Машина времени

           Then,sobbingandravinginmyanguishofmind,Iwentdowntothegreatbuildingofstone. Thebighallwasdark,silent,anddeserted. Islippedontheunevenfloor,andfelloveroneofthemalachitetables,almostbreakingmyshin. Ilitamatchandwentonpastthedustycurtains,ofwhichIhavetoldyou. 

           ‘ThereIfoundasecondgreathallcoveredwithcushions,uponwhich,perhaps,ascoreorsoofthelittlepeopleweresleeping. Ihavenodoubttheyfoundmysecondappearancestrangeenough,comingsuddenlyoutofthequietdarknesswithinarticulatenoisesandthesplutterandflareofamatch. Fortheyhadforgottenaboutmatches. "WhereismyTimeMachine?"Ibegan,bawlinglikeanangrychild,layinghandsuponthemandshakingthemuptogether. Itmusthavebeenveryqueertothem. Somelaughed,mostofthemlookedsorelyfrightened. WhenIsawthemstandingroundme,itcameintomyheadthatIwasdoingasfoolishathingasitwaspossibleformetodounderthecircumstances,intryingtorevivethesensationoffear. For,reasoningfromtheirdaylightbehaviour,Ithoughtthatfearmustbeforgotten. 

           ‘Abruptly,Idasheddownthematch,and,knockingoneofthepeopleoverinmycourse,wentblunderingacrossthebigdining-hallagain,outunderthemoonlight. Iheardcriesofterrorandtheirlittlefeetrunningandstumblingthiswayandthat. IdonotrememberallIdidasthemooncreptupthesky. Isupposeitwastheunexpectednatureofmylossthatmaddenedme. Ifelthopelesslycutofffrommyownkind—astrangeanimalinanunknownworld. Imusthaveravedtoandfro,screamingandcryinguponGodandFate. Ihaveamemoryofhorriblefatigue,asthelongnightofdespairworeaway;oflookinginthisimpossibleplaceandthat;ofgropingamongmoon-litruinsandtouchingstrangecreaturesintheblackshadows;