登陆注册
4718800000012

第12章

I thought perplexed. Then I remembered her cousins at Leatherhead.

"Leatherhead!" I shouted above the sudden noise.

She looked away from me downhill. The people were coming out of their houses, astonished.

"How are we to get to Leatherhead?" she said.

Down the hill I saw a bevy of hussars ride under the railway bridge;three galloped through the open gates of the Oriental College; two others dismounted, and began running from house to house. The sun, shining through the smoke that drove up from the tops of the trees, seemed blood red, and threw an unfamiliar lurid light upon everything.

"Stop here," said I; "you are safe here"; and I started off at once for the Spotted Dog, for I knew the landlord had a horse and dog cart.

I ran, for I perceived that in a moment everyone upon this side of the hill would be moving. I found him in his bar, quite unaware of what was going on behind his house. A man stood with his back to me, talking to him.

"I must have a pound," said the landlord, "and I've no one to drive it.""I'll give you two," said I, over the stranger's shoulder.

"What for?"

"And I'll bring it back by midnight," I said.

"Lord!" said the landlord; "what's the hurry? I'm selling my bit of a pig. Two pounds, and you bring it back? What's going on now?"I explained hastily that I had to leave my home, and so secured the dog cart. At the time it did not seem to me nearly so urgent that the landlord should leave his. I took care to have the cart there and then, drove it off down the road, and, leaving it in charge of my wife and servant, rushed into my house and packed a few valuables, such plate as we had, and so forth. The beech trees below the house were burning while I did this, and the palings up the road glowed red. While I was occupied in this way, one of the dismounted hussars came running up. He was going from house to house, warning peo- ple to leave. He was going on as I came out of my front door, lugging my treasures, done up in a tablecloth. I shouted after him:

"What news?"

He turned, stared, bawled something about "crawling out in a thing like a dish cover," and ran on to the gate of the house at the crest. A sudden whirl of black smoke driving across the road hid him for a moment. I ran to my neighbour's door and rapped to satisfy myself of what I already knew, that his wife had gone to London with him and had locked up their house.

I went in again, according to my promise, to get my servant's box, lugged it out, clapped it beside her on the tail of the dog cart, and then caught the reins and jumped up into the driver's seat beside my wife. In another moment we were clear of the smoke and noise, and spanking down the opposite slope of Maybury Hill towards Old Woking.

In front was a quiet sunny landscape, a wheat field ahead on either side of the road, and the Maybury Inn with its swinging sign. I saw the doctor's cart ahead of me. At the bottom of the hill I turned my head to look at the hillside I was leaving. Thick streamers of black smoke shot with threads of red fire were driving up into the still air, and throwing dark shadows upon the green treetops eastward. The smoke already extended far away to the east and west--to the By- fleet pine woods eastward, and to Woking on the west. The road was dotted with people running towards us. And very faint now, but very distinct through the hot, quiet air, one heard the whirr of a machine-gun that was presently stilled, and an intermittent cracking of rifles. Apparently the Mar- tians were setting fire to everything within range of their Heat-Ray.

I am not an expert driver, and I had immediately to turn my attention to the horse. When I looked back again the second hill had hidden the black smoke. I slashed the horse with the whip, and gave him a loose rein until Woking and Send lay between us and that quivering tumult. I overtook and passed the doctor between Woking and Send.

In the Storm Leatherhead is about twelve miles from Maybury Hill. The scent of hay was in the air through the lush meadows beyond Pyrford, and the hedges on either side were sweet and gay with multitudes of dog-roses. The heavy firing that had broken out while we were driving down Maybury Hill ceased as abruptly as it began, leaving the evening very peace- ful and still. We got to Leatherhead without misadventure about nine o'clock, and the horse had an hour's rest while I took supper with my cousins and commended my wife to their care.

My wife was curiously silent throughout the drive, and seemed oppressed with forebodings of evil. I talked to her reassuringly, pointing out that the Martians were tied to the Pit by sheer heaviness, and at the utmost could but crawl a little out of it; but she answered only in monosyllables.

Had it not been for my promise to the innkeeper, she would, I think, have urged me to stay in Leatherhead that night. Would that I had! Her face, I remember, was very white as we parted.

For my own part, I had been feverishly excited all day. Something very like the war fever that occasionally runs through a civilised community had got into my blood, and in my heart I was not so very sorry that I had to return to Maybury that night. I was even afraid that that last fusillade I had heard might mean the extermination of our invaders from Mars. I can best express my state of mind by saying that I wanted to be in at the death.

It was nearly eleven when I started to return. The night was unexpectedly dark; to me, walking out of the lighted passage of my cousins' house, it seemed indeed black, and it was as hot and close as the day. Overhead the clouds were driving fast, albeit not a breath stirred the shrubs about us. My cousins' man lit both lamps. Happily, I knew the road intimately.

My wife stood in the light of the doorway, and watched me until I jumped up into the dog cart. Then abruptly she turned and went in, leaving my cousins side by side wishing me good hap.

同类推荐
  • 国闻备乘

    国闻备乘

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 陇蜀余闻

    陇蜀余闻

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 诗史阁诗话

    诗史阁诗话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 仙溪志

    仙溪志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 明伦汇编人事典富贵部

    明伦汇编人事典富贵部

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 妾出自魔门

    妾出自魔门

    妖女出山,毒手遮天,魔魅天下——学成下山的第一天,堂堂将军府唯一的嫡女就被自家老爹以报恩之名塞进一顶小轿抬进了恩人家的偏门,做冲喜新娘,而且还是妾!原因就是那位丑名远扬、克死好几个未婚妻的大哥不愿娶妻?这到底是在开玩笑呢?还是在开玩笑呢?原本是看在可以有一个方便伪装的身份好完成魔门任务才嫁过来,可瞧瞧她都遇见了什么?后院的阴谋诡计,到处的栽赃陷害,还有国仇家恨混杂其中……老爹呀,您这是报恩还是报仇呢?遇到这么多有趣的事,害她忍不住想出手了可怎么办?害她想将这滩浑水搅得更乱怎么办?
  • 简·爱

    简·爱

    《简·爱》是英国著名女小说家夏洛蒂·勃朗特的代表作。出生贫寒的简·爱自幼失去父母,寄人篱下饱受欺凌,寄宿学校的艰苦生活,让她变得倔强而又坚强。当她在桑菲尔德任家庭教师时,爱上了脾气古怪的男主人罗切斯特。而就在他们举行婚礼的时候,她发现罗切斯特还有一个患有遗传精神病的妻子,一直被关在阁楼里。绝望的简·爱离开了桑菲尔德,而当她重新正视自己的内心,回到桑菲尔德时,却发现这里已是一片废墟。
  • 菡萏曲

    菡萏曲

    武周久视年间,十五岁的少女苏菡萏下山重夺家主之位,名闻天下意气风发之时,围绕她的秘密与诡计却早已展开。烟雨望春双城困,瑾年流光往事沉。从江南云碧到漠北月白,从荒山凉夜到九重之巅,她与他携手走过十年风雨,而秘密的尽头,又是一场风雨。一句话简介:双重人格少女的江湖复仇之路。
  • 君少暴宠:老婆,领个证

    君少暴宠:老婆,领个证

    她看他,冷面冷心外加暴力狂。他看她,装纯装伤外加装可怜。他用强权娶了她,她被迫嫁给了他都说他是言市最酷最冷最多金的男人,被万千女人追捧,活的像个国王!!可是,那个对老婆鞍前马后,狗腿的让人想狂揍的男人,到底是谁?
  • 彼岸循环

    彼岸循环

    星空大世界迎来第二次冲击,在这里,有邪神肆虐,有战舰横行,有修士度空……世界,将迎来巨变!
  • 农门相公,宠妻无度

    农门相公,宠妻无度

    穿越了,成为了一个没爹没娘的小可怜。荔枝表示,还好还好,我都习惯了。既然这样的话,她就带着一串儿包子弟弟妹妹发家致富就好了。迟仲景:钱我有,地我也有!只要你乖乖的,我的就是你的!
  • 被男神表白后我拽上了天

    被男神表白后我拽上了天

    “嫁给我,做所有人都羡慕的陆太太!”“那……你还会和以前一样宠我吗?”她小心翼翼问,看他点头,才把小手放他手心,“好,我嫁!”婚前,乔沐是陆先生常挂记在嘴边的女人,三两句话不离她。婚后,乔沐是陆先生心中的至宝,捧在手里怕摔了,含在嘴里怕化了。——有人问陆程舟,乔沐有哪里好,让你这么喜欢她,甚至一个电话让你抛下几个亿的合同千里迢迢从国外回来。陆程舟唇角含笑:“她或许哪里都不好,笨,缺点多,还总是丢三落四,可怎么办呢?我就是喜欢这样的她。”【超甜宠文√甜度指数100%】
  • 丑女的美人计

    丑女的美人计

    小姨拍案而怒:什么?那小妖精十几年前抢走你父亲,现在又一而再再而三来抢你男人?你忍得了?花如练咬牙道:忍不了!!小姨:走,小姨带你去找世外高人,你拜他为师,让他指点你一二,包你成为情场高手,勾谁得谁,谁也抢不走你男人。初次相见:花如练一脸惊艳,世外高人不该是七老八十的老头子吗?怎么这么年轻这么帅?哪知,绝色世外高人嫌她丑!!世外高人勉为其难道:拜我为师,我授你美人计,计计得逞,勾心得心,勾魂得魂。从此,阴差阳错,花如练成了猎手——专靠施美人计而达到目的的职业。师傅警告她:你这是玩弄感情,你在万花丛中过,能否片叶不沾身?花如练:呃,就……沾了两片……
  • 正版修仙

    正版修仙

    联盟历666年,政府要员自神秘遗址内挖掘到一个来自远古时代的残破服务器,苦心破解后得悉在远古时期,人类是宇宙中最强的生物,可飞天遁地,排山倒海,更可强化自身,肉身横渡宇宙。虽修炼之法尽失,然凭借人类得天独厚的创造性和不懈的努力,竟然也重新摸索出了许多修炼之法,联盟走上全民进化之路,武炼修真、魔法科技,尽复远古时期旧观!直到一个远古灵魂的到来……于此,真相揭开!“真特么是一群天才,话说,你们谁能告诉我,你们是怎么凭借一个小说网站,硬生生摸索出了真正的修炼法门的?!不过这样也好,最起码我方便了。”苏闲很是气定神闲的登录了自己在这个小说网站的VIP账号!新书《从灵气复苏到末法时代》,已经开始连载,大家多多捧场支持哈……
  • 甜爱N次方:颜少的绝密追妻计划

    甜爱N次方:颜少的绝密追妻计划

    【全文已完结,推荐新文《偷吻男神:萌妻一毛带回家》】【这是个一见钟情的故事,一见钟情、再见倾心。】第一次见面,他调戏了她。第二次见面,他又调戏了她。第三次见面,他再次调戏了她。箫瑶掀桌!凭什么她一直是被调戏的那个?!她不服!她要调戏回来!但每一次她都反被调戏!“颜泽,我要和你谈谈。”在被调戏了N次之后,箫瑶决定认认真真的和他谈一次,但……“好啊老婆,等我去铺好床。”为什么她觉得自己又被调戏了啊?!!(欢迎加入:225010947,一起happy~~~)