English
'SoIcameback.ForalongtimeImusthavebeeninsensibleuponthemachine.
Theblinkingsuccessionofthedaysandnightswasresumed,thesungotgoldenagain,theskyblue.Ibreathedwithgreaterfreedom.
Thefluctuatingcontoursofthelandebbedandflowed.Thehandsspunbackwarduponthedials.
AtlastIsawagainthedimshadowsofhouses,theevidencesofdecadenthumanity.
These,too,changedandpassed,andotherscame.
Presently,whenthemilliondialwasatzero,Islackenedspeed.
Ibegantorecognizeourownpettyandfamiliararchitecture,thethousandshandranbacktothestarting–point,thenightanddayflappedslowerandslower.
Thentheoldwallsofthelaboratorycameroundme.
Verygently,now,Islowedthemechanismdown.
'Isawonelittlethingthatseemedoddtome.
IthinkIhavetoldyouthatwhenIsetout,beforemyvelocitybecameveryhigh,Mrs.Watchetthadwalkedacrosstheroom,travelling,asitseemedtome,likearocket.
AsIreturned,Ipassedagainacrossthatminutewhenshetraversedthelaboratory.
Butnowhereverymotionappearedtobetheexactinversionofherpreviousones.
Thedooratthelowerendopened,andsheglidedquietlyupthelaboratory,backforemost,anddisappearedbehindthedoorbywhichshehadpreviouslyentered.
JustbeforethatIseemedtoseeHillyerforamoment;buthepassedlikeaflash.
'ThenIstoppedthemachine,andsawaboutmeagaintheoldfamiliarlaboratory,mytools,myappliancesjustasIhadleftthem.
Igotoffthethingveryshakily,andsatdownuponmybench.
ForseveralminutesItrembledviolently.ThenIbecamecalmer.
Aroundmewasmyoldworkshopagain,exactlyasithadbeen.
Imighthavesleptthere,andthewholethinghavebeenadream.
'Andyet,notexactly!Thethinghadstartedfromthesouth–eastcornerofthelaboratory.
Ithadcometorestagaininthenorth–west,againstthewallwhereyousawit.
ThatgivesyoutheexactdistancefrommylittlelawntothepedestaloftheWhiteSphinx,intowhichtheMorlockshadcarriedmymachine.
'Foratimemybrainwentstagnant.PresentlyIgotupandcamethroughthepassagehere,limping,becausemyheelwasstillpainful,andfeelingsorelybegrimed.
IsawthePallMallGazetteonthetablebythedoor.
Ifoundthedatewasindeedto–day,andlookingatthetimepiece,sawthehourwasalmosteighto'clock.
Iheardyourvoicesandtheclatterofplates.Ihesitated—Ifeltsosickandweak.
ThenIsniffedgoodwholesomemeat,andopenedthedooronyou.Youknowtherest.
Iwashed,anddined,andnowIamtellingyouthestory.
'Iknow,'hesaid,afterapause,'thatallthiswillbeabsolutelyincredibletoyou.
TometheoneincrediblethingisthatIamhereto–nightinthisoldfamiliarroomlookingintoyourfriendlyfacesandtellingyouthesestrangeadventures.'
HelookedattheMedicalMan.'No.Icannotexpectyoutobelieveit.Takeitasalie—oraprophecy.SayIdreameditintheworkshop.
ConsiderIhavebeenspeculatinguponthedestiniesofourraceuntilIhavehatchedthisfiction.
Treatmyassertionofitstruthasamerestrokeofarttoenhanceitsinterest.
Andtakingitasastory,whatdoyouthinkofit?'
Hetookuphispipe,andbegan,inhisoldaccustomedmanner,totapwithitnervouslyuponthebarsofthegrate.Therewasamomentarystillness.
Thenchairsbegantocreakandshoestoscrapeuponthecarpet.
ItookmyeyesofftheTimeTraveller'sface,andlookedroundathisaudience.
Theywereinthedark,andlittlespotsofcolourswambeforethem.
TheMedicalManseemedabsorbedinthecontemplationofourhost.
TheEditorwaslookinghardattheendofhiscigar—thesixth.TheJournalistfumbledforhiswatch.
Theothers,asfarasIremember,weremotionless.
TheEditorstoodupwithasigh.'Whatapityitisyou'renotawriterofstories!'hesaid,puttinghishandontheTimeTraveller'sshoulder.
'Youdon'tbelieveit?'
'Well——'
'Ithoughtnot.'
TheTimeTravellerturnedtous.'Wherearethematches?'hesaid.Helitoneandspokeoverhispipe,puffing.'Totellyouthetruth...Ihardlybelieveitmyself....Andyet...'
Hiseyefellwithamuteinquiryuponthewitheredwhiteflowersuponthelittletable.
Thenheturnedoverthehandholdinghispipe,andIsawhewaslookingatsomehalf–healedscarsonhisknuckles.
TheMedicalManrose,cametothelamp,andexaminedtheflowers.'Thegynaeceum'sodd,'hesaid.ThePsychologistleantforwardtosee,holdingouthishandforaspecimen.
'I'mhangedifitisn'taquartertoone,'saidtheJournalist.'Howshallwegethome?'
'Plentyofcabsatthestation,'saidthePsychologist.
'It'sacuriousthing,'saidtheMedicalMan;'butIcertainlydon'tknowthenaturalorderoftheseflowers.MayIhavethem?'
TheTimeTravellerhesitated.Thensuddenly:'Certainlynot.'
'Wheredidyoureallygetthem?'saidtheMedicalMan.
TheTimeTravellerputhishandtohishead.
Hespokelikeonewhowastryingtokeepholdofanideathateludedhim.
'TheywereputintomypocketbyWeena,whenItravelledintoTime.'Hestaredroundtheroom.'I'mdamnedifitisn'tallgoing.
Thisroomandyouandtheatmosphereofeverydayistoomuchformymemory.
DidIevermakeaTimeMachine,oramodelofaTimeMachine?Orisitallonlyadream?
Theysaylifeisadream,apreciouspoordreamattimes—butIcan'tstandanotherthatwon'tfit.It'smadness.Andwheredidthedreamcomefrom?...Imustlookatthatmachine.Ifthereisone!'
Hecaughtupthelampswiftly,andcarriedit,flaringred,throughthedoorintothecorridor.Wefollowedhim.
Thereintheflickeringlightofthelampwasthemachinesureenough,squat,ugly,andaskew;athingofbrass,ebony,ivory,andtranslucentglimmeringquartz.
Solidtothetouch—forIputoutmyhandandfelttherailofit—andwithbrownspotsandsmearsupontheivory,andbitsofgrassandmossuponthelowerparts,andonerailbentawry.
TheTimeTravellerputthelampdownonthebench,andranhishandalongthedamagedrail.'It'sallrightnow,'hesaid.'ThestoryItoldyouwastrue.
I'msorrytohavebroughtyououthereinthecold.'
Hetookupthelamp,and,inanabsolutesilence,wereturnedtothesmoking–room.
HecameintothehallwithusandhelpedtheEditoronwithhiscoat.
TheMedicalManlookedintohisfaceand,withacertainhesitation,toldhimhewassufferingfromoverwork,atwhichhelaughedhugely.
Irememberhimstandingintheopendoorway,bawlinggoodnight.
IsharedacabwiththeEditor.Hethoughtthetalea'gaudylie.'
FormyownpartIwasunabletocometoaconclusion.
Thestorywassofantasticandincredible,thetellingsocredibleandsober.
Ilayawakemostofthenightthinkingaboutit.
IdeterminedtogonextdayandseetheTimeTravelleragain.
Iwastoldhewasinthelaboratory,andbeingoneasytermsinthehouse,Iwentuptohim.Thelaboratory,however,wasempty.
IstaredforaminuteattheTimeMachineandputoutmyhandandtouchedthelever.
Atthatthesquatsubstantial–lookingmassswayedlikeaboughshakenbythewind.
Itsinstabilitystartledmeextremely,andIhadaqueerreminiscenceofthechildishdayswhenIusedtobeforbiddentomeddle.Icamebackthroughthecorridor.
TheTimeTravellermetmeinthesmoking–room.Hewascomingfromthehouse.
Hehadasmallcameraunderonearmandaknapsackundertheother.
Helaughedwhenhesawme,andgavemeanelbowtoshake.
'I'mfrightfullybusy,'saidhe,'withthatthinginthere.'
'Butisitnotsomehoax?'Isaid.'Doyoureallytravelthroughtime?'
'ReallyandtrulyIdo.'Andhelookedfranklyintomyeyes.Hehesitated.Hiseyewanderedabouttheroom.'Ionlywanthalfanhour,'hesaid.'
Iknowwhyyoucame,andit'sawfullygoodofyou.There'ssomemagazineshere.
Ifyou'llstoptolunchI'llproveyouthistimetravellinguptothehilt,specimenandall.Ifyou'llforgivemyleavingyounow?'
Iconsented,hardlycomprehendingthenthefullimportofhiswords,andhenoddedandwentondownthecorridor.
Iheardthedoorofthelaboratoryslam,seatedmyselfinachair,andtookupadailypaper.
Whatwashegoingtodobeforelunch–time?
ThensuddenlyIwasremindedbyanadvertisementthatIhadpromisedtomeetRichardson,thepublisher,attwo.
Ilookedatmywatch,andsawthatIcouldbarelysavethatengagement.
IgotupandwentdownthepassagetotelltheTimeTraveller.
AsItookholdofthehandleofthedoorIheardanexclamation,oddlytruncatedattheend,andaclickandathud.
AgustofairwhirledroundmeasIopenedthedoor,andfromwithincamethesoundofbrokenglassfallingonthefloor.TheTimeTravellerwasnotthere.
Iseemedtoseeaghostly,indistinctfiguresittinginawhirlingmassofblackandbrassforamoment—afiguresotransparentthatthebenchbehindwithitssheetsofdrawingswasabsolutelydistinct;butthisphantasmvanishedasIrubbedmyeyes.TheTimeMachinehadgone.
Saveforasubsidingstirofdust,thefurtherendofthelaboratorywasempty.
Apaneoftheskylighthad,apparently,justbeenblownin.
Ifeltanunreasonableamazement.Iknewthatsomethingstrangehadhappened,andforthemomentcouldnotdistinguishwhatthestrangethingmightbe.
AsIstoodstaring,thedoorintothegardenopened,andtheman–servantappeared.
Welookedateachother.Thenideasbegantocome.'HasMr.——goneoutthatway?'saidI.
'No,sir.Noonehascomeoutthisway.Iwasexpectingtofindhimhere.'
AtthatIunderstood.AttheriskofdisappointingRichardsonIstayedon,waitingfortheTimeTraveller;waitingforthesecond,perhapsstillstrangerstory,andthespecimensandphotographshewouldbringwithhim.
ButIambeginningnowtofearthatImustwaitalifetime.
TheTimeTravellervanishedthreeyearsago.
And,aseverybodyknowsnow,hehasneverreturned.
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