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his drugged activity。 For some time he seemed lost in thought。
Then he went to the window； and the blind went up with a click。
Half way up the sky； over the clustering roofs； chimneys and
steeples of the city； hung the star。
He looked at it as one might look into the eyes of a brave
enemy。 〃You may kill me；〃 he said after a silence。 〃But I can
hold youand all the universe for that matterin the grip of this
little brain。 I would not change。 Even now。〃
He looked at the little phial。 〃There will be no need of
sleep again；〃 he said。 The next day at noonpunctual to the
minute； he entered his lecture theatre； put his hat on the end of
the table as his habit was； and carefully selected a large piece of
chalk。 It was a joke among his students that he could not lecture
without that piece of chalk to fumble in his fingers； and once he
had been stricken to impotence by their hiding his supply。 He came
and looked under his grey eyebrows at the rising tiers of young
fresh faces； and spoke with his accustomed studied commonness of
phrasing。 〃Circumstances have arisencircumstances beyond my
control；〃 he said and paused； 〃which will debar me from completing
the course I had designed。 It would seem； gentlemen； if I may put
the thing clearly and briefly； thatMan has lived in vain。〃
The students glanced at one another。 Had they heard aright？
Mad？ Raised eyebrows and grinning lips there were； but one or two
faces remained intent upon his calm grey…fringed face。 〃It will be
interesting；〃 he was saying； 〃to devote this morning to an
exposition； so far as I can make it clear to you； of the
calculations that have led me to this conclusion。 Let us assume〃
He turned towards the blackboard； meditating a diagram in the
way that was usual to him。 〃What was that about 'lived in vain？'〃
whispered one student to another。 〃Listen；〃 said the other；
nodding towards the lecturer。
And presently they began to understand。
That night the star rose later； for its proper eastward motion
had carried it some way across Leo towards Virgo； and its
brightness was so great that the sky became a luminous blue as it
rose； and every star was hidden in its turn； save only Jupiter near
the zenith； Capella； Aldebaran； Sirius and the pointers of the
Bear。 It was very white and beautiful。 In many parts of the world
that night a pallid halo encircled it about。 It was perceptibly
larger； in the clear refractive sky of the tropics it seemed as if
it were nearly a quarter the size of the moon。 The frost was still
on the ground in England； but the world was as brightly lit as if
it were midsummer moonlight。 One could see to read quite ordinary
print by that cold clear light； and in the cities the lamps burnt
yellow and wan。
And everywhere the world was awake that night； and throughout
Christendom a sombre murmur hung in the keen air over the country
side like the belling of bees in the heather； and this murmurous
tumult grew to a clangour in the cities。 It was the tolling of the
bells in a million belfry towers and steeples； summoning the people
to sleep no more； to sin no more； but to gather in their churches
and pray。 And overhead； growing larger and brighter as the earth
rolled on its way and the night passed； rose the dazzling star。
And the streets and houses were alight in all the cities； the
shipyards glared； and whatever roads led to high country were lit
and crowded all night long。 And in all the seas about the
civilised lands； ships with throbbing engines； and ships with
bellying sails； crowded with men and living creatures； were
standing out to ocean and the north。 For already the warning of
the master mathematician had been telegraphed all over the world；
and translated into a hundred tongues。 The new planet and Neptune；
locked in a fiery embrace； were whirling headlong； ever faster and
faster towards the sun。 Already every second this blazing mass
flew a hundred miles； and every second its terrific velocity
increased。 As it flew now； indeed； it must pass a hundred million
of miles wide of the earth and scarcely affect it。 But near its
destined path； as yet only slightly perturbed； spun the mighty
planet Jupiter and his moons sweeping splendid round the sun。
Every moment now the attraction between the fiery star and the
greatest of the planets grew stronger。 And the result of that
attraction？ Inevitably Jupiter would be deflected from its orbit
into an elliptical path； and the burning star； swung by his
attraction wide of its sunward rush； would 〃describe a curved path〃
and perhaps collide with； and certainly pass very close to； our
earth。 〃Earthquakes； volcanic outbreaks； cyclones； sea waves；
floods； and a steady rise in temperature to I know not what
limit〃so prophesied the master mathematician。
And overhead； to carry out his words； lonely and cold and
livid； blazed the star of the coming doom。
To many who stared at it that night until their eyes ached； it
seemed that it was visibly approaching。 And that night； too； the
weather changed； and the frost that had gripped all Central Europe
and France and England softened towards a thaw。
But you must not imagine because I have spoken of people
praying through the night and people going aboard ships and people
fleeing toward mountainous country that the whole world was already
in a terror because of the star。 As a matter of fact； use and wont
still ruled the world； and save for the talk of idle moments and
the splendour of the night； nine human beings out of ten were still
busy at their common occupations。 In all the cities the shops；
save one here and there； opened and closed at their proper hours；
the doctor and the undertaker plied their trades； the workers
gathered in the factories； soldiers drilled； scholars studied；
lovers sought one another； thieves lurked and fled； politicians
planned their schemes。 The presses of the newspapers roared
through the night； and many a priest of this church and that would
not open his holy building to further what he considered a foolish
panic。 The newspapers insisted on the lesson of the year 1000for
then； too； people had anticipated the end。 The star was no
starmere gasa comet； and were it a star it could not possibly
strike the earth。 There was no precedent for such a thing。 Common
sense was sturdy everywhere； scornful； jesting； a little inclined
to persecute the
obdurate fearful。 That night； at seven…fifteen by Greenwich time；
the star would be at its nearest to Jupiter。 Then the world would
see the turn things would take。 The master mathematician's grim
warnings were treated by many as so much mere elaborate
self…advertisement。 Common sense at last； a little heated by
argument； signified its unalterable convictions by going to bed。
So； too； barbarism and savagery； already tired of the novelty； went
about their nightly business； and save for a howling dog here and
there； the beast world left the star unheeded。
And yet； when at last the watchers in the European States saw
the star rise； an hour later it is true； but no larger than it had
been the night before； there were still plenty awake to laugh at
the master mathematicianto take the danger as if it had passed。
But hereafter the laughter ceased。 The star grewit grew
with a terrible steadiness hour after hour； a little larger each
hour； a little nearer the midnight zenith； and brighter and
brighter； until it had turned night into a second day。 Had it come
straight to the earth instead of in a curved path； had it lost no
velocity to Jupiter； it must have leapt the intervening gulf in a
day； but as it was it took five days altogether to come by our
planet。 The next night it had become a third the size of the moon
before it set to English eyes； and the thaw was assured。 It rose
over America near the size of the moon； but blinding white to look
at； and HOT； and a breath of hot wind blew now with its
rising and gathering strength； and in Virginia； and Brazil； and
down the St。 Lawrence valley； it shone intermittently through a
driving reek of thunder…clouds； flickering violet lightning；
and hail unprecedented。 In Manitoba was a thaw and devastating
floods。 And upon all the mountains of the earth the snow and ice
began to melt that night； and all the rivers coming out of high
country flowed thick and turbid； and soonin their upper reaches
with swirling trees and the bodies of beasts and men。 They rose
steadily； steadily in the ghostly brilliance； and came trickling
over their banks at last； behind the flying population of their
valleys。
And along the coast of Argentina and up the South Atlantic the
tides were higher than had ever been in the memory of man； and the
storms drove the waters in many cases scores of miles inland；
drowning whole cities。 And so great grew the heat during the night
that the rising of the sun was li