登陆注册
4718800000044

第44章

But that day, at any rate, he did not. He talked with his voice rising slowly, through the greater part of the eighth and ninth days-- threats, entreaties, mingled with a torrent of half-sane and always frothy repentance for his vacant sham of God's service, such as made me pity him. Then he slept awhile, and began again with renewed strength, so loudly that I must needs make him desist.

"Be still!" I implored.

He rose to his knees, for he had been sitting in the dark- ness near the copper.

"I have been still too long," he said, in a tone that must have reached the pit, "and now I must bear my witness. Woe unto this unfaithful city!

Woe! Woe! Woe! Woe! Woe! To the inhabitants of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet----""Shut up!" I said, rising to my feet, and in a terror lest the Martians should hear us. "For God's sake----""Nay," shouted the curate, at the top of his voice, stand- ing likewise and extending his arms. "Speak! The word of the Lord is upon me!"In three strides he was at the door leading into the kitchen.

"I must bear my witness! I go! It has already been too long delayed."I put out my hand and felt the meat chopper hanging to the wall. In a flash I was after him. I was fierce with fear. Before he was halfway across the kitchen I had overtaken him. With one last touch of humanity I turned the blade back and struck him with the butt. He went headlong for- ward and lay stretched on the ground. I stumbled over him and stood panting. He lay still.

Suddenly I heard a noise without, the run and smash of slipping plaster, and the triangular aperture in the wall was darkened. I looked up and saw the lower surface of a handling-machine coming slowly across the hole.

One of its gripping limbs curled amid the debris; another limb ap- peared, feeling its way over the fallen beams. I stood petrified, staring. Then I saw through a sort of glass plate near the edge of the body the face, as we may call it, and the large dark eyes of a Martian, peering, and then a long metallic snake of tentacle came feeling slowly through the hole.

I turned by an effort, stumbled over the curate, and stopped at the scullery door. The tentacle was now some way, two yards or more, in the room, and twisting and turn- ing, with queer sudden movements, this way and that. For a while I stood fascinated by that slow, fitful advance.

Then, with a faint, hoarse cry, I forced myself across the scullery. Itrembled violently; I could scarcely stand upright. I opened the door of the coal cellar, and stood there in the darkness staring at the faintly lit doorway into the kitchen, and listen- ing. Had the Martian seen me?

What was it doing now?

Something was moving to and fro there, very quietly; every now and then it tapped against the wall, or started on its movements with a faint metallic ringing, like the movements of keys on a split-ring. Then a heavy body--Iknew too well what--was dragged across the floor of the kitchen towards the opening. Irresistibly attracted, I crept to the door and peeped into the kitchen. In the triangle of bright outer sunlight I saw the Martian, in its Briareus of a handling-machine, scrutinizing the curate's head.

I thought at once that it would infer my presence from the mark of the blow I had given him.

I crept back to the coal cellar, shut the door, and began to cover myself up as much as I could, and as noiselessly as possible in the darkness, among the firewood and coal therein. Every now and then I paused, rigid, to hear if the Martian had thrust its tentacles through the opening again.

Then the faint metallic jingle returned. I traced it slowly feeling over the kitchen. Presently I heard it nearer--in the scullery, as I judged.

I thought that its length might be in- sufficient to reach me. I prayed copiously. It passed, scrap- ing faintly across the cellar door. An age of almost intolerable suspense intervened; then I heard it fumbling at the latch! It had found the door! The Martians understood doors!

It worried at the catch for a minute, perhaps, and then the door opened.

In the darkness I could just see the thing--like an ele- phant's trunk more than anything else--waving towards me and touching and examining the wall, coals, wood and ceil- ing. It was like a black worm swaying its blind head to and fro.

Once, even, it touched the heel of my boot. I was on the verge of screaming;I bit my hand. For a time the tentacle was silent. I could have fancied it had been withdrawn. Presently, with an abrupt click, it gripped something--Ithought it had me!--and seemed to go out of the cellar again. For a minute I was not sure. Apparently it had taken a lump of coal to examine.

I seized the opportunity of slightly shifting my position, which had become cramped, and then listened. I whispered passionate prayers for safety.

Then I heard the slow, deliberate sound creeping towards me again. Slowly, slowly it drew near, scratching against the walls and tapping the furniture.

While I was still doubtful, it rapped smartly against the cellar door and closed it. I heard it go into the pantry, and the biscuit-tins rattled and a bottle smashed, and then came a heavy bump against the cellar door.

Then silence that passed into an infinity of suspense.

Had it gone?

At last I decided that it had.

It came into the scullery no more; but I lay all the tenth day in the close darkness, buried among coals and firewood, not daring even to crawl out for the drink for which I craved. It was the eleventh day before Iventured so far from my security.

The Stillness My first act before I went into the pantry was to fasten the door between the kitchen and the scullery. But the pantry was empty; every scrap of food had gone. Appar- ently, the Martian had taken it all on the previous day. At that discovery I despaired for the first time. I took no food, or no drink either, on the eleventh or the twelfth day.

At first my mouth and throat were parched, and my strength ebbed sensibly.

I sat about in the darkness of the scullery, in a state of despondent wretchedness.

同类推荐
  • 海上见闻录

    海上见闻录

    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。
  • 中论

    中论

    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。
  • The Bittermeads Mystery

    The Bittermeads Mystery

    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。
  • 摄大乘论释论

    摄大乘论释论

    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。
  • 海东札记

    海东札记

    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
  • 关于星辰关于爱

    关于星辰关于爱

    【已完结】也许爱你不是一时兴起,而是那年清风一起,我红着脸偷偷看你,你对我眨眼一笑,说:“小丫头,我好像见过你。”
  • 王妃是个农家女

    王妃是个农家女

    魏薇穿越了,穿越在一个架空的朝代,吃不上饱饭的日子就不说了,很是好运的拥有金手指,可是开启空间的条件尽然变态的是要有人爱上她!魏薇看了看自己的小身板,无奈的不抱任何幻想。魏薇不小心把心丢了,为了开启空间更多级,救那短命的王爷,魏薇便是开启了撩汉子的道路。情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 老四哥

    老四哥

    每个人都无法改变自己的出生家庭及外部环境,我们能做的是适应这些,并挑战自己的命运,并实现自己的价值!四哥就是一个为改变自己命运而奋斗终生的斗士……
  • 古言、架空合集

    古言、架空合集

    《魅君心》一位不爱红妆爱武装的相府小姐,身为庶出被自己同父异母的妹妹耍尽心机地嫉恨着。情忠秦王爷,却与太子有婚。《锁茜香》富家女杨真,国色天香,家中豪富,父亲花钱托人,送她入宫成为宫女。但十年未得见皇帝一面,在新皇即位后因此出宫回家。《嫡女当嫁》她虽是嫡长女,却爹不疼,后妈不爱。在众人眼中,她愚蠢胆怯。一朝遭遇变故,她终于幡然醒悟。《良缘锦绣》关小雎一生逃过两次婚,第一次是从小定下婚书亲梅竹马的武林世家子弟,可是她一个不愿意,婚礼前夕便逃之夭夭。《碧血红妆》女扮男装的将军易凤歌,与云国皇帝慕容云翔同生共死十三年。在慕容云翔神志不清的情况下,两人发生了性关系,易凤歌因此怀孕,却依然不泄露女子身份
  • 爱在尽头

    爱在尽头

    当年路遇白为了娶余歌为妻,轰动海城。如今还想藕断丝连?她不会给他们这样的机会。
  • 课外侦探组(番外版):密林虎踪

    课外侦探组(番外版):密林虎踪

    本书是中国的名侦探柯南系列。小主人公米多西、欧木棋和马威卡三人同第九探案组的表姐麦洁一起,对种种诡异的案件进行了细致调查。凶手是如何嫁祸《韩林的自画像》而逍遥法外的?高空表演的小丑为什么系有保险绳却不幸坠亡?进行全国巡演的天才琴童为何突然失踪?为什么档案室恰巧被雷电击中着火,而其他科室安然无恙?一切的悬疑和罪犯的诡计都没有逃过课外侦探组的缜密推理。这本书可以锻炼读者的逻辑思维能力和推理能力,并使读者的知识面得到扩大。
  • 倾世女巫

    倾世女巫

    一出生就属人类的她被天猫王多次刺杀,为此,天赏姑娘一直渴望着自己有一张猫脸,有着猫人的特征。当天赏说服了国王去寻找他的王子后,便和她的小伙伴花间错、茄菲、少年乔恩、白思玉等,开始踏上了一条走向强者的成功之路。感谢阅文书评团提供书评支持!
  • 孙子兵法

    孙子兵法

    《孙子兵法》是春秋末期我国古代大军事家孙武所著的一部军事经典著作,被誉为“武学之圣典,兵家之绝唱”,在中国军事思想史,乃至世界军事思想史上都占有极为尊崇的地位。
  • 心理学与影响力

    心理学与影响力

    “心理”是看不见也摸不到的东西,可我们的生活却与之息息相关,常常无形中影响着我们的心情、社交、工作和情感生活。本书将带你分别从日常人际、气场修炼、销售、谈判、职场、情感生活、教育理念以及消费这八个角度认识和了解心理学,提升我们的声望和影响力,让我们在工作和生活中无往而不利。
  • 佛说文殊师利般涅槃经

    佛说文殊师利般涅槃经

    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。