Машина времени

           ThePsychologistrecoveredfromhisstupor,andsuddenlylookedunderthetable. AtthattheTimeTravellerlaughedcheerfully. ‘Well? ’hesaid,withareminiscenceofthePsychologist. Then,gettingup,hewenttothetobaccojaronthemantel,andwithhisbacktousbegantofillhispipe. 

           Westaredateachother. ‘Lookhere,’saidtheMedicalMan,‘areyouinearnestaboutthis? Doyouseriouslybelievethatthatmachinehastravelledintotime?’ 

           ‘Certainly,’saidtheTimeTraveller,stoopingtolightaspillatthefire. Thenheturned,lightinghispipe,tolookatthePsychologist’sface. (ThePsychologist,toshowthathewasnotunhinged,helpedhimselftoacigarandtriedtolightituncut.) ‘Whatismore,Ihaveabigmachinenearlyfinishedinthere’—heindicatedthelaboratory—‘andwhenthatisputtogetherImeantohaveajourneyonmyownaccount.’ 

           ‘Youmeantosaythatthatmachinehastravelledintothefuture?’saidFilby. 

           ‘Intothefutureorthepast—Idon’t,forcertain,knowwhich.’ 

           AfteranintervalthePsychologisthadaninspiration. ‘Itmusthavegoneintothepastifithasgoneanywhere,’hesaid. 

           ‘Why? ’saidtheTimeTraveller. 

           ‘BecauseIpresumethatithasnotmovedinspace,andifittravelledintothefutureitwouldstillbehereallthistime,sinceitmusthavetravelledthroughthistime.’ 

           ‘But,’Isaid,‘Ifittravelledintothepastitwouldhavebeenvisiblewhenwecamefirstintothisroom;andlastThursdaywhenwewerehere;andtheThursdaybeforethat;andsoforth!’