Chapter 4

           Inanothermomentwewerestandingfacetoface,Iandthisfragilethingoutoffuturity. Hecamestraightuptomeandlaughedintomyeyes. Theabsencefromhisbearingofanysignoffearstruckmeatonce. Thenheturnedtothetwootherswhowerefollowinghimandspoketotheminastrangeandverysweetandliquidtongue. 

           ‘Therewereotherscoming,andpresentlyalittlegroupofperhapseightortenoftheseexquisitecreatureswereaboutme. Oneofthemaddressedme. Itcameintomyhead,oddlyenough,thatmyvoicewastooharshanddeepforthem. SoIshookmyhead,and,pointingtomyears,shookitagain. Hecameastepforward,hesitated,andthentouchedmyhand. ThenIfeltothersoftlittletentaclesuponmybackandshoulders. TheywantedtomakesureIwasreal. Therewasnothinginthisatallalarming. Indeed,therewassomethingintheseprettylittlepeoplethatinspiredconfidence—agracefulgentleness,acertainchildlikeease. Andbesides,theylookedsofrailthatIcouldfancymyselfflingingthewholedozenofthemaboutlikenine-pins. ButImadeasuddenmotiontowarnthemwhenIsawtheirlittlepinkhandsfeelingattheTimeMachine. Happilythen,whenitwasnottoolate,IthoughtofadangerIhadhithertoforgotten,andreachingoverthebarsofthemachineIunscrewedthelittleleversthatwouldsetitinmotion,andputtheseinmypocket. ThenIturnedagaintoseewhatIcoulddointhewayofcommunication. 

           ‘Andthen,lookingmorenearlyintotheirfeatures,IsawsomefurtherpeculiaritiesintheirDresden-chinatypeofprettiness. Theirhair,whichwasuniformlycurly,cametoasharpendattheneckandcheek;therewasnotthefaintestsuggestionofitontheface,andtheirearsweresingularlyminute.