Машина часу
Chapter 5
AndwithalIwasabsolutelyafraidtogo! AsIhesitated,twoofthebeautifulUpper-worldpeoplecamerunningintheiramoroussportacrossthedaylightintheshadow. Themalepursuedthefemale,flingingflowersatherasheran.
‘Theyseemeddistressedtofindme,myarmagainsttheoverturnedpillar,peeringdownthewell. Apparentlyitwasconsideredbadformtoremarktheseapertures; forwhenIpointedtothisone,andtriedtoframeaquestionaboutitintheirtongue,theywerestillmorevisiblydistressedandturnedaway. Buttheywereinterestedbymymatches,andIstrucksometoamusethem. Itriedthemagainaboutthewell,andagainIfailed. SopresentlyIleftthem,meaningtogobacktoWeena,andseewhatIcouldgetfromher. Butmymindwasalreadyinrevolution;myguessesandimpressionswereslippingandslidingtoanewadjustment. Ihadnowacluetotheimportofthesewells,totheventilatingtowers,tothemysteryoftheghosts;tosaynothingofahintatthemeaningofthebronzegatesandthefateoftheTimeMachine! Andveryvaguelytherecameasuggestiontowardsthesolutionoftheeconomicproblemthathadpuzzledme.
‘Herewasthenewview. Plainly,thissecondspeciesofManwassubterranean. Therewerethreecircumstancesinparticularwhichmademethinkthatitsrareemergenceabovegroundwastheoutcomeofalong-continuedundergroundhabit. Inthefirstplace,therewasthebleachedlookcommoninmostanimalsthatlivelargelyinthedark—thewhitefishoftheKentuckycaves,forinstance. Then,thoselargeeyes,withthatcapacityforreflectinglight,arecommonfeaturesofnocturnalthings—witnesstheowlandthecat. Andlastofall,thatevidentconfusioninthesunshine,thathastyyetfumblingawkwardflighttowardsdarkshadow,andthatpeculiarcarriageoftheheadwhileinthelight—allreinforcedthetheoryofanextremesensitivenessoftheretina.
