Машина часу
Chapter 8
FornowIhadaweaponindeedagainstthehorriblecreatureswefeared. Andso,inthatderelictmuseum,uponthethicksoftcarpetingofdust,toWeena’shugedelight,Isolemnlyperformedakindofcompositedance,whistlingTheLandoftheLealascheerfullyasIcould. Inpartitwasamodestcancan,inpartastepdance,inpartaskirt-dance(sofarasmytail-coatpermitted),andinpartoriginal. ForIamnaturallyinventive,asyouknow.
‘Now,Istillthinkthatforthisboxofmatchestohaveescapedthewearoftimeforimmemorialyearswasamoststrange,asformeitwasamostfortunatething. Yet,oddlyenough,Ifoundafarunlikeliersubstance,andthatwascamphor. Ifounditinasealedjar,thatbychance,Isuppose,hadbeenreallyhermeticallysealed. Ifanciedatfirstthatitwasparaffinwax,andsmashedtheglassaccordingly. Buttheodourofcamphorwasunmistakable. Intheuniversaldecaythisvolatilesubstancehadchancedtosurvive,perhapsthroughmanythousandsofcenturies. ItremindedmeofasepiapaintingIhadonceseendonefromtheinkofafossilBelemnitethatmusthaveperishedandbecomefossilizedmillionsofyearsago. Iwasabouttothrowitaway,butIrememberedthatitwasinflammableandburnedwithagoodbrightflame—was,infact,anexcellentcandle—andIputitinmypocket. Ifoundnoexplosives,however,noranymeansofbreakingdownthebronzedoors. AsyetmyironcrowbarwasthemosthelpfulthingIhadchancedupon. NeverthelessIleftthatgallerygreatlyelated.
‘Icannottellyouallthestoryofthatlongafternoon. Itwouldrequireagreateffortofmemorytorecallmyexplorationsinatalltheproperorder. Irememberalonggalleryofrustingstandsofarms,andhowIhesitatedbetweenmycrowbarandahatchetorasword.
