Машина времени

           Eventhroughtheveilofmyconfusiontheearthseemedveryfair. Andsomymindcameroundtothebusinessofstopping, 

           ‘ThepeculiarrisklayinthepossibilityofmyfindingsomesubstanceinthespacewhichI,orthemachine,occupied. SolongasItravelledatahighvelocitythroughtime,thisscarcelymattered;Iwas,sotospeak,attenuated—wasslippinglikeavapourthroughtheintersticesofinterveningsubstances! Buttocometoastopinvolvedthejammingofmyself,moleculebymolecule,intowhateverlayinmyway; meantbringingmyatomsintosuchintimatecontactwiththoseoftheobstaclethataprofoundchemicalreaction—possiblyafar-reachingexplosion—wouldresult,andblowmyselfandmyapparatusoutofallpossibledimensions—intotheUnknown. ThispossibilityhadoccurredtomeagainandagainwhileIwasmakingthemachine; butthenIhadcheerfullyaccepteditasanunavoidablerisk—oneoftherisksamanhasgottotake! Nowtheriskwasinevitable,Inolongersawitinthesamecheerfullight. Thefactisthatinsensibly,theabsolutestrangenessofeverything,thesicklyjarringandswayingofthemachine,aboveall,thefeelingofprolongedfalling,hadabsolutelyupsetmynerve. ItoldmyselfthatIcouldneverstop,andwithagustofpetulanceIresolvedtostopforthwith. Likeanimpatientfool,Iluggedoverthelever,andincontinentlythethingwentreelingover,andIwasflungheadlongthroughtheair. 

           ‘Therewasthesoundofaclapofthunderinmyears. Imayhavebeenstunnedforamoment. Apitilesshailwashissingroundme,andIwassittingonsoftturfinfrontoftheoversetmachine. Everythingstillseemedgrey,butpresentlyIremarkedthattheconfusioninmyearswasgone.Ilookedroundme.