Машина часу

           HecameintothehallwithusandhelpedtheEditoronwithhiscoat. TheMedicalManlookedintohisfaceand,withacertainhesitation,toldhimhewassufferingfromoverwork,atwhichhelaughedhugely. Irememberhimstandingintheopendoorway,bawlinggoodnight. 

           IsharedacabwiththeEditor. Hethoughtthetalea‘gaudylie.’ FormyownpartIwasunabletocometoaconclusion. Thestorywassofantasticandincredible,thetellingsocredibleandsober. Ilayawakemostofthenightthinkingaboutit. IdeterminedtogonextdayandseetheTimeTravelleragain. Iwastoldhewasinthelaboratory,andbeingoneasytermsinthehouse,Iwentuptohim. Thelaboratory,however,wasempty. IstaredforaminuteattheTimeMachineandputoutmyhandandtouchedthelever. Atthatthesquatsubstantial-lookingmassswayedlikeaboughshakenbythewind. Itsinstabilitystartledmeextremely,andIhadaqueerreminiscenceofthechildishdayswhenIusedtobeforbiddentomeddle. Icamebackthroughthecorridor. TheTimeTravellermetmeinthesmoking-room.Hewascomingfromthehouse. Hehadasmallcameraunderonearmandaknapsackundertheother. Helaughedwhenhesawme,andgavemeanelbowtoshake. ‘I’mfrightfullybusy,’saidhe,‘withthatthinginthere.’ 

           ‘Butisitnotsomehoax?’Isaid. ‘Doyoureallytravelthroughtime?’ 

           ‘ReallyandtrulyIdo. ’Andhelookedfranklyintomyeyes. Hehesitated.Hiseyewanderedabouttheroom. ‘Ionlywanthalfanhour,’hesaid. ‘Iknowwhyyoucame,andit’sawfullygoodofyou. There’ssomemagazineshere. Ifyou’llstoptolunchI’llproveyouthistimetravellinguptothehilt,specimenandall. Ifyou’llforgivemyleavingyounow?’ 

           Iconsented,hardlycomprehendingthenthefullimportofhiswords,andhenoddedandwentondownthecorridor.