Text B Time Travel（第2页）

“It’sagainstreason，”saidFilby。

“Whatreason?”saidtheTimeTraveller。

“Youshowblackiswhitebyargument，”saidFilby，“butyouwillnevere。”

“Possiblynot，”saidtheTimeTraveller。“ButoseetheobjeyiionsiryofFourDimensions。LongagoIhadavagueinklingofamae—”

“TotravelthroughTime!”exclaimedtheVeryYoungMan。

“Thatshalltravelilyiioime，asthedriverdetermines。”

Filbytedhimselfwithlaughter。

“ButIhaveexperimeion，”saidtheTimeTraveller。

“Itwouldberemarkablytforthehistorian，”thePsychologistsuggested。“OravelbadverifytheacceptedatoftheBattleofHastings，forinstance!”

“Don’tyouthinkyouwouldattration?”saidtheMedi。“Ouraorshadoleranas。”

&getoheverylipsofHomerandPlatManthought。

“InwhichcasetheywouldlyploughyoufortheLittle-go。TheGermanscholarshaveimprovedGreeksomuch。”

&hereisthefuture，”saidtheVeryYoungMan。“Justthiiallone’smooaccumulateati，andhurryonahead!”

“Todiscoverasociety，”saidI，“ereastriunisticbasis。”

“OfallthewildextravaganttheanthePsychologist。

&seemedtome，aalkedofituntil—”

&alverifi!”criedI。“Ytoverifythat?”

“Theexperiment!”criedFilby，whowasgettingbrain->

&’sseeyourexperimentanyhosychologist，“thoughit’sallhumbug，youknow。”

&ravellersmiledroundatus。Then，stillsmilingfaintly，andwithhishandsdeepinhistrouserspockets，hewalkedslowlyoutoftheroom，andweheardhisslippersshufflingdowntheloohislaboratory。

ThePsychologistlookedatus。“Iwohe’sgot?”

&-of-handtrickorother，”saidtheMedi，andFilbytriedtotellusaboutajurerhehadseenatBurslem;butbeforehehadfinishedhisprefacetheTimeTravellercamebadFilby’saecollapsed。

&heTimeTravellerheldinhishandwasaglitteriallicframewerthanasmalldverydelicatelymade。Therewasivoryinit，araallianustbeexplicit，forthisthatfollows—unlesshisexplanatioed—isanabsolutelyunatablethiookohesmalloaltablesthatwerescatteredabouttheroom，ainfrontofthefire，withtwolegsohrug。Onthistableheplacedthemeism。Thenhedrewupadsatdowherobjethetablewasasmallshadedlamp，thebrightlightofwhichfellupohereerhapsadoze，twoinbrassdlestiantelandseveralihattheroomwasbrilliantlyillumiinalowarm-earestthefire，ahisforwardsoastobealmostbetweeravellerandthefireplace。Filbysatbehindhim，lookingoverhisshoulder。TheMedidtheProvincialMayorwatchedhimiheright，thePsytheleft。TheVeryYoungMahePsychologist。Wewerealloappearsihatanykindoftrick，howeversubtlydhoweveradroitlydone，couldhavebeenplayedupoheses。

&ravellerlookedatus，ahemeism。“sychologist。

“Thislittleaffair，”saidtheTimeTraveller，restinghiselbowsupoableandpressinghishaherabovetheapparatus，“isoismyplanforamaetotravelthroughtime。Youwilllookssingularlyaskew，andthatthereisanoddtearahisbar，asthoughitwasinsomeoihepartwithhisfinger。“Also，hereisoelever，aher。”

TheMedigotupoutofhisdpeeredihing。“It’sbeautifullymade，”hesaid。

“Ittooktwoyearstomake，”retortedtheTimeTraveller。Then，whenwehadallimitatedtheaedi，hesaid:“NowIwaouhatthislever，beingpressedover，sendsthemaeglidingiure，andthisotherreversesthemotion。Thissaddlerepreseimetraveller。PresentlyIamgoihelever，andoffthemaewillgo。Itassiime，anddisappear。Haveagoodlookatthething。Lookatthetabletoo，andsatisfyyourselvesthereisnotrickery。Idon’twanttowastethismodel，aoldI’maquack。”

Therewasaminute’spauseperhaps。ThePsyedabouttospeaktome，butgedhismiimeTravellerputforthhisfiowardsthelever。“No，”hesaidsuddenly。“Lendmeyourhand。”AndturningtothePsychologist，hetookthatindividual’shandinhisownandtoldhimtoputouthisfer。SothatitsyselfwhosentforththemodelTimeMaitsinterminablevoyage。Weallsawtheleverturn。Iamabsolutelytherewasherewasabreathofwind，andthelampflamejumped。Oheantelwasblownout，alemaesuddenlyswungrouinct，wasseenasaghostforasedperhaps，asaneddyoffaintlyglitteringbrassandivory;anditwasgone—vanished!Saveforthelampthetable>

EveryonewassilentforamihenFilbysaidhe>

ThePsychologistrecoveredfromhisstupor，andsuddehetable。AtthattheTimeTravellerlaughedcheerfully。“Well?”hesaid，witharemihePsychologist。Theiothetobaantel，andwithhisbacktousbegantofillhispipe。

&aredateachother。“Lookhere，”saidtheMedi，“areyouithis?Doyouseriouslybelievethatthatmaehastravelledintotime?”

&ainly，”saidtheTimeTraveller，stoopingtolightaspillatthefire。Theinghispipe，tolookatthePsychologist’sface。（ThePsychologist，toshowthathewasnotunhinged，helpedhimselftoadtriedtolightituncut。）“Whatismore，Ihaveabigmaearlyfihere”—heihelaboratory—“aisputtogetherImeantohaveajourneyonmyownat。”

“Youmeantosaythatthatmaehastravellediure?”saidFilby。