Машина часу
Chapter 3
Iwasonwhatseemedtobealittlelawninagarden,surroundedbyrhododendronbushes,andInoticedthattheirmauveandpurpleblossomsweredroppinginashowerunderthebeatingofthehail-stones. Therebounding,dancinghailhunginacloudoverthemachine,anddrovealongthegroundlikesmoke. InamomentIwaswettotheskin. "Finehospitality,"saidI,"toamanwhohastravelledinnumerableyearstoseeyou."
‘PresentlyIthoughtwhatafoolIwastogetwet. Istoodupandlookedroundme. Acolossalfigure,carvedapparentlyinsomewhitestone,loomedindistinctlybeyondtherhododendronsthroughthehazydownpour. Butallelseoftheworldwasinvisible.
‘Mysensationswouldbehardtodescribe. Asthecolumnsofhailgrewthinner,Isawthewhitefiguremoredistinctly. Itwasverylarge,forasilverbirch-treetoucheditsshoulder. Itwasofwhitemarble,inshapesomethinglikeawingedsphinx,butthewings,insteadofbeingcarriedverticallyatthesides,werespreadsothatitseemedtohover. Thepedestal,itappearedtome,wasofbronze,andwasthickwithverdigris. Itchancedthatthefacewastowardsme; thesightlesseyesseemedtowatchme; therewasthefaintshadowofasmileonthelips. Itwasgreatlyweather-worn,andthatimpartedanunpleasantsuggestionofdisease. Istoodlookingatitforalittlespace—halfaminute,perhaps,orhalfanhour. Itseemedtoadvanceandtorecedeasthehaildrovebeforeitdenserorthinner. AtlastItoremyeyesfromitforamomentandsawthatthehailcurtainhadwornthreadbare,andthattheskywaslighteningwiththepromiseoftheSun.
‘Ilookedupagainatthecrouchingwhiteshape,andthefulltemerityofmyvoyagecamesuddenlyuponme. Whatmightappearwhenthathazycurtainwasaltogetherwithdrawn?
