Машина часу

           Asheturnedoff,liketheothers,mytempergotthebetterofme. InthreestridesIwasafterhim,hadhimbytheloosepartofhisroberoundtheneck,andbegandragginghimtowardsthesphinx. ThenIsawthehorrorandrepugnanceofhisface,andallofasuddenIlethimgo. 

           ‘ButIwasnotbeatenyet. Ibangedwithmyfistatthebronzepanels. IthoughtIheardsomethingstirinside—tobeexplicit,IthoughtIheardasoundlikeachuckle—butImusthavebeenmistaken. ThenIgotabigpebblefromtheriver,andcameandhammeredtillIhadflattenedacoilinthedecorations,andtheverdigriscameoffinpowderyflakes. Thedelicatelittlepeoplemusthaveheardmehammeringingustyoutbreaksamileawayoneitherhand,butnothingcameofit. Isawacrowdofthemupontheslopes,lookingfurtivelyatme. Atlast,hotandtired,Isatdowntowatchtheplace. ButIwastoorestlesstowatchlong;IamtooOccidentalforalongvigil. Icouldworkataproblemforyears,buttowaitinactivefortwenty-fourhours—thatisanothermatter. 

           ‘Igotupafteratime,andbeganwalkingaimlesslythroughthebushestowardsthehillagain. "Patience,"saidItomyself. "Ifyouwantyourmachineagainyoumustleavethatsphinxalone. Iftheymeantotakeyourmachineaway,it’slittlegoodyourwreckingtheirbronzepanels,andiftheydon’t,youwillgetitbackassoonasyoucanaskforit. Tositamongallthoseunknownthingsbeforeapuzzlelikethatishopeless. Thatwayliesmonomania. Facethisworld. Learnitsways,watchit,becarefuloftoohastyguessesatitsmeaning. Intheendyouwillfindcluestoitall." Thensuddenlythehumourofthesituationcameintomymind: thethoughtoftheyearsIhadspentinstudyandtoiltogetintothefutureage,andnowmypassionofanxietytogetoutofit. Ihadmademyselfthemostcomplicatedandthemosthopelesstrapthateveramandevised. Althoughitwasatmyownexpense,Icouldnothelpmyself.Ilaughedaloud.