Машина часу
Chapter 9
‘Idon’tknowifyouhaveeverthoughtwhatararethingflamemustbeintheabsenceofmanandinatemperateclimate. Thesun’sheatisrarelystrongenoughtoburn,evenwhenitisfocusedbydewdrops,asissometimesthecaseinmoretropicaldistricts. Lightningmayblastandblacken,butitrarelygivesrisetowidespreadfire. Decayingvegetationmayoccasionallysmoulderwiththeheatofitsfermentation,butthisrarelyresultsinflame. Inthisdecadence,too,theartoffire-makinghadbeenforgottenontheearth. TheredtonguesthatwentlickingupmyheapofwoodwereanaltogethernewandstrangethingtoWeena.
‘Shewantedtoruntoitandplaywithit. IbelieveshewouldhavecastherselfintoithadInotrestrainedher. ButIcaughtherup,andinspiteofherstruggles,plungedboldlybeforemeintothewood. Foralittlewaytheglareofmyfirelitthepath. Lookingbackpresently,Icouldsee,throughthecrowdedstems,thatfrommyheapofstickstheblazehadspreadtosomebushesadjacent,andacurvedlineoffirewascreepingupthegrassofthehill. Ilaughedatthat,andturnedagaintothedarktreesbeforeme. Itwasveryblack,andWeenaclungtomeconvulsively,buttherewasstill,asmyeyesgrewaccustomedtothedarkness,sufficientlightformetoavoidthestems. Overheaditwassimplyblack,exceptwhereagapofremoteblueskyshonedownuponushereandthere. IstrucknoneofmymatchesbecauseIhadnohandfree. UponmyleftarmIcarriedmylittleone,inmyrighthandIhadmyironbar.
‘ForsomewayIheardnothingbutthecracklingtwigsundermyfeet,thefaintrustleofthebreezeabove,andmyownbreathingandthethroboftheblood-vesselsinmyears. ThenIseemedtoknowofapatteringaboutme.Ipushedongrimly.
