Chapter 1 from The Time Machine

English

TheTimeTraveller(forsoitwillbeconvenienttospeakofhim)wasexpoundingareconditemattertous.

Hisgreyeyesshoneandtwinkled,andhisusuallypalefacewasflushedandanimated.

Thefireburnedbrightly,andthesoftradianceoftheincandescentlightsintheliliesofsilvercaughtthebubblesthatflashedandpassedinourglasses.

Ourchairs,beinghispatents,embracedandcaressedusratherthansubmittedtobesatupon,andtherewasthatluxuriousafter–dinneratmospherewhenthoughtroamsgracefullyfreeofthetrammelsofprecision.

Andheputittousinthisway—markingthepointswithaleanforefinger—aswesatandlazilyadmiredhisearnestnessoverthisnewparadox(aswethoughtit)andhisfecundity.

'Youmustfollowmecarefully.Ishallhavetocontrovertoneortwoideasthatarealmostuniversallyaccepted.Thegeometry,forinstance,theytaughtyouatschoolisfoundedonamisconception.'

'Isnotthatratheralargethingtoexpectustobeginupon?'saidFilby,anargumentativepersonwithredhair.

'Idonotmeantoaskyoutoacceptanythingwithoutreasonablegroundforit.

YouwillsoonadmitasmuchasIneedfromyou.

Youknowofcoursethatamathematicalline,alineofthicknessnil,hasnorealexistence.Theytaughtyouthat?Neitherhasamathematicalplane.Thesethingsaremereabstractions.'

'Thatisallright,'saidthePsychologist.

'Nor,havingonlylength,breadth,andthickness,canacubehavearealexistence.'

'ThereIobject,'saidFilby.'Ofcourseasolidbodymayexist.Allrealthings—'

'Somostpeoplethink.Butwaitamoment.Cananinstantaneouscubeexist?'

'Don'tfollowyou,'saidFilby.

'Canacubethatdoesnotlastforanytimeatall,havearealexistence?'

Filbybecamepensive.'Clearly,'theTimeTravellerproceeded,'anyrealbodymusthaveextensioninfourdirections:itmusthaveLength,Breadth,Thickness,and—Duration.

Butthroughanaturalinfirmityoftheflesh,whichIwillexplaintoyouinamoment,weinclinetooverlookthisfact.

Therearereallyfourdimensions,threewhichwecallthethreeplanesofSpace,andafourth,Time.

Thereis,however,atendencytodrawanunrealdistinctionbetweentheformerthreedimensionsandthelatter,becauseithappensthatourconsciousnessmovesintermittentlyinonedirectionalongthelatterfromthebeginningtotheendofourlives.'

'That,'saidaveryyoungman,makingspasmodiceffortstorelighthiscigaroverthelamp;'that...veryclearindeed.'

'Now,itisveryremarkablethatthisissoextensivelyoverlooked,'continuedtheTimeTraveller,withaslightaccessionofcheerfulness.

'ReallythisiswhatismeantbytheFourthDimension,thoughsomepeoplewhotalkabouttheFourthDimensiondonotknowtheymeanit.

ItisonlyanotherwayoflookingatTime.

ThereisnodifferencebetweenTimeandanyofthethreedimensionsofSpaceexceptthatourconsciousnessmovesalongit.

Butsomefoolishpeoplehavegotholdofthewrongsideofthatidea.

YouhaveallheardwhattheyhavetosayaboutthisFourthDimension?'

'Ihavenot,'saidtheProvincialMayor.

'Itissimplythis.ThatSpace,asourmathematicianshaveit,isspokenofashavingthreedimensions,whichonemaycallLength,Breadth,andThickness,andisalwaysdefinablebyreferencetothreeplanes,eachatrightanglestotheothers.

Butsomephilosophicalpeoplehavebeenaskingwhythreedimensionsparticularly—whynotanotherdirectionatrightanglestotheotherthree?

—andhaveeventriedtoconstructaFour–Dimensiongeometry.

ProfessorSimonNewcombwasexpoundingthistotheNewYorkMathematicalSocietyonlyamonthorsoago.

Youknowhowonaflatsurface,whichhasonlytwodimensions,wecanrepresentafigureofathree–dimensionalsolid,andsimilarlytheythinkthatbymodelsofthreedimensionstheycouldrepresentoneoffour—iftheycouldmastertheperspectiveofthething.See?'

'Ithinkso,'murmuredtheProvincialMayor;and,knittinghisbrows,helapsedintoanintrospectivestate,hislipsmovingasonewhorepeatsmysticwords.

'Yes,IthinkIseeitnow,'hesaidaftersometime,brighteninginaquitetransitorymanner.

'Well,IdonotmindtellingyouIhavebeenatworkuponthisgeometryofFourDimensionsforsometime.Someofmyresultsarecurious.

Forinstance,hereisaportraitofamanateightyearsold,anotheratfifteen,anotheratseventeen,anotherattwenty–three,andsoon.

Alltheseareevidentlysections,asitwere,Three–DimensionalrepresentationsofhisFour–Dimensionedbeing,whichisafixedandunalterablething.

'Scientificpeople,'proceededtheTimeTraveller,afterthepauserequiredfortheproperassimilationofthis,'knowverywellthatTimeisonlyakindofSpace.

Hereisapopularscientificdiagram,aweatherrecord.

ThislineItracewithmyfingershowsthemovementofthebarometer.

Yesterdayitwassohigh,yesterdaynightitfell,thenthismorningitroseagain,andsogentlyupwardtohere.

SurelythemercurydidnottracethislineinanyofthedimensionsofSpacegenerallyrecognized?

Butcertainlyittracedsuchaline,andthatline,therefore,wemustconcludewasalongtheTime–Dimension.'

'But,'saidtheMedicalMan,staringhardatacoalinthefire,'ifTimeisreallyonlyafourthdimensionofSpace,whyisit,andwhyhasitalwaysbeen,regardedassomethingdifferent?

AndwhycannotwemoveinTimeaswemoveaboutintheotherdimensionsofSpace?'

TheTimeTravellersmiled.'AreyousurewecanmovefreelyinSpace?

Rightandleftwecango,backwardandforwardfreelyenough,andmenalwayshavedoneso.

Iadmitwemovefreelyintwodimensions.Buthowaboutupanddown?Gravitationlimitsusthere.'

'Notexactly,'saidtheMedicalMan.'Thereareballoons.'

'Butbeforetheballoons,saveforspasmodicjumpingandtheinequalitiesofthesurface,manhadnofreedomofverticalmovement.'

'Stilltheycouldmovealittleupanddown,'saidtheMedicalMan.

'Easier,fareasierdownthanup.'

'AndyoucannotmoveatallinTime,youcannotgetawayfromthepresentmoment.'

'Mydearsir,thatisjustwhereyouarewrong.

Thatisjustwherethewholeworldhasgonewrong.

Wearealwaysgettingawayfromthepresentmoment.

Ourmentalexistences,whichareimmaterialandhavenodimensions,arepassingalongtheTime–Dimensionwithauniformvelocityfromthecradletothegrave.

Justasweshouldtraveldownifwebeganourexistencefiftymilesabovetheearth'ssurface.'

'Butthegreatdifficultyisthis,'interruptedthePsychologist.'YoucanmoveaboutinalldirectionsofSpace,butyoucannotmoveaboutinTime.'

'Thatisthegermofmygreatdiscovery.

ButyouarewrongtosaythatwecannotmoveaboutinTime.

Forinstance,ifIamrecallinganincidentveryvividlyIgobacktotheinstantofitsoccurrence:Ibecomeabsent–minded,asyousay.Ijumpbackforamoment.

OfcoursewehavenomeansofstayingbackforanylengthofTime,anymorethanasavageorananimalhasofstayingsixfeetabovetheground.

Butacivilizedmanisbetteroffthanthesavageinthisrespect.

Hecangoupagainstgravitationinaballoon,andwhyshouldhenothopethatultimatelyhemaybeabletostoporacceleratehisdriftalongtheTime–Dimension,oreventurnaboutandtraveltheotherway?'

'Oh,this,'beganFilby,'isall—'

'Whynot?'saidtheTimeTraveller.

'It'sagainstreason,'saidFilby.

'Whatreason?'saidtheTimeTraveller.

'Youcanshowblackiswhitebyargument,'saidFilby,'butyouwillneverconvinceme.'

'Possiblynot,'saidtheTimeTraveller.'ButnowyoubegintoseetheobjectofmyinvestigationsintothegeometryofFourDimensions.LongagoIhadavagueinklingofamachine—'

'TotravelthroughTime!'exclaimedtheVeryYoungMan.

'ThatshalltravelindifferentlyinanydirectionofSpaceandTime,asthedriverdetermines.'

Filbycontentedhimselfwithlaughter.

'ButIhaveexperimentalverification,'saidtheTimeTraveller.

'Itwouldberemarkablyconvenientforthehistorian,'thePsychologistsuggested.'OnemighttravelbackandverifytheacceptedaccountoftheBattleofHastings,forinstance!'

'Don'tyouthinkyouwouldattractattention?'saidtheMedicalMan.'Ourancestorshadnogreattoleranceforanachronisms.'

'Onemightgetone'sGreekfromtheverylipsofHomerandPlato,'theVeryYoungManthought.

'InwhichcasetheywouldcertainlyploughyoufortheLittle–go.TheGermanscholarshaveimprovedGreeksomuch.'

'Thenthereisthefuture,'saidtheVeryYoungMan.'Justthink!Onemightinvestallone'smoney,leaveittoaccumulateatinterest,andhurryonahead!'

'Todiscoverasociety,'saidI,'erectedonastrictlycommunisticbasis.'

'Ofallthewildextravaganttheories!'beganthePsychologist.

'Yes,soitseemedtome,andsoInevertalkedofituntil—'

'Experimentalverification!'criedI.'Youaregoingtoverifythat?'

'Theexperiment!'criedFilby,whowasgettingbrain–weary.

'Let'sseeyourexperimentanyhow,'saidthePsychologist,'thoughit'sallhumbug,youknow.'

TheTimeTravellersmiledroundatus.Then,stillsmilingfaintly,andwithhishandsdeepinhistrouserspockets,hewalkedslowlyoutoftheroom,andweheardhisslippersshufflingdownthelongpassagetohislaboratory.

ThePsychologistlookedatus.'Iwonderwhathe'sgot?'

'Somesleight–of–handtrickorother,'saidtheMedicalMan,andFilbytriedtotellusaboutaconjurerhehadseenatBurslem;butbeforehehadfinishedhisprefacetheTimeTravellercameback,andFilby'sanecdotecollapsed.

ThethingtheTimeTravellerheldinhishandwasaglitteringmetallicframework,scarcelylargerthanasmallclock,andverydelicatelymade.

Therewasivoryinit,andsometransparentcrystallinesubstance.

AndnowImustbeexplicit,forthisthatfollows—unlesshisexplanationistobeaccepted—isanabsolutelyunaccountablething.

Hetookoneofthesmalloctagonaltablesthatwerescatteredabouttheroom,andsetitinfrontofthefire,withtwolegsonthehearthrug.Onthistableheplacedthemechanism.Thenhedrewupachair,andsatdown.

Theonlyotherobjectonthetablewasasmallshadedlamp,thebrightlightofwhichfelluponthemodel.

Therewerealsoperhapsadozencandlesabout,twoinbrasscandlesticksuponthemantelandseveralinsconces,sothattheroomwasbrilliantlyilluminated.

Isatinalowarm–chairnearestthefire,andIdrewthisforwardsoastobealmostbetweentheTimeTravellerandthefireplace.

Filbysatbehindhim,lookingoverhisshoulder.

TheMedicalManandtheProvincialMayorwatchedhiminprofilefromtheright,thePsychologistfromtheleft.

TheVeryYoungManstoodbehindthePsychologist.Wewereallonthealert.

Itappearsincredibletomethatanykindoftrick,howeversubtlyconceivedandhoweveradroitlydone,couldhavebeenplayeduponusundertheseconditions.

TheTimeTravellerlookedatus,andthenatthemechanism.'Well?'saidthePsychologist.

'Thislittleaffair,'saidtheTimeTraveller,restinghiselbowsuponthetableandpressinghishandstogetherabovetheapparatus,'isonlyamodel.

Itismyplanforamachinetotravelthroughtime.

Youwillnoticethatitlookssingularlyaskew,andthatthereisanoddtwinklingappearanceaboutthisbar,asthoughitwasinsomewayunreal.'Hepointedtothepartwithhisfinger.

'Also,hereisonelittlewhitelever,andhereisanother.'

TheMedicalMangotupoutofhischairandpeeredintothething.'It'sbeautifullymade,'hesaid.

'Ittooktwoyearstomake,'retortedtheTimeTraveller.

Then,whenwehadallimitatedtheactionoftheMedicalMan,hesaid:'NowIwantyouclearlytounderstandthatthislever,beingpressedover,sendsthemachineglidingintothefuture,andthisotherreversesthemotion.

Thissaddlerepresentstheseatofatimetraveller.

PresentlyIamgoingtopressthelever,andoffthemachinewillgo.

Itwillvanish,passintofutureTime,anddisappear.Haveagoodlookatthething.

Lookatthetabletoo,andsatisfyyourselvesthereisnotrickery.

Idon'twanttowastethismodel,andthenbetoldI'maquack.'

Therewasaminute'spauseperhaps.ThePsychologistseemedabouttospeaktome,butchangedhismind.

ThentheTimeTravellerputforthhisfingertowardsthelever.'No,'hesaidsuddenly.'Lendmeyourhand.'

AndturningtothePsychologist,hetookthatindividual'shandinhisownandtoldhimtoputouthisforefinger.

SothatitwasthePsychologisthimselfwhosentforththemodelTimeMachineonitsinterminablevoyage.Weallsawtheleverturn.

Iamabsolutelycertaintherewasnotrickery.

Therewasabreathofwind,andthelampflamejumped.

Oneofthecandlesonthemantelwasblownout,andthelittlemachinesuddenlyswunground,becameindistinct,wasseenasaghostforasecondperhaps,asaneddyoffaintlyglitteringbrassandivory;anditwasgone—vanished!Saveforthelampthetablewasbare.

Everyonewassilentforaminute.ThenFilbysaidhewasdamned.

ThePsychologistrecoveredfromhisstupor,andsuddenlylookedunderthetable.

AtthattheTimeTravellerlaughedcheerfully.'Well?'

hesaid,withareminiscenceofthePsychologist.

Then,gettingup,hewenttothetobaccojaronthemantel,andwithhisbacktousbegantofillhispipe.

Westaredateachother.'Lookhere,'saidtheMedicalMan,'areyouinearnestaboutthis?Doyouseriouslybelievethatthatmachinehastravelledintotime?'

'Certainly,'saidtheTimeTraveller,stoopingtolightaspillatthefire.

Thenheturned,lightinghispipe,tolookatthePsychologist'sface.

(ThePsychologist,toshowthathewasnotunhinged,helpedhimselftoacigarandtriedtolightituncut.)

'Whatismore,Ihaveabigmachinenearlyfinishedinthere'—heindicatedthelaboratory—'andwhenthatisputtogetherImeantohaveajourneyonmyownaccount.'

'Youmeantosaythatthatmachinehastravelledintothefuture?'saidFilby.

'Intothefutureorthepast—Idon't,forcertain,knowwhich.'

AfteranintervalthePsychologisthadaninspiration.'Itmusthavegoneintothepastifithasgoneanywhere,'hesaid.

'Why?'saidtheTimeTraveller.

'BecauseIpresumethatithasnotmovedinspace,andifittravelledintothefutureitwouldstillbehereallthistime,sinceitmusthavetravelledthroughthistime.'

'But,'Isaid,'Ifittravelledintothepastitwouldhavebeenvisiblewhenwecamefirstintothisroom;andlastThursdaywhenwewerehere;andtheThursdaybeforethat;andsoforth!'

'Seriousobjections,'remarkedtheProvincialMayor,withanairofimpartiality,turningtowardstheTimeTraveller.

'Notabit,'saidtheTimeTraveller,and,tothePsychologist:'Youthink.Youcanexplainthat.It'spresentationbelowthethreshold,youknow,dilutedpresentation.'

'Ofcourse,'saidthePsychologist,andreassuredus.'That'sasimplepointofpsychology.Ishouldhavethoughtofit.

It'splainenough,andhelpstheparadoxdelightfully.

Wecannotseeit,norcanweappreciatethismachine,anymorethanwecanthespokeofawheelspinning,orabulletflyingthroughtheair.

Ifitistravellingthroughtimefiftytimesorahundredtimesfasterthanweare,ifitgetsthroughaminutewhilewegetthroughasecond,theimpressionitcreateswillofcoursebeonlyone–fiftiethorone–hundredthofwhatitwouldmakeifitwerenottravellingintime.That'splainenough.'

Hepassedhishandthroughthespaceinwhichthemachinehadbeen.'Yousee?'hesaid,laughing.

Wesatandstaredatthevacanttableforaminuteorso.ThentheTimeTravelleraskeduswhatwethoughtofitall.

'Itsoundsplausibleenoughto–night,'saidtheMedicalMan;'butwaituntilto–morrow.Waitforthecommonsenseofthemorning.'

'WouldyouliketoseetheTimeMachineitself?'askedtheTimeTraveller.

Andtherewith,takingthelampinhishand,heledthewaydownthelong,draughtycorridortohislaboratory.

Iremembervividlytheflickeringlight,hisqueer,broadheadinsilhouette,thedanceoftheshadows,howweallfollowedhim,puzzledbutincredulous,andhowthereinthelaboratorywebeheldalargereditionofthelittlemechanismwhichwehadseenvanishfrombeforeoureyes.

Partswereofnickel,partsofivory,partshadcertainlybeenfiledorsawnoutofrockcrystal.

Thethingwasgenerallycomplete,butthetwistedcrystallinebarslayunfinisheduponthebenchbesidesomesheetsofdrawings,andItookoneupforabetterlookatit.Quartzitseemedtobe.

'Lookhere,'saidtheMedicalMan,'areyouperfectlyserious?Oristhisatrick—likethatghostyoushoweduslastChristmas?'

'Uponthatmachine,'saidtheTimeTraveller,holdingthelampaloft,'Iintendtoexploretime.Isthatplain?Iwasnevermoreseriousinmylife.'

Noneofusquiteknewhowtotakeit.

IcaughtFilby'seyeovertheshoulderoftheMedicalMan,andhewinkedatmesolemnly.

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