Машина времени

           ‘Ican’targueto-night. Idon’tmindtellingyouthestory,butIcan’targue. Iwill,’hewenton,‘tellyouthestoryofwhathashappenedtome,ifyoulike,butyoumustrefrainfrominterruptions. Iwanttotellit.Badly. Mostofitwillsoundlikelying. Sobeit! It’strue—everywordofit,allthesame. Iwasinmylaboratoryatfouro’clock,andsincethen...I’velivedeightdays...suchdaysasnohumanbeingeverlivedbefore! I’mnearlywornout,butIshan’tsleeptillI’vetoldthisthingovertoyou. ThenIshallgotobed. Butnointerruptions! Isitagreed?’ 

           ‘Agreed,’saidtheEditor, andtherestofusechoed ‘Agreed.’ AndwiththattheTimeTravellerbeganhisstoryasIhavesetitforth. Hesatbackinhischairatfirst,andspokelikeawearyman.Afterwardshegotmoreanimated. InwritingitdownIfeelwithonlytoomuchkeennesstheinadequacyofpenandink—and,aboveall,myowninadequacy—toexpressitsquality. Youread,Iwillsuppose,attentivelyenough;butyoucannotseethespeaker’swhite,sincerefaceinthebrightcircleofthelittlelamp,norheartheintonationofhisvoice. Youcannotknowhowhisexpressionfollowedtheturnsofhisstory! Mostofushearerswereinshadow,forthecandlesinthesmoking-roomhadnotbeenlighted,andonlythefaceoftheJournalistandthelegsoftheSilentManfromthekneesdownwardwereilluminated. Atfirstweglancednowandagainateachother. Afteratimeweceasedtodothat,andlookedonlyattheTimeTraveller’sface.