Машина времени
Chapter 3
Whatmightnothavehappenedtomen? Whatifcrueltyhadgrownintoacommonpassion? Whatifinthisintervaltheracehadlostitsmanlinessandhaddevelopedintosomethinginhuman,unsympathetic,andoverwhelminglypowerful? Imightseemsomeold-worldsavageanimal,onlythemoredreadfulanddisgustingforourcommonlikeness—afoulcreaturetobeincontinentlyslain.
‘AlreadyIsawothervastshapes—hugebuildingswithintricateparapetsandtallcolumns,withawoodedhill-sidedimlycreepinginuponmethroughthelesseningstorm. Iwasseizedwithapanicfear. IturnedfranticallytotheTimeMachine,andstrovehardtoreadjustit. AsIdidsotheshaftsofthesunsmotethroughthethunderstorm. Thegreydownpourwassweptasideandvanishedlikethetrailinggarmentsofaghost. Aboveme,intheintenseblueofthesummersky,somefaintbrownshredsofcloudwhirledintonothingness. Thegreatbuildingsaboutmestoodoutclearanddistinct,shiningwiththewetofthethunderstorm,andpickedoutinwhitebytheunmeltedhailstonespiledalongtheircourses. Ifeltnakedinastrangeworld. Ifeltasperhapsabirdmayfeelintheclearair,knowingthehawkwingsaboveandwillswoop. Myfeargrewtofrenzy. Itookabreathingspace,setmyteeth,andagaingrappledfiercely,wristandknee,withthemachine. Itgaveundermydesperateonsetandturnedover.Itstruckmychinviolently. Onehandonthesaddle,theotheronthelever,Istoodpantingheavilyinattitudetomountagain.
‘Butwiththisrecoveryofapromptretreatmycouragerecovered. Ilookedmorecuriouslyandlessfearfullyatthisworldoftheremotefuture. Inacircularopening,highupinthewallofthenearerhouse,Isawagroupoffigurescladinrichsoftrobes. Theyhadseenme,andtheirfacesweredirectedtowardsme.
