Машина времени

           Butcertainlyittracedsuchaline,andthatline,therefore,wemustconcludewasalongtheTime-Dimension.’ 

           ‘But,’saidtheMedicalMan,staringhardatacoalinthefire,‘ifTimeisreallyonlyafourthdimensionofSpace,whyisit,andwhyhasitalwaysbeen,regardedassomethingdifferent? AndwhycannotwemoveinTimeaswemoveaboutintheotherdimensionsofSpace?’ 

           TheTimeTravellersmiled. ‘AreyousurewecanmovefreelyinSpace? Rightandleftwecango,backwardandforwardfreelyenough,andmenalwayshavedoneso. Iadmitwemovefreelyintwodimensions. Buthowaboutupanddown? Gravitationlimitsusthere.’ 

           ‘Notexactly,’saidtheMedicalMan. ‘Thereareballoons.’ 

           ‘Butbeforetheballoons,saveforspasmodicjumpingandtheinequalitiesofthesurface,manhadnofreedomofverticalmovement. ’‘Stilltheycouldmovealittleupanddown,’saidtheMedicalMan. 

           ‘Easier,fareasierdownthanup.’ 

           ‘AndyoucannotmoveatallinTime,youcannotgetawayfromthepresentmoment.’ 

           ‘Mydearsir,thatisjustwhereyouarewrong. Thatisjustwherethewholeworldhasgonewrong. Wearealwaysgettingawayfromthepresentmovement. Ourmentalexistences,whichareimmaterialandhavenodimensions,arepassingalongtheTime-Dimensionwithauniformvelocityfromthecradletothegrave. Justasweshouldtraveldownifwebeganourexistencefiftymilesabovetheearth’ssurface.’ 

           ‘Butthegreatdifficultyisthis,’interruptedthePsychologist.‘YoucanmoveaboutinalldirectionsofSpace,butyoucannotmoveaboutinTime.’