[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
bolting, treading on each other. . . ."
He saw my face, and halted awkwardly.
"No doubt lots who had money have gone away to France," he said. He seemed to hesitate whether to
apologise, met my eyes, and went on: "There's food all about here. Canned things in shops; wines, spirits,
mineral waters; and the water mains and drains are empty. Well, I was telling you what I was thinking.
"Here's intelligent things," I said, "and it seems they want us for food. First, they'll smash us up-- ships,
machines, guns, cities, all the order and organisation. All that will go. If we were the size of ants we might
pull through. But we're not. It's all too bulky to stop. That's the first certainty." Eh?"
I assented.
"It is; I've thought it out. Very well, then--next; at present we're caught as we're wanted. A Martian has only to
go a few miles to get a crowd on the run. And I saw one, one day, out by Wandsworth, picking houses to
pieces and routing among the wreckage. But they won't keep on doing that. So soon as they've settled all our
guns and ships, and smashed our railways, and done all the things they are doing over there, they will begin
catching us systematic, picking the best and storing us in cages and things. That's what they will start doing in
a bit. Lord! They haven't begun on us yet. Don't you see that?"
"Not begun!" I exclaimed.
"Not begun. All that's happened so far is through our not having the sense to keep quiet--worrying them with
guns and such foolery. And losing our heads, and rushing off in crowds to where there wasn't any more safety
than where we were. They don't want to bother us yet. They're making their things--making all the things they
couldn't bring with them, getting things ready for the rest of their people. Very likely that's why the cylinders
have stopped for a bit, for fear of hitting those who are here. And instead of our rushing about blind, on the
howl, or getting dynamite on the chance of busting them up, we've got to fix ourselves up according to the
new state of affairs. That's how I figure it out. It isn't quite according to what a man wants for his species, but
it's about what the facts point to. And that's the principle I acted upon. Cities, nations, civilisation,
progress--it's all over. That game's up. We're beat."
"But if that is so, what is there to live for?"
The artilleryman looked at me for a moment.
"There won't be any more blessed concerts for a million years or so; there won't be any Royal Academy of
Arts, and no nice little feeds at restaurants. If it's amusement you're after, I reckon the game is up. If you've
got any drawing-room manners or a dislike to eating peas with a knife or dropping aitches, you'd better chuck
'em away. They ain't no further use."
"You mean----"
"I mean that men like me are going on living--for the sake of the breed. I tell you, I'm grim set on living. And
CHAPTER SEVEN 93
if I'm not mistaken, you'll show what insides YOU'VE got, too, before long. We aren't going to be
exterminated. And I don't mean to be caught either, and tamed and fattened and bred like a thundering ox.
Ugh! Fancy those brown creepers!"
"You don't mean to say----"
"I do. I'm going on, under their feet. I've got it planned; I've thought it out. We men are beat. We don't know
enough. We've got to learn before we've got a chance. And we've got to live and keep independent while we
learn. See! That's what has to be done."
I stared, astonished, and stirred profoundly by the man's resolution.
"Great God!," cried I. "But you are a man indeed!" And suddenly I gripped his hand.
"Eh!" he said, with his eyes shining. "I've thought it out, eh?"
"Go on," I said.
"Well, those who mean to escape their catching must get ready. I'm getting ready. Mind you, it isn't all of us
that are made for wild beasts; and that's what it's got to be. That's why I watched you. I had my doubts. You're
slender. I didn't know that it was you, you see, or just how you'd been buried. All these--the sort of people that
lived in these houses, and all those damn little clerks that used to live down that way--they'd be no good. They [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl exclamation.htw.pl
bolting, treading on each other. . . ."
He saw my face, and halted awkwardly.
"No doubt lots who had money have gone away to France," he said. He seemed to hesitate whether to
apologise, met my eyes, and went on: "There's food all about here. Canned things in shops; wines, spirits,
mineral waters; and the water mains and drains are empty. Well, I was telling you what I was thinking.
"Here's intelligent things," I said, "and it seems they want us for food. First, they'll smash us up-- ships,
machines, guns, cities, all the order and organisation. All that will go. If we were the size of ants we might
pull through. But we're not. It's all too bulky to stop. That's the first certainty." Eh?"
I assented.
"It is; I've thought it out. Very well, then--next; at present we're caught as we're wanted. A Martian has only to
go a few miles to get a crowd on the run. And I saw one, one day, out by Wandsworth, picking houses to
pieces and routing among the wreckage. But they won't keep on doing that. So soon as they've settled all our
guns and ships, and smashed our railways, and done all the things they are doing over there, they will begin
catching us systematic, picking the best and storing us in cages and things. That's what they will start doing in
a bit. Lord! They haven't begun on us yet. Don't you see that?"
"Not begun!" I exclaimed.
"Not begun. All that's happened so far is through our not having the sense to keep quiet--worrying them with
guns and such foolery. And losing our heads, and rushing off in crowds to where there wasn't any more safety
than where we were. They don't want to bother us yet. They're making their things--making all the things they
couldn't bring with them, getting things ready for the rest of their people. Very likely that's why the cylinders
have stopped for a bit, for fear of hitting those who are here. And instead of our rushing about blind, on the
howl, or getting dynamite on the chance of busting them up, we've got to fix ourselves up according to the
new state of affairs. That's how I figure it out. It isn't quite according to what a man wants for his species, but
it's about what the facts point to. And that's the principle I acted upon. Cities, nations, civilisation,
progress--it's all over. That game's up. We're beat."
"But if that is so, what is there to live for?"
The artilleryman looked at me for a moment.
"There won't be any more blessed concerts for a million years or so; there won't be any Royal Academy of
Arts, and no nice little feeds at restaurants. If it's amusement you're after, I reckon the game is up. If you've
got any drawing-room manners or a dislike to eating peas with a knife or dropping aitches, you'd better chuck
'em away. They ain't no further use."
"You mean----"
"I mean that men like me are going on living--for the sake of the breed. I tell you, I'm grim set on living. And
CHAPTER SEVEN 93
if I'm not mistaken, you'll show what insides YOU'VE got, too, before long. We aren't going to be
exterminated. And I don't mean to be caught either, and tamed and fattened and bred like a thundering ox.
Ugh! Fancy those brown creepers!"
"You don't mean to say----"
"I do. I'm going on, under their feet. I've got it planned; I've thought it out. We men are beat. We don't know
enough. We've got to learn before we've got a chance. And we've got to live and keep independent while we
learn. See! That's what has to be done."
I stared, astonished, and stirred profoundly by the man's resolution.
"Great God!," cried I. "But you are a man indeed!" And suddenly I gripped his hand.
"Eh!" he said, with his eyes shining. "I've thought it out, eh?"
"Go on," I said.
"Well, those who mean to escape their catching must get ready. I'm getting ready. Mind you, it isn't all of us
that are made for wild beasts; and that's what it's got to be. That's why I watched you. I had my doubts. You're
slender. I didn't know that it was you, you see, or just how you'd been buried. All these--the sort of people that
lived in these houses, and all those damn little clerks that used to live down that way--they'd be no good. They [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]