he Time Machine
I
The Time Traveller (for so it will be convenient to speak of him) was expounding a recondite matter to us. His grey eyes shone and twinkled, and his usually pale face was flushed and animated. The fire burned brightly, and the soft radiance of the incandescent lights in the lilies of silver caught the bubbles that flashed and passed in 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 , two in brass candlesticks upon the mantel and several in sconces, so that the room was brilliantly illuminated. 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 adroitly 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 apparatus, `is only a model. It is my plan for a machine to travel through time. You will notice that it looks singularly askew, and that there is an odd twinkling appearance about this bar, as though it was in some way unreal.' He pointed 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 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.'
After an interval 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 impartiality, 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, diluted presentation.'
`Of course,' said the Psychologist, and reassured us. `That's a simple point of psychology. I should have thought of it. It's plain enough, and helps the paradox delightfully. We cannot see it, nor can we appreciate this machine, any more than we can the spoke 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 plausible 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 flickering light, his queer, broad head in silhouette, the dance of the shadows, how we all followed him, puzzled but incredulous, and how there in the laboratory we beheld 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. Quartz it seemed to be.
`Look here,' said the Medical Man, `are you perfectly 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 winked at me solemnly.
他的时间机器
我
时光旅行者(因为它将如此方便讲他)是一个深奥的事向我们解释。他的灰色的眼睛闪闪发光,他通常苍白闪烁的脸红了,动画。大火烧毁了明亮的光芒,柔软的白炽光在百合花、都是用银子作的捕获的泡沫,在我们的眼镜闪现。我们的椅子,被他的专利,拥抱和爱抚我们不是提交被坐在那里,奢侈、优雅的氛围时,目光炯炯位于思维的束缚的精度。他把它给我们以这种方式——标识点精益食指——这是我们坐着懒洋洋的钦佩他在这个新的悖论热诚(我们认为:)和他的繁殖力。
“你一定要跟我仔细。我将不得不比一个或两个思想,几乎普遍接受。几何,比如,他们教导你在学校是建立在一个misconception. '
“不,不是一件大期望我们开始在Filby ? '说,有争议的红头发的人。
“我不是问你接受任何不合理的理由。你很快就会承认,正如我需要你。你当然知道这一数学线,线的厚度零,没有真实的存在。他们教导你的?没有一个数学的飞机。这些东西都abstractions. '
“那好吧,'说的心理学家。
“不,只有长度、宽度、厚度、可以立方体有真正的existence. '
“现在我对象,'说Filby。“当然有可能存在的实体。所有真正的东西——'
“所以,大多数人认为。但稍等片刻。可以即刻立方体存在吗?”
“不要跟着你,'说Filby。
“能立方体,并不会持续的任何时间,有一个真实的存在吗?”
Filby变得忧郁。“显然,”时光旅行者进行的任何真正的身体一定在四个方向:那一定长度、宽度、厚度、——时间。但是通过自然虚弱的肉,我会向你解释,我们倾向于忽视这一事实。真的有四个维度,三个,我们称之为三个层面的空间,而且,时间。但是,有一个趋势绘制一个虚幻的前三个维度之间的区别,后者,因为它会使我们意识的间歇运动朝一个方向沿后者从始至终的作为我们的lives. '
“那说:“年轻人,非常努力让他的雪茄船上的灯;“…很清楚(体态)仍然'
“现在,它是非常显著的,这是如此广泛地忽略了,“时光旅行者,有轻微的快乐。“真的这是由第四维度,虽然有些人谈论第四维度并不知道他们的意思。它只是另一种看时间。时间是没有区别,任何的三维空间,除了我们的意识运动。但是一些愚蠢的人已经抓住了那个主意。你都听见他们说这第四维度吗?”
“我没有,'说的省级市长。
“这很简单。那个空间,正如我们所说的,是数学家,也有三个维度的,可以叫长度、宽度、厚度、总是可参照三个层面,各成直角。但是一些哲学的人问为什么三个维度,尤其是——为什么不另一个方向成直角的其他三个吗?——甚至试图构建一个四维的几何形状。阐述了专家西蒙霍这到纽约数学会只有一个月前。你知道怎么在平坦的表面上,只有两个维度,我们可以代表一个图的三维实体,也同样他们认为你的模型之一,他们可以代表维度——如果他们能掌握四个角度的东西。看到了吗?”
“我想是的,低声说了市长,各省、自治区、直辖市,编织自己的眉毛,他会掉进一个反思状态,他的嘴唇移动作为一个人重复神秘的单词。“是的,我想我看到它了,”他说,经过一段时间,在一个非常短暂地光亮。
“好吧,我不介意告诉你我一直在工作上的四个维度几何这已经有一段时间了。我的一些结果都很好奇。举例来说,这是一幅一男子在八岁,另一个15岁的时候,另一个17岁,另一个在二十三,等等。所有这些都是明显的部分,它是他的Four-Dimensioned三维是,这是一个固定的和不变的东西。
“科学的人,时间旅行后,就需要适当的停顿,'同化很清楚地知道,只有一种空间。这是一个流行的科学图,天气记录。这一句我痕迹和我指指运动的晴雨表。昨天是如此之高,昨天晚上它掉,然后今早它再次上升,所以轻轻地上升到这里。没有痕迹的水星的这一行的维度空间公认的吗?但是当然是这样一个线追踪,这条线,因此,我们必须订立是沿着Time-Dimension. '
“但是,”医生,紧盯在了煤在火中,“如果时间是真的只有第四维度空间,为什么,为什么一直是,视为不同的东西呢?为什么我们不能移动,在我们在其它维度空间吗?”
时光旅行者笑了。“你确定我们可以自由移动的空间?我们可以右至左,前后自如,男人总有这么做。我承认我们自由移动的两个维度。但是上下怎么样?重力限制我们把'
“不完全,'说的人。“有balloons. '
“但是之前,除了船上的气球跳和不平等的表面,男人没有自由的垂直movement. '“他们仍然可以移动一点点上升和下降,'说的人。
“更容易,更容易下比起来。“
“你无法移动,无法摆脱目前现在'
“我亲爱的先生,这是你错了。这仅仅是在整个世界都出了差错。我们总是远离当前的运动。我们的心智的存在,这是无形的、无维度,都经过了Time-Dimension与一个统一的速度从摇篮到坟墓。正如我们应该沿着如果我们开始存在五十英里的地球surface. '
“但这是非常困难的,中断的心理学家。“你能向四面八方走动的空间,但你不能移动送来的。”
“那是我的细菌伟大的发现。但是你错了,说,我们不能移动。举例来说,如果我回忆起一件非常生动,我回到了瞬间发生的事件:我成为心不在焉,就像你说的。我跳回了一会儿。当然,我们没有办法呆了一段时间的后面,有超过一个野蛮人或动物却呆6英尺以上。但是一个文明的人还不如野蛮人在这方面。他可以去对抗重力在一个气球,为什么他不希望最终能阻止或加速自己的Time-Dimension漂流向前,甚至把有关的其他方式和旅行吗?”
“噢,这是Filby ','开始——'
“为什么不行?”说时间旅行。
“这是反对理由,'说Filby。
“什么原因呢?”说了一次旅行。
“你可以显示黑人是白色的论点,'说Filby’,但你永远不会说服我。”
“也许不会,'说的时间旅行。“但你现在开始看到我的调查对象的几何的四个维度。很久以前,我有一个含糊不清的机器——'
“通过时间旅行! '说非常年轻的男人。
“那将在任何方向淡然旅行的时间和空间,当司机determines. '
Filby满足自己大笑。
“但是我有实验验证,'说的时间旅行。
“它将是非常方便的,心理学家建议的历史。“一个可能的旅行回来,验证了公认的,比如汀战役中!”
“你不觉得你会吸引注意力呢?”医生。“我们的祖先没有伟大的宽容anachronisms. '
“有人可能会得到一个是希腊的嘴唇,柏拉图,荷马的“非常年轻男子思想。
“在这种情况下,他们一定会为你Little-go犁。德国学者已经改善了希腊'
“那是未来,'说的非常年轻的男人。“想想吧!一个可以把所有的钱都投资,让它在利益,赶紧累积在前方!”
“发现一个社会,’我说,'安装在一个严格的共产主义basis. '
“所有的野生奢侈的心理学理论!”开始的。
“是的,在我看来,所以我从不谈论它,直到——'
“我!”哭了实验验证。“你要确认吗?”
“这个实验!”哭Filby,谁在服用brain-weary。
“让我看看你的实验,总之,'说的心理学家,虽然都是骗子,你知道。
时光旅行者笑到我们。然后,还是笑着,用他的手在他的裤子口袋,他慢慢地走着走出房间,我们听到他的拖鞋放下了他长段实验室。
这位心理学家看着我们。“我不知道他有什么吗?”
“一些花招——把戏或其他,'说的人,Filby试图告诉我们一出来,他看到在Burslem;但之前,他已经完成了他的时间旅行回来的序言,Filby倒塌的趣闻轶事。
这个东西时光旅行者手里拿着是一个闪闪发光的金属框架,几乎比一个小点,非常微妙。在有象牙,一些透明晶体物质。现在我必须明确,除非他跟——这是可被接受的解释——绝对是不礼貌的事情。他把一个小八角形表散落在房间里,并把它在炉火前,用两条腿在壁炉前的地毯。在这张桌子上,他把这个机制。然后他把一张椅子,然后坐了下来。唯一的其它物体的桌上有一个小的着色,明亮的光灯,落在了该模型。也有可能打蜡烛,两个在壁炉上,黄铜灯台的脑袋上,以便在灯火通明的房间。我坐在一个较低的扶手椅,最近我把这个前锋等之间的时光旅行者,壁炉。Filby坐在后面,看着他的肩膀。医学的男人和省级市长注视着他在剖面上的权利,心理学家从左边。在很年轻的男人站在后面的心理学家。我们都在警惕。看起来让人难以置信,我说任何一种伎俩,但是微妙的怀孕,但已经可以熟练,影响了我们在这种情况下。
时光旅行者看着我们,然后在这个机制。嗯? '说的心理学家。
“这个小事情,'说的时间旅行,他在桌子和熨他的双手合十,以上仪器仅是一种模式。这是我的计划通过时间旅行的机器。你会发现它倾斜,异乎寻常的是一个古怪的闪烁的外观对这条,好像是在以某种方式unreal. '他指出,与他的手指。“另外,这是一个小小的白色的杠杆,这里是another. '
医疗人起来从椅子上站起来,凝视着那件事。“这是漂亮的,”他说。
“它花了两年的时间制作,'反驳时间旅行。那么,当我们都仿效的动作医疗的人,他说:“现在我要你清楚地了解这杆、被结束,发送机器滑动走向未来,这个逆转的运动。这马鞍代表的座位,时间旅行。现在我要按操纵杆,机器就会走了。它将会消失,进入未来时间,并且消失。好好看看这个东西。看看表,并满足自己没有花招。我不想浪费模型,在此基础上,然后告诉我一个quack. '
有一分钟歇歇吧。这位心理学家似乎对我说话,而改变了他的主意。然后时光旅行者伸出手指向杠杆。“不,”他说。“借我你的hand. '44于是转过身来向着那心理学家,他把那个人手中自己,告诉他伸出他的食指。所以,这是谁送出自己的心理上的时间机器模型冗长航行。我们都看到了杆转动。我敢肯定没有花招。有一股风、灯火焰吓了一跳。人的蜡烛被风吹灭了在壁炉架上,小机器突然转过身来,变得模糊,被视为一个鬼一秒钟也许作为一种隐隐的涡流,晶莹剔透的黄铜和象牙消失——消失了!除了灯是光秃秃的。
大家沉默了一会儿。然后Filby说他是该死的。
这位心理学家从昏迷,突然他看着桌子底下。在那个时间旅行者笑了起来。“好吗?”他说,与怀旧的心理学家。然后,起床时,他去了烟草罐子的壁炉台上,用他的回来,我们会开始他的烟斗。
我们互相凝视。“你看这儿,'说的人说,你在认真呢?你认真相信那台机器有旅行到时间吗?”
“当然,'说的时间旅行,当光里溢出。然后他转向,点燃烟斗,来看看心理学家的脸。(心理学家,表明他并不如此疯狂,倒了一支雪茄,并试图光它没有。)“更重要的是,我有一个大的机器中有将近尾声,他表示,当实验室——我的意思是放在一起,自己有一段旅程中'
“你的意思是说,这台机器有旅行的未来Filby ? '说。
“未来或过去——我不知道,因为某些,which. '
一段时间后的心理学家有灵感。“它一定走了过去,如果它已经不见了,”他说。
“为什么?”说时间旅行。
因为我认为它不是在太空旅行,如果它进入未来它会仍然在这里的这段时间,因为它必须经过这送来的。”
“但是,”我说,“如果它旅行到过去就已经在我们首先来进入这个房间,当我们在上个星期四在星期四之前,;等等!”
“严重的缺点,'说省级市长的公正性,向着时光旅行者。
“一点也不,'说的时间旅行,并且说:“你想的心理学家。你能解释这个。它的表现低于阈值,你知道,稀释presentation. '
“当然,'说的心理学家,以使我们。“那是一个简单的心理。我没有想过这一点。很明显,帮助似是而非的入口。我们看不见它,也可以领略这部机器,我们可以再多说一个轮子旋转,或一个子弹飞过空中。如果它是穿越时间50次或一百次,比我们快,如果它穿过一分钟,我们通过一秒钟,给人的印象是创造当然会成为什么样的one-fiftieth或渔业只会如果不是旅行的时间。那是平原enough. '他通过他的手通过空间中的机器了。“你看到了吗?”他笑着说。
我们坐着凝视着空位一分钟左右。然后时光旅行者问我们认为所有的事情。
这听起来有理足够的今天,'说的人;',但等到明天。等待常识的公公婆婆正在客厅'
“你想看时光机器本身? '问了一次旅行。把灯和,在他的手,他带领下长,draughty走廊到他的实验室。我记得生动地闪烁的灯光下,他的怪异、广阔的头的轮廓,舞蹈的阴影里,我们都跟着他,却让人难以置信的困惑,以及如何在实验室里我们看到一个较大的版本,我们已经看到小机制,从我们眼前消失。对镍、部分零件的象牙,部分已经被确定申请或锯出来的岩石水晶。这事是一般的完整,但未完成的扭曲的水晶酒吧躺在板凳上一些纸旁,我只图,为更好地盯着它看。石英它似乎。
“你看这儿,'说的人说,你非常严重吗?或者这是一个诡计——就像那个鬼你教我们去年圣诞节吗?”
“在那个机器,'说的时间旅行者,握住灯,我打算高空探索的时间。是吗。我从来没有在我更严重的生涯。
我们都很知道如何去走这条路。
我抓住了Filby眼肩的医学的人,他对我的严肃。
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