Reading Help The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
machine, wasting good breath thereby. I cried aloud, and none `
` answered. Not a creature seemed to be stirring in that moonlit `
` world. `
` `
` 'When I reached the lawn my worst fears were realized. Not a trace `
` of the thing was to be seen. I felt faint and cold when I faced the `
` empty space among the black tangle of bushes. I ran round it `
` furiously, as if the thing might be hidden in a corner, and then `
` stopped abruptly, with my hands clutching my hair. Above me towered `
` the sphinx, upon the bronze pedestal, white, shining, leprous, in `
` the light of the rising moon. It seemed to smile in mockery of my `
` dismay. `
` `
` 'I might have consoled myself by imagining the little people had put `
` the mechanism in some shelter for me, had I not felt assured of `
` their physical and intellectual inadequacy. That is what dismayed `
` me: the sense of some hitherto unsuspected power, through whose `
` intervention my invention had vanished. Yet, for one thing I felt `
` assured: unless some other age had produced its exact duplicate, `
` the machine could not have moved in time. The attachment of the `
` levers--I will show you the method later--prevented any one from `
` tampering with it in that way when they were removed. It had moved, `
` and was hid, only in space. But then, where could it be? `
` `
` 'I think I must have had a kind of frenzy. I remember running `
` violently in and out among the moonlit bushes all round the sphinx, `
` and startling some white animal that, in the dim light, I took for a `
` small deer. I remember, too, late that night, beating the bushes `
` with my clenched fist until my knuckles were gashed and bleeding `
` from the broken twigs. Then, sobbing and raving in my anguish of `
` mind, I went down to the great building of stone. The big hall was `
` dark, silent, and deserted. I slipped on the uneven floor, and fell `
` over one of the malachite tables, almost breaking my shin. I lit a `
` match and went on past the dusty curtains, of which I have told you. `
` `
` 'There I found a second great hall covered with cushions, upon `
` which, perhaps, a score or so of the little people were sleeping. I `
` have no doubt they found my second appearance strange enough, coming `
` suddenly out of the quiet darkness with inarticulate noises and the `
` splutter and flare of a match. For they had forgotten about matches. `
` "Where is my Time Machine?" I began, bawling like an angry child, `
` laying hands upon them and shaking them up together. It must have `
` been very queer to them. Some laughed, most of them looked sorely `
` frightened. When I saw them standing round me, it came into my head `
` that I was doing as foolish a thing as it was possible for me to do `
` under the circumstances, in trying to revive the sensation of fear. `
` For, reasoning from their daylight behaviour, I thought that fear `
` must be forgotten. `
` `
` 'Abruptly, I dashed down the match, and, knocking one of the people `
` over in my course, went blundering across the big dining-hall again, `
` out under the moonlight. I heard cries of terror and their little `
` feet running and stumbling this way and that. I do not remember all `
` I did as the moon crept up the sky. I suppose it was the unexpected `
` nature of my loss that maddened me. I felt hopelessly cut off from `
` my own kind--a strange animal in an unknown world. I must have raved `
` to and fro, screaming and crying upon God and Fate. I have a memory `
` of horrible fatigue, as the long night of despair wore away; of `
` looking in this impossible place and that; of groping among moon-lit `
` ruins and touching strange creatures in the black shadows; at last, `
` of lying on the ground near the sphinx and weeping with absolute `
` wretchedness. I had nothing left but misery. Then I slept, and when `
` I woke again it was full day, and a couple of sparrows were hopping `
` round me on the turf within reach of my arm. `
` `
` 'I sat up in the freshness of the morning, trying to remember how `
` I had got there, and why I had such a profound sense of desertion `
` and despair. Then things came clear in my mind. With the plain, `
` reasonable daylight, I could look my circumstances fairly in the `
` face. I saw the wild folly of my frenzy overnight, and I could `
` reason with myself. "Suppose the worst?" I said. "Suppose the `
` machine altogether lost--perhaps destroyed? It behoves me to be `
` calm and patient, to learn the way of the people, to get a clear `
` idea of the method of my loss, and the means of getting materials `
` and tools; so that in the end, perhaps, I may make another." That `
` would be my only hope, perhaps, but better than despair. And, after `
` all, it was a beautiful and curious world. `
` `
` 'But probably, the machine had only been taken away. Still, I must `
` be calm and patient, find its hiding-place, and recover it by force `
` or cunning. And with that I scrambled to my feet and looked about `
` me, wondering where I could bathe. I felt weary, stiff, and `
` travel-soiled. The freshness of the morning made me desire an equal `
` freshness. I had exhausted my emotion. Indeed, as I went about `
` my business, I found myself wondering at my intense excitement `
` overnight. I made a careful examination of the ground about the `
` little lawn. I wasted some time in futile questionings, conveyed, as `
` well as I was able, to such of the little people as came by. They `
` all failed to understand my gestures; some were simply stolid, some `
` thought it was a jest and laughed at me. I had the hardest task in `
` the world to keep my hands off their pretty laughing faces. It was `
` a foolish impulse, but the devil begotten of fear and blind anger `
` was ill curbed and still eager to take advantage of my perplexity. `
` The turf gave better counsel. I found a groove ripped in it, about `
` midway between the pedestal of the sphinx and the marks of my feet `
` where, on arrival, I had struggled with the overturned machine. `
` There were other signs of removal about, with queer narrow `
` footprints like those I could imagine made by a sloth. This directed `
` my closer attention to the pedestal. It was, as I think I have said, `
` of bronze. It was not a mere block, but highly decorated with deep `
` framed panels on either side. I went and rapped at these. The `
` pedestal was hollow. Examining the panels with care I found them `
` discontinuous with the frames. There were no handles or keyholes, `
` but possibly the panels, if they were doors, as I supposed, opened `
` from within. One thing was clear enough to my mind. It took no very `
` great mental effort to infer that my Time Machine was inside that `
` pedestal. But how it got there was a different problem. `
` `
` 'I saw the heads of two orange-clad people coming through the bushes `
` and under some blossom-covered apple-trees towards me. I turned `
` smiling to them and beckoned them to me. They came, and then, `
` pointing to the bronze pedestal, I tried to intimate my wish to open `
` it. But at my first gesture towards this they behaved very oddly. I `
` don't know how to convey their expression to you. Suppose you were `
` to use a grossly improper gesture to a delicate-minded woman--it is `
` how she would look. They went off as if they had received the last `
` possible insult. I tried a sweet-looking little chap in white next, `
` with exactly the same result. Somehow, his manner made me feel `
` ashamed of myself. But, as you know, I wanted the Time Machine, and `
` I tried him once more. As he turned off, like the others, my temper `
` got the better of me. In three strides I was after him, had him by `
` the loose part of his robe round the neck, and began dragging him `
` towards the sphinx. Then I saw the horror and repugnance of his `
` face, and all of a sudden I let him go. `
` `
` 'But I was not beaten yet. I banged with my fist at the bronze `
` panels. I thought I heard something stir inside--to be explicit, `
` I thought I heard a sound like a chuckle--but I must have been `
` mistaken. Then I got a big pebble from the river, and came and `
` hammered till I had flattened a coil in the decorations, and the `
` verdigris came off in powdery flakes. The delicate little people `
` must have heard me hammering in gusty outbreaks a mile away on `
` either hand, but nothing came of it. I saw a crowd of them upon the `
` slopes, looking furtively at me. At last, hot and tired, I sat down `
` to watch the place. But I was too restless to watch long; I am too `
` Occidental for a long vigil. I could work at a problem for years, `
` but to wait inactive for twenty-four hours--that is another matter. `
` `
` 'I got up after a time, and began walking aimlessly through the `
` bushes towards the hill again. "Patience," said I to myself. "If you `
` want your machine again you must leave that sphinx alone. If they `
` mean to take your machine away, it's little good your wrecking their `
` bronze panels, and if they don't, you will get it back as soon as `
` you can ask for it. To sit among all those unknown things before a `
` puzzle like that is hopeless. That way lies monomania. Face this `
` world. Learn its ways, watch it, be careful of too hasty guesses `
` at its meaning. In the end you will find clues to it all." Then `
` suddenly the humour of the situation came into my mind: the thought `
` of the years I had spent in study and toil to get into the future `
` age, and now my passion of anxiety to get out of it. I had made `
` myself the most complicated and the most hopeless trap that ever a `
` man devised. Although it was at my own expense, I could not help `
` myself. I laughed aloud. `
` `
` 'Going through the big palace, it seemed to me that the little `
` people avoided me. It may have been my fancy, or it may have had `
` something to do with my hammering at the gates of bronze. Yet I felt `
` tolerably sure of the avoidance. I was careful, however, to show no `
` concern and to abstain from any pursuit of them, and in the course `
` of a day or two things got back to the old footing. I made what `
` progress I could in the language, and in addition I pushed my `
` explorations here and there. Either I missed some subtle point or `
` their language was excessively simple--almost exclusively composed `
` of concrete substantives and verbs. There seemed to be few, if any, `
` abstract terms, or little use of figurative language. Their `
` sentences were usually simple and of two words, and I failed to `
` convey or understand any but the simplest propositions. I determined `
` to put the thought of my Time Machine and the mystery of the bronze `
` doors under the sphinx as much as possible in a corner of memory, `
` until my growing knowledge would lead me back to them in a natural `
` way. Yet a certain feeling, you may understand, tethered me in a `
` circle of a few miles round the point of my arrival. `
` `
` 'So far as I could see, all the world displayed the same exuberant `
` richness as the Thames valley. From every hill I climbed I saw the `
` same abundance of splendid buildings, endlessly varied in material `
` and style, the same clustering thickets of evergreens, the same `
` blossom-laden trees and tree-ferns. Here and there water shone like `
` silver, and beyond, the land rose into blue undulating hills, and `
` so faded into the serenity of the sky. A peculiar feature, which `
` presently attracted my attention, was the presence of certain `
` circular wells, several, as it seemed to me, of a very great depth. `
` One lay by the path up the hill, which I had followed during my `
` first walk. Like the others, it was rimmed with bronze, curiously `
` wrought, and protected by a little cupola from the rain. Sitting by `
` the side of these wells, and peering down into the shafted darkness, `
` I could see no gleam of water, nor could I start any reflection `
` with a lighted match. But in all of them I heard a certain sound: `
` a thud--thud--thud, like the beating of some big engine; and I `
` discovered, from the flaring of my matches, that a steady current of `
` air set down the shafts. Further, I threw a scrap of paper into the `
` throat of one, and, instead of fluttering slowly down, it was at `
` once sucked swiftly out of sight. `
` `
` 'After a time, too, I came to connect these wells with tall towers `
` standing here and there upon the slopes; for above them there was `
` often just such a flicker in the air as one sees on a hot day above `
` a sun-scorched beach. Putting things together, I reached a strong `
` suggestion of an extensive system of subterranean ventilation, whose `
` true import it was difficult to imagine. I was at first inclined to `
` associate it with the sanitary apparatus of these people. It was an `
`
` answered. Not a creature seemed to be stirring in that moonlit `
` world. `
` `
` 'When I reached the lawn my worst fears were realized. Not a trace `
` of the thing was to be seen. I felt faint and cold when I faced the `
` empty space among the black tangle of bushes. I ran round it `
` furiously, as if the thing might be hidden in a corner, and then `
` stopped abruptly, with my hands clutching my hair. Above me towered `
` the sphinx, upon the bronze pedestal, white, shining, leprous, in `
` the light of the rising moon. It seemed to smile in mockery of my `
` dismay. `
` `
` 'I might have consoled myself by imagining the little people had put `
` the mechanism in some shelter for me, had I not felt assured of `
` their physical and intellectual inadequacy. That is what dismayed `
` me: the sense of some hitherto unsuspected power, through whose `
` intervention my invention had vanished. Yet, for one thing I felt `
` assured: unless some other age had produced its exact duplicate, `
` the machine could not have moved in time. The attachment of the `
` levers--I will show you the method later--prevented any one from `
` tampering with it in that way when they were removed. It had moved, `
` and was hid, only in space. But then, where could it be? `
` `
` 'I think I must have had a kind of frenzy. I remember running `
` violently in and out among the moonlit bushes all round the sphinx, `
` and startling some white animal that, in the dim light, I took for a `
` small deer. I remember, too, late that night, beating the bushes `
` with my clenched fist until my knuckles were gashed and bleeding `
` from the broken twigs. Then, sobbing and raving in my anguish of `
` mind, I went down to the great building of stone. The big hall was `
` dark, silent, and deserted. I slipped on the uneven floor, and fell `
` over one of the malachite tables, almost breaking my shin. I lit a `
` match and went on past the dusty curtains, of which I have told you. `
` `
` 'There I found a second great hall covered with cushions, upon `
` which, perhaps, a score or so of the little people were sleeping. I `
` have no doubt they found my second appearance strange enough, coming `
` suddenly out of the quiet darkness with inarticulate noises and the `
` splutter and flare of a match. For they had forgotten about matches. `
` "Where is my Time Machine?" I began, bawling like an angry child, `
` laying hands upon them and shaking them up together. It must have `
` been very queer to them. Some laughed, most of them looked sorely `
` frightened. When I saw them standing round me, it came into my head `
` that I was doing as foolish a thing as it was possible for me to do `
` under the circumstances, in trying to revive the sensation of fear. `
` For, reasoning from their daylight behaviour, I thought that fear `
` must be forgotten. `
` `
` 'Abruptly, I dashed down the match, and, knocking one of the people `
` over in my course, went blundering across the big dining-hall again, `
` out under the moonlight. I heard cries of terror and their little `
` feet running and stumbling this way and that. I do not remember all `
` I did as the moon crept up the sky. I suppose it was the unexpected `
` nature of my loss that maddened me. I felt hopelessly cut off from `
` my own kind--a strange animal in an unknown world. I must have raved `
` to and fro, screaming and crying upon God and Fate. I have a memory `
` of horrible fatigue, as the long night of despair wore away; of `
` looking in this impossible place and that; of groping among moon-lit `
` ruins and touching strange creatures in the black shadows; at last, `
` of lying on the ground near the sphinx and weeping with absolute `
` wretchedness. I had nothing left but misery. Then I slept, and when `
` I woke again it was full day, and a couple of sparrows were hopping `
` round me on the turf within reach of my arm. `
` `
` 'I sat up in the freshness of the morning, trying to remember how `
` I had got there, and why I had such a profound sense of desertion `
` and despair. Then things came clear in my mind. With the plain, `
` reasonable daylight, I could look my circumstances fairly in the `
` face. I saw the wild folly of my frenzy overnight, and I could `
` reason with myself. "Suppose the worst?" I said. "Suppose the `
` machine altogether lost--perhaps destroyed? It behoves me to be `
` calm and patient, to learn the way of the people, to get a clear `
` idea of the method of my loss, and the means of getting materials `
` and tools; so that in the end, perhaps, I may make another." That `
` would be my only hope, perhaps, but better than despair. And, after `
` all, it was a beautiful and curious world. `
` `
` 'But probably, the machine had only been taken away. Still, I must `
` be calm and patient, find its hiding-place, and recover it by force `
` or cunning. And with that I scrambled to my feet and looked about `
` me, wondering where I could bathe. I felt weary, stiff, and `
` travel-soiled. The freshness of the morning made me desire an equal `
` freshness. I had exhausted my emotion. Indeed, as I went about `
` my business, I found myself wondering at my intense excitement `
` overnight. I made a careful examination of the ground about the `
` little lawn. I wasted some time in futile questionings, conveyed, as `
` well as I was able, to such of the little people as came by. They `
` all failed to understand my gestures; some were simply stolid, some `
` thought it was a jest and laughed at me. I had the hardest task in `
` the world to keep my hands off their pretty laughing faces. It was `
` a foolish impulse, but the devil begotten of fear and blind anger `
` was ill curbed and still eager to take advantage of my perplexity. `
` The turf gave better counsel. I found a groove ripped in it, about `
` midway between the pedestal of the sphinx and the marks of my feet `
` where, on arrival, I had struggled with the overturned machine. `
` There were other signs of removal about, with queer narrow `
` footprints like those I could imagine made by a sloth. This directed `
` my closer attention to the pedestal. It was, as I think I have said, `
` of bronze. It was not a mere block, but highly decorated with deep `
` framed panels on either side. I went and rapped at these. The `
` pedestal was hollow. Examining the panels with care I found them `
` discontinuous with the frames. There were no handles or keyholes, `
` but possibly the panels, if they were doors, as I supposed, opened `
` from within. One thing was clear enough to my mind. It took no very `
` great mental effort to infer that my Time Machine was inside that `
` pedestal. But how it got there was a different problem. `
` `
` 'I saw the heads of two orange-clad people coming through the bushes `
` and under some blossom-covered apple-trees towards me. I turned `
` smiling to them and beckoned them to me. They came, and then, `
` pointing to the bronze pedestal, I tried to intimate my wish to open `
` it. But at my first gesture towards this they behaved very oddly. I `
` don't know how to convey their expression to you. Suppose you were `
` to use a grossly improper gesture to a delicate-minded woman--it is `
` how she would look. They went off as if they had received the last `
` possible insult. I tried a sweet-looking little chap in white next, `
` with exactly the same result. Somehow, his manner made me feel `
` ashamed of myself. But, as you know, I wanted the Time Machine, and `
` I tried him once more. As he turned off, like the others, my temper `
` got the better of me. In three strides I was after him, had him by `
` the loose part of his robe round the neck, and began dragging him `
` towards the sphinx. Then I saw the horror and repugnance of his `
` face, and all of a sudden I let him go. `
` `
` 'But I was not beaten yet. I banged with my fist at the bronze `
` panels. I thought I heard something stir inside--to be explicit, `
` I thought I heard a sound like a chuckle--but I must have been `
` mistaken. Then I got a big pebble from the river, and came and `
` hammered till I had flattened a coil in the decorations, and the `
` verdigris came off in powdery flakes. The delicate little people `
` must have heard me hammering in gusty outbreaks a mile away on `
` either hand, but nothing came of it. I saw a crowd of them upon the `
` slopes, looking furtively at me. At last, hot and tired, I sat down `
` to watch the place. But I was too restless to watch long; I am too `
` Occidental for a long vigil. I could work at a problem for years, `
` but to wait inactive for twenty-four hours--that is another matter. `
` `
` 'I got up after a time, and began walking aimlessly through the `
` bushes towards the hill again. "Patience," said I to myself. "If you `
` want your machine again you must leave that sphinx alone. If they `
` mean to take your machine away, it's little good your wrecking their `
` bronze panels, and if they don't, you will get it back as soon as `
` you can ask for it. To sit among all those unknown things before a `
` puzzle like that is hopeless. That way lies monomania. Face this `
` world. Learn its ways, watch it, be careful of too hasty guesses `
` at its meaning. In the end you will find clues to it all." Then `
` suddenly the humour of the situation came into my mind: the thought `
` of the years I had spent in study and toil to get into the future `
` age, and now my passion of anxiety to get out of it. I had made `
` myself the most complicated and the most hopeless trap that ever a `
` man devised. Although it was at my own expense, I could not help `
` myself. I laughed aloud. `
` `
` 'Going through the big palace, it seemed to me that the little `
` people avoided me. It may have been my fancy, or it may have had `
` something to do with my hammering at the gates of bronze. Yet I felt `
` tolerably sure of the avoidance. I was careful, however, to show no `
` concern and to abstain from any pursuit of them, and in the course `
` of a day or two things got back to the old footing. I made what `
` progress I could in the language, and in addition I pushed my `
` explorations here and there. Either I missed some subtle point or `
` their language was excessively simple--almost exclusively composed `
` of concrete substantives and verbs. There seemed to be few, if any, `
` abstract terms, or little use of figurative language. Their `
` sentences were usually simple and of two words, and I failed to `
` convey or understand any but the simplest propositions. I determined `
` to put the thought of my Time Machine and the mystery of the bronze `
` doors under the sphinx as much as possible in a corner of memory, `
` until my growing knowledge would lead me back to them in a natural `
` way. Yet a certain feeling, you may understand, tethered me in a `
` circle of a few miles round the point of my arrival. `
` `
` 'So far as I could see, all the world displayed the same exuberant `
` richness as the Thames valley. From every hill I climbed I saw the `
` same abundance of splendid buildings, endlessly varied in material `
` and style, the same clustering thickets of evergreens, the same `
` blossom-laden trees and tree-ferns. Here and there water shone like `
` silver, and beyond, the land rose into blue undulating hills, and `
` so faded into the serenity of the sky. A peculiar feature, which `
` presently attracted my attention, was the presence of certain `
` circular wells, several, as it seemed to me, of a very great depth. `
` One lay by the path up the hill, which I had followed during my `
` first walk. Like the others, it was rimmed with bronze, curiously `
` wrought, and protected by a little cupola from the rain. Sitting by `
` the side of these wells, and peering down into the shafted darkness, `
` I could see no gleam of water, nor could I start any reflection `
` with a lighted match. But in all of them I heard a certain sound: `
` a thud--thud--thud, like the beating of some big engine; and I `
` discovered, from the flaring of my matches, that a steady current of `
` air set down the shafts. Further, I threw a scrap of paper into the `
` throat of one, and, instead of fluttering slowly down, it was at `
` once sucked swiftly out of sight. `
` `
` 'After a time, too, I came to connect these wells with tall towers `
` standing here and there upon the slopes; for above them there was `
` often just such a flicker in the air as one sees on a hot day above `
` a sun-scorched beach. Putting things together, I reached a strong `
` suggestion of an extensive system of subterranean ventilation, whose `
` true import it was difficult to imagine. I was at first inclined to `
` associate it with the sanitary apparatus of these people. It was an `
`