The War of the Worlds

and trying to oust me from the slit, the curate had gone back into the scullery. I was struck by a sudden thought. I went back quickly and q

to begin a discipline. I divided the food in the pantry, into rations to last us ten days. I would not let him eat any more that day. In the afternoon he made a feeble effort to get at the food. I had been dozing, but in an instant

him with the last bottle of burgundy, for there was a rain-water pump from which I could get water. But neither force nor kindness availed; he was indeed beyond reason. He would neither desist from his attacks on the food nor from his noisy babbling t

ange and hideous dreams whenever I slept. It sounds paradoxical, but I am inclined to think

oud instead of whispering, and nothin

There was poverty, sorrow; the poor were trodden in the dust, and I held my peace. I preached acceptable folly--my God, what folly! --when I shoul

scared me; but any concession would have shortened our chance of escape beyond estimating. I defied him, although I felt no assurance that he might not do this thing. But that day, at any rate, he did not. He talked with his voice rising slowly, through the greater part of the

ll!" I

he had been sitting in the

nd now I must bear my witness. Woe unto this unfaithful city! Woe! Woe! Woe! Woe! W

, and in a terror lest the Martians

voice, standing likewise and extending his ar

was at the door lead

! I go! It has already

e was halfway across the kitchen I had overtaken him. With one last touch of humanity I turned the blade back and struck him

slowly across the hole. One of its gripping limbs curled amid the debris; another limb appeared, feeling its way over the fallen beams. I stood petrified, staring. Then I saw through a sort of

nts, 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. I trembled violently; I could scarcely sta

. Then a heavy body--I knew 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 b

and as noiselessly as possible in the darkness, among the firewood and coal therein. Every now an

ged. I thought that its length might be insufficient to reach me. I prayed copiously. It passed, scraping faintly across the cellar door. An

for a minute, perhaps, a

n anything else--waving towards me and touching and examining the wall, coals

ent. I could have fancied it had been withdrawn. Presently, with an abrupt click, it gripped something--I thought it had me

position, which had become cramped, and then li

owards me again. Slowly, slowly it drew near, scra

d it go into the pantry, and the biscuit-tins rattled and a bottle smashed, and then came a

it g

decided th

ss, buried among coals and firewood, not daring even to crawl out for the drink fo