登陆注册
4718800000035

第35章

They saw the gaunt figures separating and rising out of the water as they retreated shoreward, and one of them raised the camera-like generator of the Heat-Ray. He held it pointing obliquely downward, and a bank of steam sprang from the water at its touch. It must have driven through the iron of the ship's side like a white-hot iron rod through paper.

A flicker of flame went up through the rising steam, and then the Martian reeled and staggered. In another moment he was cut down, and a great body of water and steam shot high in the air. The guns of the THUNDER CHILDsounded through the reek, going off one after the other, and one shot splashed the water high close by the steamer, ricocheted towards the other flying ships to the north, and smashed a smack to matchwood.

But no one heeded that very much. At the sight of the Martian's collapse the captain on the bridge yelled inarticu- lately, and all the crowding passengers on the steamer's stern shouted together. And then they yelled again. For, surging out beyond the white tumult, drove something long and black, the flames streaming from its middle parts, its ventila- tors and funnels spouting fire.

She was alive still; the steering gear, it seems, was intact and her engines working. She headed straight for a second Martian, and was within a hundred yards of him when the Heat-Ray came to bear. Then with a violent thud, a blinding flash, her decks, her funnels, leaped upward. The Martian staggered with the violence of her explosion, and in another moment the flaming wreckage, still driving forward with the impetus of its pace, had struck him and crumpled him up like a thing of cardboard. My brother shouted involuntarily. A boiling tumult of steam hid everything again.

"Two!," yelled the captain.

Everyone was shouting. The whole steamer from end to end rang with frantic cheering that was taken up first by one and then by all in the crowding multitude of ships and boats that was driving out to sea.

The steam hung upon the water for many minutes, hiding the third Martian and the coast altogether. And all this time the boat was paddling steadily out to sea and away from the fight; and when at last the confusion cleared, the drifting bank of black vapour intervened, and nothing of the THUNDERCHILD could be made out, nor could the third Martian be seen. But the ironclads to seaward were now quite close and standing in towards shore past the steamboat.

The little vessel continued to beat its way seaward, and the ironclads receded slowly towards the coast, which was hidden still by a marbled bank of vapour, part steam, part black gas, eddying and combining in the strangest way. The fleet of refugees was scattering to the northeast; several smacks were sailing between the ironclads and the steamboat. After a time, and before they reached the sinking cloud bank, the warships turned northward, and then abruptly went about and passed into the thickening haze of evening south- ward. The coast grew faint, and at last indistinguishable amid the low banks of clouds that were gathering about the sinking sun.

Then suddenly out of the golden haze of the sunset came the vibration of guns, and a form of black shadows moving. Everyone struggled to the rail of the steamer and peered into the blinding furnace of the west, but nothing was to be dis- tinguished clearly. A mass of smoke rose slanting and barred the face of the sun. The steamboat throbbed on its way through an interminable suspense.

The sun sank into grey clouds, the sky flushed and dark- ened, the evening star trembled into sight. It was deep twilight when the captain cried out and pointed. My brother strained his eyes. Something rushed up into the sky out of the greyness--rushed slantingly upward and very swiftly into the luminous clearness above the clouds in the western sky; something flat and broad, and very large, that swept round in a vast curve, grew smaller, sank slowly, and van- ished again into the grey mystery of the night. And as it flew it rained down darkness upon the land.

Under Foot In the first book I have wandered so much from my own adventures to tell of the experiences of my brother that all through the last two chapters I and the curate have been lurking in the empty house at Halliford whither we fled to escape the Black Smoke. There I will resume. We stopped there all Sunday night and all the next day--the day of the panic--in a little island of daylight, cut off by the Black Smoke from the rest of the world.

We could do nothing but wait in aching inactivity during those two weary days.

My mind was occupied by anxiety for my wife. I figured her at Leatherhead, terrified, in danger, mourning me already as a dead man. I paced the rooms and cried aloud when I thought of how I was cut off from her, of all that might hap- pen to her in my absence. My cousin I knew was brave enough for any emergency, but he was not the sort of man to realise danger quickly, to rise promptly. What was needed now was not bravery, but circumspection.

My only consola- tion was to believe that the Martians were moving London-ward and away from her. Such vague anxieties keep the mind sensitive and painful. I grew very weary and irritable with the curate's perpetual ejaculations;I tired of the sight of his selfish despair. After some ineffectual remonstrance I kept away from him, staying in a room--evidently a children's schoolroom--containing globes, forms, and copybooks. When he followed me thither, I went to a box room at the top of the house and, in order to be alone with my aching miseries, locked myself in.

We were hopelessly hemmed in by the Black Smoke all that day and the morning of the next. There were signs of people in the next house on Sunday evening--a face at a window and moving lights, and later the slamming of a door. But I do not know who these people were, nor what became of them.

同类推荐
  • 入众日用

    入众日用

    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。
  • 上古秘史

    上古秘史

    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。
  • Sylvie and Bruno

    Sylvie and Bruno

    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。
  • Wildfire

    Wildfire

    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。
  • 酒人觞政

    酒人觞政

    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
  • 王淦昌传(共和国科学拓荒者传记系列)

    王淦昌传(共和国科学拓荒者传记系列)

    这是一套记述我国著名科学家的成长以及他们艰辛的科研历程的纪实文学作品。这些大科学家走过了近一个世纪的人生历程。他们生在战乱年代,山河破碎、民生凋敝,骨肉同胞饱受欺凌;他们忍辱负重、负笈海外、卧薪尝胆、发奋自强;他们学业有成、毅然归国、隐姓埋名、白手起家、自力更生、科学拓荒,为国家造“争气弹”。以“两弹一星”为标志,他们在国防和高科技领域中取得了重大突破,打破大国封锁与孤立,使新生的共和国政权站稳了脚跟。世纪人生,百年追梦,爱国奉献,砥砺创新,科技强国,这是大科学家们一生的真实写照。这些共和国的功臣,他们都是顶天立地的中国人,是值得历史记住的科学英模。
  • 现代狂人李敖:当代最能挑战自我的人

    现代狂人李敖:当代最能挑战自我的人

    李敖笑傲台湾五十年,他在大陆及全世界华人中具有很高的知名度。他学贯中西,横睨一世,是台湾思想界和文化界最具有争议的人物,曾两度入狱,其大起大落的人生经历充满了传奇色彩。李敖无疑是中国现当代知识分子中值得给予极大重视的一位。他是一位大“狂人”、大才子。他是在鲁迅之后用文字进行斗争最具战斗力的一位学者、作家、战士,在台湾反对国民党一党独裁、推进民主和捍卫人权的斗争中,他举起了大刀,冲在前面,所向披靡。他让人们看到文字的力量有多么巨大。他被誉为文化的基督山,社会的罗宾汉。
  • 白露凝,秋水老

    白露凝,秋水老

    北方的秋,天光会缩短距离,并不和人商量。若是睡眠还依着老时间到来,会凭空多出一些昏暗寥落的时光,要用力气去打发才行。街道上流传的林放映爱慕街角报亭老板金枝的故事,也因之增加了许多的想象空间。一日黄昏,我调制奶茶,小芬斜着身子靠在柜台上说,都说金枝姐不喜欢林放映是因为他的沉闷性格呢。我看着小芬姣好的面庞说,芬,我们不了解一个人,就不要下评判。林放映有丰富的内心,只是人们不知道罢了。说完我给小芬倒茶,一并燃亮电灯,叹道,今天好像天黑得格外早。
  • 君子长诀

    君子长诀

    良玉以媒,画扇为缘。一遇君子,情意长诀。 传闻,执掌诸神姻缘的神君良玉,画姻缘扇证亲,圆满情事见诸扇面。可是替别人画姻缘扇的她,自己的情缘却是惨淡。她看上了三十五天的长诀天尊,可五万年的痴缠不过换回一尺折扇,上书两字“无缘”。 于是,带着无法劝阻的决绝,知道同长诀做不得神界眷侣的她,以存着她对长诀情意的半颗心做祭,执意换了一场同长诀天尊的凡界情缘。 神世的良玉和长诀,凡间的薛轻和萧漫。他们纠缠了五万年之久的爱恨,在这场不足三十载的凡尘情缘中,究竟是会昏昏湮灭,还是会熠熠重生? 凡辰总有终了时,只待梦醒后。从凡尘归来的良玉,究竟是会潇洒放手,还是会执念难丢?
  • 美满的亲子关系

    美满的亲子关系

    父母在物质方面要顺应时代的潮流,不必故步自封,不一定要子女和自己采取相同标准,吃尽同等的苦头。但是在精神方面,坚持各项不变的生活法则,先进德以修己,然后才能各自利用万物,发挥各入的长处。父母最好明白,管教子女应该从日常生活当中培养子女正确的生活技能。一般人总认为一技之长指的是就业所需要的技能,却经常忽略了基本生活技能才是终其一生都需要的一技之长。子女心目中有父母,最具体的表现即在好好做人,不让父母生气,不使父母受辱。长大以后,更应该奋发图强,有好的成就,以显扬父母。孩子的成长过程是变动的,每一个阶段都有一些不同的变化。父母教养子女,最好制订长远的计划,依照年龄和阶段的不同给予不同重点的教养。
  • 金箓十回度人晚朝转经仪

    金箓十回度人晚朝转经仪

    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。
  • 双生宠妃:王爷!来战!

    双生宠妃:王爷!来战!

    凤白羽时运不济,刺杀敌军反被刺杀,好不容易捡回一条小命,又背着为国征战壮烈牺牲的英名,被自己的庶妹捅死。再睁眼时却成了敌国主将的三闺女,名声尽毁也抵不过天生草包。好歹也是曾经的盛世女将,铮铮铁骨启容尔等愚民欺辱?在敌国混的照样风生水起,准备提着御赐大刀一路砍回凤王府,顺带带回去个可爱小王爷,性臭屁喜傲娇,放荡不羁的皮囊下隐藏着一颗不想跪狼牙棒的心。“宿敌挚友,把酒言欢,你我对弈三年不见其人,而今化干戈为床榻,快来!”
  • 宠婚撩人:娇妻不下嫁

    宠婚撩人:娇妻不下嫁

    【新文:重生甜妻:总裁,请矜持!】她遇到的他是一个结婚三年不回家的人。他们的感情就像隔着一个太平洋,林阑月受够了,递上一纸离婚协议书,将他甩了。 ”喂,你干什么,你回家睡你床上。”她无奈又气愤地说道。 “再吵,我就吻你。” “你混蛋。” “唔唔唔……”某人被强吻了。情节一 她望着他对和她长得一模一样的南凝,温柔之至。 不料她已经忘了曾经爱到骨子里的人,却一笑而过。 他狠心的把她推到在满是玻璃渣子的地面上。当他破落,蹲在无人的街口,暗黄的灯光,拉长他的影子,他怪自己,瞎了眼,引狼入室。当他望着远处走来纤细的身影……
  • 腹黑九尾之绝色狐妖

    腹黑九尾之绝色狐妖

    囚禁数千年的灵魂,如何才能得到真正的救赎?永生情深缘浅的诅咒封印,又如何破解?灭门之仇幕后的黑手;暗中操纵一切神秘人;两株离思,几尾白狐;一柄长箫,几多哀愁,一个是给她人间最后的温暖的人,一个是异变的腹黑的可怕精怪,她该如何把握命运,才不让自己掉入可怕的深渊之中?
  • 王牌剑神

    王牌剑神

    好不容易捡到本炼器的宝典,却引来强盗的截杀。好不容易混进了天光学院,却险些挂在入门任务中。好不容易捡了两块灵石还被人算计。当唐飞灵魂觉醒后,强盗是用来反截杀的;任务是随手就完成的;灵石是源源不断的……