Chapter 12

           SoIcameback. ForalongtimeImusthavebeeninsensibleuponthemachine. Theblinkingsuccessionofthedaysandnightswasresumed,thesungotgoldenagain,theskyblue. Ibreathedwithgreaterfreedom. Thefluctuatingcontoursofthelandebbedandflowed. Thehandsspunbackwarduponthedials. AtlastIsawagainthedimshadowsofhouses,theevidencesofdecadenthumanity. These,too,changedandpassed,andotherscame. Presently,whenthemilliondialwasatzero,Islackenedspeed. Ibegantorecognizeourownpettyandfamiliararchitecture,thethousandshandranbacktothestarting-point,thenightanddayflappedslowerandslower. Thentheoldwallsofthelaboratorycameroundme. Verygently,now,Islowedthemechanismdown. 

           ‘Isawonelittlethingthatseemedoddtome. IthinkIhavetoldyouthatwhenIsetout,beforemyvelocitybecameveryhigh,Mrs.Watchetthadwalkedacrosstheroom,travelling,asitseemedtome,likearocket. AsIreturned,Ipassedagainacrossthatminutewhenshetraversedthelaboratory. Butnowhereverymotionappearedtobetheexactinversionofherpreviousones. Thedooratthelowerendopened,andsheglidedquietlyupthelaboratory,backforemost,anddisappearedbehindthedoorbywhichshehadpreviouslyentered. JustbeforethatIseemedtoseeHillyerforamoment;buthepassedlikeaflash. 

           ‘ThenIstoppedthemachine,andsawaboutmeagaintheoldfamiliarlaboratory,mytools,myappliancesjustasIhadleftthem. Igotoffthethingveryshaky,andsatdownuponmybench. ForseveralminutesItrembledviolently. ThenIbecamecalmer. Aroundmewasmyoldworkshopagain,exactlyasithadbeen. Imighthavesleptthere,andthewholethinghavebeenadream.