Машина часу
Chapter 8
Exploring,Ifoundanothershortgalleryrunningtransverselytothefirst. Thisappearedtobedevotedtominerals,andthesightofablockofsulphursetmymindrunningongunpowder. ButIcouldfindnosaltpeter;indeed,nonitratesofanykind. Doubtlesstheyhaddeliquescedagesago. Yetthesulphurhunginmymind,andsetupatrainofthinking. Asfortherestofthecontentsofthatgallery,thoughonthewholetheywerethebestpreservedofallIsaw,Ihadlittleinterest. Iamnospecialistinmineralogy,andIwentondownaveryruinousaislerunningparalleltothefirsthallIhadentered. Apparentlythissectionhadbeendevotedtonaturalhistory,buteverythinghadlongsincepassedoutofrecognition. Afewshrivelledandblackenedvestigesofwhathadoncebeenstuffedanimals,desiccatedmummiesinjarsthathadonceheldspirit,abrowndustofdepartedplants:thatwasall! Iwassorryforthat,becauseIshouldhavebeengladtotracethepatentreadjustmentsbywhichtheconquestofanimatednaturehadbeenattained. Thenwecametoagalleryofsimplycolossalproportions,butsingularlyill-lit,thefloorofitrunningdownwardataslightanglefromtheendatwhichIentered. Atintervalswhiteglobeshungfromtheceiling—manyofthemcrackedandsmashed—whichsuggestedthatoriginallytheplacehadbeenartificiallylit. HereIwasmoreinmyelement,forrisingoneithersideofmewerethehugebulksofbigmachines,allgreatlycorrodedandmanybrokendown,butsomestillfairlycomplete. YouknowIhaveacertainweaknessformechanism,andIwasinclinedtolingeramongthese; themoresoasforthemostparttheyhadtheinterestofpuzzles,andIcouldmakeonlythevaguestguessesatwhattheywerefor. IfanciedthatifIcouldsolvetheirpuzzlesIshouldfindmyselfinpossessionofpowersthatmightbeofuseagainsttheMorlocks.
