Машина времени
Chapter 9
‘Yeteverynowandthenonewouldcomestraighttowardsme,settinglooseaquiveringhorrorthatmademequicktoeludehim. Atonetimetheflamesdieddownsomewhat,andIfearedthefoulcreatureswouldpresentlybeabletoseeme. Iwasthinkingofbeginningthefightbykillingsomeofthembeforethisshouldhappen;butthefireburstoutagainbrightly,andIstayedmyhand. Iwalkedaboutthehillamongthemandavoidedthem,lookingforsometraceofWeena. ButWeenawasgone.
‘AtlastIsatdownonthesummitofthehillock,andwatchedthisstrangeincrediblecompanyofblindthingsgropingtoandfro,andmakinguncannynoisestoeachother,astheglareofthefirebeatonthem. Thecoilinguprushofsmokestreamedacrossthesky,andthroughtheraretattersofthatredcanopy,remoteasthoughtheybelongedtoanotheruniverse,shonethelittlestars. TwoorthreeMorlockscameblunderingintome,andIdrovethemoffwithblowsofmyfists,tremblingasIdidso.
‘ForthemostpartofthatnightIwaspersuadeditwasanightmare. Ibitmyselfandscreamedinapassionatedesiretoawake. Ibeatthegroundwithmyhands,andgotupandsatdownagain,andwanderedhereandthere,andagainsatdown. ThenIwouldfalltorubbingmyeyesandcallinguponGodtoletmeawake. ThriceIsawMorlocksputtheirheadsdowninakindofagonyandrushintotheflames. But,atlast,abovethesubsidingredofthefire,abovethestreamingmassesofblacksmokeandthewhiteningandblackeningtreestumps,andthediminishingnumbersofthesedimcreatures,camethewhitelightoftheday.
‘IsearchedagainfortracesofWeena,buttherewerenone. Itwasplainthattheyhadleftherpoorlittlebodyintheforest. Icannotdescribehowitrelievedmetothinkthatithadescapedtheawfulfatetowhichitseemeddestined.
