"Герберт Уэллс. The Time Machine (Машина времени, англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

The Medical Man got up out of his chair and peered into the thing. `It's
beautifully made,' he said.

`It took two years to make,' retorted the Time Traveller. Then, when we
had all imitated the action of the Medical Man, he said: `Now I want you
clearly to understand that this lever, being pressed over, sends the
machine gliding into the future, and this other reverses the motion. This
saddle represents the seat of a time traveller. Presently I am going to
press the lever, and off the machine will go. It will vanish, pass into
future Time, and disappear. Have a good look at the thing. Look at the
table too, and satisfy yourselves there is no trickery. I don't want to
waste this model, and then be told I'm a quack.'

There was a minute's pause perhaps. The Psychologist seemed about to
speak to me, but changed his mind. Then the Time Traveller put forth his
finger towards the lever. `No,' he said suddenly. `Lend me your hand.' And
turning to the Psychologist, he took that individual's hand in his own and
told him to put out his forefinger. So that it was the Psychologist himself
who sent forth the model Time Machine on its interminable voyage. We all
saw the lever turn. I am absolutely certain there was no trickery. There
was a breath of wind, and the lamp flame jumped. One of the candles on the
mantel was blown out, and the little machine suddenly swung round, became
indistinct, was seen as a ghost for a second perhaps, as an eddy of faintly
glittering brass and ivory; and it was gone-vanished! Save for the lamp the
table was bare.

Everyone was silent for a minute. Then Filby said he was damned.

The Psychologist recovered from his stupor, and suddenly looked under
the table. At that the Time Traveller laughed cheerfully. `Well?' he said,
with a reminiscence of the Psychologist. Then, getting up, he went to the
tobacco jar on the mantel, and with his back to us began to fill his pipe.

We stared at each other. `Look here,' said the Medical Man, `are you in
earnest about this? Do you seriously believe that that machine has
travelled into time?'

`Certainly,' said the Time Traveller, stooping to light a spill at the
fire. Then he turned, lighting his pipe, to look at the Psychologist's
face. (The Psychologist, to show that he was not unhinged, helped himself
to a cigar and tried to light it uncut.) `What is more, I have a big
machine nearly finished in there'-he indicated the laboratory-`and when
that is put together I mean to have a journey on my own account.'

`You mean to say that that machine has travelled into the future?' said
Filby.

`Into the future or the past-I don't, for certain, know which.'