The Time Traveller (for so it will be convenient to speak of him) was expounding1 a recondite2 matter to us. His grey eyes shone and twinkled, and his usually pale face was flushed and animated3. The fire burned brightly, and the soft radiance of the incandescent4 lights in the lilies of silver caught the bubbles that flashed and passed in our glasses. Our chairs, being his patents, embraced and caressed5 us rather than submitted to be sat upon, and there was that luxurious6 after-dinner atmosphere when thought roams gracefully7 free of the trammels of precision. And he put it to us in this way--marking the points with a lean forefinger8--as we sat and lazily admired his earnestness over this new paradox9 (as we thought it:) and his fecundity10.
`You must follow me carefully. I shall have to controvert11 one or two ideas that are almost universally accepted. The geometry, for instance, they taught you at school is founded on a misconception.'
`Is not that rather a large thing to expect us to begin upon?' said Filby, an argumentative person with red hair.
`I do not mean to ask you to accept anything without reasonable ground for it. You will soon admit as much as I need from you. You know of course that a mathematical line, a line of thickness NIL12, has no real existence. They taught you that? Neither has a mathematical plane. These things are mere13 abstractions.'
`That is all right,' said the Psychologist.
`Nor, having only length, breadth, and thickness, can a cube have a real existence.'
`There I object,' said Filby. `Of course a solid body may exist. All real things--'
`So most people think. But wait a moment. Can an INSTANTANEOUS cube exist?'
`Don't follow you,' said Filby.
`Can a cube that does not last for any time at all, have a real existence?'
Filby became pensive14. `Clearly,' the Time Traveller proceeded, `any real body must have extension in FOUR directions: it must have Length, Breadth, Thickness, and--Duration. But through a natural infirmity of the flesh, which I will explain to you in a moment, we incline to overlook this fact. There are really four dimensions, three which we call the three planes of Space, and a fourth, Time. There is, however, a tendency to draw an unreal distinction between the former three dimensions and the latter, because it happens that our consciousness moves intermittently15 in one direction along the latter from the beginning to the end of our lives.'
`That,' said a very young man, making spasmodic efforts to relight his cigar over the lamp; `that . . . very clear indeed.'
`Now, it is very remarkable16 that this is so extensively overlooked,' continued the Time Traveller, with a slight accession of cheerfulness. `Really this is what is meant by the Fourth Dimension, though some people who talk about the Fourth Dimension do not know they mean it. It is only another way of looking at Time. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TIME AND ANY OF THE THREE DIMENSIONS OF SPACE EXCEPT THAT OUR CONSCIOUSNESS MOVES ALONG IT. But some foolish people have got hold of the wrong side of that idea. You have all heard what they have to say about this Fourth Dimension?'
`_I_ have not,' said the Provincial17 Mayor.
`It is simply this. That Space, as our mathematicians18 have it, is spoken of as having three dimensions, which one may call Length, Breadth, and Thickness, and is always definable by reference to three planes, each at right angles to the others. But some philosophical20 people have been asking why THREE dimensions particularly--why not another direction at right angles to the other three?--and have even tried to construct a Four-Dimension geometry. Professor Simon Newcomb was expounding this to the New York Mathematical Society only a month or so ago. You know how on a flat surface, which has only two dimensions, we can represent a figure of a three-dimensional solid, and similarly they think that by models of thee dimensions they could represent one of four--if they could master the perspective of the thing. See?'
`I think so,' murmured the Provincial Mayor; and, knitting his brows, he lapsed21 into an introspective state, his lips moving as one who repeats mystic words. `Yes, I think I see it now,' he said after some time, brightening in a quite transitory manner.
`Well, I do not mind telling you I have been at work upon this geometry of Four Dimensions for some time. Some of my results are curious. For instance, here is a portrait of a man at eight years old, another at fifteen, another at seventeen, another at twenty-three, and so on. All these are evidently sections, as it were, Three-Dimensional representations of his Four-Dimensioned being, which is a fixed22 and unalterable thing.
`Scientific people,' proceeded the Time Traveller, after the pause required for the proper assimilation of this, `know very well that Time is only a kind of Space. Here is a popular scientific diagram, a weather record. This line I trace with my finger shows the movement of the barometer23. Yesterday it was so high, yesterday night it fell, then this morning it rose again, and so gently upward to here. Surely the mercury did not trace this line in any of the dimensions of Space generally recognized? But certainly it traced such a line, and that line, therefore, we must conclude was along the Time-Dimension.'
`But,' said the Medical Man, staring hard at a coal in the fire, `if Time is really only a fourth dimension of Space, why is it, and why has it always been, regarded as something different? And why cannot we move in Time as we move about in the other dimensions of Space?'
The Time Traveller smiled. `Are you sure we can move freely in Space? Right and left we can go, backward and forward freely enough, and men always have done so. I admit we move freely in two dimensions. But how about up and down? Gravitation limits us there.'
`Not exactly,' said the Medical Man. `There are balloons.'
`But before the balloons, save for spasmodic jumping and the inequalities of the surface, man had no freedom of vertical24 movement.' `Still they could move a little up and down,' said the Medical Man.
`Easier, far easier down than up.'
`And you cannot move at all in Time, you cannot get away from the present moment.'
`My dear sir, that is just where you are wrong. That is just where the whole world has gone wrong. We are always getting away from the present moment. Our mental existences, which are immaterial and have no dimensions, are passing along the Time-Dimension with a uniform velocity25 from the cradle to the grave. Just as we should travel DOWN if we began our existence fifty miles above the earth's surface.'
`But the great difficulty is this,' interrupted the Psychologist. `You CAN move about in all directions of Space, but you cannot move about in Time.'
`That is the germ of my great discovery. But you are wrong to say that we cannot move about in Time. For instance, if I am recalling an incident very vividly26 I go back to the instant of its occurrence: I become absent-minded, as you say. I jump back for a moment. Of course we have no means of staying back for any length of Time, any more than a savage27 or an animal has of staying six feet above the ground. But a civilized28 man is better off than the savage in this respect. He can go up against gravitation in a balloon, and why should he not hope that ultimately he may be able to stop or accelerate his drift along the Time-Dimension, or even turn about and travel the other way?'
`Oh, THIS,' began Filby, `is all--'
`Why not?' said the Time Traveller.
`It's against reason,' said Filby.
`What reason?' said the Time Traveller.
`You can show black is white by argument,' said Filby, `but you will never convince me.'
`Possibly not,' said the Time Traveller. `But now you begin to see the object of my investigations29 into the geometry of Four Dimensions. Long ago I had a vague inkling of a machine--'
`To travel through Time!' exclaimed the Very Young Man.
`That shall travel indifferently in any direction of Space and Time, as the driver determines.'
Filby contented30 himself with laughter.
`But I have experimental verification,' said the Time Traveller.
`It would be remarkably31 convenient for the historian,' the Psychologist suggested. `One might travel back and verify the accepted account of the Battle of Hastings, for instance!'
`Don't you think you would attract attention?' said the Medical Man. `Our ancestors had no great tolerance32 for anachronisms.'
`One might get one's Greek from the very lips of Homer and Plato,' the Very Young Man thought.
`In which case they would certainly plough you for the Little-go. The German scholars have improved Greek so much.'
`Then there is the future,' said the Very Young Man. `Just think! One might invest all one's money, leave it to accumulate at interest, and hurry on ahead!'
`To discover a society,' said I, `erected on a strictly33 communistic basis.'
`Of all the wild extravagant34 theories!' began the Psychologist.
`Yes, so it seemed to me, and so I never talked of it until--'
`Experimental verification!' cried I. `You are going to verify THAT?'
`The experiment!' cried Filby, who was getting brain-weary.
`Let's see your experiment anyhow,' said the Psychologist, `though it's all humbug35, you know.'
The Time Traveller smiled round at us. Then, still smiling faintly, and with his hands deep in his trousers pockets, he walked slowly out of the room, and we heard his slippers36 shuffling37 down the long passage to his laboratory.
The Psychologist looked at us. `I wonder what he's got?'
`Some sleight-of-hand trick or other,' said the Medical Man, and Filby tried to tell us about a conjurer he had seen at Burslem; but before he had finished his preface the Time Traveller came back, and Filby's anecdote38 collapsed39.
The thing the Time Traveller held in his hand was a glittering metallic40 framework, scarcely larger than a small clock, and very delicately made. There was ivory in it, and some transparent41 crystalline substance. And now I must be explicit42, for this that follows--unless his explanation is to be accepted--is an absolutely unaccountable thing. He took one of the small octagonal tables that were scattered43 about the room, and set it in front of the fire, with two legs on the hearthrug. On this table he placed the mechanism44. Then he drew up a chair, and sat down. The only other object on the table was a small shaded lamp, the bright light of which fell upon the model. There were also perhaps a dozen candles about, two in brass45 candlesticks upon the mantel and several in sconces, so that the room was brilliantly illuminated46. I sat in a low arm-chair nearest the fire, and I drew this forward so as to be almost between the Time Traveller and the fireplace. Filby sat behind him, looking over his shoulder. The Medical Man and the Provincial Mayor watched him in profile from the right, the Psychologist from the left. The Very Young Man stood behind the Psychologist. We were all on the alert. It appears incredible to me that any kind of trick, however subtly conceived and however adroitly47 done, could have been played upon us under these conditions.
The Time Traveller looked at us, and then at the mechanism. `Well?' said the Psychologist.
`This little affair,' said the Time Traveller, resting his elbows upon the table and pressing his hands together above the apparatus48, `is only a model. It is my plan for a machine to travel through time. You will notice that it looks singularly askew49, and that there is an odd twinkling appearance about this bar, as though it was in some way unreal.' He pointed50 to the part with his finger. `Also, here is one little white lever, and here is another.'
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 gliding51 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 quack52.'
There was a minute's pause perhaps. The Psychologist seemed about to speak to me, but changed his mind. Then the Time Traveller put forth53 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 eddy54 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 stupor55, 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, lighting56 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.'
After an interval57 the Psychologist had an inspiration. `It must have gone into the past if it has gone anywhere,' he said.
`Why?' said the Time Traveller.
`Because I presume that it has not moved in space, and if it travelled into the future it would still be here all this time, since it must have travelled through this time.'
`But,' I said, `If it travelled into the past it would have been visible when we came first into this room; and last Thursday when we were here; and the Thursday before that; and so forth!'
`Serious objections,' remarked the Provincial Mayor, with an air of impartiality58, turning towards the Time Traveller.
`Not a bit,' said the Time Traveller, and, to the Psychologist: `You think. You can explain that. It's presentation below the threshold, you know, diluted59 presentation.'
`Of course,' said the Psychologist, and reassured60 us. `That's a simple point of psychology61. I should have thought of it. It's plain enough, and helps the paradox delightfully62. We cannot see it, nor can we appreciate this machine, any more than we can the spoke19 of a wheel spinning, or a bullet flying through the air. If it is travelling through time fifty times or a hundred times faster than we are, if it gets through a minute while we get through a second, the impression it creates will of course be only one-fiftieth or one-hundredth of what it would make if it were not travelling in time. That's plain enough.' He passed his hand through the space in which the machine had been. `You see?' he said, laughing.
We sat and stared at the vacant table for a minute or so. Then the Time Traveller asked us what we thought of it all.
`It sounds plausible63 enough to-night,' said the Medical Man; 'but wait until to-morrow. Wait for the common sense of the morning.'
`Would you like to see the Time Machine itself?' asked the Time Traveller. And therewith, taking the lamp in his hand, he led the way down the long, draughty corridor to his laboratory. I remember vividly the flickering64 light, his queer, broad head in silhouette65, the dance of the shadows, how we all followed him, puzzled but incredulous, and how there in the laboratory we beheld66 a larger edition of the little mechanism which we had seen vanish from before our eyes. Parts were of nickel, parts of ivory, parts had certainly been filed or sawn out of rock crystal. The thing was generally complete, but the twisted crystalline bars lay unfinished upon the bench beside some sheets of drawings, and I took one up for a better look at it. Quartz67 it seemed to be.
`Look here,' said the Medical Man, `are you perfectly68 serious? Or is this a trick--like that ghost you showed us last Christmas?'
`Upon that machine,' said the Time Traveller, holding the lamp aloft, `I intend to explore time. Is that plain? I was never more serious in my life.'
None of us quite knew how to take it.
I caught Filby's eye over the shoulder of the Medical Man, and he winked69 at me solemnly.
时间游客（这样称呼他是为了方便起见）正在给我们讲解一个深奥难懂的问题。他灰色的眼睛一眨一眨的，炯炯有神，往常苍白的面孔此刻红光焕发。壁炉里炉火熊熊，白炽灯在银制百合花灯盘里射出柔和的光亮，照在我们玻璃杯里跳动的气泡上。我们坐的椅子，只有他才有，它们与其说是供我们坐的，不如说是在拥抱我们，抚慰我们。晚饭后的气氛舒适惬意，人们的思绪在这时候往往会不求精确，从容地驰骋奔流。他就这样一边用纤细的食指划着要点，一边在向我们讲述这个深奥的问题，我们都懒洋洋地坐着，钦佩他在这个新谬论上（我们是这样认为的）表现出的认真态度和丰富的创造力。
“你们一定要仔细听我讲。我要反驳一两个几乎是公认的观点。比如，你们在学校里学的几何就是建立在错误的概念上的。”
“要我们从这里听起，范围不免大了点吧？”菲尔比说。他头上长着红头发，喜欢与人争辩。
“我不是要你们接受什么无稽之谈。你们很快会承认我需要你们承认的内容的。你们自然知道，数学上所谓的一条线，一条宽度为零的线其实并不存在。这个你们在学校是学过的吧？数学上所说的平面也是没有的，这些纯粹是抽象的东西。”
“不错。”心理学家说。
“仅有长、宽、高的立方体实际上也不可能存在。”
“我反对这种提法，”菲尔比说，“固体当然可以存在。一切实在的东西……”
“多数人是这样认为的。可你听我说，一个瞬时的立方体能存在吗？”
“不懂你的意思。”菲尔比说。
“一个根本没有持续时间的立方体能够真正存在吗？”
菲尔比陷入了沉思。“很清楚”，时间游客继续道，“任何一个实在的物体都必须向四个方向伸展：它必须有长度、宽度、高度和时间持续度。但由于人类天生的缺陷，这点我待会儿再解释，我们往往忽视这个事实。实际上有四维，其中三维我们称作空间的三个平面，第四维就是时间。然而，人们现在总喜欢在前三者和后者之间划上一条实际并不存在的区分线，因为我们的意识从生命的开始到结束正是沿着时间的同一方向断断续续朝前运动的。”
“这，”一个年轻人说着，哆哆嗦嗦地在灯火上重新点燃了他的雪茄烟。“这……一点确实很清楚。”
“是啊，许多人都忽视了这一点，真是不可思议。”时间游客继续说道，他的兴致更浓了。“实际上这就是第四维的内涵，虽然有些人谈论第四维时并不知道他们指的就是这个意思。这其实只是看待时间的另一种方式。时间和空间三维的任何一维之间都没有什么不同，区别只是我们的意识是沿着时间向前运动的。可有些笨蛋把这个观点的意思搞颠倒了。你们听过他们有关第四维的高见吗？”
“我没听过。”地方长官说。
“是这样的。根据我们数学家的看法，空间有三维，人们可以分别称其为长度、宽度、和高度，而且始终可以通过成直角的三个平面把它们表示出来。但是，有些喜欢刨根问底的人总要问为什么偏偏是三维，为什么没有另一维来同其他三维形成直角呢？他们甚至试图建立四维几何。西蒙·纽科姆教授大约一个月前还在向纽约数学协会解释这个问题呢。你们都知道，我们可以在只有两维的平面上表现一个三维的立体图。同样，他们认为能够通过三维模型来表现四维的东西，只要他们能够掌握透视技法。明白了吧？”
“我想是的，”地方长官轻声说道。他紧锁眉头思考起来，双唇一动一动，好像在重复什么神秘的话。“是的，我想这下明白了。”他过了一会儿说，脸上陡然间露出了喜色。
“嗯，我可以告诉你们，我从事这四维几何的研究已有些时候了。我得出的有些结论很稀奇。比如这是一个人8岁时的一张肖像，这是15岁的，这是17岁的，还有一张是23岁的，等等。这些显然都是一个人的生活片段，是用3维表现出来的4维生命，这是固定的不可改变的东西。”
时间游客停等了片刻，以便大家能够充分理解他的话。接着他说，“思想严谨的人十分清楚，时间只是空间的一种。这是一张常见的科学示意图，记录天气变化的。我手指着的这条线表明气压的变化。昨天白昼气压这么高，夜里又降下去了，今天早上又上升了，慢慢地一直升到这里。气压表里的水银绝对不是在公认的空间三维的意义上勾划出这条线的？可它又确确实实勾划出了这样一条线。因此，我们必须断定，这条线是沿着时间维的。”
“可是，”医生说话时双眼紧盯着炉火里的一块煤。“如果时间真的只是空间的第四维，它为什么现在而且历来都被认为是别的东西呢？我们为什么不能在时间里自由活动，就像我们在空间的其他三维里那样活动？”
时间游客笑了。“你肯定我们能在空间中自由活动吗？我们左右能动，前后也可任意活动，人们历来就是这样活动的。我承认我们在两维中能够自由活动。可上下能动吗？地球引力把我们限制在地面上。”
“不完全是，”医生说，“用气球行。”
“但是在气球发明之前，除了间歇式的跳跃和路面高低不平外，人是不能任意垂直运动的。”
“不管怎么说，他们还是能够上下运动的。”医生说。
“向下要比向上容易，容易得多。”
“而在时间里根本不能动，你无法离开现在这一时刻。”“我亲爱的先生，你错就错在这里，这也正是全世界的错误所在。我们始终是在脱离现在，我们的精神存在就是非物质的，并且是无维的，它沿着时间维匀速向前，从摇篮走向坟墓。这就像我们的生命，如果从离地50英里的高空开始，我们就必定向下降落。”
“可主要的问题是，”心理学家插话说，“你能够朝空间的任何一个方向运动，而你在时间里无法走来走去。”
“这个想法就是我伟大发现的契机。但是，你说我们在时间里不能运动是错的。比如，如果我在形象地回忆一桩事，我便回到了它的发生时刻。就像你们说的，我变得心不在焉了。我一下子跳了回去，当然我们的双脚无法退回去呆上一段时间，就像一个野蛮人或一头动物无法呆在离地6英尺的空间。但是，文明人在这一点上要比野蛮人强，他可以乘气球排除地球引力向上升。既然这样，他为什么就不能指望自己最终能沿着时间维停止运动或加速运动，甚至逆向运动呢？”
“哦，这，”菲尔比开口道，“是完全……”
“为什么不行？”时间游客问。
“这不合情理。”菲尔比说。
“什么情理？”时间游客问。
“你可以把黑的说成白的，”菲尔比说，“可你永远说服不了我。”
“也许不能，”时间游客说，“但你现在开始明白我钻研四维几何的目的了。很久以前，我就粗粗构想过一种机器
“去穿越时间！”那个年轻人大叫起来。
“它将随心所欲地在空间和时间里运动，完全由驾驶员控制。”
菲尔比笑得前仰后合。
“可我有实验证明。”时间游客说。
“这对历史学家实在是太方便了，”心理学家提示说，“譬如，他可以回到过去，去核实人们公认的关于黑斯廷斯战役的记载！”
“难道你不觉得有点过于引人注目了吗？”医生说，“我们的祖先可不太能容忍年代出差错。”
“人们可以直接从荷马和柏拉图的嘴里学习希腊语了。”这是那个年轻人的想法。
“那样的话，他们一定会给你的考试打不及格。德国学者已经在希腊语上做了许多改进。”
“还有未来呢，”年轻人又说，“想想吧！人们可以把他们所有的钱投资下去，让它在那里生息赚钱，接着再朝前赶。”
“去发现一个社会，”我说，“一个建立在严格的共产主义基础上的社会。”
“尽是些不着边际的奇谈怪论！”心理学家说。
“是的，我原先也是这样想的，所以从不谈论此事，直到……”
“直到实验证明！”我大声说道，“你能证明它吗？”
“用实验来证明！”菲尔比喊道。他已开始感到头昏脑胀了。
“反正要让我们看看你的实验，”心理学家说，“虽然这全是胡说八道，这你清楚。”
时间游客朝我们大家笑笑。接着，他仍然面带微笑，双手深插在裤袋里，慢吞吞地走出了房间。我们听见他跟拉着拖鞋，沿着长长的过道向实验室走去。
心理学家望着我们。“我不知道他想搞什么名堂？”
“还不是想耍耍花招。”医生说。菲尔比正准备给我们讲他在伯斯勒姆看到的一个巫师，可还没来得及讲完开头，时间游客就回来了。菲尔比想讲的那被轶事只得告吹。
时间游客手里拿着一个闪闪发亮的金属架子。架子和一只小钟差不多大，做工十分考究，里面镶有象牙和一种透明的东西。现在我必须把看到的一切都交代清楚，因为接下去的事情——除非他的解释被接受——绝对是无法理喻的。他把扔在房间里的一张八角形桌子搬到壁炉前，桌子有两条腿就搁在炉前地毯上。他把那个机械装置摆在桌上，拖过一张椅子坐了下来。桌上仅有的另一件东西是一盏罩着灯罩的小台灯，明亮的灯光照在这个模型上。周围还点着十几支蜡烛，两支插在壁炉架上的铜烛台上，另几支插在壁上的烛台上，所以说房间里灯火通明。我在最靠近炉火的一把椅子上坐下来，随即又向前挪了挪，几乎把自己摆到了时间游客和壁炉的中间。菲尔比坐在时间游客背后，两眼朝他肩膀前面张望着。医生和地方长官在右侧注视着，心理学家坐在左侧，年轻人站在心理学家的后面，我们个个都全神贯注。在我看来，任何构思巧妙手段高明的花招要在这种情况下瞒天过海都是不大可能的。
时间游客看看我们，又看看机械装置。“好了吧？”心理学家说。
“这个小东西”，时间游客说，他用胳膊肘撑住桌子，两手按到仪器上，“只是一个模型。我的计划是让机器穿越时间。你们会注意到这东西看上去是歪斜的。这根杆的表面闪闪发光，样子很古怪，似乎有点像是假的。”他说完举手指了指，“另外，这是一根白色的小杠杆，这边还有一根。”
医生从椅子里站了起来，眼睛紧盯着机器。“做得真漂亮。”他说。
“花了两年的时间才做出来的。”时间游客汇报说。当我们都跟着医生站起来时，他又说，“现在我要你们知道，这根杠杆一按下去，就把这架机器送进了未来。另一根杠杆操作逆向运动。这鞍子充当一个时间游客的座位。我马上就按这根杠杆，机器会飞离出去。它将慢慢消失，走进未来的时间，最后无影无踪。请你们好好看看这玩意儿，再检查一下桌子，确保这中间没有任何花招。我可不想浪费了模型还被人骂是江湖骗子。”
大概有一分钟时间过去了，没人作声。心理学家似乎正想对我说什么，可他又改变了主意。接着时间游客举起手指伸向杠杆。“不，”他突然说，“让我借用你的手。”他转向心理学家，握住他的手，叫他把食指伸出来。因此，是心理学家亲手把时间机器送入漫无止境的旅程的。我们都目睹了那根杠杆的转动，我百分之百肯定这里面没有耍花招。就在这时，一阵风吹来，灯火扑扑跳动起来，壁炉架上的一支蜡烛吹灭了。那台小机器打着转转，越飞越远，顷刻间在视野里成了个幻影，像一个闪着微光的黄铜和象牙转出来的旋涡。它走了——消失了！桌子上除了那盏孤灯已一无所有。
大家沉默了片刻。接着菲尔比说他真是该死。
心理学家从恍炮中恢复过来，突然朝桌子底下看去。时间游客乐得哈哈大笑。“怎么说？”他学起了心理学家的说话腔调。随后他起身走到壁炉架上的烟叶罐前，背着我们开始往烟斗里塞烟丝。
我们面面相觑，无话可说。“我说，”医生说，“你这是当真的？你真的相信那架机器走到时间里去了吗？”
“当然。”时间游客说。他弯腰在壁炉火上点燃了一支纸捻，然后他转过身来，边点烟斗边望着心理学家的脸。（心理学家为了故作镇静，自己拿起一支雪茄，连烟屁股都没掐掉就点了起来。）“此外，我那里还有一台大机器即将完工。”——他指了指实验室——“安装完毕后，我打算自己去旅游一趟。”
“你是说那架机器已走进来来？”菲尔比问。
“走进了未来还是过去，我不敢肯定。”
隔了一会儿，心理学家来了灵感。“如果说去了什么地方，那它一定是走进了过去。”他说。
“为什么？”时间游客问。
“因为我相信它没有在空间里移动。如果它已进入未来，那它现在肯定还在这里，因为它必定要穿过现在才能走进未来。”
“可是，”我说，“如果它已走进过去，我们刚进房间时就该看见它。上星期四我们在这里，还有上上个星期四，依此类推！”
“有力的反驳。”地方长官评论道。他转向时间游客，摆出一副公平论事的样子。
“毫无道理，”时间游客说着转向心理学家，“你想想，这个你能解释。这是反应点下的表象，是冲淡的表象，这你知道。”
“当然。”心理学家说。他还再次向我们保证说，“这是心理学上的一个简单问题。我应该想到这个道理，它够明显的，并且有助于说明这种貌似矛盾的现象。我们无法看见这架机器，也欣赏不到它，这就像我们无法看到旋转的轮辐和在空中飞过的子弹。如果机器在时间中旅行的速度比我们快50倍或者100倍，如果它走一分钟我们才走一秒钟，它的速度产生的印象当然就只是它木做时间旅行时的五十分之一或百分之一。这是显而易见的。”他用手在原来摆机器的地方摸了摸。“明白了吧？”他笑着问道。
我们坐在那里，两眼盯着空荡荡的桌子看了一会儿。这时，时间游客问我们如何看待这一切。
“这一切今天晚上听起来很有道理，”医生说，“不过要等到明天再下结论，等明早大家神智清醒时再说。”
“你们想看看真正的时间机器吗？”时间游客问。说完他手里拿着灯，领我们沿着通风的长廊朝他的实验室走去。我清楚地记得那闪烁的灯火，他那大脑袋的侧影，舞动的人影，记得我们如何一个个跟着他，心里迷惑不解可又不愿轻信，如何在实验室目睹了就在我们眼前消失的那架小机器的大号翻版。大机器的有些部件是镍制的，有些是象牙做的，还有些是用水晶石挫成或锯成的。机器已大体完成，但是水晶曲棒还摆在凳上的几张图纸旁，没有完工。我拿起一根曲棒仔细看了看，发现好像是用石英做的。
“我说，”医生问道，“你这是完全认真的？还是骗骗人的——就像去年圣诞节你给我们看的那个鬼？”
“坐这架机器，”时间游客高举着灯说道，“我想去探索时间。清楚了吧？我这辈子还从未这样认真过。”
我们谁也不知道该如何去理解他的这句话。
我的视线越过医生的肩膀和菲尔比投来的目光相遇了，他表情严肃地朝我使了个眼色。
收听单词发音 |
1
expounding
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| 论述，详细讲解( expound的现在分词 ) | |
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recondite
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| adj.深奥的，难解的 | |
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animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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incandescent
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| adj.遇热发光的， 白炽的，感情强烈的 | |
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caressed
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| 爱抚或抚摸…( caress的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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luxurious
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| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
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gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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forefinger
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| n.食指 | |
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paradox
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| n.似乎矛盾却正确的说法；自相矛盾的人(物) | |
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fecundity
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| n.生产力；丰富 | |
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controvert
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| v.否定；否认 | |
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nil
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| n.无，全无，零 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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pensive
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| a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的 | |
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intermittently
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| adv.间歇地；断断续续 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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provincial
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| adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人 | |
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mathematicians
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| 数学家( mathematician的名词复数 ) | |
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19
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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philosophical
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| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 | |
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lapsed
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| adj.流失的，堕落的v.退步( lapse的过去式和过去分词 )；陷入；倒退；丧失 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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barometer
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| n.气压表，睛雨表，反应指标 | |
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vertical
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| adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置 | |
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velocity
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| n.速度，速率 | |
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vividly
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| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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investigations
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| （正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究 | |
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contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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tolerance
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| n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差 | |
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strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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humbug
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| n.花招，谎话，欺骗 | |
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slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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shuffling
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| adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式 | |
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anecdote
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| n.轶事，趣闻，短故事 | |
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collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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explicit
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| adj.详述的，明确的；坦率的；显然的 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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mechanism
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| n.机械装置；机构，结构 | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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adroitly
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| adv.熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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apparatus
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| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
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askew
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| adv.斜地；adj.歪斜的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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51
gliding
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| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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52
quack
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| n.庸医；江湖医生；冒充内行的人；骗子 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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eddy
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| n.漩涡，涡流 | |
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stupor
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| v.昏迷；不省人事 | |
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56
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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57
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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58
impartiality
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| n. 公平, 无私, 不偏 | |
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59
diluted
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| 无力的，冲淡的 | |
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60
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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61
psychology
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| n.心理，心理学，心理状态 | |
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62
delightfully
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| 大喜，欣然 | |
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plausible
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| adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的 | |
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64
flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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65
silhouette
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| n.黑色半身侧面影，影子，轮廓；v.描绘成侧面影，照出影子来，仅仅显出轮廓 | |
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66
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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67
quartz
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| n.石英 | |
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68
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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69
winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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