Машина времени
Chapter 4
Theideawasreceivedwithmelodiousapplause;andpresentlytheywereallrunningtoandfroforflowers,andlaughinglyflingingthemuponmeuntilIwasalmostsmotheredwithblossom. Youwhohaveneverseenthelikecanscarcelyimaginewhatdelicateandwonderfulflowerscountlessyearsofculturehadcreated. Thensomeonesuggestedthattheirplaythingshouldbeexhibitedinthenearestbuilding,andsoIwasledpastthesphinxofwhitemarble,whichhadseemedtowatchmeallthewhilewithasmileatmyastonishment,towardsavastgreyedificeoffrettedstone. AsIwentwiththemthememoryofmyconfidentanticipationsofaprofoundlygraveandintellectualposteritycame,withirresistiblemerriment,tomymind.
‘Thebuildinghadahugeentry,andwasaltogetherofcolossaldimensions. Iwasnaturallymostoccupiedwiththegrowingcrowdoflittlepeople,andwiththebigopenportalsthatyawnedbeforemeshadowyandmysterious. MygeneralimpressionoftheworldIsawovertheirheadswasatangledwasteofbeautifulbushesandflowers,alongneglectedandyetweedlessgarden. Isawanumberoftallspikesofstrangewhiteflowers,measuringafootperhapsacrossthespreadofthewaxenpetals. Theygrewscattered,asifwild,amongthevariegatedshrubs,but,asIsay,Ididnotexaminethemcloselyatthistime. TheTimeMachinewasleftdesertedontheturfamongtherhododendrons.
‘Thearchofthedoorwaywasrichlycarved,butnaturallyIdidnotobservethecarvingverynarrowly,thoughIfanciedIsawsuggestionsofoldPhoeniciandecorationsasIpassedthrough,anditstruckmethattheywereverybadlybrokenandweather-worn. Severalmorebrightlycladpeoplemetmeinthedoorway,andsoweentered,I,dressedindingynineteenth-centurygarments, lookinggrotesqueenough,garlandedwithflowers,andsurroundedbyaneddyingmassofbright,soft-coloredrobesandshiningwhitelimbs,inamelodiouswhirloflaughterandlaughingspeech.
