his near `
` approach. A stirring noise within its cylinder he ascribed to the `
` unequal cooling of its surface; for at that time it had not occurred `
` to him that it might be hollow. `
` `
` He remained standing at the edge of the pit that the Thing had made `
` for itself, staring at its strange appearance, astonished chiefly at `
` its unusual shape and colour, and dimly perceiving even then some `
` evidence of design in its arrival. The early morning was wonderfully `
` still, and the sun, just clearing the pine trees towards Weybridge, `
` was already warm. He did not remember hearing any birds that morning, `
` there was certainly no breeze stirring, and the only sounds were the `
` faint movements from within the cindery cylinder. He was all alone on `
` the common. `
` `
` Then suddenly he noticed with a start that some of the grey `
` clinker, the ashy incrustation that covered the meteorite, was falling `
` off the circular edge of the end. It was dropping off in flakes and `
` raining down upon the sand. A large piece suddenly came off and fell `
` with a sharp noise that brought his heart into his mouth. `
` `
` For a minute he scarcely realised what this meant, and, although `
` the heat was excessive, he clambered down into the pit close to the `
` bulk to see the Thing more clearly. He fancied even then that the `
` cooling of the body might account for this, but what disturbed that `
` idea was the fact that the ash was falling only from the end of the `
` cylinder. `
` `
` And then he perceived that, very slowly, the circular top of the `
` cylinder was rotating on its body. It was such a gradual movement `
` that he discovered it only through noticing that a black mark that had `
` been near him five minutes ago was now at the other side of the `
` circumference. Even then he scarcely understood what this indicated, `
` until he heard a muffled grating sound and saw the black mark jerk `
` forward an inch or so. Then the thing came upon him in a flash. The `
` cylinder was artificial--hollow--with an end that screwed out! `
` Something within the cylinder was unscrewing the top! `
` `
` "Good heavens!" said Ogilvy. "There's a man in it--men in it! Half `
` roasted to death! Trying to escape!" `
` `
` At once, with a quick mental leap, he linked the Thing with the `
` flash upon Mars. `
` `
` The thought of the confined creature was so dreadful to him that he `
` forgot the heat and went forward to the cylinder to help turn. But `
` luckily the dull radiation arrested him before he could burn his hands `
` on the still-glowing metal. At that he stood irresolute for a moment, `
` then turned, scrambled out of the pit, and set off running wildly into `
` Woking. The time then must have been somewhere about six o'clock. `
` He met a waggoner and tried to make him understand, but the tale he `
` told and his appearance were so wild--his hat had fallen off in the `
` pit--that the man simply drove on. He was equally unsuccessful with the `
` potman who was just unlocking the doors of the public-house by Horsell `
` Bridge. The fellow thought he was a lunatic at large and made an `
` unsuccessful attempt to shut him into the taproom. That sobered him a `
` little; and when he saw Henderson, the London journalist, in his `
` garden, he called over the palings and made himself understood. `
` `
` "Henderson," he called, "you saw that shooting star last night?" `
` `
` "Well?" said Henderson. `
` `
` "It's out on Horsell Common now." `
` `
` "Good Lord!" said Henderson. "Fallen meteorite! That's good." `
` `
` "But it's something more than a meteorite. It's a cylinder--an `
` artificial cylinder, man! And there's something inside." `
` `
` Henderson stood up with his spade in his hand. `
` `
` "What's that?" he said. He was deaf in one ear. `
` `
` Ogilvy told him all that he had seen. Henderson was a minute or so `
` taking it in. Then he dropped his spade, snatched up his jacket, and `
` came out into the road. The two men hurried back at once to the `
` common, and found the cylinder still lying in the same position. But `
` now the sounds inside had ceased, and a thin circle of bright metal `
` showed between the top and the body of the cylinder. Air was either `
` entering or escaping at the rim with a thin, sizzling sound. `
` `
` They listened, rapped on the scaly burnt metal with a stick, and, `
` meeting with no response, they both concluded the man or men inside `
` must be insensible or dead. `
` `
` Of course the two were quite unable to do anything. They shouted `
` consolation and promises, and went off back to the town again to get `
` help. One can imagine them, covered with sand, excited and `
` disordered, running up the little street in the bright sunlight just `
` as the shop folks were taking down their shutters and people were `
` opening their bedroom windows. Henderson went into the railway `
` station at once, in order to telegraph the news to London. The `
` newspaper articles had prepared men's minds for the reception of the `
` idea. `
` `
` By eight o'clock a number of boys and unemployed men had already `
` started for the common to see the "dead men from Mars." That was the `
` form the story took. I heard of it first from my newspaper boy about `
` a quarter to nine when I went out to get my _Daily Chronicle_. I was `
` naturally startled, and lost no time in going out and across the `
` Ottershaw bridge to the sand pits. `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER THREE `
` `
` ON HORSELL COMMON `
` `
` `
` I found a little crowd of perhaps twenty people surrounding the `
` huge hole in which the cylinder lay. I have already described the `
` appearance of that colossal bulk, embedded in the ground. The turf `
` and gravel about it seemed charred as if by a sudden explosion. No `
` doubt its impact had caused a flash of fire. Henderson and Ogilvy `
` were not there. I think they perceived that nothing was to be done `
` for the present, and had gone away to breakfast at Henderson's house. `
` `
`
` flame each night. Why the shots ceased after the tenth no one on `
` earth has attempted to explain. It may be the gases of the firing `
` caused the Martians inconvenience. Dense clouds of smoke or dust, `
` visible through a powerful telescope on earth as little grey, `
` fluctuating patches, spread through the clearness of the planet's `
` atmosphere and obscured its more familiar features. `
` `
` Even the daily papers woke up to the disturbances at last, and `
` popular notes appeared here, there, and everywhere concerning the `
` volcanoes upon Mars. The seriocomic periodical _Punch_, I remember, `
` made a happy use of it in the political cartoon. And, all `
` unsuspected, those missiles the Martians had fired at us drew `
` earthward, rushing now at a pace of many miles a second through the `
` empty gulf of space, hour by hour and day by day, nearer and nearer. `
` It seems to me now almost incredibly wonderful that, with that swift `
` fate hanging over us, men could go about their petty concerns as they `
` did. I remember how jubilant Markham was at securing a new photograph `
` of the planet for the illustrated paper he edited in those days. `
` People in these latter times scarcely realise the abundance and `
` enterprise of our nineteenth-century papers. For my own part, I was `
` much occupied in learning to ride the bicycle, and busy upon a series `
` of papers discussing the probable developments of moral ideas as `
` civilisation progressed. `
` `
` One night (the first missile then could scarcely have been `
` 10,000,000 miles away) I went for a walk with my wife. It was `
` starlight and I explained the Signs of the Zodiac to her, and pointed `
` out Mars, a bright dot of light creeping zenithward, towards which so `
` many telescopes were pointed. It was a warm night. Coming home, a `
` party of excursionists from Chertsey or Isleworth passed us singing `
` and playing music. There were lights in the upper windows of the `
` houses as the people went to bed. From the railway station in the `
` distance came the sound of shunting trains, ringing and rumbling, `
` softened almost into melody by the distance. My wife pointed out to `
` me the brightness of the red, green, and yellow signal lights hanging `
` in a framework against the sky. It seemed so safe and tranquil. `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER TWO `
` `
` THE FALLING STAR `
` `
` `
` Then came the night of the first falling star. It was seen early `
` in the morning, rushing over Winchester eastward, a line of flame high `
` in the atmosphere. Hundreds must have seen it, and taken it for an `
` ordinary falling star. Albin described it as leaving a greenish `
` streak behind it that glowed for some seconds. Denning, our greatest `
` authority on meteorites, stated that the height of its first `
` appearance was about ninety or one hundred miles. It seemed to him `
` that it fell to earth about one hundred miles east of him. `
` `
` I was at home at that hour and writing in my study; and although my `
` French windows face towards Ottershaw and the blind was up (for I `
` loved in those days to look up at the night sky), I saw nothing of it. `
` Yet this strangest of all things that ever came to earth from outer `
` space must have fallen while I was sitting there, visible to me had I `
` only looked up as it passed. Some of those who saw its flight say it `
` travelled with a hissing sound. I myself heard nothing of that. Many `
` people in Berkshire, Surrey, and Middlesex must have seen the fall of `
` it, and, at most, have thought that another meteorite had descended. `
` No one seems to have troubled to look for the fallen mass that night. `
` `
` But very early in the morning poor Ogilvy, who had seen the `
` shooting star and who was persuaded that a meteorite lay somewhere on `
` the common between Horsell, Ottershaw, and Woking, rose early with the `
` idea of finding it. Find it he did, soon after dawn, and not far from `
` the sand pits. An enormous hole had been made by the impact of the `
` projectile, and the sand and gravel had been flung violently in every `
` direction over the heath, forming heaps visible a mile and a half `
` `
` away. The heather was on fire eastward, and a thin blue smoke rose `
` against the dawn. `
` `
` The Thing itself lay almost entirely buried in sand, amidst the `
` scattered splinters of a fir tree it had shivered to fragments in its `
` descent. The uncovered part had the appearance of a huge cylinder, `
` caked over and its outline softened by a thick scaly dun-coloured `
` incrustation. It had a diameter of about thirty yards. He approached `
` the mass, surprised at the size and more so at the shape, since most `
` meteorites are rounded more or less completely. It was, however, `
` still so hot from its flight through the air as to forbid his near `
` approach. A stirring noise within its cylinder he ascribed to the `
` unequal cooling of its surface; for at that time it had not occurred `
` to him that it might be hollow. `
` `
` He remained standing at the edge of the pit that the Thing had made `
` for itself, staring at its strange appearance, astonished chiefly at `
` its unusual shape and colour, and dimly perceiving even then some `
` evidence of design in its arrival. The early morning was wonderfully `
` still, and the sun, just clearing the pine trees towards Weybridge, `
` was already warm. He did not remember hearing any birds that morning, `
` there was certainly no breeze stirring, and the only sounds were the `
` faint movements from within the cindery cylinder. He was all alone on `
` the common. `
` `
` Then suddenly he noticed with a start that some of the grey `
` clinker, the ashy incrustation that covered the meteorite, was falling `
` off the circular edge of the end. It was dropping off in flakes and `
` raining down upon the sand. A large piece suddenly came off and fell `
` with a sharp noise that brought his heart into his mouth. `
` `
` For a minute he scarcely realised what this meant, and, although `
` the heat was excessive, he clambered down into the pit close to the `
` bulk to see the Thing more clearly. He fancied even then that the `
` cooling of the body might account for this, but what disturbed that `
` idea was the fact that the ash was falling only from the end of the `
` cylinder. `
` `
` And then he perceived that, very slowly, the circular top of the `
` cylinder was rotating on its body. It was such a gradual movement `
` that he discovered it only through noticing that a black mark that had `
` been near him five minutes ago was now at the other side of the `
` circumference. Even then he scarcely understood what this indicated, `
` until he heard a muffled grating sound and saw the black mark jerk `
` forward an inch or so. Then the thing came upon him in a flash. The `
` cylinder was artificial--hollow--with an end that screwed out! `
` Something within the cylinder was unscrewing the top! `
` `
` "Good heavens!" said Ogilvy. "There's a man in it--men in it! Half `
` roasted to death! Trying to escape!" `
` `
` At once, with a quick mental leap, he linked the Thing with the `
` flash upon Mars. `
` `
` The thought of the confined creature was so dreadful to him that he `
` forgot the heat and went forward to the cylinder to help turn. But `
` luckily the dull radiation arrested him before he could burn his hands `
` on the still-glowing metal. At that he stood irresolute for a moment, `
` then turned, scrambled out of the pit, and set off running wildly into `
` Woking. The time then must have been somewhere about six o'clock. `
` He met a waggoner and tried to make him understand, but the tale he `
` told and his appearance were so wild--his hat had fallen off in the `
` pit--that the man simply drove on. He was equally unsuccessful with the `
` potman who was just unlocking the doors of the public-house by Horsell `
` Bridge. The fellow thought he was a lunatic at large and made an `
` unsuccessful attempt to shut him into the taproom. That sobered him a `
` little; and when he saw Henderson, the London journalist, in his `
` garden, he called over the palings and made himself understood. `
` `
` "Henderson," he called, "you saw that shooting star last night?" `
` `
` "Well?" said Henderson. `
` `
` "It's out on Horsell Common now." `
` `
` "Good Lord!" said Henderson. "Fallen meteorite! That's good." `
` `
` "But it's something more than a meteorite. It's a cylinder--an `
` artificial cylinder, man! And there's something inside." `
` `
` Henderson stood up with his spade in his hand. `
` `
` "What's that?" he said. He was deaf in one ear. `
` `
` Ogilvy told him all that he had seen. Henderson was a minute or so `
` taking it in. Then he dropped his spade, snatched up his jacket, and `
` came out into the road. The two men hurried back at once to the `
` common, and found the cylinder still lying in the same position. But `
` now the sounds inside had ceased, and a thin circle of bright metal `
` showed between the top and the body of the cylinder. Air was either `
` entering or escaping at the rim with a thin, sizzling sound. `
` `
` They listened, rapped on the scaly burnt metal with a stick, and, `
` meeting with no response, they both concluded the man or men inside `
` must be insensible or dead. `
` `
` Of course the two were quite unable to do anything. They shouted `
` consolation and promises, and went off back to the town again to get `
` help. One can imagine them, covered with sand, excited and `
` disordered, running up the little street in the bright sunlight just `
` as the shop folks were taking down their shutters and people were `
` opening their bedroom windows. Henderson went into the railway `
` station at once, in order to telegraph the news to London. The `
` newspaper articles had prepared men's minds for the reception of the `
` idea. `
` `
` By eight o'clock a number of boys and unemployed men had already `
` started for the common to see the "dead men from Mars." That was the `
` form the story took. I heard of it first from my newspaper boy about `
` a quarter to nine when I went out to get my _Daily Chronicle_. I was `
` naturally startled, and lost no time in going out and across the `
` Ottershaw bridge to the sand pits. `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER THREE `
` `
` ON HORSELL COMMON `
` `
` `
` I found a little crowd of perhaps twenty people surrounding the `
` huge hole in which the cylinder lay. I have already described the `
` appearance of that colossal bulk, embedded in the ground. The turf `
` and gravel about it seemed charred as if by a sudden explosion. No `
` doubt its impact had caused a flash of fire. Henderson and Ogilvy `
` were not there. I think they perceived that nothing was to be done `
` for the present, and had gone away to breakfast at Henderson's house. `
` `
`