Машина времени
Chapter 8
Icouldnotcarryboth,however,andmybarofironpromisedbestagainstthebronzegates. Therewerenumbersofguns,pistols,andrifles. Themostweremassesofrust,butmanywereofsomenewmetal,andstillfairlysound. Butanycartridgesorpowdertheremayoncehavebeenhadrottedintodust. OnecornerIsawwascharredandshattered; perhaps,Ithought,byanexplosionamongthespecimens. Inanotherplacewasavastarrayofidols—Polynesian,Mexican,Grecian,Phoenician,everycountryonearthIshouldthink. Andhere,yieldingtoanirresistibleimpulse,IwrotemynameuponthenoseofasteatitemonsterfromSouthAmericathatparticularlytookmyfancy.
‘Astheeveningdrewon,myinterestwaned. Iwentthroughgalleryaftergallery,dusty,silent,oftenruinous,theexhibitssometimesmereheapsofrustandlignite,sometimesfresher. InoneplaceIsuddenlyfoundmyselfnearthemodelofatin-mine,andthenbythemerestaccidentIdiscovered,inanair-tightcase,twodynamitecartridges! Ishouted"Eureka!"andsmashedthecasewithjoy. Thencameadoubt. Ihesitated. Then,selectingalittlesidegallery,Imademyessay. IneverfeltsuchadisappointmentasIdidinwaitingfive,ten,fifteenminutesforanexplosionthatnevercame. Ofcoursethethingsweredummies,asImighthaveguessedfromtheirpresence. Ireallybelievethathadtheynotbeenso,IshouldhaverushedoffincontinentlyandblownSphinx,bronzedoors,and(asitproved)mychancesoffindingtheTimeMachine,alltogetherintononexistence.
‘Itwasafterthat,Ithink,thatwecametoalittleopencourtwithinthepalace. Itwasturfed,andhadthreefruit-trees. Sowerestedandrefreshedourselves. TowardssunsetIbegantoconsiderourposition. Nightwascreepinguponus,andmyinaccessiblehiding-placehadstilltobefound.
