the star-第3章
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waters； as heat and terror overcame them。 The whole land seemed
a…wailing and suddenly there swept a shadow across that furnace of
despair； and a breath of cold wind； and a gathering of clouds； out
of the cooling air。 Men looking up； near blinded； at the star； saw
that a black disc was creeping across the light。 It was the moon；
coming between the star and the earth。 And even as men cried to
God at this respite； out of the East with a strange inexplicable
swiftness sprang the sun。 And then star； sun and moon rushed
together across the heavens。
So it was that presently； to the European watchers； star and
sun rose close upon each other； drove headlong for a space and then
slower； and at last came to rest； star and sun merged into one
glare of flame at the zenith of the sky。 The moon no longer
eclipsed the star but was lost to sight in the brilliance of the
sky。 And though those who were still alive regarded it for the
most part with that dull stupidity that hunger； fatigue； heat and
despair engender； there were still men who could perceive the
meaning of these signs。 Star and earth had been at their nearest；
had swung about one another； and the star had passed。 Already it
was receding； swifter and swifter； in the last stage of its
headlong journey downward into the sun。
And then the clouds gathered； blotting out the vision of the
sky； the thunder and lightning wove a garment round the world； all
over the earth was such a downpour of rain as men had never before
seen； and where the volcanoes flared red against the cloud canopy
there descended torrents of mud。 Everywhere the waters were
pouring off the land； leaving mud…silted ruins； and the earth
littered like a storm…worn beach with all that had floated； and the
dead bodies of the men and brutes； its children。 For days the
water streamed off the land； sweeping away soil and trees and
houses in the way； and piling huge dykes and scooping out Titanic
gullies
over the country side。 Those were the days of darkness that
followed the
star and the heat。 All through them； and for many weeks and
months； the
earthquakes continued。
But the star had passed； and men； hunger…driven and gathering
courage only slowly； might creep back to their ruined cities；
buried granaries； and sodden fields。 Such few ships as had escaped
the storms of that time came stunned and shattered and sounding
their way cautiously through the new marks and shoals of once
familiar ports。 And as the storms subsided men perceived that
everywhere the days were hotter than of yore； and the sun larger；
and the moon； shrunk to a third of its former size； took now
fourscore days between its new and new。
But of the new brotherhood that grew presently among men； of
the saving of laws and books and machines； of the strange change
that had come over Iceland and Greenland and the shores of Baffin's
Bay； so that the sailors coming there presently found them green
and gracious； and could scarce believe their eyes； this story does
not tell。 Nor of the movement of mankind now that the earth was
hotter； northward and southward towards the poles of the earth。 It
concerns itself only with the coming and the passing of the Star。
The Martian astronomersfor there are astronomers on Mars；
although they are very different beings from menwere naturally
profoundly interested by these things。 They saw them from their
own standpoint of course。 〃Considering the mass and temperature of
the missile that was flung through our solar system into the sun；〃
one wrote； 〃it is astonishing what a little damage the earth； which
it missed so narrowly； has sustained。 All the familiar continental
markings and the masses of the seas remain intact； and indeed the
only difference seems to be a shrinkage of the white discoloration
（supposed to be frozen water） round either pole。〃 Which only shows
how small the vastest of human catastrophes may seem； at a distance
of a few million miles。
