Book 2 of THE WAR OF THE WORLDS │ A Śort Spel\nĐ WOR OV Đ WRLDZ – BC 2\n(Book 2 of The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells, transcribed into Ñspel)\nƉ RƮ UNDR Ɖ MARŚNZ\n1 – Undr ft2 – Ẃt wi sw fṛm ɖ ruind hǎs3 – Đ dez v impriznmnt4 – Đ deʈ ov ɖ kṛt5 – Đ stilnis6 – Đ wrc ov fiftīn dez7 – Đ man on Putni Hil8 – Ded Lundn9 – Recij10 – Đ eṗlog\nn ɖ frst bc I hv wondrd so mć fṛm mî ǒn advnćrz t tel v ɖ xpirịnsz v mî bruɖr ɖt ol ʈru ɖ last tū ćaptrz I n ɖ kṛt hv bn lrcñ in ɖ emti hǎs at Halif̣d ẃiɖr w fled t iscep ɖ Blac Smoc. Ɖr I wl rzym. W stopt ɖr ol Súnde nît n ol ɖ nxt de – ɖ de v ɖ panic – in a litl îḷnd v dêlît, cut of bî ɖ Blac Smoc fṛm ɖ rest v ɖ wrld. W cd d nʈñ bt wêt in ecñ inactivti jrñ ɖoz tū wiri dez.\nMî mînd wz okpaid bî añzayti fr mî wîf. I figrd hr at Leɖ̇hed, teṛfaid, in denjr, mōrnñ m olrdi az a ded man. I pêst ɖ rūmz n craid alǎd ẃn I ʈt v hǎ I wz cut of fṛm hr, v ol ɖt mt hapn t hr in mî absns. Mî cuzn I ń wz brev inuf fr eni imrjnsi, bt h wz nt ɖ sort v man t riylîz denjr qcli, t rîz promtli. Ẃt wz nīdd nǎ wz nt breṿri, bt srcmspx́n. Mî onli conṣleśn wz t b’liv ɖt ɖ Marśnz wr muvñ Lundnẉd n awe fṛm hr. Sć veg añzaytiz cīp ɖ mînd snṣtiv n penfl. I grù vri wiri n iritbl wɖ ɖ kṛt’s ppećl ijakleśnz; I tîrd v ɖ sît v hiz slfiś dsper. Aftr sm inifcćl remnstṛns I cept awe fṛm him, steyñ in a rūm – evidntli a ćildṛn’z scūlrūm – cntenñ globz, formz, n copi-bcs. Ẃn h foloud m ɖiɖr, I wnt t a boxrūm at ɖ top v ɖ hǎs n, in ordr t b alon wɖ mî ecñ miẓriz, loct mslf in.\nW wr hoplisli hemd in bî ɖ Blac Smoc ol ɖt de n ɖ mornñ v ɖ nxt. Ɖr wr sînz v ppl in ɖ nxt hǎs on Súnde īvnñ – a fes at a windo n muvñ lîts, n lêtr ɖ slamñ v a dor. Bt I d nt nǒ hu ɖz ppl wr, nr ẃt bcem v ɖm. W sw nʈñ v ɖm nxt de. Ɖ Blac Smoc driftd slǒli rivrẉd ol ʈru Munde mornñ, crīpñ nirr n nirr t s, drîvñ at last alñ ɖ rodwe ǎtsd ɖ hǎs ɖt hid s.\nA Marśn cem acrs ɖ fīldz abt miḑe, leyñ ɖ stuf wɖ a jet v sūṗhītd stīm ɖt hist agnst ɖ wōlz, smaśt ol ɖ windoz it tućt, n scōldd ɖ kṛt’s hand az h fled ǎt v ɖ frunt rūm. Ẃn at last w crept acrs ɖ sodn rūmz n lct ǎt agn, ɖ cuntri norʈẉd wz az ɖo a blac snǒstorm hd pást ovr it. Lcñ twdz ɖ rivr, w wr astoniśt t si an un’cǎntbl rednis mnġlñ wɖ ɖ blac v ɖ scorćt medoz.\nFr a tîm w dd nt si hǎ ɖs ćenj afctd ǎr pziśn, sev ɖt w wr rlivd v ǎr fir v ɖ Blac Smoc. Bt lêtr I psivd ɖt w wr no longr hemd in, ɖt nǎ w mt gt awe. So sn az I riylîzd ɖt ɖ we v iscep wz opn, mî drīm v ax́n rtrnd. Bt ɖ kṛt wz l’ʈarjic, unrīzṇbl.\n“W r sef hir,” h rpitd; “sef hir.”\nI rzolvd t līv him – wd ɖt I hd! Wîzr nǎ fr ɖ artiḷrimn’z tīćñ, I sòt ǎt fūd n drinc. I hd faund ôl n ragz fr mî brnz, n I olso tc a hat n a flanl śrt ɖt I faund in wn v ɖ bedrūmz. Ẃn it wz clir t him ɖt I mnt t g alon – hd recnsîld mslf t gwñ alon – h sudnli rǎzd himslf t cm. N ol biyñ qayt ʈrt ɖ afṭnun, w startd abt fîv o’cloc, az I śd juj, alñ ɖ blacnd rod t Súnḅri.\nIn Súnḅri, n at inṭvlz alñ ɖ rod, wr ded bodiz layñ in cntortd attydz, horsz az wel az men, oṿtrnd carts n lugij, ol cuvrd ʈicli wɖ blac dust. Ɖt pōl v sinḍri pǎdr md m ʈnc v ẃt I hd réd v ɖ dstrux́n v Pompêi. W got t Hamtn Cort wɖt mis’dvnćr, ǎr mîndz fl v strenj n unfmiłr apiṛnsz, n at Hamtn Cort ǎr îz wr rlivd t fînd a pać v grīn ɖt hd iscept ɖ suf̣cetñ drift. W wnt ʈru Bŭśi Parc, wɖ its dír gwñ t n fro undr ɖ ćsnuts, n sm men n wimin huriyñ in ɖ distns twdz Hamtn, n so w cem t Twicnm. Ɖz wr ɖ frst ppl w sw.\nAwe acrs ɖ rod ɖ wŭdz bynd Ham n Pīṭśm wr stl afîr. Twicnm wz uninjrd bî îɖr Hītre or Blac Smoc, n ɖr wr mor ppl abt hir, ɖo nn cd gv s nyz. Fr ɖ most part ɖe wr lîc ǎrslvz, tecñ advantij v a lul t śift ɖer qortrz. I hv an impreśn ɖt mni v ɖ hǎzz hir wr stl okpaid bî scerd inhabitnts, tù frîtnd īvn fr flît. Hir tù ɖ evidns v a hesti rǎt wz abundnt alñ ɖ rod. I rmembr most vividli ʈri smaśt bîsiclz in a hīp, pǎndd intu ɖ rod bî ɖ ẃīlz v subsiqnt carts. W crost Rićmnd Brij abt haf past et. W hurid acrs ɖ xpozd brij, v cors, bt I notist flotñ dǎn ɖ strīm a numbr v red masz, sm mni fīt acrs. I dd nt nǒ ẃt ɖz wr – ɖr wz no tîm fr scrūṭni – n I pt a mor hoṛbl intrpṛteśn on ɖm ɖn ɖe dzrvd. Hir agn on ɖ Suri sîd wr blac dust ɖt hd wns bn smoc, n ded bodiz – a hīp nir ɖ aproć t ɖ steśn; bt w hd no glims v ɖ Marśnz untl w wr sm we twdz Bārnz.\nW sw in ɖ blacnd distns a grūp v ʈri ppl runñ dǎn a sîdstrīt twdz ɖ rivr, bt uɖwz it sīmd dzrtd. P ɖ hil Rićmnd tǎn wz brnñ briscli; ǎtsd ɖ tǎn v Rićmnd ɖr wz no tres v ɖ Blac Smoc.\nƉen sudnli, az w aproćt Cỳ, cem a numbr v ppl runñ, n ɖ uṗwrcs v a Marśn fîtñṃśīn lūmd in sît ovr ɖ hǎstops, nt a hundṛd yardz awe fṛm s. W std agast at ǎr denjr, n hd ɖ Marśn lct dǎn w mst imījtli hv periśt. W wr so teṛfaid ɖt w derd nt g on, bt trnd asd n hid in a śed in a gardn. Ɖr ɖ kṛt crǎćt, wīpñ sîḷntli, n rfyzñ t str agn.\nBt mî fixt îdīa v rīćñ Leɖ̇hed wd nt let m rest, n in ɖ twîlît I vnćrd ǎt agn. I wnt ʈru a śruḅri, n alñ a pasij bsd a big hǎs standñ in its ǒn grǎndz, n so imrjd upn ɖ rod twdz Cỳ. Ɖ kṛt I left in ɖ śed, bt h cem huriyñ aftr m.\nƉt secnd start wz ɖ most fūlhardi ʈñ I evr dd. Fr it wz maṇfest ɖ Marśnz wr abt s. No snr hd ɖ kṛt oṿtecn m ɖn w sw îɖr ɖ fîtñṃśīn w hd sìn bfr or anɖr, far awe acrs ɖ medoz in ɖ d’rex́n v Cỳ Loj. For or fîv litl blac figrz hurid bfr it acrs ɖ grīn-gre v ɖ fīld, n in a momnt it wz evidnt ɖs Marśn psyd ɖm. In ʈri strîdz h wz amñ ɖm, n ɖe ran redietñ fṛm hiz fīt in ol drex́nz. H yzd no Hītre t dstrô ɖm, bt pict ɖm p wn bî wn. Apaṛntli h tóst ɖm intu ɖ gret mtalic carịr ẃć pṛjctd bhnd him, mć az a wrcmn’z bascit hañz ovr hiz śoldr.\nIt wz ɖ frst tîm I riylîzd ɖt ɖ Marśnz mt hv eni uɖr prṗs ɖn dstrux́n wɖ dfitd hymaṇti. W std fr a momnt petṛfaid, ɖen trnd n fled ʈru a get bhnd s intu a wōld gardn, fél intu, rɖr ɖn faund, a forćṇt dić, n le ɖr, scers dẹrñ t ẃispr t ć uɖr untl ɖ starz wr ǎt.\nI s’poz it wz nirli ilevn o’cloc bfr w gaɖrd curij t start agn, no longr vnćrñ intu ɖ rod, bt snīcñ alñ hejroz n ʈru planteśnz, n woćñ cīnli ʈru ɖ darcnis, h on ɖ rît n I on ɖ left, fr ɖ Marśnz, hu sīmd t b ol abt s. In wn ples w blundrd upn a scorćt n blacnd eria, nǎ cūlñ n aśn, n a numbr v scatrd ded bodiz v men, brnd hoṛbli abt ɖ hedz n truncs bt wɖ ɖer legz n būts mostli intact; n v ded horsz, fifti fīt, phps, bhnd a lîn v for ript gunz n smaśt guncarijz.\nŚīn, it sīmd, hd iscept dstrux́n, bt ɖ ples wz sîḷnt n dzrtd. Hir w hapnd on no ded, ɖo ɖ nît wz tù darc fr s t si intu ɖ sîd rodz v ɖ ples. In Śīn mî cmpańn sudnli cmplend v fentnis n ʈrst, n w dsîdd t trî wn v ɖ hǎzz.\nƉ frst hǎs w entrd, aftr a litl dificlti wɖ ɖ windo, wz a smōl semi-dtaćt vila, n I faund nʈñ īṭbl left in ɖ ples bt sm moldi ćīz. Ɖr wz, hvr, wōtr t drinc; n I tc a haćit, ẃć promist t b ysfl in ǎr nxt hǎsbrecñ.\nW ɖen crost t a ples ẃr ɖ rod trnz twdz Mortlec. Hir ɖr std a ẃît hǎs wɖn a wōld gardn, n in ɖ pantri v ɖs doṃsîl w faund a stor v fūd – tū lovz v bred in a pan, an uncct steic, n ɖ haf v a ham. I gv ɖs caṭlog so prisîsli bcz, az it hapnd, w wr destind t sbsist upn ɖs stor fr ɖ nxt fortnît. Botld bir std undr a ślf, n ɖr wr tū bagz v haricobīnz n sm limp leṭsz. Ɖs pantri opnd intu a cnd v woś-up cićn, n in ɖs wz fîrwŭd; ɖr wz olso a cuḅd, in ẃć w faund nirli a duzn v brgndi, tind sūps n samn, n tū tinz v biscits.\nW sat in ɖ ajesnt cićn in ɖ darc – fr w derd nt strîc a lît – n ét bred n ham, n dranc bir ǎt v ɖ sem botl. Ɖ kṛt, hu wz stl timṛs n restlis, wz nǎ, odli inuf, fr pśñ on, n I wz rjñ him t cīp p hiz streñʈ bî ītñ ẃn ɖ ʈñ hapnd ɖt wz t imprizn s.\n“It c’nt b midnît yt,” I sd, n ɖen cem a blîndñ gler v vivid grīn lît. Evrʈñ in ɖ cićn lept ǎt, clirli viẓbl in grīn n blac, n vaniśt agn. N ɖen foloud sć a cncuśn az I hv nvr hŕd bfr or sins. So clos on ɖ hìlz v ɖs az t sīm instnteńs cem a ʈud bhnd m, a claś v glas, a craś n ratl v fōlñ mesnri ol abt s, n ɖ plastr v ɖ sīlñ cem dǎn upn s, smaśñ intu a multtyd v fragmnts upn ǎr hedz. I wz noct hedloñ acrs ɖ flor agnst ɖ uvnhandl n stund. I wz insnsbl fr a loñ tîm, ɖ kṛt tld m, n ẃn I cem t w wr in darcnis agn, n h, wɖ a fes wet, az I faund aftwdz, wɖ blud fṛm a cut fōrhed, wz dabñ wōtr ovr m.\nFr sm tîm I cd nt rec̣lect ẃt hd hapnd. Ɖen ʈñz cem t m slǒli. A brūz on mî templ asrtd itslf.\n“R y betr?” asct ɖ kṛt in a ẃispr.\nAt last I ansrd him. I sat p.\n“D’nt muv,” h sd. “Ɖ flor z cuvrd wɖ smaśt croc̣ri fṛm ɖ dresr. Y c’nt poṣbli muv wɖt mcñ a nôz, n I fansi ɖe r ǎtsd.”\nW bʈ sat qt sîḷnt, so ɖt w cd scersli hír ć uɖr briɖñ. Evrʈñ sīmd dedli stil, bt wns smʈñ nir s, sm plastr or brocn bricwrc, slid dǎn wɖ a rumḅlñ sǎnd. Ǎtsd n vri nir wz an inṭmitnt, mtalic ratl.\n“Ɖt!” sd ɖ kṛt, ẃn prezntli it hapnd agn.\n“Yes,” I sd. “Bt ẃt z it?”\n“A Marśn!” sd ɖ kṛt.\nI lisnd agn.\n“It wz nt lîc ɖ Hītre,” I sd, n fr a tîm I wz inclînd t ʈnc wn v ɖ gret fîtñṃśīnz hd stumbld agnst ɖ hǎs, az I hd sìn wn stumbl agnst ɖ tǎr v Śeṗtn Ćrć.\nǍr sićueśn wz so strenj n incomprihnsbl ɖt fr ʈri or for aurz, untl ɖ dōn cem, w scersli muvd. N ɖen ɖ lît filtrd in, nt ʈru ɖ windo, ẃć rmend blac, bt ʈru a trîanğlr aṗćr btwn a bīm n a hīp v brocn brics in ɖ wōl bhnd s. Ɖ intirịr v ɖ cićn w nǎ sw grêli fr ɖ frst tîm.\nƉ windo hd bn brst in bî a mas v gardn mold, ẃć floud ovr ɖ tebl upn ẃć w hd bn sitñ n le abt ǎr fīt. Ǎtsd, ɖ sôl wz banct hî agnst ɖ hǎs. At ɖ top v ɖ windofrem w cd si an uprūtd drenpîp. Ɖ flor wz litrd wɖ smaśt hardwér; ɖ end v ɖ cićn twdz ɖ hǎs wz brocn intu, n sins ɖ dêlît śon in ɖr, it wz evidnt ɖ gretr part v ɖ hǎs hd c’lapst. Cntrastñ vividli wɖ ɖs ruin wz ɖ nīt dresr, stend in ɖ faśn, pel grīn, n wɖ a numbr v copr n tin veslz b’lo it, ɖ wōlpepr iṃtetñ blu n ẃît tîlz, n a cupl v culrd suplimnts fluṭrñ fṛm ɖ wōlz abv ɖ cićnrenj.\nAz ɖ dōn grù clirr, w sw ʈru ɖ gap in ɖ wōl ɖ bodi v a Marśn, standñ sntinl, I s’poz, ovr ɖ stl glowñ silindr. At ɖ sît v ɖt w crōld az srcmspecli az poṣbl ǎt v ɖ twîlît v ɖ cićn intu ɖ darcnis v ɖ scuḷri.\nAbrupli ɖ rît intrpṛteśn dōnd upn mî mînd.\n“Ɖ fifʈ silindr,” I ẃisprd, “ɖ fifʈ śot fṛm Marz, hz struc ɖs hǎs n berid s undr ɖ ruinz!”\nFr a tîm ɖ kṛt wz sîḷnt, n ɖen h ẃisprd:\n“God hv mrsi upn s!”\nI hŕd him prezntli ẃimṗrñ t himslf.\nSev fr ɖt sǎnd w le qt stil in ɖ scuḷri; I fr mî part scers derd briɖ, n sat wɖ mî îz fixt on ɖ fent lît v ɖ cićndor. I cd jst si ɖ kṛt’s fes, a dim, ovl śep, n hiz colr n cufs. Ǎtsd ɖr bgan a mtalic haṃrñ, ɖen a vayḷnt hūtñ, n ɖen agn, aftr a qayt inṭvl, a hisñ lîc ɖ hisñ v an enjin. Ɖz nôzz, fr ɖ most part probḷmaticl, cntinyd inṭmitntli, n sīmd f enʈñ t incris in numbr az tîm wòr on. Prezntli a meźrd ʈudñ n a vîbreśn ɖt md evrʈñ abt s qivr n ɖ veslz in ɖ pantri rñ n śift, bgan n cntinyd. Wns ɖ lît wz iclipst, n ɖ gostli cićn-dorwê bcem abṣlutli darc. Fr mni aurz w mst hv crǎćt ɖr, sîḷnt n śiṿrñ, untl ǎr tîrd atnśn feld…\nAt last I faund mslf awec n vri hungri. I am inclînd t b’liv w mst hv spent ɖ gretr porśn v a de bfr ɖt awecnñ. Mî hungr wz at a strîd so insistnt ɖt it muvd m t ax́n. I tld ɖ kṛt I wz gwñ t sīc fūd, n flt mî we twdz ɖ pantri. H md m no ansr, bt so sn az I bgan ītñ ɖ fent nôz I md strd him p n I hŕd him crōlñ aftr m.\nẂT WI SW FṚM Ɖ RUIND HǍS\nftr ītñ w crept bac t ɖ scuḷri, n ɖr I mst hv dozd agn, fr ẃn prezntli I lct rnd I wz alon. Ɖ ʈudñ vîbreśn cntinyd wɖ wirism psistns. I ẃisprd fr ɖ kṛt sevṛl tîmz, n at last flt mî we t ɖ dor v ɖ cićn. It wz stl dêlît, n I psivd him acrs ɖ rūm, layñ agnst ɖ trîanğlr houl ɖt lct ǎt upn ɖ Marśnz. Hiz śoldrz wr hunćt, so ɖt hiz hed wz hidn fṛm m.\nI cd hír a numbr v nôzz olmst lîc ɖoz in an enjinśed; n ɖ ples roct wɖ ɖt bìtñ ʈud. Ʈru ɖ aṗćr in ɖ wōl I cd si ɖ top v a tri tućt wɖ gold n ɖ worm blu v a tranqil īvnñ scî. Fr a minit or so I rmend woćñ ɖ kṛt, n ɖen I advanst, crǎćñ n stepñ wɖ xtrim cer amd ɖ brocn croc̣ri ɖt litrd ɖ flor.\nI tućt ɖ kṛt’s leg, n h startd so vayḷntli ɖt a mas v plastr wnt slîdñ dǎn ǎtsd n fél wɖ a lǎd impact. I gript hiz arm, firñ h mt crî ǎt, n fr a loñ tîm w crǎćt mośnlis. Ɖen I trnd t si hǎ mć v ǎr rampart rmend. Ɖ dtaćmnt v ɖ plastr hd left a vrticl slit opn in ɖ debri, n bî rezñ mslf cōśsli acrs a bīm I wz ebl t si ǎt v ɖs gap intu ẃt hd bn oṿnît a qayt sbrbn rodwe. Vast, indd, wz ɖ ćenj ɖt w bheld.\nƉ fifʈ silindr mst hv fōḷn rît intu ɖ mdst v ɖ hǎs w hd frst viẓtd. Ɖ bildñ hd vaniśt, cmplitli smaśt, pulvrîzd, n dsprst bî ɖ blo. Ɖ silindr le nǎ far bnʈ ɖ orijinl fǎndeśnz – dīp in a houl, olrdi vastli larjr ɖn ɖ pit I hd lct intu at Wǒcñ. Ɖ rʈ ol rnd it hd splaśt undr ɖt tṛmnḍs impact – “splaśt” z ɖ onli wrd – n le in hīpt pîlz ɖt hid ɖ masz v ɖ ajesnt hǎzz. It hd bhevd xacli lîc mud undr ɖ vayḷnt blo v a hamr. Ǎr hǎs hd c’lapst bcwd; ɖ frunt porśn, īvn on ɖ grǎnd flor, hd bn dstroid cmplitli; bî a ćans ɖ cićn n scuḷri hd iscept, n std berid nǎ undr sôl n ruinz, clozd in bî tunz v rʈ on evri sîd sev twdz ɖ silindr. Ovr ɖt aspect w huñ nǎ on ɖ vri éj v ɖ gret srklr pit ɖ Marśnz wr ingejd in mcñ. Ɖ hevi bìtñ sǎnd wz evidntli jst bhnd s, n evr n agn a brît grīn vepr drouv p lîc a veil acrs ǎr pīphoul.\nƉ silindr wz olrdi opnd in ɖ sntr v ɖ pit, n on ɖ farɖr éj v ɖ pit, amd ɖ smaśt n gravl-hīpt śruḅri, wn v ɖ gret fîtñṃśīnz, dzrtd bî its okpnt, std stif n tōl agnst ɖ īvnñscî. At frst I scersli notist ɖ pit n ɖ silindr, olɖo it hz bn cnvińnt t dscrîb ɖm frst, on acǎnt v ɖ xtrordnri gliṭrñ mec̣nizm I sw bizi in ɖ xcveśn, n on acǎnt v ɖ strenj crīćrz ɖt wr crōlñ slǒli n penf̣li acrs ɖ hīpt mold nir it.\nƉ mec̣nizm it srtnli wz ɖt hld mî atnśn frst. It wz wn v ɖoz compḷcetd fabrics ɖt hv sins bn cōld hanḍlñṃśīnz, n ɖ studi v ẃć hz olrdi gvn sć an inorṃs impṭs t t’restrịl invnśn. Az it dōnd upn m frst, it prizntd a sort v mtalic spîdr wɖ fîv jôntd, ajîl legz, n wɖ an xtrordnri numbr v jôntd līvrz, barz, n rīćñ n clućñ tnṭclz abt its bodi. Most v its armz wr rtractd, bt wɖ ʈri loñ tnṭclz it wz fiśñ ǎt a numbr v ródz, plets, n barz ẃć lînd ɖ cuṿrñ n apaṛntli streñʈnd ɖ wōlz v ɖ silindr. Ɖz, az it xtractd ɖm, wr liftd ǎt n dpoztd upn a levl srfis v rʈ bhnd it.\nIts mośn wz so swift, complex, n prfict ɖt at frst I dd nt si it az a mśīn, in spît v its mtalic glitr. Ɖ fîtñṃśīnz wr coorḍnetd n aṇmetd t an xtrordnri pić, bt nʈñ t cmper wɖ ɖs. Ppl hu hv nvr sìn ɖz strucćrz, n hv onli ɖ il-imajnd ef̣ts v artists or ɖ imprfict dscripśnz v sć îwitṇsz az mslf t g upn, scersli riylîz ɖt livñ qoḷti.\nI rcōl ptiklrli ɖ iḷstreśn v wn v ɖ frst pamflits t gv a cnsektiv acǎnt v ɖ wor. Ɖ artist hd evidntli md a hesti studi v wn v ɖ fîtñṃśīnz, n ɖr hiz nolij endd. H prizntd ɖm az tiltd, stif trîpodz, wɖt îɖr flexbiḷti or sutlti, n wɖ an oltgɖr mslidñ mnoṭni v ifct. Ɖ pamflit cntenñ ɖz renḍrñz hd a cnsidṛbl vog, n I mnśn ɖm hir simpli t worn ɖ rīdr agnst ɖ impreśn ɖe me hv crietd. Ɖe wr no mor lîc ɖ Marśnz I sw in ax́n ɖn a Duć dol z lîc a hymn biyñ. T mî mînd, ɖ pamflit wd hv bn mć betr wɖt ɖm.\nAt frst, I se, ɖ hanḍlñṃśīn dd nt impres m az a mśīn, bt az a crablîc crīćr wɖ a gliṭrñ inteğmnt, ɖ cntrolñ Marśn huz delic̣t tnṭclz acćuetd its muvmnts sīmñ t b simpli ɖ iqivḷnt v ɖ crab’z seṛbṛl porśn. Bt ɖen I psivd ɖ rzmbḷns v its gre-brǎn, śîni, leɖ̇ri inteğmnt t ɖt v ɖ uɖr sprōlñ bodiz bynd, n ɖ tru nećr v ɖs dxtṛs wrcmn dōnd upn m. Wɖ ɖt rịlîześn mî inṭrest śiftd t ɖoz uɖr crīćrz, ɖ riyl Marśnz. Olrdi I hd hd a tranzịnt impreśn v ɖz, n ɖ frst nōzia no longr obskrd mî obẓveśn. Morovr, I wz cnsild n mośnlis, n undr no rjnsi v ax́n.\nƉe wr, I nǎ sw, ɖ most unrʈli crīćrz it z poṣbl t cnsiv. Ɖe wr hyj rǎnd bodiz – or, rɖr, hedz – abt for fīt in dîamitr, ć bodi hvñ in frunt v it a fes. Ɖs fes hd no nostṛlz – indd, ɖ Marśnz d nt sīm t hv hd eni sns v smel, bt it hd a per v vri larj darc-culrd îz, n jst bnʈ ɖs a cnd v fleśi bīc. In ɖ bac v ɖs hed or bodi – I scersli nǒ hǎ t spīc v it – wz ɖ sngl tît timpanic srfis, sins noun t b aṇtomicli an ir, ɖo it mst hv bn olmst yslis in ǎr dns er. In a grūp rnd ɖ mǎʈ wr sixtīn slendr, olmst ẃiplîc tnṭclz, arenjd in tū bunćz v et ć. Ɖz bunćz hv sins bn nemd rɖr aptli, bî ɖt dstnḡśt anaṭmist, Pṛfesr Hǎz, ɖ handz. Īvn az I sw ɖz Marśnz fr ɖ frst tîm ɖe sīmd t b indeṿrñ t rêz ɖmslvz on ɖz handz, bt v cors, wɖ ɖ incrist weit v t’restrịl cndiśnz, ɖs wz imposbl. Ɖr z rīzn t s’poz ɖt on Marz ɖe me hv pṛgrest upn ɖm wɖ sm fsiḷti.\nƉ intrnl anatmi, I me rmarc hir, az dsx́n hz sins śoun, wz olmst īqli simpl. Ɖ gretr part v ɖ strucćr wz ɖ bren, sndñ inorṃs nrvz t ɖ îz, ir, n tactîl tnṭclz. Bsdz ɖs wr ɖ bulci luñz, intu ẃć ɖ mǎʈ opnd, n ɖ hart n its veslz. Ɖ plṃnri dstres cōzd bî ɖ densr atṃsfir n gretr gravteśnl atrax́n wz onli tù evidnt in ɖ cnvulsiv muvmnts v ɖ ǎtr scin.\nN ɖs wz ɖ sum v ɖ Marśn orgnz. Strenj az it me sīm t a hymn biyñ, ol ɖ complex aṗreṭs v djsćn, ẃć mcs p ɖ bulc v ǎr bodiz, dd nt xist in ɖ Marśnz. Ɖe wr hedz – mirli hedz. Entrelz ɖe hd nn. Ɖe dd nt īt, mć les djst. Instd, ɖe tc ɖ freś, livñ blud v uɖr crīćrz, n injctd it intu ɖer ǒn veinz. I hv mslf sìn ɖs biyñ dn, az I śl mnśn in its ples. Bt, sqīmiś az I me sīm, I canot brñ mslf t dscrîb ẃt I cd nt indyr īvn t cntiny woćñ. Let it sfîs t se, blud obtend fṛm a stl livñ animl, in most cesz fṛm a hymn biyñ, wz run d’recli bî mīnz v a litl pipét intu ɖ rsipịnt cnal…\nƉ bér îdīa v ɖs z no dǎt hoṛbli rpulsiv t s, bt at ɖ sem tîm I ʈnc ɖt w śd rmembr hǎ rpulsiv ǎr carnivṛs habits wd sīm t an intelijnt rabit.\nƉ fizịlojicl advantjz v ɖ practis v injx́n r undinaybl, f wn ʈncs v ɖ tṛmnḍs west v hymn tîm n eṇji oceźnd bî ītñ n ɖ djstiv proses. Ǎr bodiz r haf md p v glandz n tybz n orgnz, okpaid in trnñ hetṛjīńs fūd intu blud. Ɖ djstiv prosesz n ɖer riax́n upn ɖ nrṿs sistm sap ǎr streñʈ n culr ǎr mîndz. Men g hapi or mizṛbl az ɖe hv hlʈi or unhelʈi livrz, or sǎnd gastric glandz. Bt ɖ Marśnz wr liftd abv ol ɖz organic flucćueśnz v mūd n imośn.\nƉer undinaybl prefṛns fr men az ɖer sors v nuriśmnt z partli xplend bî ɖ nećr v ɖ rmenz v ɖ victimz ɖe hd bròt wɖ ɖm az pṛviźnz fṛm Marz. Ɖz crīćrz, t juj fṛm ɖ śrivld rmenz ɖt hv fōḷn intu hymn handz, wr bîpedz wɖ flimzi, s’liśs scelitnz (olmst lîc ɖoz v ɖ s’liśs spunjz) n fībl muskḷćr, standñ abt six fīt hî n hvñ rǎnd, irect hedz, n larj îz in flinti socits. Tū or ʈri v ɖz sīm t hv bn bròt in ć silindr, n ol wr cild bfr rʈ wz rīćt. It wz jst az wel fr ɖm, fr ɖ mir atmt t stand uprît upn ǎr planit wd hv brocn evri bon in ɖer bodiz.\nN ẃl I am ingejd in ɖs dscripśn, I me ad in ɖs ples srtn frɖr dītelz ẃć, olɖo ɖe wr nt ol evidnt t s at ɖ tîm, wl inebl ɖ rīdr hu z un’qentd wɖ ɖm t form a clirr picćr v ɖz ofnsiv crīćrz.\nIn ʈri uɖr pônts ɖer fizioḷji difrd strenjli fṛm ǎrz. Ɖer orġnizmz dd nt slīp, eni mor ɖn ɖ hart v man slīps. Sins ɖe hd no xtnsiv musklr mec̣nizm t rcūṗret, ɖt piriodicl xtñśn wz uņoun t ɖm. Ɖe hd litl or no sns v ftīg, it wd sīm. On rʈ ɖe cd nvr hv muvd wɖt ef̣t, yt īvn t ɖ last ɖe cept in ax́n. In twenti-for aurz ɖe dd twenti-for aurz v wrc, az īvn on rʈ z phps ɖ ces wɖ ɖ ants.\nIn ɖ nxt ples, wundrfl az it sīmz in a sx́l wrld, ɖ Marśnz wr abṣlutli wɖt sx, n ɖrfr wɖt eni v ɖ tymulćs imośnz ɖt arîz fṛm ɖt difṛns amñ men. A yuñ Marśn, ɖr cn nǎ b no dspyt, wz riyli born upn rʈ jrñ ɖ wor, n it wz faund ataćt t its peṛnt, parśli budd of, jst az yuñ lilibulbz bud of, or lîc ɖ yuñ animlz in ɖ freś-wōtr polip.\nIn man, in ol ɖ hayr t’restrịl animlz, sć a meʈd v incrīs hz dis’pird; bt īvn on ɖs rʈ it wz srtnli ɖ priṃtiv meʈd. Amñ ɖ lowr animlz, p īvn t ɖoz frst cuznz v ɖ vrtbretd animlz, ɖ Tyṇcets, ɖ tū prosesz ocŕ sîd bî sîd, bt fîṇli ɖ sx́l meʈd sūṗsidd its cmpetitr oltgɖr. On Marz, hvr, jst ɖ rvrs hz apaṛntli bn ɖ ces.\nIt z wrɖi v rmarc ɖt a srtn spekḷtiv raitr v qāzi-sạntific rpyt, raitñ loñ bfr ɖ Marśn inveźn, dd fōrcast fr man a fînl strucćr nt unlîc ɖ acćl Marśn cndiśn. Hiz prof̣si, I rmembr, apird in Nvmbr or Dsmbr, 1893, in a loñ-dfuñt pubḷceśn, ɖ Pal Mal Bujit, n I rcōl a caric̣ćr v it in a pri-Marśn piriodicl cōld Punć. H pôntd ǎt – raitñ in a fūliś, fsīśs ton – ɖt ɖ pfx́n v mcanicl aplaynsz mst ultiṃtli sūṗsid limz; ɖ pfx́n v cemicl dvîsz, djsćn; ɖt sć orgnz az her, xtrnl nǒz, tīʈ, irz, n ćin wr no longr isnśl parts v ɖ hymn biyñ, n ɖt ɖ tndnsi v naćṛl s’lex́n wd lî in ɖ d’rex́n v ɖer stedi diṃńśn ʈru ɖ cmñ ejz. Ɖ bren alon rmend a cardinl nseṣti. Onli wn uɖr part v ɖ bodi hd a stroñ ces fr svîvl, n ɖt wz ɖ hand, “tīćr n ejnt v ɖ bren.” Ẃl ɖ rest v ɖ bodi dwindld, ɖ handz wd gro larjr.\nƉr z mni a tru wrd ritn in jest, n hir in ɖ Marśnz w hv bynd dspyt ɖ acćl acumpliśmnt v sć a s’preśn v ɖ animl sîd v ɖ orġnizm bî ɖ intelijns. T m it z qt creḍbl ɖt ɖ Marśnz me b dsndd fṛm biyñz nt unlîc ǎrslvz, bî a grajl dveḷpmnt v bren n handz (ɖ latr gvñ rîz t ɖ tū bunćz v delic̣t tnṭclz at last) at ɖ xpns v ɖ rest v ɖ bodi. Wɖt ɖ bodi ɖ bren wd, v cors, bcm a mir slfiś intelijns, wɖt eni v ɖ imośnl substretm v ɖ hymn biyñ.\nƉ last sełnt pônt in ẃć ɖ sistmz v ɖz crīćrz difrd fṛm ǎrz wz in ẃt wn mt hv ʈt a vri trivịl ptiklr. Mîcroorġnizmz, ẃć cōz so mć dziz n pen on rʈ, hv îɖr nvr apird upn Marz or Marśn sanitri sayns iliṃnetd ɖm ejz ago. A hundṛd dzizz, ol ɖ fīvrz n cntejnz v hymn lîf, cnsumśn, cansrz, tymrz n sć morbidtiz, nvr entr ɖ scīm v ɖer lîf. N spīcñ v ɖ difṛnsz btwn ɖ lîf on Marz n t’restrịl lîf, I me alud hir t ɖ krịs sjsćnz v ɖ red wīd.\nApaṛntli ɖ vejtblcñdm in Marz, instd v hvñ grīn fr a dominnt culr, z v a vivid blud-red tint. At eni ret, ɖ sīdz ẃć ɖ Marśnz (intnśṇli or axdntli) bròt wɖ ɖm gev rîz in ol cesz t red-culrd groʈs. Onli ɖt noun popylrli az ɖ red wīd, hvr, gend eni ftñ in comṗtiśn wɖ t’restrịl formz. Ɖ red crīpr wz qt a transitri groʈ, n fy ppl hv sìn it growñ. Fr a tîm, hvr, ɖ red wīd grù wɖ astoṇśñ vigr n lux́urịns. It spred p ɖ sîdz v ɖ pit bî ɖ ʈrd or forʈ de v ǎr impriznmnt, n its cacṭslîc branćz formd a carmîn frinj t ɖ éjz v ǎr trîanğlr windo. N aftwdz I faund it brōdcast ʈrt ɖ cuntri, n ispeśli ẃrvr ɖr wz a strīm v wōtr.\nƉ Marśnz hd ẃt apirz t hv bn an ōditri orgn, a sngl rǎnd drum at ɖ bac v ɖ hedbodi, n îz wɖ a viźl renj nt vri difṛnt fṛm ǎrz xpt ɖt, acordñ t Filips, blu n vayḷt wr az blac t ɖm. It z comnli s’pozd ɖt ɖe cḿṇcetd bî sǎndz n tntaklr jstikleśnz; ɖs z asrtd, fr instns, in ɖ ebl bt hesṭli cmpîld pamflit (ritn evidntli bî smwn nt an îwitnis v Marśn ax́nz) t ẃć I hv olrdi aludd, n ẃć, so far, hz bn ɖ ćīf sors v inf̣meśn cnsrnñ ɖm. Nǎ no svîvñ hymn biyñ sw so mć v ɖ Marśnz in ax́n az I dd. I tec no credit t mslf fr an axidnt, bt ɖ fact z so. N I asrt ɖt I woćt ɖm closli tîm aftr tîm, n ɖt I hv sìn for, fîv, n (wns) six v ɖm sluġśli pformñ ɖ most ilabṛtli compḷcetd oṗreśnz tgɖr wɖt îɖr sǎnd or jsćr. Ɖer pkłr hūtñ inverịbli prisidd fīdñ; it hd no modyleśn, n wz, I b’liv, in no sns a signl, bt mirli ɖ xṗreśn v er pripaṛtri t ɖ sux̣́nl oṗreśn. I hv a srtn clem t at līst an eḷmntri nolij v sîcoḷji, n in ɖs matr I am cnvinst – az frmli az I am cnvinst v enʈñ – ɖt ɖ Marśnz inṭćenjd ʈts wɖt eni fizicl inṭmīdieśn. N I hv bn cnvinst v ɖs in spît v stroñ prīcnspśnz. Bfr ɖ Marśn inveźn, az an oceźnl rīdr hir or ɖr me rmembr, I hd ritn wɖ sm litl viymns agnst ɖ teḷpaʈic ʈiyri.\nƉ Marśnz wòr no cloɖñ. Ɖer cnspśnz v orṇmnt n dcoṛm wr nesseṛli difṛnt fṛm ǎrz; n nt onli wr ɖe evidntli mć les snṣbl v ćenjz v tmpṛćr ɖn w r, bt ćenjz v preśr d nt sīm t hv afctd ɖer hlʈ at ol sirịsli. Yt ɖo ɖe wòr no cloɖñ, it wz in ɖ uɖr arṭfiśl adiśnz t ɖer boḍli rzorsz ɖt ɖer gret s’pirioṛti ovr man le. W men, wɖ ǎr bîsiclz n rodscets, ǎr Liłntāl sōrñṃśīnz, ǎr gunz n stics n so fʈ, r jst in ɖ bginñ v ɖ īṿluśn ɖt ɖ Marśnz hv wrct ǎt. Ɖe hv bcm practicli mir brenz, wẹrñ difṛnt bodiz acordñ t ɖer nīdz jst az men wer sūts v cloɖz n tec a bîsicl in a huri or an umbrela in ɖ wet. N v ɖer aplaynsz, phps nʈñ z mor wundrfl t a man ɖn ɖ krịs fact ɖt ẃt z ɖ dominnt fīćr v olmst ol hymn dvîsz in mec̣nizm z absnt – ɖ ẃīl z absnt; amñ ol ɖ ʈñz ɖe bròt t rʈ ɖr z no tres or sjsćn v ɖer ys v ẃīlz. Wn wd hv at līst xpctd it in loc̣mośn. N in ɖs cnx́n it z krịs t rmarc ɖt īvn on ɖs rʈ Nećr hz nvr hit upn ɖ ẃīl, or hz prifŕd uɖr xpīdịnts t its dveḷpmnt. N nt onli dd ɖ Marśnz îɖr nt nǒ v (ẃć z increḍbl), or absten fṛm, ɖ ẃīl, bt in ɖer aṗreṭs snğlrli litl ys z md v ɖ fixt piṿt or reḷtivli fixt piṿt, wɖ srklr mośnz ɖr’bt cnfînd t wn plein. Olmst ol ɖ jônts v ɖ mśīṇri priznt a compḷcetd sistm v slîdñ parts muvñ ovr smōl bt bytifli crvd frix́nbẹrñz. N ẃl upn ɖs matr v dītel, it z rmarcbl ɖt ɖ loñ līvṛjz v ɖer mśīnz r in most cesz acćuetd bî a sort v śam muskḷćr v ɖ discs in an ilastic śīʈ; ɖz discs bcm poḷrîzd n drwn closli n pǎrf̣li tgɖr ẃn tṛvrst bî a cuṛnt v ilectriṣti. In ɖs we ɖ krịs paṛlelizm t animl mośnz, ẃć wz so strîcñ n dstrbñ t ɖ hymn bholdr, wz atend. Sć qāzi-muslz abǎndd in ɖ crablîc hanḍlñṃśīn ẃć, on mî frst pīpñ ǎt v ɖ slit, I woćt unpacñ ɖ silindr. It sīmd infiṇtli mor alîv ɖn ɖ acćl Marśnz layñ bynd it in ɖ súnsetlît, pantñ, stŕñ inifcćl tnṭclz, n muvñ fībli aftr ɖer vast jrni acrs spes.\nẂl I wz stl woćñ ɖer slugiś mośnz in ɖ súnlît, n notñ ć strenj dītel v ɖer form, ɖ kṛt rmîndd m v hiz prezns bî pŭlñ vayḷntli at mî arm. I trnd t a scǎlñ fes, n sîḷnt, eḷqnt lips. H wontd ɖ slit, ẃć pmitd onli wn v s t pīp ʈru; n so I hd t fōrgo woćñ ɖm fr a tîm ẃl h injoid ɖt priṿlij.\nẂn I lct agn, ɖ bizi hanḍlñṃśīn hd olrdi pt tgɖr sevṛl v ɖ pìsz v aṗreṭs it hd tecn ǎt v ɖ silindr intu a śep hvñ an unmistecbl lîcnis t its ǒn; n dǎn on ɖ left a bizi litl digñ mec̣nizm hd cm intu vy, imitñ jets v grīn vepr n wrcñ its we rnd ɖ pit, xc̣vetñ n imbancñ in a mʈodicl n dscriṃnetñ manr. Ɖs it wz ẃć hd cōzd ɖ reğlr bìtñ nôz, n ɖ riɖmic śocs ɖt hd cept ǎr ruiṇs refyj qiṿrñ. It pîpt n ẃisld az it wrct. So far az I cd si, ɖ ʈñ wz wɖt a d’rectñ Marśn at ol.\nƉ DEZ OV IMPRIZNMNT\narîvl v a secnd fîtñṃśīn drouv s fṛm ǎr pīphoul intu ɖ scuḷri, fr w fird ɖt fṛm hiz eḷveśn ɖ Marśn mt si dǎn upn s bhnd ǎr barịr. At a lêtr det w bgan t fīl les in denjr v ɖer îz, fr t an î in ɖ dazl v ɖ súnlît ǎtsd ǎr refyj mst hv bn blanc blacnis, bt at frst ɖ slîtist sjsćn v aproć drouv s intu ɖ scuḷri in hart-ʈrobñ rtrit. Yt teṛbl az wz ɖ denjr w incŕd, ɖ atrax́n v pīpñ wz fr bʈ v s irizistbl. N I rcōl nǎ wɖ a sort v wundr ɖt, in spît v ɖ infiṇt denjr in ẃć w wr btwn starveśn n a stl mor teṛbl deʈ, w cd yt strugl bitrli fr ɖt hoṛbl priṿlij v sît. W wd rês acrs ɖ cićn in a gṛtesc we btwn īgrnis n ɖ dred v mcñ a nôz, n strîc ć uɖr, n ʈrust n cic, wɖn a fy inćz v xpoźr.\nƉ fact z ɖt w hd abṣlutli incmpatbl disṗziśnz n habits v ʈt n ax́n, n ǎr denjr n îṣleśn onli axnćuetd ɖ incmpatbiḷti. At Halif̣d I hd olrdi cm t het ɖ kṛt’s tric v hlplis xcḷmeśn, hiz stypid r’jidti v mînd. Hiz endlis muṭrñ moṇlog viśietd evri ef̣t I md t ʈnc ǎt a lîn v ax́n, n drouv m at tîmz, ɖus pnt p n intnṣfaid, olmst t ɖ vrj v crezinis. H wz az lacñ in rstrent az a sili wmn. H wd wīp fr aurz tgɖr, n I veṛli b’liv ɖt t ɖ vri end ɖs spôlt ćîld v lîf ʈt hiz wìc tirz in sm we ef̣ceśs. N I wd sit in ɖ darcnis unebl t cīp mî mînd of him bî rīzn v hiz importyṇtiz. H ét mor ɖn I dd, n it wz in ven I pôntd ǎt ɖt ǎr onli ćans v lîf wz t stop in ɖ hǎs untl ɖ Marśnz hd dn wɖ ɖer pit, ɖt in ɖt loñ peśns a tîm mt prezntli cm ẃn w śd nīd fūd. H ét n dranc impulsivli in hevi mīlz at loñ inṭvlz. H slept litl.\nAz ɖ dez wòr on, hiz utr cerlisnis v eni cnsiḍreśn so intnṣfaid ǎr dstres n denjr ɖt I hd, mć az I loɖd dwñ it, t rzort t ʈrets, n at last t bloz. Ɖt bròt him t rīzn fr a tîm. Bt h wz wn v ɖoz wìc crīćrz, vôd v prîd, timṛs, anīmic, hetfl soulz, fl v śifti cunñ, hu fes nɖr God nr man, hu fes nt īvn ɖmslvz.\nIt z dis’griybl fr m t rcōl n rait ɖz ʈñz, bt I set ɖm dǎn ɖt mî stori me lac nʈñ. Ɖoz hu hv iscept ɖ darc n teṛbl aspects v lîf wl fînd mî brūtaḷti, mî flaś v rej in ǎr fînl traɉdi, īzi inuf t blem; fr ɖe nǒ ẃt z roñ az wel az eni, bt nt ẃt z poṣbl t torćrd men. Bt ɖoz hu hv bn undr ɖ śado, hu hv gn dǎn at last t eḷmntl ʈñz, wl hv a wîdr ćaṛti.\nN ẃl wɖn w fòt ǎt ǎr darc, dim contest v ẃisprz, snaćt fūd n drinc, n gripñ handz n bloz, wɖt, in ɖ pitilis súnlît v ɖt teṛbl Jūn, wz ɖ strenj wundr, ɖ unfmiłr rūtīn v ɖ Marśnz in ɖ pit. Let m rtrn t ɖoz frst ny xpirịnsz v mîn. Aftr a loñ tîm I vnćrd bac t ɖ pīphoul, t fînd ɖt ɖ ny-cmrz hd bn riinforst bî ɖ okpnts v no fywr ɖn ʈri v ɖ fîtñṃśīnz. Ɖz last hd bròt wɖ ɖm srtn freś aplaynsz ɖt std in an ordrli manr abt ɖ silindr. Ɖ secnd hanḍlñṃśīn wz nǎ cmplitd, n wz bizid in srvñ wn v ɖ novl cntrîvnsz ɖ big mśīn hd bròt. Ɖs wz a bodi rzmḅlñ a milc̦an in its jenṛl form, abv ẃć oṣletd a pér-śept rspticl, n fṛm ẃć a strīm v ẃît pǎdr floud intu a srklr besn b’lo.\nƉ osiḷtri mośn wz impartd t ɖs bî wn tnṭcl v ɖ hanḍlñṃśīn. Wɖ tū spaćḷt handz ɖ hanḍlñṃśīn wz digñ ǎt n flññ masz v cle intu ɖ pér-śept rspticl abv, ẃl wɖ anɖr arm it piriodicli opnd a dor n rmuvd rusti n blacnd clincrz fṛm ɖ midl part v ɖ mśīn. Anɖr stīli tnṭcl d’rectd ɖ pǎdr fṛm ɖ besn alñ a ribd ćanl twdz sm rsivr ɖt wz hidn fṛm m bî ɖ mǎnd v bluiś dust. Fṛm ɖs unsìn rsivr a litl ʈred v grīn smoc rouz vrticli intu ɖ qayt er. Az I lct, ɖ hanḍlñṃśīn, wɖ a fent n ḿzicl clincñ, xtndd, teḷscopic faśn, a tnṭcl ɖt hd bn a momnt bfr a mir blunt pṛjx́n, untl its end wz hidn bhnd ɖ mǎnd v cle. In anɖr secnd it hd liftd a bar v ẃît aḷmińm intu sît, untarniśt az yt, n śînñ dazlñli, n dpoztd it in a growñ stac v barz ɖt std at ɖ sîd v ɖ pit. Btwn súnset n starlît ɖs dxtṛs mśīn mst hv md mor ɖn a hundṛd sć barz ǎt v ɖ crūd cle, n ɖ mǎnd v bluiś dust rouz steḍli untl it topt ɖ sîd v ɖ pit.\nƉ contrast btwn ɖ swift n complex muvmnts v ɖz cntrîvnsz n ɖ inrt pantñ clumzinis v ɖer mastrz wz akt, n fr dez I hd t tel mslf rpitidli ɖt ɖz latr wr indd ɖ livñ v ɖ tū ʈñz.\nƉ kṛt hd pześn v ɖ slit ẃn ɖ frst men wr bròt t ɖ pit. I wz sitñ b’lo, hudld p, liṣnñ wɖ ol mî irz. H md a sudn muvmnt bcwd, n I, firfl ɖt w wr obzrvd, crǎćt in a spazm v terr. H cem slîdñ dǎn ɖ rubiś n crept bsd m in ɖ darcnis, inartikḷt, jstikletñ, n fr a momnt I śerd hiz panic. Hiz jsćr sjstd a reẓgneśn v ɖ slit, n aftr a litl ẃl mî krioṣti gev m curij, n I rouz p, stept acrs him, n clambrd p t it. At frst I cd si no rīzn fr hiz frantic bhevyr. Ɖ twîlît hd nǎ cm, ɖ starz wr litl n fent, bt ɖ pit wz iluṃnetd bî ɖ flic̣rñ grīn fîr ɖt cem fṛm ɖ aḷmińm-mcñ. Ɖ hol picćr wz a flic̣rñ scīm v grīn glīmz n śiftñ rusti blac śadoz, strenjli trayñ t ɖ îz. Ovr n ʈru it ol wnt ɖ bats, hīdñ it nt at ol. Ɖ sprōlñ Marśnz wr no longr t b sìn, ɖ mǎnd v blu-grīn pǎdr hd rizn t cuvr ɖm fṛm sît, n a fîtñṃśīn, wɖ its legz cntractd, crumpld, n abrīvietd, std acrs ɖ cornr v ɖ pit. N ɖen, amd ɖ clangr v ɖ mśīṇri, cem a driftñ sspiśn v hymn vôsz, ɖt I enttend at frst onli t dsmis.\nI crǎćt, woćñ ɖs fîtñṃśīn closli, saṭsfayñ mslf nǎ fr ɖ frst tîm ɖt ɖ hŭd dd indd cnten a Marśn. Az ɖ grīn flemz liftd I cd si ɖ ôli glīm v hiz inteğmnt n ɖ brîtnis v hiz îz. N sudnli I hŕd a yel, n sw a loñ tnṭcl rīćñ ovr ɖ śoldr v ɖ mśīn t ɖ litl cej ɖt hunćt upn its bac. Ɖen smʈñ – smʈñ struġlñ vayḷntli – wz liftd hî agnst ɖ scî, a blac, veg inigma agnst ɖ starlît; n az ɖs blac objict cem dǎn agn, I sw bî ɖ grīn brîtnis ɖt it wz a man. Fr an instnt h wz clirli viẓbl. H wz a stǎt, rudi, midl-ejd man, wel drest; ʈri dez bfr, h mst hv bn wōcñ ɖ wrld, a man v cnsidṛbl consiqns. I cd si hiz stẹrñ îz n glīmz v lît on hiz studz n woć̦en. H vaniśt bhnd ɖ mǎnd, n fr a momnt ɖr wz sîḷns. N ɖen bgan a śrīcñ n a sstend n ćirfl hūtñ fṛm ɖ Marśnz.\nI slid dǎn ɖ rubiś, strugld t mî fīt, clapt mî handz ovr mî irz, n boltd intu ɖ scuḷri. Ɖ kṛt, hu hd bn crǎćñ sîḷntli wɖ hiz armz ovr hiz hed, lct p az I pást, craid ǎt qt lǎdli at mî dzrśn v him, n cem runñ aftr m.\nƉt nît, az w lrct in ɖ scuḷri, baḷnst btwn ǎr horr n ɖ teṛbl faṣneśn ɖs pīpñ hd, olɖo I flt an rjnt nīd v ax́n I traid in ven t cnsiv sm plan v iscep; bt aftwdz, jrñ ɖ secnd de, I wz ebl t cnsidr ǎr pziśn wɖ gret clirnis. Ɖ kṛt, I faund, wz qt inceṗbl v dscuśn; ɖs ny n culṃnetñ atroṣti hd robd him v ol vsṭjz v rīzn or fōrʈōt. Practicli h hd olrdi sunc t ɖ levl v an animl. Bt az ɖ seyñ gz, I gript mslf wɖ bʈ handz. It grù upn mî mînd, wns I cd fes ɖ facts, ɖt teṛbl az ǎr pziśn wz, ɖr wz az yt no justif̣ceśn fr abṣlut dsper. Ǎr ćīf ćans le in ɖ posbiḷti v ɖ Marśnz mcñ ɖ pit nʈñ mor ɖn a temprri incampmnt. Or īvn f ɖe cept it prmnntli, ɖe mt nt cnsidr it nesṣri t gard it, n a ćans v iscep mt b afordd s. I olso weid vri cerf̣li ɖ posbiḷti v ǎr digñ a we ǎt in a d’rex́n awe fṛm ɖ pit, bt ɖ ćansz v ǎr imrjñ wɖn sît v sm sntinl-fîtñṃśīn sīmd at frst tù gret. N I śd hv hd t d ol ɖ digñ mslf. Ɖ kṛt wd srtnli hv feld m.\nIt wz on ɖ ʈrd de, f mî meṃri srvz m rît, ɖt I sw ɖ lad cild. It wz ɖ onli oceźn on ẃć I acćli sw ɖ Marśnz fīd. Aftr ɖt xpirịns I avôdd ɖ houl in ɖ wōl fr ɖ betr part v a de. I wnt intu ɖ scuḷri, rmuvd ɖ dor, n spent sm aurz digñ wɖ mî haćit az sîḷntli az poṣbl; bt ẃn I hd md a houl abt a cupl v fīt dīp ɖ lūs rʈ c’lapst nôẓli, n I dd nt der cntiny. I lost hart, n le dǎn on ɖ scuḷri flor fr a loñ tîm, hvñ no spirit īvn t muv. N aftr ɖt I abandnd oltgɖr ɖ îdīa v iscepñ bî xcveśn.\nIt sz mć fr ɖ impreśn ɖ Marśnz hd md upn m ɖt at frst I enttend litl or no hop v ǎr iscep biyñ bròt abt bî ɖer oṿʈro ʈru eni hymn ef̣t. Bt on ɖ forʈ or fifʈ nît I hŕd a sǎnd lîc hevi gunz.\nIt wz vri lêt in ɖ nît, n ɖ mūn wz śînñ brîtli. Ɖ Marśnz hd tecn awe ɖ xc̣vetñṃśīn, n, sev fr a fîtñṃśīn ɖt std in ɖ rmotr banc v ɖ pit n a hanḍlñṃśīn ɖt wz berid ǎt v mî sît in a cornr v ɖ pit imījtli bnʈ mî pīphoul, ɖ ples wz dzrtd bî ɖm. Xpt fr ɖ pel glo fṛm ɖ hanḍlñṃśīn n ɖ barz n paćz v ẃît mūnlît ɖ pit wz in darcnis, n, xpt fr ɖ clincñ v ɖ hanḍlñṃśīn, qt stil. Ɖt nît wz a bytifl sreṇti; sev fr wn planit, ɖ mūn sīmd t hv ɖ scî t hrslf. I hŕd a dog hǎlñ, n ɖt fmiłr sǎnd it wz ɖt md m lisn. Ɖen I hŕd qt dstñtli a būmñ xacli lîc ɖ sǎnd v gret gunz. Six dstñt rports I cǎntd, n aftr a loñ inṭvl six agn. N ɖt wz ol.\nƉ DEƮ OV Ɖ KṚT\nt wz on ɖ sixʈ de v ǎr impriznmnt ɖt I pīpt fr ɖ last tîm, n prezntli faund mslf alon. Instd v cīpñ clos t m n trayñ t ǎst m fṛm ɖ slit, ɖ kṛt hd gn bac intu ɖ scuḷri. I wz struc bî a sudn ʈt. I wnt bac qcli n qaytli intu ɖ scuḷri. In ɖ darcnis I hŕd ɖ kṛt drincñ. I snaćt in ɖ darcnis, n mî fngrz còt a botl v brgndi.\nFr a fy minits ɖr wz a tusl. Ɖ botl struc ɖ flor n brouc, n I dzistd n rouz. W std pantñ n ʈreṭnñ ć uɖr. In ɖ end I plantd mslf btwn him n ɖ fūd, n tld him v mî dtrṃneśn t bgin a diṣplin. I dvîdd ɖ fūd in ɖ pantri, intu raśnz t last s ten dez. I wd nt let him īt eni mor ɖt de. In ɖ afṭnun h md a fībl ef̣t t gt at ɖ fūd. I hd bn dozñ, bt in an instnt I wz awec. Ol de n ol nît w sat fes t fes, I wiri bt reẓlut, n h wīpñ n cmplenñ v hiz imījt hungr. It wz, I nǒ, a nît n a de, bt t m it sīmd – it sīmz nǎ – an intrmiṇbl leñʈ v tîm.\nN so ǎr wîdnd incmpatbiḷti endd at last in opn conflict. Fr tū vast dez w strugld in unḍtonz n reṣlñcontests. Ɖr wr tîmz ẃn I bìt n cict him madli, tîmz ẃn I cjold n pswedd him, n wns I traid t brîb him wɖ ɖ last botl v brgndi, fr ɖr wz a renwōtr-pump fṛm ẃć I cd gt wōtr. Bt nɖr fors nr cîndnis aveld; h wz indd bynd rīzn. H wd nɖr dzist fṛm hiz atacs on ɖ fūd nr fṛm hiz nôzi baḅlñ t himslf. Ɖ rūḍmntri pricōśnz t cīp ǎr impriznmnt indyṛbl h wd nt obzrv. Slǒli I bgan t riylîz ɖ cmplit oṿʈro v hiz intelijns, t psiv ɖt mî sol cmpańn in ɖs clos n sicli darcnis wz a man insen.\nFṛm srtn veg meṃriz I am inclînd t ʈnc mî ǒn mînd wondrd at tîmz. I hd strenj n hidịs drīmz ẃnvr I slept. It sǎndz paṛdoxicl, bt I am inclînd t ʈnc ɖt ɖ wìcnis n insaṇti v ɖ kṛt wornd m, brêst m, n cept m a sen man.\nOn ɖ etʈ de h bgan t tōc alǎd instd v ẃisṗrñ, n nʈñ I cd d wd modṛt hiz spīć.\n“It z just, O God!” h wd se, ovr n ovr agn. “It z just. On m n mîn b ɖ puniśmnt leid. W hv sind, w hv fōḷn śort. Ɖr wz poṿti, soro; ɖ pur wr trodn in ɖ dust, n I hld mî pīs. I prīćt axptbl foli – mî God, ẃt foli! – ẃn I śd hv std p, ɖo I daid fr it, n cōld upn ɖm t rpnt – rpnt!… Opresrz v ɖ pur n nīdi… ! Ɖ wînpres v God!”\nƉen h wd sudnli rvrt t ɖ matr v ɖ fūd I wɖheld fṛm him, preyñ, begñ, wīpñ, at last ʈreṭnñ. H bgan t rêz hiz vôs – I preid him nt t. H psivd a hold on m – h ʈretnd h wd śǎt n brñ ɖ Marśnz upn s. Fr a tîm ɖt scerd m; bt eni cnseśn wd hv śortnd ǎr ćans v iscep bynd estimetñ. I dfaid him, olɖo I flt no aśuṛns ɖt h mt nt d ɖs ʈñ. Bt ɖt de, at eni ret, h dd nt. H tōct wɖ hiz vôs rîzñ slǒli, ʈru ɖ gretr part v ɖ etʈ n nînʈ dez – ʈrets, intritiz, mngld wɖ a toṛnt v haf-sen n olwz froʈi rpntns fr hiz vecnt śam v God’z srvis, sć az md m piti him. Ɖen h slept aẃl, n bgan agn wɖ rnyd streñʈ, so lǎdli ɖt I mst nīdz mc him dzist.\n“B stil!” I implord.\nH rouz t hiz niz, fr h hd bn sitñ in ɖ darcnis nir ɖ copr.\n“I hv bn stil tù loñ,” h sd, in a ton ɖt mst hv rīćt ɖ pit, “n nǎ I mst ber mî witnis. Wo untu ɖs unfeʈfl siti! Wo! Wo! Wo! Wo! Wo! T ɖ inhabitnts v ɖ rʈ bî rīzn v ɖ uɖr vôsz v ɖ trumpit – ”\n“Śut p!” I sd, rîzñ t mî fīt, n in a terr lest ɖ Marśnz śd hír s. “Fr God’z sec – ”\n“Nê,” śǎtd ɖ kṛt, at ɖ top v hiz vôs, standñ lîcwz n xtndñ hiz armz. “Spīc! Ɖ wrd v ɖ Lord z upn m!”\nIn ʈri strîdz h wz at ɖ dor līdñ intu ɖ cićn.\n“I mst ber mî witnis! I g! It hz olrdi bn tù loñ dled.”\nI pt ǎt mî hand n flt ɖ mìtćopr haññ t ɖ wōl. In a flaś I wz aftr him. I wz firs wɖ fir. Bfr h wz hafwe acrs ɖ cićn I hd oṿtecn him. Wɖ wn last tuć v hymaṇti I trnd ɖ bled bac n struc him wɖ ɖ but. H wnt hedloñ fwd n le strećt on ɖ grǎnd. I stumbld ovr him n std pantñ. H le stil.\nSudnli I hŕd a nôz wɖt, ɖ run n smaś v slipñ plastr, n ɖ trîanğlr aṗćr in ɖ wōl wz darcnd. I lct p n sw ɖ lowr srfis v a hanḍlñṃśīn cmñ slǒli acrs ɖ houl. Wn v its gripñ limz crld amd ɖ debri; anɖr lim apird, fīlñ its we ovr ɖ fōḷn bīmz. I std petṛfaid, stẹrñ. Ɖen I sw ʈru a sort v glas plet nir ɖ éj v ɖ bodi ɖ fes, az w me cōl it, n ɖ larj darc îz v a Marśn, pirñ, n ɖen a loñ mtalic snec v tnṭcl cem fīlñ slǒli ʈru ɖ houl.\nI trnd bî an ef̣t, stumbld ovr ɖ kṛt, n stopt at ɖ scuḷri dor. Ɖ tnṭcl wz nǎ sm we, tū yardz or mor, in ɖ rūm, n twistñ n trnñ, wɖ qir sudn muvmnts, ɖs we n ɖt. Fr a ẃl I std faṣnetd bî ɖt slo, fitfl advans. Ɖen, wɖ a fent, hōrs crî, I forst mslf acrs ɖ scuḷri. I trembld vayḷntli; I cd scersli stand uprît. I opnd ɖ dor v ɖ colsélr, n std ɖr in ɖ darcnis stẹrñ at ɖ fentli lit dorwê intu ɖ cićn, n liṣnñ. Hd ɖ Marśn sìn m? Ẃt wz it dwñ nǎ?\nSmʈñ wz muvñ t n fro ɖr, vri qaytli; evri nǎ n ɖen it tapt agnst ɖ wōl, or startd on its muvmnts wɖ a fent mtalic rññ, lîc ɖ muvmnts v ciz on a split rñ. Ɖen a hevi bodi – I ń tù wel ẃt – wz dragd acrs ɖ flor v ɖ cićn twdz ɖ oṗnñ. Irizistbli atractd, I crept t ɖ dor n pīpt intu ɖ cićn. In ɖ trîangl v brît ǎtr súnlît I sw ɖ Marśn, in its Brîerịs v a hanḍlñṃśīn, scrūṭnîzñ ɖ kṛt’s hed. I ʈt at wns ɖt it wd infŕ mî prezns fṛm ɖ marc v ɖ blo I hd gvn him.\nI crept bac t ɖ colsélr, śut ɖ dor, n bgan t cuvr mslf p az mć az I cd, n az nôzlisli az poṣbl in ɖ darcnis, amñ ɖ fîrwŭd n col ɖr-in. Evri nǎ n ɖen I pōzd, rijid, t hír f ɖ Marśn hd ʈrust its tnṭclz ʈru ɖ oṗnñ agn.\nƉen ɖ fent mtalic jngl rtrnd. I trêst it slǒli fīlñ ovr ɖ cićn. Prezntli I hŕd it nirr – in ɖ scuḷri, az I jujd. I ʈt ɖt its leñʈ mt b inṣfiśnt t rīć m. I preid copịsli. It pást, screpñ fentli acrs ɖ sélrdor. An ej v olmst intolṛbl sspns inṭvind; ɖen I hŕd it fumḅlñ at ɖ lać! It hd faund ɖ dor! Ɖ Marśnz unḍstd dorz!\nIt wurid at ɖ cać fr a minit, phps, n ɖen ɖ dor opnd.\nIn ɖ darcnis I cd jst si ɖ ʈñ – lîc an elifnt’s trunc mor ɖn enʈñ els – wevñ twdz m n tućñ n xaṃnñ ɖ wōl, colz, wŭd n sīlñ. It wz lîc a blac wrm sweyñ its blînd hed t n fro.\nWns, īvn, it tućt ɖ hìl v mî būt. I wz on ɖ vrj v scrīmñ; I bit mî hand. Fr a tîm ɖ tnṭcl wz sîḷnt. I cd hv fansid it hd bn wɖdrwn. Prezntli, wɖ an abrupt clic, it gript smʈñ – I ʈt it hd m! – n sīmd t g ǎt v ɖ sélr agn. Fr a minit I wz nt śr. Apaṛntli it hd tecn a lump v col t xamin.\nI sizd ɖ oṗtyṇti v slîtli śiftñ mî pziśn, ẃć hd bcm cramt, n ɖen lisnd. I ẃisprd paśṇt prerz fr sefti.\nƉen I hŕd ɖ slo, dlibṛt sǎnd crīpñ twdz m agn. Slǒli, slǒli it drù nir, scraćñ agnst ɖ wōlz n tapñ ɖ frnićr.\nẂl I wz stl dǎtfl, it rapt smartli agnst ɖ sélrdor n clozd it. I hŕd it g intu ɖ pantri, n ɖ bisciținz ratld n a botl smaśt, n ɖen cem a hevi bump agnst ɖ sélrdor. Ɖen sîḷns ɖt pást intu an infiṇti v sspns.\nHd it gn?\nAt last I dsîdd ɖt it hd.\nIt cem intu ɖ scuḷri no mor; bt I le ol ɖ tnʈ de in ɖ clos darcnis, berid amñ colz n fîrwŭd, nt dẹrñ īvn t crōl ǎt fr ɖ drinc fr ẃć I crevd. It wz ɖ ilevnʈ de bfr I vnćrd so far fṛm mî s’kṛti.\nî frst act bfr I wnt intu ɖ pantri wz t fasn ɖ dor btwn ɖ cićn n ɖ scuḷri. Bt ɖ pantri wz emti; evri scrap v fūd hd gn. Apaṛntli, ɖ Marśn hd tecn it ol on ɖ prīvịs de. At ɖt dscuṿri I dsperd fr ɖ frst tîm. I tc no fūd, or no drinc îɖr, on ɖ ilevnʈ or ɖ twelfʈ de.\nAt frst mî mǎʈ n ʈrot wr parćt, n mî streñʈ ebd snṣbli. I sat abt in ɖ darcnis v ɖ scuḷri, in a stet v dspondnt rećidnis. Mî mînd ran on ītñ. I ʈt I hd bcm def, fr ɖ nôzz v muvmnt I hd bn acustmd t hír fṛm ɖ pit hd sīst abṣlutli. I dd nt fīl stroñ inuf t crōl nôzlisli t ɖ pīphoul, or I wd hv gn ɖr.\nOn ɖ twelfʈ de mî ʈrot wz so penfl ɖt, tecñ ɖ ćans v alarmñ ɖ Marśnz, I atact ɖ crīcñ renwōtr pump ɖt std bî ɖ snc, n got a cupl v glasflz v blacnd n tentd renwōtr. I wz gretli rfreśt bî ɖs, n imboldnd bî ɖ fact ɖt no inqîrñ tnṭcl foloud ɖ nôz v mî pumpñ.\nJrñ ɖz dez, in a ramḅlñ, incnclūsiv we, I ʈt mć v ɖ kṛt n v ɖ manr v hiz deʈ.\nOn ɖ ʈrtīnʈ de I dranc sm mor wōtr, n dozd n ʈt dsjôntidli v ītñ n v veg imposbl planz v iscep. Ẃnvr I dozd I dremt v hoṛbl fantazmz, v ɖ deʈ v ɖ kṛt, or v sumćs dinrz; bt, aslip or awec, I flt a cīn pen ɖt rjd m t drinc agn n agn. Ɖ lît ɖt cem intu ɖ scuḷri wz no longr gre, bt red. T mî dsordrd imaɉneśn it sīmd ɖ culr v blud.\nOn ɖ fortīnʈ de I wnt intu ɖ cićn, n I wz s’prîzd t fînd ɖt ɖ frondz v ɖ red wīd hd groun rît acrs ɖ houl in ɖ wōl, trnñ ɖ haf-lît v ɖ ples intu a crimzn-culrd obskṛti.\nIt wz rli on ɖ fiftīnʈ de ɖt I hŕd a krịs, fmiłr sīqns v sǎndz in ɖ cićn, n, liṣnñ, îdnṭfaid it az ɖ snufñ n scraćñ v a dog. Gwñ intu ɖ cićn, I sw a dog’z nǒz pirñ in ʈru a brec amñ ɖ rudi frondz. Ɖs gretli s’prîzd m. At ɖ sént v m h barct śortli.\nI ʈt f I cd indys him t cm intu ɖ ples qaytli I śd b ebl, phps, t cil n īt him; n in eni ces, it wd b advîẓbl t cil him, lest hiz ax́nz atractd ɖ atnśn v ɖ Marśnz.\nI crept fwd, seyñ “Gd dog!” vri softli; bt h sudnli wɖdru hiz hed n dis’pird.\nI lisnd – I wz nt def – bt srtnli ɖ pit wz stil. I hŕd a sǎnd lîc ɖ flutr v a brd’z wñz, n a hōrs crǒcñ, bt ɖt wz ol.\nFr a loñ ẃl I le clos t ɖ pīphoul, bt nt dẹrñ t muv asd ɖ red plants ɖt obskrd it. Wns or twîs I hŕd a fent pitr-patr lîc ɖ fīt v ɖ dog gwñ hiɖr n ɖiɖr on ɖ sand far b’lo m, n ɖr wr mor brdlîc sǎndz, bt ɖt wz ol. At leñʈ, incurijd bî ɖ sîḷns, I lct ǎt.\nXpt in ɖ cornr, ẃr a multtyd v croz hópt n fòt ovr ɖ scelitnz v ɖ ded ɖ Marśnz hd cnsymd, ɖr wz nt a livñ ʈñ in ɖ pit.\nI stérd abt m, scersli b’livñ mî îz. Ol ɖ mśīṇri hd gn. Sev fr ɖ big mǎnd v grêiś-blu pǎdr in wn cornr, srtn barz v aḷmińm in anɖr, ɖ blac brdz, n ɖ scelitnz v ɖ cild, ɖ ples wz mirli an emti srklr pit in ɖ sand.\nSlǒli I ʈrust mslf ǎt ʈru ɖ red wīd, n std upn ɖ mǎnd v rubl. I cd si in eni d’rex́n sev bhnd m, t ɖ norʈ, n nɖr Marśnz nr sîn v Marśnz wr t b sìn. Ɖ pit dropt śirli fṛm mî fīt, bt a litl we alñ ɖ rubiś afordd a practicbl slǒp t ɖ sumit v ɖ ruinz. Mî ćans v iscep hd cm. I bgan t trembl.\nI heztetd fr sm tîm, n ɖen, in a gust v despṛt reẓluśn, n wɖ a hart ɖt ʈrobd vayḷntli, I scrambld t ɖ top v ɖ mǎnd in ẃć I hd bn berid so loñ.\nI lct abt agn. T ɖ norʈẉd, tù, no Marśn wz viẓbl.\nẂn I hd last sìn ɖs part v Śīn in ɖ dêlît it hd bn a straġlñ strīt v cumftbl ẃît n red hǎzz, inṭsprst wɖ abundnt śêdi triz. Nǎ I std on a mǎnd v smaśt bricwrc, cle, n gravl, ovr ẃć spred a multtyd v red cacṭs-śept plants, ni-hî, wɖt a solitri t’restrịl groʈ t dspyt ɖer ftñ. Ɖ triz nir m wr ded n brǎn, bt frɖr a netwrc v red ʈred sceld ɖ stl livñ stemz.\nƉ neḅrñ hǎzz hd ol bn rect, bt nn hd bn brnd; ɖer wōlz std, smtmz t ɖ secnd stori, wɖ smaśt windoz n śatrd dorz. Ɖ red wīd grù tymulć̣sli in ɖer rūflis rūmz. B’lo m wz ɖ gret pit, wɖ ɖ croz struġlñ fr its refys. A numbr v uɖr brdz hópt abt amñ ɖ ruinz. Far awe I sw a gōnt cat slinc crǎćñli alñ a wōl, bt tresz v men ɖr wr nn.\nƉ de sīmd, bî contrast wɖ mî rīsnt cnfînmnt, dazlñli brît, ɖ scî a glowñ blu. A jntl brīz cept ɖ red wīd ɖt cuvrd evri scrap v unokpaid grǎnd jntli sweyñ. N ǒ! ɖ swītnis v ɖ er!\nƉ WRC OV FIFTĪN DEZ\nr sm tîm I std toṭrñ on ɖ mǎnd rgardlis v mî sefti. Wɖn ɖt nôsm den fṛm ẃć I hd imrjd I hd ʈt wɖ a naro intnṣti onli v ǎr imījt s’kṛti. I hd nt riylîzd ẃt hd bn haṗnñ t ɖ wrld, hd nt antiṣpetd ɖs starṭlñ viźn v unfmiłr ʈñz. I hd xpctd t si Śīn in ruinz – I faund abt m ɖ lanscep, wird n lŭrid, v anɖr planit.\nFr ɖt momnt I tućt an imośn bynd ɖ comn renj v men, yt wn ɖt ɖ pur brūts w doṃnet nǒ onli tù wel. I flt az a rabit mt fīl rtrnñ t hiz buro n sudnli cnfruntd bî ɖ wrc v a duzn bizi naviz digñ ɖ fǎndeśnz v a hǎs. I flt ɖ frst ñclñ v a ʈñ ɖt prezntli grù qt clir in mî mînd, ɖt oprest m fr mni dez, a sns v dʈronmnt, a psweźn ɖt I wz no longr a mastr, bt an animl amñ ɖ animlz, undr ɖ Marśn hìl. Wɖ s it wd b az wɖ ɖm, t lrc n woć, t run n hîd; ɖ fir n empîr v man hd pást awe.\nBt so sn az ɖs strenjnis hd bn riylîzd it pást, n mî dominnt motiv bcem ɖ hungr v mî loñ n dizṃl fast. In ɖ d’rex́n awe fṛm ɖ pit I sw, bynd a red-cuvrd wōl, a pać v gardn grǎnd unberid. Ɖs gev m a hint, n I wnt ni-dīp, n smtmz nec-dīp, in ɖ red wīd. Ɖ denṣti v ɖ wīd gev m a ri’śurñ sns v hîdñ. Ɖ wōl wz sm six fīt hî, n ẃn I atmtd t clambr it I faund I cd nt lift mî fīt t ɖ crest. So I wnt alñ bî ɖ sîd v it, n cem t a cornr n a rocwrc ɖt inebld m t gt t ɖ top, n tumbl intu ɖ gardn I cuṿtd. Hir I faund sm yuñ uńnz, a cupl v gladioḷs bulbz, n a qontti v iṃtyr caṛts, ol v ẃć I s’krd, n, scramḅlñ ovr a ruind wōl, wnt on mî we ʈru scarlit n crimzn triz twdz Cỳ – it wz lîc wōcñ ʈru an aṿny v jîgantic bluḑrops – pzest wɖ tū îdīaz: t gt mor fūd, n t limp, az sn n az far az mî streñʈ pmitd, ǎt v ɖs acrst unrʈli rījn v ɖ pit.\nSm we farɖr, in a grasi ples, wz a grūp v muśrumz ẃć olso I dvǎrd, n ɖen I cem upn a brǎn śīt v flowñ śalo wōtr, ẃr medoz yst t b. Ɖz fragmnts v nuriśmnt srvd onli t ẃet mî hungr. At frst I wz s’prîzd at ɖs flud in a hot, drî sumr, bt aftwdz I dscuvrd ɖt it wz cōzd bî ɖ tropicl xybṛns v ɖ red wīd. D’recli ɖs xtrordnri groʈ incǎntrd wōtr it stretwê bcem jîgantic n v unpaṛleld fcundti. Its sīdz wr simpli pord dǎn intu ɖ wōtr v ɖ Wê n Tmz, n its swiftli growñ n Tîtanic wōtr frondz spīḍli ćoct bʈ ɖoz rivrz.\nAt Putni, az I aftwdz sw, ɖ brij wz olmst lost in a tangl v ɖs wīd, n at Rićmnd, tù, ɖ Tmz wōtr pord in a brōd n śalo strīm acrs ɖ medoz v Hamtn n Twicnm. Az ɖ wōtr spred ɖ wīd foloud ɖm, untl ɖ ruind vilaz v ɖ Tmz vali wr fr a tîm lost in ɖs red swomp, huz marjin I xplord, n mć v ɖ deẓleśn ɖ Marśnz hd cōzd wz cnsild.\nIn ɖ end ɖ red wīd s’cumd olmst az qcli az it hd spred. A canc̣rñ dziz, dy, it z b’livd, t ɖ ax́n v srtn bactiria, prezntli sizd upn it. Nǎ bî ɖ ax́n v naćṛl s’lex́n, ol t’restrịl plants hv aqîrd a rzistñ pǎr agnst bactirịl dzizz – ɖe nvr s’cum wɖt a svir strugl, bt ɖ red wīd rotd lîc a ʈñ olrdi ded. Ɖ frondz bcem blīćt, n ɖen śrivld n britl. Ɖe brouc of at ɖ līst tuć, n ɖ wōtrz ɖt hd stiḿletd ɖer rli groʈ carid ɖer last vsṭjz ǎt t sì.\nMî frst act on cmñ t ɖs wōtr wz, v cors, t slec mî ʈrst. I dranc a gret dīl v it n, muvd bî an impuls, nwd sm frondz v red wīd; bt ɖe wr wōṭri, n hd a sicli, mtalic test. I faund ɖ wōtr wz sfiśntli śalo fr m t wêd s’krli, olɖo ɖ red wīd impidd mî fīt a litl; bt ɖ flud evidntli got dīpr twdz ɖ rivr, n I trnd bac t Mortlec. I manijd t mc ǎt ɖ rod bî mīnz v oceźnl ruinz v its vilaz n fnsz n lamps, n so prezntli I got ǎt v ɖs spet n md mî we t ɖ hil gwñ p twdz Rohamtn n cem ǎt on Putni Comn.\nHir ɖ sìṇri ćenjd fṛm ɖ strenj n unfmiłr t ɖ recij v ɖ fmiłr: paćz v grǎnd xibtd ɖ devsteśn v a sîclon, n in a fy scor yardz I wd cm upn prf̣cli undistrbd spesz, hǎzz wɖ ɖer blîndz trimli drwn n dorz clozd, az f ɖe hd bn left fr a de bî ɖ ǒnrz, or az f ɖer inhabitnts slept wɖn. Ɖ red wīd wz les abundnt; ɖ tōl triz alñ ɖ len wr fri fṛm ɖ red crīpr. I huntd fr fūd amñ ɖ triz, fîndñ nʈñ, n I olso rêdd a cupl v sîḷnt hǎzz, bt ɖe hd olrdi bn brocn intu n ransact. I restd fr ɖ rmendr v ɖ dêlît in a śruḅri, biyñ, in mî infībld cndiśn, tù ftīgd t pś on.\nOl ɖs tîm I sw no hymn biyñz, n no sînz v ɖ Marśnz. I incǎntrd a cupl v hungri-lcñ dogz, bt bʈ hurid s’kwṭsli awe fṛm ɖ advansz I md ɖm. Nir Rohamtn I hd sìn tū hymn scelitnz – nt bodiz, bt scelitnz, pict clīn – n in ɖ wŭd bî m I faund ɖ cruśt n scatrd bonz v sevṛl cats n rabits n ɖ scul v a śīp. Bt ɖo I nwd parts v ɖz in mî mǎʈ, ɖr wz nʈñ t b got fṛm ɖm.\nAftr súnset I strugld on alñ ɖ rod twdz Putni, ẃr I ʈnc ɖ Hītre mst hv bn yzd fr sm rīzn. N in ɖ gardn bynd Rohamtn I got a qontti v iṃtyr ptetoz, sfiśnt t ste mî hungr. Fṛm ɖs gardn wn lct dǎn upn Putni n ɖ rivr. Ɖ aspect v ɖ ples in ɖ dusc wz snğlrli dezḷt: blacnd triz, blacnd, dezḷt ruinz, n dǎn ɖ hil ɖ śīts v ɖ fludd rivr, red-tinjd wɖ ɖ wīd. N ovr ol – sîḷns. It fild m wɖ indiscrîbbl terr t ʈnc hǎ swiftli ɖt deẓletñ ćenj hd cm.\nFr a tîm I b’livd ɖt man-cnd hd bn swept ǎt v xistns, n ɖt I std ɖr alon, ɖ last man left alîv. Hard bî ɖ top v Putni Hil I cem upn anɖr scelitn, wɖ ɖ armz disḷcetd n rmuvd sevṛl yardz fṛm ɖ rest v ɖ bodi. Az I pṛsidd I bcem mor n mor cnvinst ɖt ɖ xtrṃneśn v man-cnd wz, sev fr sć straglrz az mslf, olrdi acumpliśt in ɖs part v ɖ wrld. Ɖ Marśnz, I ʈt, hd gn on n left ɖ cuntri deṣletd, sīcñ fūd elsẃr. Phps īvn nǎ ɖe wr dstroyñ Brlin or Paris, or it mt b ɖe hd gn norʈẉd.\nƉ MAN ON PUTNI HIL\nspent ɖt nît in ɖ ín ɖt standz at ɖ top v Putni Hil, slīpñ in a md bed fr ɖ frst tîm sins mî flît t Leɖ̇hed. I wl nt tel ɖ nīdlis trubl I hd brecñ intu ɖt hǎs – aftwdz I faund ɖ frunt dor wz on ɖ lać – nr hǎ I ransact evri rūm fr fūd, untl jst on ɖ vrj v dsper, in ẃt sīmd t m t b a srvnt’s bedrūm, I faund a rat-nwd crust n tū tinz v pînapl. Ɖ ples hd bn olrdi srćt n emtid. In ɖ bar I aftwdz faund sm biscits n sanẉjz ɖt hd bn oṿlct. Ɖ latr I cd nt īt, ɖe wr tù rotn, bt ɖ formr nt onli steid mî hungr, bt fild mî pocits. I lit no lamps, firñ sm Marśn mt cm bìtñ ɖt part v Lundn fr fūd in ɖ nît. Bfr I wnt t bed I hd an inṭvl v restlisnis, n prǎld fṛm windo t windo, pirñ ǎt fr sm sîn v ɖz monstrz. I slept litl. Az I le in bed I faund mslf ʈncñ cnsektivli – a ʈñ I d nt rmembr t hv dn sins mî last arğmnt wɖ ɖ kṛt. Jrñ ol ɖ inṭvinñ tîm mî mntl cndiśn hd bn a huriyñ s’xeśn v veg imośnl stets or a sort v stypid rīseptivti. Bt in ɖ nît mî bren, riinforst, I s’poz, bî ɖ fūd I hd ītn, grù clir agn, n I ʈt.\nƮri ʈñz strugld fr pześn v mî mînd: ɖ cilñ v ɖ kṛt, ɖ ẃr’bts v ɖ Marśnz, n ɖ poṣbl fet v mî wîf. Ɖ formr gev m no snseśn v horr or rmors t rcōl; I sw it simpli az a ʈñ dn, a meṃri infiṇtli dis’griybl bt qt wɖt ɖ qoḷti v rmors. I sw mslf ɖen az I si mslf nǎ, drivn step bî step twdz ɖt hesti blo, ɖ crīćr v a sīqns v axidnts līdñ inevitbli t ɖt. I flt no condmneśn; yt ɖ meṃri, static, unpṛgresiv, hōntd m. In ɖ sîḷns v ɖ nît, wɖ ɖt sns v ɖ nirnis v God ɖt smtmz cmz intu ɖ stilnis n ɖ darcnis, I std mî trîl, mî onli trîl, fr ɖt momnt v roʈ n fir. I rtrest evri step v ǎr convseśn fṛm ɖ momnt ẃn I hd faund him crǎćñ bsd m, hīdlis v mî ʈrst, n pôntñ t ɖ fîr n smoc ɖt strīmd p fṛm ɖ ruinz v Wêbrij. W hd bn inceṗbl v cooṗreśn – grim ćans hd tecn no hīd v ɖt. Hd I fsin, I śd hv left him at Halif̣d. Bt I dd nt fōrsi; n crîm z t fōrsi n d. N I set ɖs dǎn az I hv set ol ɖs stori dǎn, az it wz. Ɖr wr no witṇsz – ol ɖz ʈñz I mt hv cnsild. Bt I set it dǎn, n ɖ rīdr mst form hiz jujmnt az h wl.\nN ẃn, bî an ef̣t, I hd set asd ɖt picćr v a prostret bodi, I fest ɖ probḷm v ɖ Marśnz n ɖ fet v mî wîf. Fr ɖ formr I hd no deta; I cd imajn a hundṛd ʈñz, n so, unhaṗli, I cd fr ɖ latr. N sudnli ɖt nît bcem teṛbl. I faund mslf sitñ p in bed, stẹrñ at ɖ darc. I faund mslf preyñ ɖt ɖ Hītre mt hv sudnli n penlisli struc hr ǎt v biyñ. Sins ɖ nît v mî rtrn fṛm Leɖ̇hed I hd nt preid. I hd utrd prerz, fetiśprerz, hd preid az hīɖnz mutr ćarmz ẃn I wz in xtreṃti; bt nǎ I preid indd, plīdñ stedfstli n senli, fes t fes wɖ ɖ darcnis v God. Strenj nît! Strenjist in ɖs, ɖt so sn az dōn hd cm, I, hu hd tōct wɖ God, crept ǎt v ɖ hǎs lîc a rat līvñ its hîdñples – a crīćr scersli larjr, an infirịr animl, a ʈñ ɖt fr eni pasñ ẃim v ǎr mastrz mt b huntd n cild. Phps ɖe olso preid confidntli t God. Śrli, f w hv lrnt nʈñ els, ɖs wor hz tòt s piti – piti fr ɖoz witlis soulz ɖt sufr ǎr dmińn.\nƉ mornñ wz brît n fîn, n ɖ īstn scî gloud pnc, n wz fretd wɖ litl goldn clǎdz. In ɖ rod ɖt runz fṛm ɖ top v Putni Hil t Wimbldn wz a numbr v pur vsṭjz v ɖ panictoṛnt ɖt mst hv pord Lundnẉd on ɖ Súnde nît aftr ɖ fîtñ bgan. Ɖr wz a litl tū-ẃīld cart inscrîbd wɖ ɖ nem v Toṃs Lób, Grīngrosr, Ny Mōldn, wɖ a smaśt ẃīl n an abandnd tin trunc; ɖr wz a strw hat trampld intu ɖ nǎ hardnd mud, n at ɖ top v Wst Hil a lot v blud-stend glas abt ɖ oṿtrnd wōtrtrof. Mî muvmnts wr lanḡd, mî planz v ɖ vegist. I hd an îdīa v gwñ t Leɖ̇hed, ɖo I ń ɖt ɖr I hd ɖ purist ćans v fîndñ mî wîf. Srtnli, unls deʈ hd oṿtecn ɖm sudnli, mî cuznz n ś wd hv fled ɖns; bt it sīmd t m I mt fînd or lrn ɖr ẃiɖr ɖ Suri ppl hd fled. I ń I wontd t fînd mî wîf, ɖt mî hart ect fr hr n ɖ wrld v men, bt I hd no clir îdīa hǎ ɖ fîndñ mt b dn. I wz olso śarpli awer nǎ v mî intns lonlinis. Fṛm ɖ cornr I wnt, undr cuvr v a ʈicit v triz n bśz, t ɖ éj v Wimbldn Comn, strećñ wîd n far.\nƉt darc xpans wz lit in paćz bî yelo gors n brūm; ɖr wz no red wīd t b sìn, n az I prǎld, heztetñ, on ɖ vrj v ɖ opn, ɖ sún rouz, fludñ it ol wɖ lît n vîtaḷti. I cem upn a bizi sworm v litl frogz in a swompi ples amñ ɖ triz. I stopt t lc at ɖm, drw̃ a lesn fṛm ɖer stǎt rzolv t liv. N prezntli, trnñ sudnli, wɖ an od fīlñ v biyñ woćt, I bheld smʈñ crǎćñ amd a clump v bśz. I std rgardñ ɖs. I md a step twdz it, n it rouz p n bcem a man armd wɖ a cutḷs. I aproćt him slǒli. H std sîḷnt n mośnlis, rgardñ m.\nAz I drù nirr I psivd h wz drest in cloɖz az dusti n filʈi az mî ǒn; h lct, indd, az ɖo h hd bn dragd ʈru a culṿt. Nirr, I dstnḡśt ɖ grīn slîm v dićz mixñ wɖ ɖ pel drab v draid cle n śîni, cǒli paćz. Hiz blac her fél ovr hiz îz, n hiz fes wz darc n drti n suncn, so ɖt at frst I dd nt recgnîz him. Ɖr wz a red cut acrs ɖ lowr part v hiz fes.\n“Stop!” h craid, ẃn I wz wɖn ten yardz v him, n I stopt. Hiz vôs wz hōrs. “Ẃr d y cm fṛm?” h sd.\nI ʈt, sveyñ him.\n“I cm fṛm Mortlec,” I sd. “I wz berid nir ɖ pit ɖ Marśnz md abt ɖer silindr. I hv wrct mî we ǎt n iscept.”\n“Ɖr z no fūd abt hir,” h sd. “Ɖs z mî cuntri. Ol ɖs hil dǎn t ɖ rivr, n bac t Clapm, n p t ɖ éj v ɖ comn. Ɖr z onli fūd fr wn. Ẃć we r y gwñ?”\nI ansrd slǒli.\n“I d’nt nǒ,” I sd. “I hv bn berid in ɖ ruinz v a hǎs ʈrtīn or fortīn dez. I d’nt nǒ ẃt hz hapnd.”\nH lct at m dǎtf̣li, ɖen startd, n lct wɖ a ćenjd xpreśn.\n“I’v no wś t stop abt hir,” sd I. “I ʈnc I śl g t Leɖ̇hed, fr mî wîf wz ɖr.”\nH śot ǎt a pôntñ fngr.\n“It z y,” sd h; “ɖ man fṛm Wǒcñ. N y wr’nt cild at Wêbrij?”\nI recgnîzd him at ɖ sem momnt.\n“Y r ɖ artiḷrimn hu cem intu mî gardn.”\n“Gd luc!” h sd. “W r luci wnz! Fansi y!” H pt ǎt a hand, n I tc it. “I crōld p a dren,” h sd. “Bt ɖe dd’nt cil evrwn. N aftr ɖe wnt awe I got of twdz Wōltn acrs ɖ fīldz. Bt – It’s nt sixtīn dez oltgɖr – n yr her z gre.” H lct ovr hiz śoldr sudnli. “Onli a rŭc,” h sd. “Wn gts t nǒ ɖt brdz hv śadoz ɖz dez. Ɖs z a bit opn. Let s crōl undr ɖoz bśz n tōc.”\n“Hv y sìn eni Marśnz?” I sd. “Sins I crōld out – ”\n“Ɖ’v gn awe acrs Lundn,” h sd. “I ges ɖ’v got a bigr camp ɖr. V a nît, ol ovr ɖr, Hamstid we, ɖ scî z alîv wɖ ɖer lîts. It’s lîc a gret siti, n in ɖ gler y cn jst si ɖm muvñ. Bî dêlît y c’nt. Bt nirr – I hv’nt sìn ɖm – ” (h cǎntd on hiz fngrz) “fîv dez. Ɖen I sw a cupl acrs Hamrsmiʈ we cariyñ smʈñ big. N ɖ nît bfr last” – h stopt n spouc impresivli – “it wz jst a matr v lîts, bt it wz smʈñ p in ɖ er. I b’liv ɖ’v bilt a flayñmśīn, n r lrnñ t flî.”\nI stopt, on handz n niz, fr w hd cm t ɖ bśz.\n“Yes,” h sd, “flî.”\nI wnt on intu a litl bǎr, n sat dǎn.\n“It z ol ovr wɖ hymaṇti,” I sd. “F ɖe cn d ɖt ɖe wl simpli g rnd ɖ wrld.”\n“Ɖe wl. Bt – It wl rliv ʈñz ovr hir a bit. N bsdz –” H lct at m. “R’nt y saṭsfaid it z p wɖ hymaṇti? I am. W’r dǎn; w’r bìt.”\nI stérd. Strenj az it me sīm, I hd nt arîvd at ɖs fact – a fact prf̣cli obvịs so sn az h spouc. I hd stl hld a veg hop; rɖr, I hd cept a lîfloñ habit v mînd. H rpitd hiz wrdz, “W’r bìt.” Ɖe carid abṣlut cnvix́n.\n“It’s ol ovr,” h sd. “Ɖ’v lost wn – jst wn. N ɖ’v md ɖer ftñ gd n cripld ɖ gretist pǎr in ɖ wrld. Ɖ’v wōct ovr s. Ɖ deʈ v ɖt wn at Wêbrij wz an axidnt. N ɖz r onli paynirz. Ɖe cept on cmñ. Ɖz grīn starz – I’v sìn nn ɖz fîv or six dez, bt I’v no dǎt ɖ’r fōlñ smẃr evri nît. Nʈñ’z t b dn. W’r undr! W’r bìt!”\nI md him no ansr. I sat stẹrñ bfr m, trayñ in ven t dvîz sm cǎnṭvelñ ʈt.\n“Ɖs z’nt a wor,” sd ɖ artiḷrimn. “It nvr wz a wor, eni mor ɖn ɖr’z wor btwn man n ants.”\nSudnli I rcōld ɖ nît in ɖ obzrṿtri.\n“Aftr ɖ tnʈ śot ɖe fîrd no mor – at līst, untl ɖ frst silindr cem.”\n“Hǎ d y nǒ?” sd ɖ artiḷrimn. I xplend. H ʈt. “Smʈñ roñ wɖ ɖ gun,” h sd. “Bt ẃt f ɖr z? Ɖ’l gt it rît agn. N īvn f ɖr’z a dle, hǎ cn it oltr ɖ end? It’s jst men n ants. Ɖr’z ɖ ants bildz ɖer sitiz, liv ɖer lîvz, hv worz, reṿluśnz, untl ɖ men wont ɖm ǎt v ɖ we, n ɖen ɖe g ǎt v ɖ we. Ɖt’s ẃt w r nǎ – jst ants. Onli –”\n“Yes,” I sd.\n“W’r īṭbl ants.”\nW sat lcñ at ć uɖr.\n“N ẃt wl ɖe d wɖ s?” I sd.\n“Ɖt’s ẃt I’v bn ʈncñ,” h sd; “ɖt’s ẃt I’v bn ʈncñ. Aftr Wêbrij I wnt sǎʈ – ʈncñ. I sw ẃt wz p. Most v ɖ ppl wr hard at it sqīlñ n xîtñ ɖmslvz. Bt I’m nt so fond v sqīlñ. I’v bn in sît v deʈ wns or twîs; I’m nt an orṇmntl soljr, n at ɖ bst n wrst, deʈ – it’s jst deʈ. N it’s ɖ man ɖt cīps on ʈncñ cmz ʈru. I sw evrwn tracñ awe sǎʈ. Sz I, ‘Fūd w’nt last ɖs we,’ n I trnd rît bac. I wnt fr ɖ Marśnz lîc a sparo gz fr man. Ol rnd” – h wevd a hand t ɖ hrîzn – “ɖ’r starvñ in hīps, boltñ, trédñ on ć uɖr…”\nH sw mî fes, n hōltd ōcẉdli.\n“No dǎt lots hu hd muni hv gn awe t Frans,” h sd. H sīmd t heẓtet ẃɖr t apoḷjîz, met mî îz, n wnt on: “Ɖr’z fūd ol abt hir. Cand ʈñz in śops; wînz, spirits, minṛlwōtrz; n ɖ wōtrmênz n drenz r emti. Wel, I wz telñ y ẃt I wz ʈncñ. ‘Hir’z intelijnt ʈñz,’ I sd, ‘n it sīmz ɖe wont s fr fūd. Frst, ɖ’l smaś s p – śips, mśīnz, gunz, sitiz, ol ɖ ordr n orġnîześn. Ol ɖt wl g. F w wr ɖ sîz v ants w mt pl ʈru. Bt w’r nt. It’s ol tù bulci t stop. Ɖt’s ɖ frst srtnti.’ Ê?”\n“It z; I’v ʈt it ǎt. Vri wel, ɖen – nxt; at preznt w’r còt az w’r wontd. A Marśn hz onli t g a fy mîlz t gt a crǎd on ɖ run. N I sw wn, wn de, ǎt bî Wonzẉʈ, picñ hǎzz t pìsz n rǎtñ amñ ɖ recij. Bt ɖe w’nt cīp on dwñ ɖt. So sn az ɖ’v setld ol ǎr gunz n śips, n smaśt ǎr relwez, n dn ol ɖ ʈñz ɖe r dwñ ovr ɖr, ɖe wl bgin caćñ s sisṭmatic, picñ ɖ bst n storñ s in cejz n ʈñz. Ɖt’s ẃt ɖe wl start dwñ in a bit. Lord! Ɖe hv’nt bgun on s yt. D’nt y si ɖt?”\n“Nt bgun!” I xclemd.\n“Nt bgun. Ol ɖt’s hapnd so far z ʈru ǎr nt hvñ ɖ sns t cīp qayt – wuriyñ ɖm wɖ gunz n sć fūḷri. N luzñ ǎr hedz, n ruśñ of in crǎdz t ẃr ɖr wz’nt eni mor sefti ɖn ẃr w wr. Ɖe d’nt wont t boɖr s yt. Ɖ’r mcñ ɖer ʈñz – mcñ ol ɖ ʈñz ɖe cd’nt brñ wɖ ɖm, gtñ ʈñz redi fr ɖ rest v ɖer ppl. Vri lîcli ɖt’s ẃ ɖ silindrz hv stopt fr a bit, fr fir v hitñ ɖoz hu r hir. N instd v ǎr ruśñ abt blînd, on ɖ hǎl, or gtñ dîṇmît on ɖ ćans v bustñ ɖm p, w’v got t fix ǎrslvz p acordñ t ɖ ny stet v aferz. Ɖt’s hǎ I figr it ǎt. It z’nt qt acordñ t ẃt a man wonts fr hiz spīśīz, bt it’s abt ẃt ɖ facts pônt t. N ɖt’s ɖ prínsipl I actd upn. Sitiz, neśnz, siṿlîześn, progres – it’s ol ovr. Ɖt gem’z p. W’r bìt.”\n“Bt f ɖt z so, ẃt z ɖr t liv fr?”\nƉ artiḷrimn lct at m fr a momnt.\n“Ɖr w’nt b eni mor blest conṣts fr a miłn yirz or so; ɖr w’nt b eni Royl Acaḍmi v Arts, n no nîs litl fīdz at resṭronts. F it’s aḿzmnt y’r aftr, I recn ɖ gem z p. F y’v got eni drw̃rūm manrz or a dslîc t ītñ piz wɖ a nîf or dropñ êćz, y’d betr ćuc ’m awe. Ɖe e’nt no frɖr ys.”\n“Y mīn –”\n“I mīn ɖt men lîc m r gwñ on livñ – fr ɖ sec v ɖ brīd. I tel y, I’m grim set on livñ. N f I’m nt mstecn, y’l śo ẃt insîdz y’v got, tù, bfr loñ. W r’nt gwñ t b xtrṃnetd. N I d’nt mīn t b còt îɖr, n temd n fatnd n bred lîc a ʈunḍrñ ox. Ug! Fansi ɖoz brǎn crīprz!”\n“Y d’nt mīn t se –”\n“I d. I’m gwñ on, undr ɖer fīt. I’v got it pland; I’v ʈt it ǎt. W men r bìt. W d’nt nǒ inuf. W’v got t lrn bfr w’v got a ćans. N w’v got t liv n cīp indipndnt ẃl w lrn. Si! Ɖt’s ẃt hz t b dn.”\nI stérd, astoniśt, n strd pṛfǎndli bî ɖ man’z reẓluśn.\n“Gret God!” craid I. “Bt y r a man indd!” N sudnli I gript hiz hand.\n“Ê!” h sd, wɖ hiz îz śînñ. “I’v ʈt it ǎt, ê?”\n“G on,” I sd.\n“Wel, ɖoz hu mīn t iscep ɖer caćñ mst gt redi. I’m gtñ redi. Mînd y, it z’nt ol v s ɖt r md fr wîld bīsts; n ɖt’s ẃt it’s got t b. Ɖt’s ẃ I woćt y. I hd mî dǎts. Y’r slendr. I dd’nt nǒ ɖt it wz y, y si, or jst hǎ y’d bn berid. Ol ɖz – ɖ sort v ppl ɖt livd in ɖz hǎzz, n ol ɖoz dám litl clarcs ɖt yst t liv dǎn ɖt we – ɖ’d b no gd. Ɖe hv’nt eni spirit in ɖm – no prǎd drīmz n no prǎd lusts; n a man hu hz’nt wn or ɖ uɖr – Lord! Ẃt z h bt func n pricōśnz? Ɖe jst yst t sc̣dadl of t wrc – I’v sìn hundṛdz v ’m, bit v brecfst in hand, runñ wîld n śînñ t cać ɖer litl sīznticit tren, fr fir ɖ’d gt dsmist f ɖe dd’nt; wrcñ at bizṇsz ɖe wr afreid t tec ɖ trubl t unḍstand; sc̣daḍlñ bac fr fir ɖe wd’nt b in tîm fr dinr; cīpñ indorz aftr dinr fr fir v ɖ bac strīts, n slīpñ wɖ ɖ wîvz ɖe marid, nt bcz ɖe wontd ɖm, bt bcz ɖe hd a bit v muni ɖt wd mc fr sefti in ɖer wn litl mizṛbl sc̣dadl ʈru ɖ wrld. Lîvz inśurd n a bit invstd fr fir v axidnts. N on Súndez – fir v ɖ hiraftr. Az f hel wz bilt fr rabits! Wel, ɖ Marśnz wl jst b a god-snd t ɖz. Nîs rūmi cejz, faṭnñ fūd, cerfl brīdñ, no wuri. Aftr a wīc or so ćesñ abt ɖ fīldz n landz on emti stuṃcs, ɖ’l cm n b còt ćirfl. Ɖ’l b qt glad aftr a bit. Ɖ’l wundr ẃt ppl dd bfr ɖr wr Marśnz t tec cer v ɖm. N ɖ barloufrz, n maśrz, n sñrz – I cn imajn ɖm. I cn imajn ɖm,” h sd, wɖ a sort v sombr gratif̣ceśn. “Ɖr’l b eni amǎnt v sntimnt n rlijn lūs amñ ɖm. Ɖr’z hundṛdz v ʈñz I sw wɖ mî îz ɖt I’v onli bgun t si clirli ɖz last fy dez. Ɖr’z lots wl tec ʈñz az ɖe r – fat n stypid; n lots wl b wurid bî a sort v fīlñ ɖt it’s ol roñ, n ɖt ɖe òt t b dwñ smʈñ. Nǎ ẃnvr ʈñz r so ɖt a lot v ppl fīl ɖe òt t b dwñ smʈñ, ɖ wìc, n ɖoz hu g wìc wɖ a lot v compḷcetd ʈncñ, olwz mc fr a sort v du-nʈ͘ñ rlijn, vri pays n s’pirịr, n sbmit t prṣkśn n ɖ wil v ɖ Lord. Vri lîcli y’v sìn ɖ sem ʈñ. It’s eṇji in a gel v func, n trnd clīn insd ǎt. Ɖz cejz wl b fl v sāmz n hímz n payti. N ɖoz v a les simpl sort wl wrc in a bit v – what z it? – iroṭsizm.”\n“Vri lîcli ɖz Marśnz wl mc pets v sm v ɖm; tren ɖm t d trics – hu nz? – gt snṭmntl ovr ɖ pet bô hu grù p n hd t b cild. N sm, mbi, ɖe wl tren t hunt s.”\n“No,” I craid, “ɖt’s imposbl! No hymn biyñ –”\n“Ẃt’s ɖ gd v gwñ on wɖ sć lîz?” sd ɖ artiḷrimn. “Ɖr’z men hu’d d it ćirfl. Ẃt nonsns t pritnd ɖr z’nt!”\nN I s’cumd t hiz cnvix́n.\n“F ɖe cm aftr m,” h sd; “Lord, f ɖe cm aftr m!” n sbsîdd intu a grim medteśn.\nI sat contmpletñ ɖz ʈñz. I cd fînd nʈñ t brñ agnst ɖs man’z rīẓnñ. In ɖ dez bfr ɖ inveźn nwn wd hv qsćnd mî inṭlecćl s’pirioṛti t hiz – I, a pṛfest n recgnîzd raitr on fiḷsoficl ʈīmz, n h, a comn soljr; n yt h hd olrdi forḿletd a sićueśn ɖt I hd scersli riylîzd.\n“Ẃt r y dwñ?” I sd prezntli. “Ẃt planz hv y md?”\n“Wel, it’s lîc ɖs,” h sd. “Ẃt hv w t d? W hv t invnt a sort v lîf ẃr men cn liv n brīd, n b sfiśntli s’kr t brñ ɖ ćildṛn p. Yes – wêt a bit, n I’l mc it clirr ẃt I ʈnc òt t b dn. Ɖ tem wnz wl g lîc ol tem bīsts; in a fy jeṇreśnz ɖ’l b big, bytifl, rić-bludid, stypid – rubiś! Ɖ risc z ɖt w hu cīp wîld wl g savij – djeṇret intu a sort v big, savij rat… Y si, hǎ I mīn t liv z unḍgrǎnd. I’v bn ʈncñ abt ɖ drenz. V cors ɖoz hu d’nt nǒ drenz ʈnc hoṛbl ʈñz; bt undr ɖs Lundn r mîlz n mîlz – hundṛdz v mîlz – n a fy dez ren n Lundn emti wl līv ɖm swīt n clīn. Ɖ mn drenz r big inuf n e’ri inuf fr enwn. Ɖen ɖr’z sélrz, vōlts, storz, fṛm ẃć boltñ pasjz me b md t ɖ drenz. N ɖ relwe-tunlz n subwez. Ê? Y bgin t si? N w form a band – ebl-bodid, clīn-mîndd men. W’r nt gwñ t pic p eni rubiś ɖt drifts in. Wìclñz g ǎt agn.”\n“Az y mnt m t g?”\n“Wel – I parlid, dd’nt I?”\n“W w’nt qoṛl abt ɖt. G on.”\n“Ɖoz hu stop obe ordrz. Ebl-bodid, clīn-mîndd wimin w wont olso – muɖrz n tīćrz. No lacdezicl lediz – no blastd rolñ îz. W c’nt hv eni wìc or sili. Lîf z riyl agn, n ɖ yslis n cumbrsm n misćiṿs hv t dî. Ɖe òt t dî. Ɖe òt t b wilñ t dî. It’s a sort v dsloylti, aftr ol, t liv n tent ɖ res. N ɖe c’nt b hapi. Morovr, dayñ’z nn so dredfl; it’s ɖ funcñ mcs it bad. N in ol ɖoz plesz w śl gaɖr. Ǎr district wl b Lundn. N w me īvn b ebl t cīp a woć, n run abt in ɖ opn ẃn ɖ Marśnz cīp awe. Ple cricit, phps. Ɖt’s hǎ w śl sev ɖ res. Ê? It’s a poṣbl ʈñ? Bt sevñ ɖ res z nʈñ in itslf. Az I se, ɖt’s onli biyñ rats. It’s sevñ ǎr nolij n adñ t it z ɖ ʈñ. Ɖr men lîc y cm in. Ɖr’z bcs, ɖr’z modlz. W mst mc gret sef plesz dǎn dīp, n gt ol ɖ bcs w cn; nt novlz n powtri swîps, bt îdīaz, sayns-bcs. Ɖt’s ẃr men lîc y cm in. W mst g t ɖ Britiś Ḿziym n pic ol ɖoz bcs ʈru. Ispeśli w mst cīp p ǎr sayns – lrn mor. W mst woć ɖz Marśnz. Sm v s mst g az spîz. Ẃn it’s ol wrcñ, phps I wl. Gt còt, I mīn. N ɖ gret ʈñ z, w mst līv ɖ Marśnz alon. W ms’nt īvn stìl. F w gt in ɖer we, w clir ǎt. W mst śo ɖm w mīn no harm. Yes, I nǒ. Bt ɖ’r intelijnt ʈñz, n ɖe w’nt hunt s dǎn f ɖe hv ol ɖe wont, n ʈnc w’r jst harmlis vrmin.”\nƉ artiḷrimn pōzd n leid a brǎn hand upn mî arm.\n“Aftr ol, it me nt b so mć w me hv t lrn bfr – Jst imajn ɖs: for or fîv v ɖer fîtñmśīnz sudnli startñ of – Hītrez rît n left, n nt a Marśn in ’m. Nt a Marśn in ’m, bt men – men hu hv lrnt ɖ we hǎ. It me b in mî tîm, īvn – ɖoz men. Fansi hvñ wn v ɖm luvli ʈñz, wɖ its Hītre wîd n fri! Fansi hvñ it in cntrol! Ẃt wd it matr f y smaśt t smiɖ̇rīnz at ɖ end v ɖ run, aftr a bust lîc ɖt? I recn ɖ Marśnz’l opn ɖer bytifl îz! C’nt y si ɖm, man? C’nt y si ɖm huriyñ, huriyñ – pufñ n blowñ n hūtñ t ɖer uɖr mcanicl aferz? Smʈñ ǎt v gir in evri ces. N swiś, bañ, ratl, swiś! Jst az ɖe r fumḅlñ ovr it, swiś cmz ɖ Hītre, n, bhold! man hz cm bac t hiz ǒn.”\nFr a ẃl ɖ imajiṇtiv dẹrñ v ɖ artiḷrimn, n ɖ ton v aśuṛns n curij h asymd, cmplitli doṃnetd mî mînd. I b’livd unheztetñli bʈ in hiz fōrcast v hymn dsṭni n in ɖ practicbiḷti v hiz astoṇśñ scīm, n ɖ rīdr hu ʈncs m ssptbl n fūliś mst contrast hiz pziśn, rīdñ steḍli wɖ ol hiz ʈts abt hiz subjict, n mîn, crǎćñ firf̣li in ɖ bśz n liṣnñ, dstractd bî aprihnśn. W tōct in ɖs manr ʈru ɖ rli mornñtîm, n lêtr crept ǎt v ɖ bśz, n, aftr scanñ ɖ scî fr Marśnz, hurid prisipittli t ɖ hǎs on Putni Hil ẃr h hd md hiz ler. It wz ɖ colsélr v ɖ ples, n ẃn I sw ɖ wrc h hd spent a wīc upn – it wz a buro scersli ten yardz loñ, ẃć h dzînd t rīć t ɖ mn dren on Putni Hil – I hd mî frst ñclñ v ɖ gulf btwn hiz drīmz n hiz pǎrz. Sć a houl I cd hv dug in a de. Bt I b’livd in him sfiśntli t wrc wɖ him ol ɖt mornñ untl past miḑe at hiz digñ. W hd a gardnbaro n śot ɖ rʈ w rmuvd agnst ɖ cićnrenj. W rfreśt ǎrslvz wɖ a tin v moctrtl sūp n wîn fṛm ɖ neḅrñ pantri. I faund a krịs rlif fṛm ɖ ecñ strenjnis v ɖ wrld in ɖs stedi lebr. Az w wrct, I trnd hiz project ovr in mî mînd, n prezntli objx́nz n dǎts bgan t arîz; bt I wrct ɖr ol ɖ mornñ, so glad wz I t fînd mslf wɖ a prṗs agn. Aftr wrcñ an aur I bgan t speklet on ɖ distns wn hd t g bfr ɖ cloeca wz rīćt, ɖ ćansz w hd v misñ it oltgɖr. Mî imījt trubl wz ẃ w śd dig ɖs loñ tunl, ẃn it wz poṣbl t gt intu ɖ dren at wns dǎn wn v ɖ manhoulz, n wrc bac t ɖ hǎs. It sīmd t m, tù, ɖt ɖ hǎs wz incnvińntli ćozn, n rqîrd a nīdlis leñʈ v tunl. N jst az I wz bginñ t fes ɖz ʈñz, ɖ artiḷrimn stopt digñ, n lct at m.\n“W’r wrcñ wel,” h sd. H pt dǎn hiz sped. “Let s noc of a bit” h sd. “I ʈnc it’s tîm w rec̣nôtrd fṛm ɖ rūf v ɖ hǎs.”\nI wz fr gwñ on, n aftr a litl hezteśn h rzymd hiz sped; n ɖen sudnli I wz struc bî a ʈt. I stopt, n so dd h at wns.\n“Ẃ wr y wōcñ abt ɖ comn,” I sd, “instd v biyñ hir?”\n“Tecñ ɖ er,” h sd. “I wz cmñ bac. It’s sefr bî nît.”\n“Bt ɖ wrc?”\n“Ǒ, wn c’nt olwz wrc,” h sd, n in a flaś I sw ɖ man plen. H heztetd, holdñ hiz sped. “W òt t rec̣nôtr nǎ,” h sd, “bcz f eni cm nir ɖe me hír ɖ spedz n drop upn s un’werz.”\nI wz no longr dspozd t objct. W wnt tgɖr t ɖ rūf n std on a ladr pīpñ ǎt v ɖ rūfdor. No Marśnz wr t b sìn, n w vnćrd ǎt on ɖ tîlz, n slipt dǎn undr śltr v ɖ paṛpit.\nFṛm ɖs pziśn a śruḅri hid ɖ gretr porśn v Putni, bt w cd si ɖ rivr b’lo, a bubli mas v red wīd, n ɖ lo parts v Lamḅʈ fludd n red. Ɖ red crīpr swormd p ɖ triz abt ɖ old palis, n ɖer branćz strećt gōnt n ded, n set wɖ śrivld līvz, fṛm amd its clustrz. It wz strenj hǎ intîrli dpndnt bʈ ɖz ʈñz wr upn flowñ wōtr fr ɖer propgeśn. Abt s nɖr hd gend a ftñ; l’brṇmz, pnc mez, snǒbōlz, n triz v arbor-vitae, rouz ǎt v loṛlz n hîdrenjaz, grīn n briłnt intu ɖ súnlît. Bynd Cnzñtn dns smoc wz rîzñ, n ɖt n a blu hêz hid ɖ norʈẉd hilz.\nƉ artiḷrimn bgan t tel m v ɖ sort v ppl hu stl rmend in Lundn.\n“Wn nît last wīc,” h sd, “sm fūlz got ɖ ilectric lît in ordr, n ɖr wz ol Rījnt Strīt n ɖ Src̣s ablez, crǎdd wɖ pentd n ragid druncdz, men n wimin, dansñ n śǎtñ tl dōn. A man hu wz ɖr tld m. N az ɖ de cem ɖe bcem awer v a fîtñṃśīn standñ nir bî ɖ Lañm n lcñ dǎn at ɖm. Hevn nz hǎ loñ h hd bn ɖr. It mst hv gvn sm v ɖm a nasti trn. H cem dǎn ɖ rod twdz ɖm, n pict p nirli a hundṛd tù drunc or frîtnd t run awe.”\nGṛtesc glīm v a tîm no hisṭri wl evr fŭli dscrîb!\nFṛm ɖt, in ansr t mî qsćnz, h cem rnd t hiz grandios planz agn. H grù inʈyziastic. H tōct so eḷqntli v ɖ posbiḷti v capćrñ a fîtñṃśīn ɖt I mor ɖn haf b’livd in him agn. Bt nǎ ɖt I wz bginñ t unḍstand smʈñ v hiz qoḷti, I cd dvîn ɖ stres h leid on dwñ nʈñ prisipittli. N I notd ɖt nǎ ɖr wz no qsćn ɖt h prsṇli wz t capćr n fît ɖ gret mśīn.\nAftr a tîm w wnt dǎn t ɖ sélr. Nɖr v s sīmd dspozd t rzym digñ, n ẃn h sjstd a mīl, I wz nʈñ loɖ. H bcem sudnli vri jenṛs, n ẃn w hd ītn h wnt awe n rtrnd wɖ sm xḷnt sgarz. W lit ɖz, n hiz opṭmizm gloud. H wz inclînd t rgard mî cmñ az a gret oceźn.\n“Ɖr’z sm śampen in ɖ sélr,” h sd.\n“W cn dig betr on ɖs Tmz-sîd brgndi,” sd I.\n“No,” sd h; “I am host tde. Śampen! Gret God! W’v a hevi inuf tasc bfr s! Let s tec a rest n gaɖr streñʈ ẃl w me. Lc at ɖz blistrd handz!”\nN psywnt t ɖs îdīa v a hoḷde, h insistd upn pleyñ cardz aftr w hd ītn. H tòt m ycr, n aftr dvîdñ Lundn btwn s, I tecñ ɖ norɖn sîd n h ɖ suɖn, w pleid fr pariśpônts. Gṛtesc n fūliś az ɖs wl sīm t ɖ sobr rīdr, it z abṣlutli tru, n ẃt z mor rmarcbl, I faund ɖ cardgem n sevṛl uɖrz w pleid xtrimli inṭrestñ.\nStrenj mînd v man! ɖt, wɖ ǎr spīśīz upn ɖ éj v xtrṃneśn or apōlñ degṛdeśn, wɖ no clir prospect bfr s bt ɖ ćans v a hoṛbl deʈ, w cd sit folowñ ɖ ćans v ɖs pentd pestbord, n pleyñ ɖ “jocr” wɖ vivid dlît. Aftwdz h tòt m pǒcr, n I bìt him at ʈri tuf ćésgemz. Ẃn darc cem w dsîdd t tec ɖ risc, n lit a lamp.\nAftr an intrmiṇbl strñ v gemz, w supt, n ɖ artiḷrimn finiśt ɖ śampen. W wnt on smocñ ɖ sgarz. H wz no longr ɖ eṇjetic rījeṇretr v hiz spīśīz I hd incǎntrd in ɖ mornñ. H wz stl opṭmistic, bt it wz a les cinetic, a mor ʈtfl opṭmizm. I rmembr h waund p wɖ mî hlʈ, pṛpozd in a spīć v smōl vrayti n cnsidṛbl inṭmitns. I tc a sgar, n wnt upsterz t lc at ɖ lîts v ẃć h hd spocn ɖt blezd so grīnli alñ ɖ Hîget hilz.\nAt frst I stérd unintelijntli acrs ɖ Lundn vali. Ɖ norɖn hilz wr śrǎdd in darcnis; ɖ fîrz nir Cnzñtn gloud redli, n nǎ n ɖen an orinj-red tuñ v flem flaśt p n vaniśt in ɖ dīp blu nît. Ol ɖ rest v Lundn wz blac. Ɖen, nirr, I psivd a strenj lît, a pel, vayḷt-prpl fḷresnt glo, qiṿrñ undr ɖ nîtbrīz. Fr a spes I cd nt unḍstand it, n ɖen I ń ɖt it mst b ɖ red wīd fṛm ẃć ɖs fent iredieśn pṛsidd. Wɖ ɖt rịlîześn mî dormnt sns v wundr, mî sns v ɖ pṛporśn v ʈñz, awouc agn. I glanst fṛm ɖt t Marz, red n clir, glowñ hî in ɖ wst, n ɖen gezd loñ n ŕṇstli at ɖ darcnis v Hamstid n Hîget.\nI rmend a vri loñ tîm upn ɖ rūf, wunḍrñ at ɖ gṛtesc ćenjz v ɖ de. I rcōld mî mntl stets fṛm ɖ midnîtprer t ɖ fūliś cardpleyñ. I hd a vayḷnt rvulśn v fīlñ. I rmembr I fluñ awe ɖ sgar wɖ a srtn westfl simḅlizm. Mî foli cem t m wɖ glẹrñ xaɉreśn. I sīmd a tretr t mî wîf n t mî cnd; I wz fild wɖ rmors. I rzolvd t līv ɖs strenj undiṣplind drīmr v gret ʈñz t hiz drinc n gluṭni, n t g on intu Lundn. Ɖr, it sīmd t m, I hd ɖ bst ćans v lrnñ ẃt ɖ Marśnz n mî felomen wr dwñ. I wz stl upn ɖ rūf ẃn ɖ lêt mūn rouz.\nftr I hd partd fṛm ɖ artiḷrimn, I wnt dǎn ɖ hil, n bî ɖ Hî Strīt acrs ɖ brij t Fŭḷm. Ɖ red wīd wz tymulćs at ɖt tîm, n nirli ćoct ɖ brij rodwe; bt its frondz wr olrdi ẃîtnd in paćz bî ɖ spredñ dziz ɖt prezntli rmuvd it so swiftli.\nAt ɖ cornr v ɖ len ɖt runz t Putni Brij steśn I faund a man layñ. H wz az blac az a swīp wɖ ɖ blac dust, alîv, bt hlplisli n spīćlisli drunc. I cd gt nʈñ fṛm him bt crsz n fyrịs lunjz at mî hed. I ʈnc I śd hv steid bî him bt fr ɖ brūtl xpreśn v hiz fes.\nƉr wz blac dust alñ ɖ rodwe fṛm ɖ brij onẉdz, n it grù ʈicr in Fŭḷm. Ɖ strīts wr hoṛbli qayt. I got fūd – sǎr, hard, n moldi, bt qt īṭbl – in a becr’z śop hir. Sm we twdz Wōḷm Grīn ɖ strīts bcem clir v pǎdr, n I pást a ẃît teris v hǎzz on fîr; ɖ nôz v ɖ brnñ wz an abṣlut rlif. Gwñ on twdz Bromtn, ɖ strīts wr qayt agn.\nHir I cem wns mor upn ɖ blac pǎdr in ɖ strīts n upn ded bodiz. I sw oltgɖr abt a duzn in ɖ leñʈ v ɖ Fŭḷm Rod. Ɖe hd bn ded mni dez, so ɖt I hurid qcli past ɖm. Ɖ blac pǎdr cuvrd ɖm ovr, n sofnd ɖer ǎtlînz. Wn or tū hd bn dstrbd bî dogz.\nẂr ɖr wz no blac pǎdr, it wz krịsli lîc a Súnde in ɖ Siti, wɖ ɖ clozd śops, ɖ hǎzz loct p n ɖ blîndz drwn, ɖ dzrśn, n ɖ stilnis. In sm plesz plundrrz hd bn at wrc, bt rerli at uɖr ɖn ɖ pṛviźn n wîn śops. A juwlr’z windo hd bn brocn opn in wn ples, bt apaṛntli ɖ ʈīf hd bn dstrbd, n a numbr v gold ćenz n a woć le scatrd on ɖ pevmnt. I dd nt trubl t tuć ɖm. Farɖr on wz a tatrd wmn in a hīp on a dorstep; ɖ hand ɖt huñ ovr hr ni wz gaśt n bléd dǎn hr rusti brǎn dres, n a smaśt magnm v śampen formd a pūl acrs ɖ pevmnt. Ś sīmd aslip, bt ś wz ded.\nƉ farɖr I peṇtretd intu Lundn, ɖ pṛfǎndr grù ɖ stilnis. Bt it wz nt so mć ɖ stilnis v deʈ – it wz ɖ stilnis v sspns, v xpcteśn. At eni tîm ɖ dstrux́n ɖt hd olrdi sinjd ɖ norʈ-wstn bordrz v ɖ mtroṗlis, n hd anayletd Īlñ n Cilbn, mt strîc amñ ɖz hǎzz n līv ɖm smocñ ruinz. It wz a siti cndemd n deṛlict…\nIn Sǎʈ Cnzñtn ɖ strīts wr clir v ded n v blac pǎdr. It wz nir Sǎʈ Cnzñtn ɖt I frst hŕd ɖ hǎlñ. It crept olmst imṗsptbli upn mî snsz. It wz a sobñ oltrneśn v tū nots, “Ŭla, ŭla, ŭla, ŭla,” cīpñ on ppćli. Ẃn I pást strīts ɖt ran norʈẉd it grù in volym, n hǎzz n bildñz sīmd t dedn n cut it of agn. It cem in a fl tîd dǎn Xbiśn Rod. I stopt, stẹrñ twdz Cnzñtn Gardnz, wunḍrñ at ɖs strenj, rmot weilñ. It wz az f ɖt mîti deẓt v hǎzz hd faund a vôs fr its fir n soḷtyd.\n“Ŭla, ŭla, ŭla, ŭla,” weild ɖt sūṗhymn not – gret wevz v sǎnd swīpñ dǎn ɖ brōd, súnlit rodwe, btwn ɖ tōl bildñz on ć sîd. I trnd norʈẉdz, marṿlñ, twdz ɖ ayn gets v Haid Parc. I hd haf a mînd t brec intu ɖ Naćṛl Hisṭri Ḿziym n fînd mî we p t ɖ sumits v ɖ tǎrz, in ordr t si acrs ɖ parc. Bt I dsîdd t cīp t ɖ grǎnd, ẃr qc hîdñ wz poṣbl, n so wnt on p ɖ Xbiśn Rod. Ol ɖ larj manśnz on ć sîd v ɖ rod wr emti n stil, n mî ftsteps ecoud agnst ɖ sîdz v ɖ hǎzz. At ɖ top, nir ɖ parcget, I cem upn a strenj sît – a bus oṿtrnd, n ɖ scelitn v a hors pict clīn. I puzld ovr ɖs fr a tîm, n ɖen wnt on t ɖ brij ovr ɖ Srpntîn. Ɖ vôs grù strongr n strongr, ɖo I cd si nʈñ abv ɖ hǎstops on ɖ norʈ sîd v ɖ parc, sev a hêz v smoc t ɖ norʈ-wst.\n“Ŭla, ŭla, ŭla, ŭla,” craid ɖ vôs, cmñ, az it sīmd t m, fṛm ɖ district abt Rījnt’s Parc. Ɖ deẓletñ crî wrct upn mî mînd. Ɖ mūd ɖt hd sstend m pást. Ɖ weilñ tc pześn v m. I faund I wz intnsli wiri, ftsor, n nǎ agn hungri n ʈrsti.\nIt wz olrdi past nūn. Ẃ wz I wonḍrñ alon in ɖs siti v ɖ ded? Ẃ wz I alon ẃn ol Lundn wz layñ in stet, n in its blac śrǎd? I flt intolṛbli lonli. Mî mînd ran on old frendz ɖt I hd fgotn fr yirz. I ʈt v ɖ pôznz in ɖ cemists’ śops, v ɖ lícrz ɖ wînmrćnts stord; I rcōld ɖ tū sodn crīćrz v dsper, hu so far az I ń, śerd ɖ siti wɖ mslf…\nI cem intu Oxfd Strīt bî ɖ Marbl Arć, n hir agn wr blac pǎdr n sevṛl bodiz, n an īvl, omiṇs smel fṛm ɖ greitñz v ɖ sélrz v sm v ɖ hǎzz. I grù vri ʈrsti aftr ɖ hīt v mî loñ wōc. Wɖ infiṇt trubl I manijd t brec intu a publichǎs n gt fūd n drinc. I wz wiri aftr ītñ, n wnt intu ɖ parlr bhnd ɖ bar, n slept on a blac horsher sofa I faund ɖr.\nI awouc t fînd ɖt dizṃl hǎlñ stl in mî irz, “Ŭla, ŭla, ŭla, ŭla.” It wz nǎ dusc, n aftr I hd rǎtd ǎt sm biscits n a ćīz in ɖ bar – ɖr wz a mìtsef, bt it cntend nʈñ bt maġts – I wondrd on ʈru ɖ sîḷnt reẓdnśl sqerz t Becr Strīt – Portmn Sqer z ɖ onli wn I cn nem – n so cem ǎt at last upn Rījnt’s Parc. N az I imrjd fṛm ɖ top v Becr Strīt, I sw far awe ovr ɖ triz in ɖ clirnis v ɖ súnset ɖ hŭd v ɖ Marśn jaynt fṛm ẃć ɖs hǎlñ pṛsidd. I wz nt teṛfaid. I cem upn him az f it wr a matr v cors. I woćt him fr sm tîm, bt h dd nt muv. H apird t b standñ n yelñ, fr no rīzn ɖt I cd dscuvr.\nI traid t forḿlet a plan v ax́n. Ɖt ppećl sǎnd v “Ŭla, ŭla, ŭla, ŭla,” cnfyzd mî mînd. Phps I wz tù tîrd t b vri firfl. Srtnli I wz mor krịs t nǒ ɖ rīzn v ɖs mnotṇs crayñ ɖn afreid. I trnd bac awe fṛm ɖ parc n struc intu Parc Rod, intndñ t scrt ɖ parc, wnt alñ undr ɖ śltr v ɖ teṛsz, n got a vy v ɖs steśnri, hǎlñ Marśn fṛm ɖ d’rex́n v St. Jon’z Wŭd. A cupl v hundṛd yardz ǎt v Becr Strīt I hŕd a ylpñ cōṛs, n sw, frst a dog wɖ a pìs v pytresnt red mìt in hiz jwz cmñ hedloñ twdz m, n ɖen a pac v starvñ mungṛlz in psyt v him. H md a wîd crv t avôd m, az ɖo h fird I mt pruv a freś cmpetitr. Az ɖ ylpñ daid awe dǎn ɖ sîḷnt rod, ɖ weilñ sǎnd v “Ŭla, ŭla, ŭla, ŭla,” ri’srtd itslf.\nI cem upn ɖ rect hanḍlñṃśīn hafwe t St. Jon’z Wŭd steśn. At frst I ʈt a hǎs hd fōḷn acrs ɖ rod. It wz onli az I clambrd amñ ɖ ruinz ɖt I sw, wɖ a start, ɖs mcanicl Samsn layñ, wɖ its tnṭclz bnt n smaśt n twistd, amñ ɖ ruinz it hd md. Ɖ fōrpart wz śatrd. It sīmd az f it hd drivn blîndli stret at ɖ hǎs, n hd bn oṿẃlmd in its oṿʈro. It sīmd t m ɖen ɖt ɖs mt hv hapnd bî a hanḍlñṃśīn iscepñ fṛm ɖ gîdns v its Marśn. I cd nt clambr amñ ɖ ruinz t si it, n ɖ twîlît wz nǎ so far advanst ɖt ɖ blud wɖ ẃć its sīt wz smird, n ɖ nwd grisl v ɖ Marśn ɖt ɖ dogz hd left, wr inviẓbl t m.\nWunḍrñ stl mor at ol ɖt I hd sìn, I pśt on twdz Primroz Hil. Far awe, ʈru a gap in ɖ triz, I sw a secnd Marśn, az mośnlis az ɖ frst, standñ in ɖ parc twdz ɖ Zụlojicl Gardnz, n sîḷnt. A litl bynd ɖ ruinz abt ɖ smaśt hanḍlñṃśīn I cem upn ɖ red wīd agn, n faund ɖ Rījnt’s Cnal, a spunji mas v darc-red vejteśn.\nAz I crost ɖ brij, ɖ sǎnd v “Ŭla, ŭla, ŭla, ŭla,” sīst. It wz, az it wr, cut of. Ɖ sîḷns cem lîc a ʈundrclap.\nƉ dusci hǎzz abt m std fent n tōl n dim; ɖ triz twdz ɖ parc wr growñ blac. Ol abt m ɖ red wīd clambrd amñ ɖ ruinz, rîɖñ t gt abv m in ɖ dimnis. Nît, ɖ muɖr v fir n misṭri, wz cmñ upn m. Bt ẃl ɖt vôs sǎndd ɖ soḷtyd, ɖ deẓleśn, hd bn indyṛbl; bî vrću v it Lundn hd stl sīmd alîv, n ɖ sns v lîf abt m hd upheld m. Ɖen sudnli a ćenj, ɖ pasñ v smʈñ – I ń nt ẃt – n ɖen a stilnis ɖt cd b flt. Nʈñ bt ɖs gōnt qayt.\nLundn abt m gezd at m spectṛli. Ɖ windoz in ɖ ẃît hǎzz wr lîc ɖ î-socits v sculz. Abt m mî imaɉneśn faund a ʈǎznd nôzlis eṇmiz muvñ. Terr sizd m, a horr v mî tmeṛti. In frunt v m ɖ rod bcem pići-blac az ɖo it wz tard, n I sw a cntortd śep layñ acrs ɖ paʈwê. I cd nt brñ mslf t g on. I trnd dǎn St. Jon’z Wŭd Rod, n ran hedloñ fṛm ɖs unindyṛbl stilnis twdz Cilbn. I hid fṛm ɖ nît n ɖ sîḷns, untl loñ aftr midnît, in a cabmen’z śltr in Haro Rod. Bt bfr ɖ dōn mî curij rtrnd, n ẃl ɖ starz wr stl in ɖ scî I trnd wns mor twdz Rījnt’s Parc. I míst mî we amñ ɖ strīts, n prezntli sw dǎn a loñ aṿny, in ɖ haf-lît v ɖ rli dōn, ɖ crv v Primroz Hil. On ɖ sumit, tǎrñ p t ɖ fedñ starz, wz a ʈrd Marśn, irect n mośnlis lîc ɖ uɖrz.\nAn insen rzolv pzest m. I wd dî n end it. N I wd sev mslf īvn ɖ trubl v cilñ mslf. I marćt on reclisli twdz ɖs Tîtn, n ɖen, az I drù nirr n ɖ lît grù, I sw ɖt a multtyd v blac brdz wz src̣lñ n clusṭrñ abt ɖ hŭd. At ɖt mî hart gev a bǎnd, n I bgan runñ alñ ɖ rod.\nI hurid ʈru ɖ red wīd ɖt ćoct St. Edṃnd’z Teris (I wêdd brest-hî acrs a toṛnt v wōtr ɖt wz ruśñ dǎn fṛm ɖ wōtrwrcs twdz ɖ Alḅt Rod), n imrjd upn ɖ gras bfr ɖ rîzñ v ɖ sún. Gret mǎndz hd bn hīpt abt ɖ crest v ɖ hil, mcñ a hyj ridǎt v it – it wz ɖ fînl n larjist ples ɖ Marśnz hd md – n fṛm bhnd ɖz hīps ɖr rouz a ʈin smoc agnst ɖ scî. Agnst ɖ scîlîn an īgr dog ran n dis’pird. Ɖ ʈt ɖt hd flaśt intu mî mînd grù riyl, grù creḍbl. I flt no fir, onli a wîld, tremḅlñ xlteśn, az I ran p ɖ hil twdz ɖ mośnlis monstr. Ǎt v ɖ hŭd huñ lanc średz v brǎn, at ẃć ɖ hungri brdz pect n tòr.\nIn anɖr momnt I hd scrambld p ɖ rʈn rampart n std upn its crest, n ɖ intirịr v ɖ ridǎt wz b’lo m. A mîti spes it wz, wɖ jîgantic mśīnz hir n ɖr wɖn it, hyj mǎndz v mtirịl n strenj śltrplesz. N scatrd abt it, sm in ɖer oṿtrnd worṃśīnz, sm in ɖ nǎ rijid hanḍlñṃśīnz, n a duzn v ɖm starc n sîḷnt n leid in a ro, wr ɖ Marśnz – ded! – slein bî ɖ pytṛfactiv n dziz bactiria agnst ẃć ɖer sistmz wr unpriperd; slein az ɖ red wīd wz biyñ slein; slein, aftr ol man’z dvîsz hd feld, bî ɖ humblist ʈñz ɖt God, in hiz wizdm, hz pt upn ɖs rʈ.\nFr so it hd cm abt, az indd I n mni men mt hv fsin hd nt terr n dzastr blîndd ǎr mîndz. Ɖz jrmz v dziz hv tecn tol v hymaṇti sins ɖ bginñ v ʈñz – tecn tol v ǎr prīhymn ansestrz sins lîf bgan hir. Bt bî vrću v ɖs naćṛl s’lex́n v ǎr cnd w hv dveḷpt rzistñpǎr; t no jrmz d w s’cum wɖt a strugl, n t mni – ɖoz ɖt cōz pytṛfax́n in ded matr, fr instns – our livñ fremz r oltgɖr iḿn. Bt ɖr r no bactiria in Marz, n d’recli ɖz invedrz arîvd, d’recli ɖe dranc n féd, ǎr mîcṛscopic alîz bgan t wrc ɖer oṿʈro. Olrdi ẃn I woćt ɖm ɖe wr irevcbli dūmd, dayñ n rotñ īvn az ɖe wnt t n fro. It wz inevitbl. Bî ɖ tol v a biłn deʈs man hz bòt hiz brʈrît v ɖ rʈ, n it z hiz agnst ol cmrz; it wd stl b hiz wr ɖ Marśnz ten tîmz az mîti az ɖe r. Fr nɖr d men liv nr dî in ven.\nHir n ɖr ɖe wr scatrd, nirli fifti oltgɖr, in ɖt gret gulf ɖe hd md, oṿtecn bî a deʈ ɖt mst hv sīmd t ɖm az incomprihnsbl az eni deʈ cd b. T m olso at ɖt tîm ɖs deʈ wz incomprihnsbl. Ol I ń wz ɖt ɖz ʈñz ɖt hd bn alîv n so teṛbl t men wr ded. Fr a momnt I b’livd ɖt ɖ dstrux́n v S’nac̣rib hd bn rpitd, ɖt God hd rpntd, ɖt ɖ Enjl v Deʈ hd slein ɖm in ɖ nît.\nI std stẹrñ intu ɖ pit, n mî hart lîtnd glorịsli, īvn az ɖ rîzñ sún struc ɖ wrld t fîr abt m wɖ hiz rez. Ɖ pit wz stl in darcnis; ɖ mîti enjinz, so gret n wundrfl in ɖer pǎr n cmplex̣ti, so unrʈli in ɖer torćs formz, rouz wird n veg n strenj ǎt v ɖ śadoz twdz ɖ lît. A multtyd v dogz, I cd hír, fòt ovr ɖ bodiz ɖt le darcli in ɖ depʈ v ɖ pit, far b’lo m. Acrs ɖ pit on its farɖr lip, flat n vast n strenj, le ɖ gret flayñmśīn wɖ ẃć ɖe hd bn xpeṛmntñ upn ǎr densr atṃsfir ẃn dce n deʈ arestd ɖm. Deʈ hd cm nt a de tù sn. At ɖ sǎnd v a cw̃ oṿhed I lct p at ɖ hyj fîtñṃśīn ɖt wd fît no mor fr evr, at ɖ tatrd red średz v fleś ɖt dript dǎn upn ɖ oṿtrnd sīts on ɖ sumit v Primroz Hil.\nI trnd n lct dǎn ɖ slǒp v ɖ hil t ẃr, inheloud nǎ in brdz, std ɖoz uɖr tū Marśnz ɖt I hd sìn oṿnît, jst az deʈ hd oṿtecn ɖm. Ɖ wn hd daid, īvn az it hd bn crayñ t its cmpańnz; phps it wz ɖ last t dî, n its vôs hd gn on ppćli untl ɖ fors v its mśīṇri wz xōstd. Ɖe glitrd nǎ, harmlis trîpodtǎrz v śînñ metl, in ɖ brîtnis v ɖ rîzñ sún.\nOl abt ɖ pit, n sevd az bî a miṛcl fṛm eṿlastñ dstrux́n, strećt ɖ gret Muɖr v Sitiz. Ɖoz hu hv onli sìn Lundn veild in hr sombr rǒbz v smoc cn scersli imajn ɖ necid clirnis n byti v ɖ sîḷnt wilḍnis v hǎzz.\nĪstẉd, ovr ɖ blacnd ruinz v ɖ Alḅt Teris n ɖ splintrd spîr v ɖ ćrć, ɖ sún blezd daẓlñ in a clir scî, n hir n ɖr sm fasit in ɖ gret wilḍnis v rūfs còt ɖ lît n glerd wɖ a ẃît intnṣti.\nNorʈẉd wr Cilbn n Hamstid, blu n crǎdd wɖ hǎzz; wstẉd ɖ gret siti wz dimd; n sǎʈẉd, bynd ɖ Marśnz, ɖ grīn wevz v Rījnt’s Parc, ɖ Lañm Hotel, ɖ dom v ɖ Alḅt Hōl, ɖ Impirịl Insttyt, n ɖ jaynt manśnz v ɖ Bromtn Rod cem ǎt clir n litl in ɖ súnrîz, ɖ jagid ruinz v Wsminstr rîzñ heẓli bynd. Far awe n blu wr ɖ Suri hilz, n ɖ tǎrz v ɖ Cristl Palis glitrd lîc tū silvr ródz. Ɖ dom v St. Pōl’s wz darc agnst ɖ súnrîz, n injrd, I sw fr ɖ frst tîm, bî a hyj gepñ caṿti on its wstn sîd.\nN az I lct at ɖs wîd xpans v hǎzz n facṭriz n ćrćz, sîḷnt n abandnd; az I ʈt v ɖ multtydṇs hops n ef̣ts, ɖ ińmṛbl hosts v lîvz ɖt hd gn t bild ɖs hymn rīf, n v ɖ swift n ruʈlis dstrux́n ɖt hd huñ ovr it ol; ẃn I riylîzd ɖt ɖ śado hd bn rold bac, n ɖt men mt stl liv in ɖ strīts, n ɖs dir vast ded siti v mîn b wns mor alîv n pǎrfl, I flt a wev v imośn ɖt wz nir acin t tirz.\nƉ torment wz ovr. Īvn ɖt de ɖ hīlñ wd bgin. Ɖ svîvrz v ɖ ppl scatrd ovr ɖ cuntri – līdrlis, lwlis, fūdlis, lîc śīp wɖt a śeṗd – ɖ ʈǎzndz hu hd fled bî sì, wd bgin t rtrn; ɖ puls v lîf, growñ strongr n strongr, wd bìt agn in ɖ emti strīts n por acrs ɖ vecnt sqerz. Ẃtvr dstrux́n wz dn, ɖ hand v ɖ dstroyr wz steid. Ol ɖ gōnt recs, ɖ blacnd scelitnz v hǎzz ɖt stérd so dizṃli at ɖ súnlit gras v ɖ hil, wd prezntli b ecowñ wɖ ɖ hamrz v ɖ rstorrz n rññ wɖ ɖ tapñ v ɖer trǎlz. At ɖ ʈt I xtndd mî handz twdz ɖ scî n bgan ʈancñ God. In a yir, ʈt I – in a yir. . .\nWɖ oṿẃlmñ fors cem ɖ ʈt v mslf, v mî wîf, n ɖ old lîf v hop n tndr hlpflnis ɖt hd sīst fr evr.\nnǎ cmz ɖ strenjist ʈñ in mî stori. Yt, phps, it z nt oltgɖr strenj. I rmembr, clirli n coldli n vividli, ol ɖt I dd ɖt de untl ɖ tîm ɖt I std wīpñ n prezñ God upn ɖ sumit v Primroz Hil. N ɖen I fget.\nV ɖ nxt ʈri dez I nǒ nʈñ. I hv lrnt sins ɖt, so far fṛm mî biyñ ɖ frst dscuvrr v ɖ Marśn oṿʈro, sevṛl sć wondrrz az mslf hd olrdi dscuvrd ɖs on ɖ prīvịs nît. Wn man – ɖ first – hd gn t St. Martin’z-l’Grand, n, ẃl I śltrd in ɖ cabmen’z hut, hd cntrîvd t teḷgraf t Paris. Ɖns ɖ jôfl nyz hd flaśt ol ovr ɖ wrld; a ʈǎznd sitiz, ćild bî gastli aprihnśnz, sudnli flaśt intu frantic iluṃneśnz; ɖe ń v it in Dublin, Edinbra, Manćestr, Brmñm, at ɖ tîm ẃn I std upn ɖ vrj v ɖ pit. Olrdi men, wīpñ wɖ jô, az I hv hŕd, śǎtñ n steyñ ɖer wrc t śec handz n śǎt, wr mcñ p trenz, īvn az nir az Crū, t dsnd upn Lundn. Ɖ ćrćbelz ɖt hd sīst a fortnît sins sudnli còt ɖ nyz, untl ol Ñgḷnd wz belrññ. Men on sîclz, līn-fest, uncmt, scorćt alñ evri cuntrilen śǎtñ v unhopt dlivṛns, śǎtñ t gōnt, stẹrñ figrz v dsper. N fr ɖ fūd! Acrs ɖ Ćanl, acrs ɖ Îriś Sì, acrs ɖ Atlantic, corn, bred, n mìt wr tẹrñ t ǎr rlif. Ol ɖ śipñ in ɖ wrld sīmd gwñ Lundnẉd in ɖoz dez. Bt v ol ɖs I hv no meṃri. I driftd – a dmntd man. I faund mslf in a hǎs v cîndli ppl, hu hd faund m on ɖ ʈrd de wonḍrñ, wīpñ, n revñ ʈru ɖ strīts v St. Jon’z Wŭd. Ɖe hv tld m sins ɖt I wz sññ sm insen dogṛl abt “Ɖ Last Man Left Alîv! Hrā! Ɖ Last Man Left Alîv!” Trubld az ɖe wr wɖ ɖer ǒn aferz, ɖz ppl, huz nem, mć az I wd lîc t xpres mî grattyd t ɖm, I me nt īvn gv hir, nvɖles cumbrd ɖmslvz wɖ m, śltrd m, n pṛtctd m fṛm mslf. Apaṛntli ɖe hd lrnt smʈñ v mî stori fṛm m jrñ ɖ dez v mî laps.\nVri jntli, ẃn mî mînd wz aśurd agn, dd ɖe brec t m ẃt ɖe hd lrnt v ɖ fet v Leɖ̇hed. Tū dez aftr I wz impriznd it hd bn dstroid, wɖ evri soul in it, bî a Marśn. H hd swept it ǎt v xistns, az it sīmd, wɖt eni provceśn, az a bô mt cruś an anthil, in ɖ mir wontņis v pǎr.\nI wz a lonli man, n ɖe wr vri cnd t m. I wz a lonli man n a sad wn, n ɖe bòr wɖ m. I rmend wɖ ɖm for dez aftr mî rcuṿri. Ol ɖt tîm I flt a veg, a growñ crevñ t lc wns mor on ẃtvr rmend v ɖ litl lîf ɖt sīmd so hapi n brît in mî past. It wz a mir hoplis dzîr t fīst upn mî miẓri. Ɖe dswedd m. Ɖe dd ol ɖe cd t dvrt m fṛm ɖs morbidti. Bt at last I cd rzist ɖ impuls no longr, n, proṃsñ feʈf̣li t rtrn t ɖm, n partñ, az I wl cnfes, fṛm ɖz for-de frendz wɖ tirz, I wnt ǎt agn intu ɖ strīts ɖt hd letli bn so darc n strenj n emti.\nOlrdi ɖe wr bizi wɖ rtrnñ ppl; in plesz īvn ɖr wr śops opn, n I sw a drincñfǎntn runñ wōtr.\nI rmembr hǎ mocñli brît ɖ de sīmd az I wnt bac on mî meḷncli pilgṛmij t ɖ litl hǎs at Wǒcñ, hǎ bizi ɖ strīts n vivid ɖ muvñ lîf abt m. So mni ppl wr abrōd evrẃr, bizid in a ʈǎznd activtiz, ɖt it sīmd increḍbl ɖt eni gret pṛporśn v ɖ popyleśn cd hv bn slein. Bt ɖen I notist hǎ yelo wr ɖ scinz v ɖ ppl I met, hǎ śagi ɖ her v ɖ men, hǎ larj n brît ɖer îz, n ɖt evri uɖr man stl wòr hiz drti ragz. Ɖer fesz sīmd ol wɖ wn v tū xpreśnz – a līpñ xlteśn n eṇji or a grim reẓluśn. Sev fr ɖ xpreśn v ɖ fesz, Lundn sīmd a siti v tramps. Ɖ vstriz wr indiscrimiṇtli dstribytñ bred snt s bî ɖ Frenć guvnmnt. Ɖ ribz v ɖ fy horsz śoud dizṃli. Haġd speśl cunsṭblz wɖ ẃît bajz std at ɖ cornrz v evri strīt. I sw litl v ɖ misćif ròt bî ɖ Marśnz untl I rīćt Welñtn Strīt, n ɖr I sw ɖ red wīd clamḅrñ ovr ɖ butṛsz v Wōṭlu Brij.\nAt ɖ cornr v ɖ brij, tù, I sw wn v ɖ comn contrasts v ɖt gṛtesc tîm – a śīt v pepr flōntñ agnst a ʈicit v ɖ red wīd, trnsfixt bî a stic ɖt cept it in ples. It wz ɖ placard v ɖ frst nyzpepr t rzym pubḷceśn – ɖ Dêli Meil. I bòt a copi fr a blacnd śilñ I faund in mî pocit. Most v it wz in blanc, bt ɖ solitri cmpoztr hu dd ɖ ʈñ hd aḿzd himslf bî mcñ a gṛtesc scīm v advrtismnt sterio on ɖ bac pej. Ɖ matr h printd wz imośnl; ɖ nyz-orġnîześn hd nt az yt faund its we bac. I lrnt nʈñ freś xpt ɖt olrdi in wn wīc ɖ xaṃneśn v ɖ Marśn mec̣nizmz hd yīldd astoṇśñ rzults. Amñ uɖr ʈñz, ɖ articl aśurd m ẃt I dd nt b’liv at ɖ tîm, ɖt ɖ “Sīcrit v Flayñ,” wz dscuvrd. At Wōṭlu I faund ɖ fri trenz ɖt wr tecñ ppl t ɖer homz. Ɖ frst ruś wz olrdi ovr. Ɖr wr fy ppl in ɖ tren, n I wz in no mūd fr caźl convseśn. I got a cmpartmnt t mslf, n sat wɖ foldd armz, lcñ grêli at ɖ súnlit devsteśn ɖt floud past ɖ windoz. N jst ǎtsd ɖ trmiṇs ɖ tren joltd ovr temprri relz, n on îɖr sîd v ɖ relwe ɖ hǎzz wr blacnd ruinz. T Clapm Juñśn ɖ fes v Lundn wz grîmi wɖ pǎdr v ɖ Blac Smoc, in spît v tū dez v ʈundrstormz n ren, n at Clapm Juñśn ɖ lîn hd bn rect agn; ɖr wr hundṛdz v ǎt-v-wrc clarcs n śopṃn wrcñ sîd bî sîd wɖ ɖ custmri naviz, n w wr joltd ovr a hesti rleyñ.\nOl dǎn ɖ lîn fṛm ɖr ɖ aspect v ɖ cuntri wz gōnt n unfmiłr; Wimbldn ptiklrli hd sufrd. Wōltn, bî vrću v its unbrnd pînwŭdz, sīmd ɖ līst hrt v eni ples alñ ɖ lîn. Ɖ Wondl, ɖ Mol, evri litl strīm, wz a hīpt mas v red wīd, in apiṛns btwn bćr’z mìt n picld cabij. Ɖ Suri pînwŭdz wr tù drî, hvr, fr ɖ fstūnz v ɖ red clîmr. Bynd Wimbldn, wɖn sît v ɖ lîn, in srtn nrṣrigrǎndz, wr ɖ hīpt masz v rʈ abt ɖ sixʈ silindr. A numbr v ppl wr standñ abt it, n sm saprz wr bizi in ɖ mdst v it. Ovr it flōntd a Yńn Jac, flapñ ćirf̣li in ɖ mornñ brīz. Ɖ nrṣrigrǎndz wr evrẃr crimzn wɖ ɖ wīd, a wîd xpans v livid culr cut wɖ prpl śadoz, n vri penfl t ɖ î. Wn’z gêz wnt wɖ infiṇt rlif fṛm ɖ scorćt grez n suḷn redz v ɖ fōrgrǎnd t ɖ blu-grīn softnis v ɖ īstẉd hilz.\nƉ lîn on ɖ Lundn sîd v Wǒcñ steśn wz stl unḍgwñ rper, so I dsndd at Bîflīt steśn n tc ɖ rod t Mêḅri, past ɖ ples ẃr I n ɖ artiḷrimn hd tōct t ɖ hsarz, n on bî ɖ spot ẃr ɖ Marśn hd apird t m in ɖ ʈundrstorm. Hir, muvd bî krioṣti, I trnd asd t fînd, amñ a tangl v red frondz, ɖ worpt n brocn dogcart wɖ ɖ ẃîtnd bonz v ɖ hors scatrd n nwd. Fr a tîm I std rgardñ ɖz vsṭjz…\nƉen I rtrnd ʈru ɖ pînwŭd, nec-hî wɖ red wīd hir n ɖr, t fînd ɖ landlord v ɖ Spotd Dog hd olrdi faund berịl, n so cem hom past ɖ Colij Armz. A man standñ at an opn cotijdor grītd m bî nem az I pást.\nI lct at mî hǎs wɖ a qc flaś v hop ɖt fedd imījtli. Ɖ dor hd bn forst; it wz unfast n wz oṗnñ slǒli az I aproćt.\nIt slamd agn. Ɖ crtnz v mî studi flutrd ǎt v ɖ opn windo fṛm ẃć I n ɖ artiḷrimn hd woćt ɖ dōn. Nwn hd clozd it sins. Ɖ smaśt bśz wr jst az I hd left ɖm nirli for wīcs ago. I stumbld intu ɖ hōl, n ɖ hǎs flt emti. Ɖ stercarpit wz rufld n dsculrd ẃr I hd crǎćt, sǒct t ɖ scin fṛm ɖ ʈundrstorm ɖ nît v ɖ ctastṛfi. Ǎr mudi ftsteps I sw stl wnt p ɖ sterz.\nI foloud ɖm t mî studi, n faund layñ on mî raitñtebl stl, wɖ ɖ seḷnît peprweit upn it, ɖ śīt v wrc I hd left on ɖ afṭnun v ɖ oṗnñ v ɖ silindr. Fr a spes I std rīdñ ovr mî abandnd arğmnts. It wz a pepr on ɖ probbl dveḷpmnt v Moṛl Îdīaz wɖ ɖ dveḷpmnt v ɖ siṿlîzñproses; n ɖ last sntns wz ɖ oṗnñ v a prof̣si: “In abt tū hundṛd yirz,” I hd ritn, “w me xpct –” Ɖ sntns endd abrupli. I rmembrd mî in’biḷti t fix mî mînd ɖt mornñ, scersli a munʈ gn bî, n hǎ I hd brocn of t gt mî Dêli Cronicl fṛm ɖ nyzbô. I rmembrd hǎ I wnt dǎn t ɖ gardnget az h cem alñ, n hǎ I hd lisnd t hiz od stori v “Men fṛm Marz.”\nI cem dǎn n wnt intu ɖ dînñrūm. Ɖr wr ɖ mutn n ɖ bred, bʈ far gn nǎ in dce, n a birbotl oṿtrnd, jst az I n ɖ artiḷrimn hd left ɖm. Mî hom wz dezḷt. I psivd ɖ foli v ɖ fent hop I hd ćeriśt so loñ. N ɖen a strenj ʈñ ocŕd. “It z no yz,” sd a vôs. “Ɖ hǎs z dzrtd. Nwn hz bn hir ɖz ten dez. D nt ste hir t torment yrslf. Nwn iscept bt y.”\nI wz startld. Hd I spocn mî ʈt alǎd? I trnd, n ɖ Frenć windo wz opn bhnd m. I md a step t it, n std lcñ ǎt.\nN ɖr, amezd n afreid, īvn az I std amezd n afreid, wr mî cuzn n mî wîf – mî wîf ẃît n tirlis. Ś gev a fent crî.\n“I cem,” ś sd. “I ń – ń –”\nŚ pt hr hand t hr ʈrot – sweid. I md a step fwd, n còt hr in mî armz.\ncanot bt rgret, nǎ ɖt I am cncludñ mî stori, hǎ litl I am ebl t cntribyt t ɖ dscuśn v ɖ mni dbetbl qsćnz ẃć r stl unsetld. In wn rspct I śl srtnli pṛvoc criṭsizm. Mî ptiklr provins z spekḷtiv f’loṣfi. Mî nolij v cmpaṛtiv fizioḷji z cnfînd t a bc or tū, bt it sīmz t m ɖt Carvr’z sjsćnz az t ɖ rīzn v ɖ rapid deʈ v ɖ Marśnz z so probbl az t b rgardd olmst az a prūvn cncluźn. I hv asymd ɖt in ɖ bodi v mî naṛtiv.\nAt eni ret, in ol ɖ bodiz v ɖ Marśnz ɖt wr xamind aftr ɖ wor, no bactiria xpt ɖoz olrdi noun az t’restrịl spīśīz wr faund. Ɖt ɖe dd nt beri eni v ɖer ded, n ɖ reclis slōtr ɖe prṗtretd, pônt olso t an intîr ignṛns v ɖ pytṛfactiv proses. Bt probbl az ɖs sīmz, it z bî no mīnz a prūvn cncluźn.\nNɖr z ɖ compziśn v ɖ Blac Smoc noun, ẃć ɖ Marśnz yzd wɖ sć dedli ifct, n ɖ jeṇretr v ɖ Hītrez rmenz a puzl. Ɖ teṛbl dzastrz at ɖ Īlñ n Sǎʈ Cnzñtn l’boṛtriz hv disinclînd aṇlists fr frɖr invstgeśnz upn ɖ latr. Spectṛm’naḷsis v ɖ blac pǎdr pônts unmistecbli t ɖ prezns v an uņoun elimnt wɖ a briłnt grūp v ʈri lînz in ɖ grīn, n it z poṣbl ɖt it cmbînz wɖ argn t form a compǎnd ẃć acts at wns wɖ dedli ifct upn sm cnstitẏnt in ɖ blud. Bt sć unpruvn spekleśnz wl scersli b v inṭrest t ɖ jenṛl rīdr, t hūm ɖs stori z adrest. Nn v ɖ brǎn scum ɖt driftd dǎn ɖ Tmz aftr ɖ dstrux́n v Śeṗtn wz xamind at ɖ tîm, n nǎ nn z fʈcmñ.\nƉ rzults v an aṇtomicl xaṃneśn v ɖ Marśnz, so far az ɖ prǎlñ dogz hd left sć an xaṃneśn poṣbl, I hv olrdi gvn. Bt evrwn z fmiłr wɖ ɖ magnifisnt n olmst cmplit spesimn in spirits at ɖ Naćṛl Hisṭri Ḿziym, n ɖ cǎntlis drw̃z ɖt hv bn md fṛm it; n bynd ɖt ɖ inṭrest v ɖer fizioḷji n strucćr z pyrli sạntific.\nA qsćn v grevr n ynivrsl inṭrest z ɖ posbiḷti v anɖr atac fṛm ɖ Marśnz. I d nt ʈnc ɖt nirli inuf atnśn z biyñ gvn t ɖs aspect v ɖ matr. At preznt ɖ planit Marz z in cnjuñśn, bt wɖ evri rtrn t opziśn I, fr wn, antiṣpet a rnywl v ɖer advnćr. In eni ces, w śd b priperd. It sīmz t m ɖt it śd b poṣbl t dfîn ɖ pziśn v ɖ gun fṛm ẃć ɖ śots r dsćarjd, t cīp a sstend woć upn ɖs part v ɖ planit, n t antiṣpet ɖ arîvl v ɖ nxt atac.\nIn ɖt ces ɖ silindr mt b dstroid wɖ dîṇmît or artiḷri bfr it wz sfiśntli cūl fr ɖ Marśnz t imrj, or ɖe mt b bćrd bî mīnz v gunz so sn az ɖ scru opnd. It sīmz t m ɖt ɖe hv lost a vast advantij in ɖ fełr v ɖer frst s’prîz. Poṣbli ɖe si it in ɖ sem lît.\nLesñ hz advanst xḷnt rīznz fr s’pozñ ɖt ɖ Marśnz hv acćli s’xidd in ifctñ a landñ on ɖ planit Vīṇs. Sevn munʈs ago nǎ, Vīṇs n Marz wr in alînmnt wɖ ɖ sún; ɖt z t se, Marz wz in opziśn fṛm ɖ pônt v vy v an obzrvr on Vīṇs. Subsiqntli a pkłr lūmiṇs n sińụs marcñ apird on ɖ unilumind haf v ɖ inr planit, n olmst simlteńsli a fent darc marc v a similr sińụs caṛctr wz dtctd upn a foṭgraf v ɖ Marśn disc. Wn nīdz t si ɖ drw̃z v ɖz apiṛnsz in ordr t aprīśiet fŭli ɖer rmarcbl rzmbḷns in caṛctr.\nAt eni ret, ẃɖr w xpct anɖr inveźn or nt, ǎr vyz v ɖ hymn fyćr mst b gretli moḍfaid bî ɖz ivnts. W hv lrnt nǎ ɖt w canot rgard ɖs planit az biyñ fnst in n a s’kr abîdñples fr Man; w cn nvr antiṣpet ɖ unsìn gd or īvl ɖt me cm upn s sudnli ǎt v spes. It me b ɖt in ɖ larjr dzîn v ɖ ynivrs ɖs inveźn fṛm Marz z nt wɖt its ultiṃt beṇfit fr men; it hz robd s v ɖt srīn confidns in ɖ fyćr ẃć z ɖ most frūtfl sors v dec̣dns, ɖ gifts t hymn sayns it hz bròt r inorṃs, n it hz dn mć t pṛmot ɖ cnspśn v ɖ comnwìl v man-cnd. It me b ɖt acrs ɖ imnṣti v spes ɖ Marśnz hv woćt ɖ fet v ɖz paynirz v ɖerz n lrnt ɖer lesn, n ɖt on ɖ planit Vīṇs ɖe hv faund a s’krr setlmnt. B ɖt az it me, fr mni yirz yt ɖr wl srtnli b no rīlaxeśn v ɖ īgr scrūṭni v ɖ Marśn disc, n ɖoz fîri darts v ɖ scî, ɖ śūtñstarz, wl brñ wɖ ɖm az ɖe fōl an un’vôḍbl aprihnśn t ol ɖ sunz v men.\nƉ brōḍnñ v men’z vyz ɖt hz rzultd cn scersli b xaɉretd. Bfr ɖ silindr fél ɖr wz a jenṛl psweźn ɖt ʈru ol ɖ dīp v spes no lîf xistd bynd ɖ peti srfis v ǎr mînyt sfir. Nǎ w si frɖr. F ɖ Marśnz cn rīć Vīṇs, ɖr z no rīzn t s’poz ɖt ɖ ʈñ z imposbl fr men, n ẃn ɖ slo cūlñ v ɖ sún mcs ɖs rʈ uninhabitbl, az at last it mst d, it me b ɖt ɖ ʈred v lîf ɖt hz bgun hir wl hv strīmd ǎt n còt ǎr sistr planit wɖn its tôlz.\nDim n wundrfl z ɖ viźn I hv cunjrd p in mî mînd v lîf spredñ slǒli fṛm ɖs litl sīdbed v ɖ solr sistm ʈrt ɖ inaniṃt vastnis v sîdirịl spes. Bt ɖt z a rmot drīm. It me b, on ɖ uɖr hand, ɖt ɖ dstrux́n v ɖ Marśnz z onli a rpriv. T ɖm, n nt t s, phps, z ɖ fyćr ordend.\nI mst cnfes ɖ stres n denjr v ɖ tîm hv left an abîdñ sns v dǎt n inṣkṛti in mî mînd. I sit in mî studi raitñ bî lamplît, n sudnli I si agn ɖ hīlñ vali b’lo set wɖ rîɖñ flemz, n fīl ɖ hǎs bhnd n abt m emti n dezḷt. I g ǎt intu ɖ Bîflīt Rod, n viyclz pas m, a bćrbô in a cart, a cabfl v vizitrz, a wrcmn on a bîsicl, ćildṛn gwñ t scūl, n sudnli ɖe bcm veg n unriyl, n I huri agn wɖ ɖ artiḷrimn ʈru ɖ hot, brūdñ sîḷns. V a nît I si ɖ blac pǎdr darc̣nñ ɖ sîḷnt strīts, n ɖ cntortd bodiz śrǎdd in ɖt leyr; ɖe rîz upn m tatrd n dog-bitn. Ɖe jibr n gro firsr, pelr, uglịr, mad dstorśnz v hymaṇti at last, n I wec, cold n rećid, in ɖ darcnis v ɖ nît.\nI g t Lundn n si ɖ bizi multtydz in Flīt Strīt n ɖ Strand, n it cmz acrs mî mînd ɖt ɖe r bt ɖ gosts v ɖ past, hōntñ ɖ strīts ɖt I hv sìn sîḷnt n rećid, gwñ t n fro, fantazmz in a ded siti, ɖ moc̣ri v lîf in a galvnîzd bodi. N strenj, tù, it z t stand on Primroz Hil, az I dd bt a de bfr raitñ ɖs last ćaptr, t si ɖ gret provins v hǎzz, dim n blu ʈru ɖ hêz v ɖ smoc n mist, vaṇśñ at last intu ɖ veg lowr scî, t si ɖ ppl wōcñ t n fro amñ ɖ flǎrbedz on ɖ hil, t si ɖ sîtsiyrz abt ɖ Marśn mśīn ɖt standz ɖr stl, t hír ɖ tymult v pleyñ ćildṛn, n t rcōl ɖ tîm ẃn I sw it ol brît n clir-cut, hard n sîḷnt, undr ɖ dōn v ɖt last gret de…\nN strenjist v ol z it t hold mî wîf’s hand agn, n t ʈnc ɖt I hv cǎntd hr, n ɖt ś hz cǎntd m, amñ ɖ ded.


La Bible en Fongbe - Exode 39 | BéninLangues, les langues Béninoises au clic\nLa Bible en Fongbe - Exode 39\nRetrouvez les versets en fongbe du chapitre Exode 39\nExode 39 - Tíntɔ́n 39\nÈ zě avɔ kwlésinnɔ, avɔ vɔvɔ kpó avɔ vɔvɔ cɛ́cɛ́ kpó dó tɔ sinsɛnwu e è nǎ dó wa azɔ̌ ɖo goxɔ ɔ́ mɛ lɛ́ɛ. È tɔ vɔ̌sánú-xwlémawutɔ́ sín awu lɛ́ɛ nú Aalɔ́ɔn lě e Mawu Mavɔmavɔ ɖɔ gbɔn nú Mɔyízi é.\nÈ zě kan didɛ e è nɔ dó lɔn lɛ̌ɛnkanvɔ ná ɔ́ dó lɔn efódu ná bɔ kan kwlésinnɔ vɔvɔ kpó vɔvɔ cɛ́cɛ́ kpó gbɔn mɛ, bɔ è zě kan gansinnɔ dó kó ná.\nÈ zě siká akú dó gan gbajagbaja bó sɛ́n kan tɔn bó gbɛ kan ɖɔhun, bó ján gbɔn kan kwlésinnɔ ɔ́, vɔvɔ ɔ́, vɔvɔ cɛ́cɛ́ ɔ́, kpó kan didɛ e è nɔ dó lɔn lɛ̌ɛnkanvɔ ná ɔ́ kpó mɛ; è blǒ bɔ é mɛ́ sin.\nÈ blǒ abɔ̌tavɔ we bó tɔ dó efódu ɔ́ sín tó we lɛ́ɛ wú, dó hɛn ɖó te.\nEfódu kpó gǒjíblánú ɔ́ kpó bǐ wɛ è lɔn ɖó bǔ; kan gansinnɔ, kwlésinnɔ, vɔvɔ, vɔvɔ cɛ́cɛ́ kpó kan didɛ e è nɔ dó lɔn lɛ̌ɛnkanvɔ ná ɔ́ kpó wɛ è dǒ lɔn ná, lě e Mawu Mavɔmavɔ ɖɔ nú Mɔyízi gbɔn é.\nIl y en avait douze, d'après les noms des fils d'Israël; elles étaient gravées comme des cachets, chacune avec le nom de l'une des douze tribus.\non arrêta par devant les bouts des deux cordons aux deux montures placées sur les épaulettes de l'éphod.