Машина времени
Chapter 6
Evenatthetime,IrememberwonderingwhatlargeanimalcouldhavesurvivedtofurnishtheredjointIsaw. Itwasallveryindistinct: theheavysmell,thebigunmeaningshapes,theobscenefigureslurkingintheshadows,andonlywaitingforthedarknesstocomeatmeagain! Thenthematchburneddown,andstungmyfingers,andfell,awrigglingredspotintheblackness.
‘Ihavethoughtsincehowparticularlyill-equippedIwasforsuchanexperience. WhenIhadstartedwiththeTimeMachine,IhadstartedwiththeabsurdassumptionthatthemenoftheFuturewouldcertainlybeinfinitelyaheadofourselvesinalltheirappliances. Ihadcomewithoutarms,withoutmedicine,withoutanythingtosmoke—attimesImissedtobaccofrightfully—evenwithoutenoughmatches. IfonlyIhadthoughtofaKodak! IcouldhaveflashedthatglimpseoftheUnderworldinasecond,andexamineditatleisure. But,asitwas,IstoodtherewithonlytheweaponsandthepowersthatNaturehadendowedmewith—hands,feet,andteeth; these,andfoursafety-matchesthatstillremainedtome.
‘Iwasafraidtopushmywayinamongallthismachineryinthedark,anditwasonlywithmylastglimpseoflightIdiscoveredthatmystoreofmatcheshadrunlow. Ithadneveroccurredtomeuntilthatmomentthattherewasanyneedtoeconomizethem,andIhadwastedalmosthalftheboxinastonishingtheUpper-worlders,towhomfirewasanovelty. Now,asIsay,Ihadfourleft,andwhileIstoodinthedark,ahandtouchedmine,lankfingerscamefeelingovermyface,andIwassensibleofapeculiarunpleasantodour. IfanciedIheardthebreathingofacrowdofthosedreadfullittlebeingsaboutme. Ifelttheboxofmatchesinmyhandbeinggentlydisengaged,andotherhandsbehindmepluckingatmyclothing.
