Reading Help War of the worlds by H. G. Wells. Book 1
`
` There were four or five boys sitting on the edge of the Pit, with `
` their feet dangling, and amusing themselves--until I stopped them--by `
` throwing stones at the giant mass. After I had spoken to them about `
` it, they began playing at "touch" in and out of the group of `
` bystanders. `
` `
` Among these were a couple of cyclists, a jobbing gardener I `
` employed sometimes, a girl carrying a baby, Gregg the butcher and his `
` little boy, and two or three loafers and golf caddies who were `
` accustomed to hang about the railway station. There was very little `
` talking. Few of the common people in England had anything but the `
` vaguest astronomical ideas in those days. Most of them were staring `
` quietly at the big table like end of the cylinder, which was still as `
` Ogilvy and Henderson had left it. I fancy the popular expectation of `
` a heap of charred corpses was disappointed at this inanimate bulk. `
` Some went away while I was there, and other people came. I clambered `
` into the pit and fancied I heard a faint movement under my feet. The `
` top had certainly ceased to rotate. `
` `
` It was only when I got thus close to it that the strangeness of `
` this object was at all evident to me. At the first glance it was `
` really no more exciting than an overturned carriage or a tree blown `
` across the road. Not so much so, indeed. It looked like a rusty gas `
` float. It required a certain amount of scientific education to `
` perceive that the grey scale of the Thing was no common oxide, that `
` the yellowish-white metal that gleamed in the crack between the lid `
` and the cylinder had an unfamiliar hue. "Extra-terrestrial" had no `
` meaning for most of the onlookers. `
` `
` At that time it was quite clear in my own mind that the Thing had `
` come from the planet Mars, but I judged it improbable that it `
` contained any living creature. I thought the unscrewing might be `
` automatic. In spite of Ogilvy, I still believed that there were men `
` in Mars. My mind ran fancifully on the possibilities of its `
` containing manuscript, on the difficulties in translation that might `
` arise, whether we should find coins and models in it, and so forth. `
` Yet it was a little too large for assurance on this idea. I felt an `
` impatience to see it opened. About eleven, as nothing seemed `
` happening, I walked back, full of such thought, to my home in Maybury. `
` But I found it difficult to get to work upon my abstract `
` investigations. `
` `
` In the afternoon the appearance of the common had altered very `
` much. The early editions of the evening papers had startled London `
` with enormous headlines: `
` `
` "A MESSAGE RECEIVED FROM MARS." `
` `
` "REMARKABLE STORY FROM WOKING," `
` `
` and so forth. In addition, Ogilvy's wire to the Astronomical Exchange `
` had roused every observatory in the three kingdoms. `
` `
` There were half a dozen flies or more from the Woking station `
` standing in the road by the sand pits, a basket-chaise from Chobham, `
` and a rather lordly carriage. Besides that, there was quite a heap of `
` bicycles. In addition, a large number of people must have walked, in `
` spite of the heat of the day, from Woking and Chertsey, so that there `
` was altogether quite a considerable crowd--one or two gaily dressed `
` ladies among the others. `
` `
` It was glaringly hot, not a cloud in the sky nor a breath of wind, `
` and the only shadow was that of the few scattered pine trees. The `
` burning heather had been extinguished, but the level ground towards `
` Ottershaw was blackened as far as one could see, and still giving off `
` vertical streamers of smoke. An enterprising sweet-stuff dealer in `
` the Chobham Road had sent up his son with a barrow-load of green `
` apples and ginger beer. `
` `
` Going to the edge of the pit, I found it occupied by a group of `
` about half a dozen men--Henderson, Ogilvy, and a tall, fair-haired man `
` that I afterwards learned was Stent, the Astronomer Royal, with `
` several workmen wielding spades and pickaxes. Stent was giving `
` directions in a clear, high-pitched voice. He was standing on the `
` cylinder, which was now evidently much cooler; his face was crimson `
` and streaming with perspiration, and something seemed to have `
` irritated him. `
` `
` A large portion of the cylinder had been uncovered, though its `
` lower end was still embedded. As soon as Ogilvy saw me among the `
` staring crowd on the edge of the pit he called to me to come down, and `
` asked me if I would mind going over to see Lord Hilton, the lord of `
` the manor. `
` `
` The growing crowd, he said, was becoming a serious impediment to `
` their excavations, especially the boys. They wanted a light railing `
` put up, and help to keep the people back. He told me that a faint `
` stirring was occasionally still audible within the case, but that the `
` workmen had failed to unscrew the top, as it afforded no grip to them. `
` The case appeared to be enormously thick, and it was possible that the `
` faint sounds we heard represented a noisy tumult in the interior. `
` `
` I was very glad to do as he asked, and so become one of the `
` privileged spectators within the contemplated enclosure. I failed to `
` find Lord Hilton at his house, but I was told he was expected from `
` London by the six o'clock train from Waterloo; and as it was then `
` about a quarter past five, I went home, had some tea, and walked up to `
` the station to waylay him. `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER FOUR `
` `
` THE CYLINDER OPENS `
` `
` `
` When I returned to the common the sun was setting. Scattered groups `
` were hurrying from the direction of Woking, and one or two persons `
` were returning. The crowd about the pit had increased, and stood out `
` black against the lemon yellow of the sky--a couple of hundred people, `
` perhaps. There were raised voices, and some sort of struggle appeared `
` to be going on about the pit. Strange imaginings passed through my `
` mind. As I drew nearer I heard Stent's voice: `
` `
` "Keep back! Keep back!" `
` `
` A boy came running towards me. `
` `
` "It's a-movin'," he said to me as he passed; "a-screwin' and `
` a-screwin' out. I don't like it. I'm a-goin' 'ome, I am." `
` `
` I went on to the crowd. There were really, I should think, two or `
` three hundred people elbowing and jostling one another, the one or two `
` ladies there being by no means the least active. `
` `
` "He's fallen in the pit!" cried some one. `
` `
` "Keep back!" said several. `
` `
` The crowd swayed a little, and I elbowed my way through. Every one `
` seemed greatly excited. I heard a peculiar humming sound from the `
` pit. `
` `
` "I say!" said Ogilvy; "help keep these idiots back. We don't know `
` what's in the confounded thing, you know!" `
` `
` I saw a young man, a shop assistant in Woking I believe he was, `
` standing on the cylinder and trying to scramble out of the hole again. `
` The crowd had pushed him in. `
` `
` The end of the cylinder was being screwed out from within. Nearly `
` two feet of shining screw projected. Somebody blundered against me, `
` and I narrowly missed being pitched onto the top of the screw. I `
` turned, and as I did so the screw must have come out, for the lid of `
` the cylinder fell upon the gravel with a ringing concussion. I stuck `
` my elbow into the person behind me, and turned my head towards the `
` Thing again. For a moment that circular cavity seemed perfectly black. `
` I had the sunset in my eyes. `
` `
` I think everyone expected to see a man emerge--possibly something a `
` little unlike us terrestrial men, but in all essentials a man. I know `
` I did. But, looking, I presently saw something stirring within the `
` shadow: greyish billowy movements, one above another, and then two `
` luminous disks--like eyes. Then something resembling a little grey `
` snake, about the thickness of a walking stick, coiled up out of the `
` writhing middle, and wriggled in the air towards me--and then another. `
` `
` A sudden chill came over me. There was a loud shriek from a woman `
` behind. I half turned, keeping my eyes fixed upon the cylinder still, `
` from which other tentacles were now projecting, and began pushing my `
` way back from the edge of the pit. I saw astonishment giving place to `
` horror on the faces of the people about me. I heard inarticulate `
` exclamations on all sides. There was a general movement backwards. `
` I saw the shopman struggling still on the edge of the pit. I found `
` myself alone, and saw the people on the other side of the pit running `
` off, Stent among them. I looked again at the cylinder, and `
` ungovernable terror gripped me. I stood petrified and staring. `
` `
` A big greyish rounded bulk, the size, perhaps, of a bear, was `
` rising slowly and painfully out of the cylinder. As it bulged up and `
` caught the light, it glistened like wet leather. `
` `
` Two large dark-coloured eyes were regarding me steadfastly. The `
` mass that framed them, the head of the thing, was rounded, and had, `
` one might say, a face. There was a mouth under the eyes, the lipless `
` brim of which quivered and panted, and dropped saliva. The whole `
` creature heaved and pulsated convulsively. A lank tentacular `
` appendage gripped the edge of the cylinder, another swayed in the air. `
` `
` Those who have never seen a living Martian can scarcely imagine the `
` strange horror of its appearance. The peculiar V-shaped mouth with `
` its pointed upper lip, the absence of brow ridges, the absence of a `
` chin beneath the wedgelike lower lip, the incessant quivering of this `
` mouth, the Gorgon groups of tentacles, the tumultuous breathing of the `
` lungs in a strange atmosphere, the evident heaviness and painfulness `
` of movement due to the greater gravitational energy of the earth--above `
` all, the extraordinary intensity of the immense eyes--were at `
` once vital, intense, inhuman, crippled and monstrous. There was `
` something fungoid in the oily brown skin, something in the clumsy `
` deliberation of the tedious movements unspeakably nasty. Even at this `
` first encounter, this first glimpse, I was overcome with disgust and `
` dread. `
` `
` Suddenly the monster vanished. It had toppled over the brim of the `
` cylinder and fallen into the pit, with a thud like the fall of a great `
` mass of leather. I heard it give a peculiar thick cry, and forthwith `
` another of these creatures appeared darkly in the deep shadow of the `
` aperture. `
` `
` I turned and, running madly, made for the first group of trees, `
`
` There were four or five boys sitting on the edge of the Pit, with `
` their feet dangling, and amusing themselves--until I stopped them--by `
` throwing stones at the giant mass. After I had spoken to them about `
` it, they began playing at "touch" in and out of the group of `
` bystanders. `
` `
` Among these were a couple of cyclists, a jobbing gardener I `
` employed sometimes, a girl carrying a baby, Gregg the butcher and his `
` little boy, and two or three loafers and golf caddies who were `
` accustomed to hang about the railway station. There was very little `
` talking. Few of the common people in England had anything but the `
` vaguest astronomical ideas in those days. Most of them were staring `
` quietly at the big table like end of the cylinder, which was still as `
` Ogilvy and Henderson had left it. I fancy the popular expectation of `
` a heap of charred corpses was disappointed at this inanimate bulk. `
` Some went away while I was there, and other people came. I clambered `
` into the pit and fancied I heard a faint movement under my feet. The `
` top had certainly ceased to rotate. `
` `
` It was only when I got thus close to it that the strangeness of `
` this object was at all evident to me. At the first glance it was `
` really no more exciting than an overturned carriage or a tree blown `
` across the road. Not so much so, indeed. It looked like a rusty gas `
` float. It required a certain amount of scientific education to `
` perceive that the grey scale of the Thing was no common oxide, that `
` the yellowish-white metal that gleamed in the crack between the lid `
` and the cylinder had an unfamiliar hue. "Extra-terrestrial" had no `
` meaning for most of the onlookers. `
` `
` At that time it was quite clear in my own mind that the Thing had `
` come from the planet Mars, but I judged it improbable that it `
` contained any living creature. I thought the unscrewing might be `
` automatic. In spite of Ogilvy, I still believed that there were men `
` in Mars. My mind ran fancifully on the possibilities of its `
` containing manuscript, on the difficulties in translation that might `
` arise, whether we should find coins and models in it, and so forth. `
` Yet it was a little too large for assurance on this idea. I felt an `
` impatience to see it opened. About eleven, as nothing seemed `
` happening, I walked back, full of such thought, to my home in Maybury. `
` But I found it difficult to get to work upon my abstract `
` investigations. `
` `
` In the afternoon the appearance of the common had altered very `
` much. The early editions of the evening papers had startled London `
` with enormous headlines: `
` `
` "A MESSAGE RECEIVED FROM MARS." `
` `
` "REMARKABLE STORY FROM WOKING," `
` `
` and so forth. In addition, Ogilvy's wire to the Astronomical Exchange `
` had roused every observatory in the three kingdoms. `
` `
` There were half a dozen flies or more from the Woking station `
` standing in the road by the sand pits, a basket-chaise from Chobham, `
` and a rather lordly carriage. Besides that, there was quite a heap of `
` bicycles. In addition, a large number of people must have walked, in `
` spite of the heat of the day, from Woking and Chertsey, so that there `
` was altogether quite a considerable crowd--one or two gaily dressed `
` ladies among the others. `
` `
` It was glaringly hot, not a cloud in the sky nor a breath of wind, `
` and the only shadow was that of the few scattered pine trees. The `
` burning heather had been extinguished, but the level ground towards `
` Ottershaw was blackened as far as one could see, and still giving off `
` vertical streamers of smoke. An enterprising sweet-stuff dealer in `
` the Chobham Road had sent up his son with a barrow-load of green `
` apples and ginger beer. `
` `
` Going to the edge of the pit, I found it occupied by a group of `
` about half a dozen men--Henderson, Ogilvy, and a tall, fair-haired man `
` that I afterwards learned was Stent, the Astronomer Royal, with `
` several workmen wielding spades and pickaxes. Stent was giving `
` directions in a clear, high-pitched voice. He was standing on the `
` cylinder, which was now evidently much cooler; his face was crimson `
` and streaming with perspiration, and something seemed to have `
` irritated him. `
` `
` A large portion of the cylinder had been uncovered, though its `
` lower end was still embedded. As soon as Ogilvy saw me among the `
` staring crowd on the edge of the pit he called to me to come down, and `
` asked me if I would mind going over to see Lord Hilton, the lord of `
` the manor. `
` `
` The growing crowd, he said, was becoming a serious impediment to `
` their excavations, especially the boys. They wanted a light railing `
` put up, and help to keep the people back. He told me that a faint `
` stirring was occasionally still audible within the case, but that the `
` workmen had failed to unscrew the top, as it afforded no grip to them. `
` The case appeared to be enormously thick, and it was possible that the `
` faint sounds we heard represented a noisy tumult in the interior. `
` `
` I was very glad to do as he asked, and so become one of the `
` privileged spectators within the contemplated enclosure. I failed to `
` find Lord Hilton at his house, but I was told he was expected from `
` London by the six o'clock train from Waterloo; and as it was then `
` about a quarter past five, I went home, had some tea, and walked up to `
` the station to waylay him. `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER FOUR `
` `
` THE CYLINDER OPENS `
` `
` `
` When I returned to the common the sun was setting. Scattered groups `
` were hurrying from the direction of Woking, and one or two persons `
` were returning. The crowd about the pit had increased, and stood out `
` black against the lemon yellow of the sky--a couple of hundred people, `
` perhaps. There were raised voices, and some sort of struggle appeared `
` to be going on about the pit. Strange imaginings passed through my `
` mind. As I drew nearer I heard Stent's voice: `
` `
` "Keep back! Keep back!" `
` `
` A boy came running towards me. `
` `
` "It's a-movin'," he said to me as he passed; "a-screwin' and `
` a-screwin' out. I don't like it. I'm a-goin' 'ome, I am." `
` `
` I went on to the crowd. There were really, I should think, two or `
` three hundred people elbowing and jostling one another, the one or two `
` ladies there being by no means the least active. `
` `
` "He's fallen in the pit!" cried some one. `
` `
` "Keep back!" said several. `
` `
` The crowd swayed a little, and I elbowed my way through. Every one `
` seemed greatly excited. I heard a peculiar humming sound from the `
` pit. `
` `
` "I say!" said Ogilvy; "help keep these idiots back. We don't know `
` what's in the confounded thing, you know!" `
` `
` I saw a young man, a shop assistant in Woking I believe he was, `
` standing on the cylinder and trying to scramble out of the hole again. `
` The crowd had pushed him in. `
` `
` The end of the cylinder was being screwed out from within. Nearly `
` two feet of shining screw projected. Somebody blundered against me, `
` and I narrowly missed being pitched onto the top of the screw. I `
` turned, and as I did so the screw must have come out, for the lid of `
` the cylinder fell upon the gravel with a ringing concussion. I stuck `
` my elbow into the person behind me, and turned my head towards the `
` Thing again. For a moment that circular cavity seemed perfectly black. `
` I had the sunset in my eyes. `
` `
` I think everyone expected to see a man emerge--possibly something a `
` little unlike us terrestrial men, but in all essentials a man. I know `
` I did. But, looking, I presently saw something stirring within the `
` shadow: greyish billowy movements, one above another, and then two `
` luminous disks--like eyes. Then something resembling a little grey `
` snake, about the thickness of a walking stick, coiled up out of the `
` writhing middle, and wriggled in the air towards me--and then another. `
` `
` A sudden chill came over me. There was a loud shriek from a woman `
` behind. I half turned, keeping my eyes fixed upon the cylinder still, `
` from which other tentacles were now projecting, and began pushing my `
` way back from the edge of the pit. I saw astonishment giving place to `
` horror on the faces of the people about me. I heard inarticulate `
` exclamations on all sides. There was a general movement backwards. `
` I saw the shopman struggling still on the edge of the pit. I found `
` myself alone, and saw the people on the other side of the pit running `
` off, Stent among them. I looked again at the cylinder, and `
` ungovernable terror gripped me. I stood petrified and staring. `
` `
` A big greyish rounded bulk, the size, perhaps, of a bear, was `
` rising slowly and painfully out of the cylinder. As it bulged up and `
` caught the light, it glistened like wet leather. `
` `
` Two large dark-coloured eyes were regarding me steadfastly. The `
` mass that framed them, the head of the thing, was rounded, and had, `
` one might say, a face. There was a mouth under the eyes, the lipless `
` brim of which quivered and panted, and dropped saliva. The whole `
` creature heaved and pulsated convulsively. A lank tentacular `
` appendage gripped the edge of the cylinder, another swayed in the air. `
` `
` Those who have never seen a living Martian can scarcely imagine the `
` strange horror of its appearance. The peculiar V-shaped mouth with `
` its pointed upper lip, the absence of brow ridges, the absence of a `
` chin beneath the wedgelike lower lip, the incessant quivering of this `
` mouth, the Gorgon groups of tentacles, the tumultuous breathing of the `
` lungs in a strange atmosphere, the evident heaviness and painfulness `
` of movement due to the greater gravitational energy of the earth--above `
` all, the extraordinary intensity of the immense eyes--were at `
` once vital, intense, inhuman, crippled and monstrous. There was `
` something fungoid in the oily brown skin, something in the clumsy `
` deliberation of the tedious movements unspeakably nasty. Even at this `
` first encounter, this first glimpse, I was overcome with disgust and `
` dread. `
` `
` Suddenly the monster vanished. It had toppled over the brim of the `
` cylinder and fallen into the pit, with a thud like the fall of a great `
` mass of leather. I heard it give a peculiar thick cry, and forthwith `
` another of these creatures appeared darkly in the deep shadow of the `
` aperture. `
` `
` I turned and, running madly, made for the first group of trees, `
`