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drowning whole cities。 And so great grew the heat during the night
that the rising of the sun was like the coming of a shadow。 The
earthquakes began and grew until all down America from the Arctic
Circle to Cape Horn； hillsides were sliding； fissures were opening；
and houses and walls crumbling to destruction。 The whole side of
Cotopaxi slipped out in one vast convulsion； and a tumult of lava
poured out so high and broad and swift and liquid that in one day
it reached the sea。
So the star； with the wan moon in its wake； marched across the
Pacific； trailed the thunderstorms like the hem of a robe； and the
growing tidal wave that toiled behind it； frothing and eager；
poured over island and island and swept them clear of men。 Until
that wave came at lastin a blinding light and with the breath of
a furnace； swift and terrible it camea wall of water； fifty feet
high； roaring hungrily； upon the long coasts of Asia； and swept
inland across the plains of China。 For a space the star； hotter
now and larger and brighter than the sun in its strength； showed
with pitiless brilliance the wide and populous country； towns and
villages with their pagodas and trees； roads； wide cultivated
fields； millions of sleepless people staring in helpless terror at
the incandescent sky； and then； low and growing； came the murmur of
the flood。 And thus it was with millions of men that nighta
flight nowhither； with limbs heavy with heat and breath fierce and
scant； and the flood like a wall swift and white behind。 And then
death。
China was lit glowing white； but over Japan and Java and all
the islands of Eastern Asia the great star was a ball of dull red
fire because of the steam and smoke and ashes the volcanoes were
spouting forth to salute its coming。 Above was the lava； hot gases
and ash； and below the seething floods； and the whole earth swayed
and rumbled with the earthquake shocks。 Soon the immemorial snows
of Thibet and the Himalaya were melting and pouring down by ten
million deepening converging channels upon the plains of Burmah and
Hindostan。 The tangled summits of the Indian jungles were aflame
in a thousand places； and below the hurrying waters around the
stems were dark objects that still struggled feebly and reflected
the blood…red tongues of fire。 And in a rudderless confusion a
multitude of men and women fled down the broad river…ways to that
one last hope of menthe open sea。
Larger grew the star； and larger； hotter； and brighter with a
terrible swiftness now。 The tropical ocean had lost its
phosphorescence； and the whirling steam rose in ghostly wreaths
from the black waves that plunged incessantly； speckled with
storm…tossed ships。
And then came a wonder。 It seemed to those who in Europe
watched for the rising of the star that the world must have ceased
its rotation。 In a thousand open spaces of down and upland the
people who had fled thither from the floods and the falling houses
and sliding slopes of hill watched for that rising in vain。 Hour
followed hour through a terrible suspense； and the star rose not。
Once again men set their eyes upon the old constellations they had
counted lost to them forever。 In England it was hot and clear
overhead； though the ground quivered perpetually； but in the
tropics； Sirius and Capella and Aldebaran showed through a veil of
steam。 And when at last the great star rose near ten hours late；
the sun rose close upon it； and in the centre of its white heart
was a disc of black。
Over Asia it was the star had begun to fall behind the
movement of the sky； and then suddenly； as it hung over India； its
light had been veiled。 All the plain of India from the mouth of
the Indus to the mouths of the Ganges was a shallow waste of
shining water that night； out of which rose temples and palaces；
mounds and hills； black with people。 Every minaret was a
clustering mass of people； who fell one by one into the turbid
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。