Машина времени
Chapter 4
Themouthsweresmall,withbrightred,ratherthinlips,andthelittlechinsrantoapoint. Theeyeswerelargeandmild; and—thismayseemegotismonmypart—IfanciedeventhattherewasacertainlackoftheinterestImighthaveexpectedinthem.
‘Astheymadenoefforttocommunicatewithme,butsimplystoodroundmesmilingandspeakinginsoftcooingnotestoeachother,Ibegantheconversation. IpointedtotheTimeMachineandtomyself. Thenhesitatingforamomenthowtoexpresstime,Ipointedtothesun. Atonceaquaintlyprettylittlefigureinchequeredpurpleandwhitefollowedmygesture,andthenastonishedmebyimitatingthesoundofthunder.
‘ForamomentIwasstaggered,thoughtheimportofhisgesturewasplainenough. Thequestionhadcomeintomymindabruptly: werethesecreaturesfools? Youmayhardlyunderstandhowittookme. YouseeIhadalwaysanticipatedthatthepeopleoftheyearEightHundredandTwoThousandoddwouldbeincrediblyinfrontofusinknowledge,art,everything. Thenoneofthemsuddenlyaskedmeaquestionthatshowedhimtobeontheintellectuallevelofoneofourfive-year-oldchildren—askedme,infact,ifIhadcomefromthesuninathunderstorm! ItletloosethejudgmentIhadsuspendedupontheirclothes,theirfraillightlimbs,andfragilefeatures. Aflowofdisappointmentrushedacrossmymind.ForamomentIfeltthatIhadbuilttheTimeMachineinvain.
‘Inodded,pointedtothesun,andgavethemsuchavividrenderingofathunderclapasstartledthem.Theyallwithdrewapaceorsoandbowed. Thencameonelaughingtowardsme,carryingachainofbeautifulflowersaltogethernewtome,andputitaboutmyneck.
