Машина времени
Chapter 6
StartingupinthedarknessIsnatchedatmymatchesand,hastilystrikingone,IsawthreestoopingwhitecreaturessimilartotheoneIhadseenabovegroundintheruin,hastilyretreatingbeforethelight. Living,astheydid,inwhatappearedtomeimpenetrabledarkness,theireyeswereabnormallylargeandsensitive,justasarethepupilsoftheabysmalfishes,andtheyreflectedthelightinthesameway. Ihavenodoubttheycouldseemeinthatraylessobscurity,andtheydidnotseemtohaveanyfearofmeapartfromthelight. But,sosoonasIstruckamatchinordertoseethem,theyfledincontinently,vanishingintodarkguttersandtunnels,fromwhichtheireyesglaredatmeinthestrangestfashion.
‘Itriedtocalltothem,butthelanguagetheyhadwasapparentlydifferentfromthatoftheOver-worldpeople; sothatIwasneedslefttomyownunaidedefforts,andthethoughtofflightbeforeexplorationwaseventheninmymind. ButIsaidtomyself, "Youareinforitnow," and,feelingmywayalongthetunnel,Ifoundthenoiseofmachinerygrowlouder. Presentlythewallsfellawayfromme,andIcametoalargeopenspace,andstrikinganothermatch,sawthatIhadenteredavastarchedcavern,whichstretchedintoutterdarknessbeyondtherangeofmylight. TheviewIhadofitwasasmuchasonecouldseeintheburningofamatch.
‘Necessarilymymemoryisvague. Greatshapeslikebigmachinesroseoutofthedimness,andcastgrotesqueblackshadows,inwhichdimspectralMorlocksshelteredfromtheglare. Theplace,bytheby,wasverystuffyandoppressive,andthefainthalitusoffreshlyshedbloodwasintheair. Somewaydownthecentralvistawasalittletableofwhitemetal,laidwithwhatseemedameal. TheMorlocksatanyratewerecarnivorous!
