Chapter 3

           ItoldsomeofyoulastThursdayoftheprinciplesoftheTimeMachine,andshowedyoutheactualthingitself,incompleteintheworkshop. Thereitisnow,alittletravel-worn,truly; andoneoftheivorybarsiscracked,andabrassrailbent;buttherestofit’ssoundenough. IexpectedtofinishitonFriday,butonFriday,whentheputtingtogetherwasnearlydone,Ifoundthatoneofthenickelbarswasexactlyoneinchtooshort,andthisIhadtogetremade; sothatthethingwasnotcompleteuntilthismorning. Itwasatteno’clockto-daythatthefirstofallTimeMachinesbeganitscareer. Igaveitalasttap,triedallthescrewsagain,putonemoredropofoilonthequartzrod,andsatmyselfinthesaddle. IsupposeasuicidewhoholdsapistoltohisskullfeelsmuchthesamewonderatwhatwillcomenextasIfeltthen. Itookthestartingleverinonehandandthestoppingoneintheother,pressedthefirst,andalmostimmediatelythesecond. Iseemedtoreel; Ifeltanightmaresensationoffalling; and,lookinground,Isawthelaboratoryexactlyasbefore. Hadanythinghappened? ForamomentIsuspectedthatmyintellecthadtrickedme. ThenInotedtheclock. Amomentbefore,asitseemed,ithadstoodataminuteorsopastten;nowitwasnearlyhalf-pastthree! 

           ‘Idrewabreath,setmyteeth,grippedthestartingleverwithbothhands,andwentoffwithathud. Thelaboratorygothazyandwentdark. Mrs.Watchettcameinandwalked,apparentlywithoutseeingme,towardsthegardendoor. Isupposeittookheraminuteorsototraversetheplace,buttomesheseemedtoshootacrosstheroomlikearocket. Ipressedtheleverovertoitsextremeposition.