"The Space Machine" - читать интересную книгу автора (Priest Christopher)

ii

Amelia summoned Hillyer, and the manservant went around the room, lighting the lamps. Although the sun was still up, it was now behind the trees that grew around the house, and shadows were creeping on. Mrs Watchets came in to clear away the tea-things. I realized that I had drunk only half of my cup, and swallowed the rest quickly. I was thirsty from the bicycling expedition.

I said, when we were alone: “Is he mad?”

Amelia made no answer, but appeared to be listening. She signalled that I should be silent . . and then about five seconds later the door burst open yet again, and Sir William was there, wearing a topcoat.

“Amelia, I am going up to London. Hillyer can take me in the carriage.”

“Will you be back in time for dinner?”

“No … I shall be out all evening. I’ll sleep at my club tonight” He turned to me. “Inadvertently, Turnbull, my conversation with you has generated an idea. I thank you, sir.”

He rushed out of the room as abruptly as he had entered, and soon we heard the sound of his voice in the hall. A few minutes later we heard a horse and carriage on the gravelled driveway.

Amelia went to the window, and watched as the manservant drove the carriage away, then returned to her seat.

She said: “No, Sir William is not mad.”

“But he behaves like a madman.”

“Perhaps that is how it seems. I believe he is a genius; the two are not wholly dissimilar.”

“Do you understand his theory?”

“I can grasp most of it. The fact that you didn’t follow it, Edward, is no reflection on your own intellect. Sir William is himself so familiar with it that when explaining it to others he omits much of it. Also, you are a stranger to him, and he is rarely at ease unless surrounded by those he knows. He has a group of acquaintances from the Linnaean—his club in London—and they are the only people to whom I have ever heard him speak naturally and fluently.”

“Then perhaps I should not have asked him.”

“No, it is his obsession; had you not expressed an interest, he would have volunteered his theory. Everyone about him has to bear it. Even Mrs Watchets has heard him out twice.”

“Does she understand it?”

“I think not,” said Amelia, smiling.

“Then I shall not expect clarification from her. You will have to explain.”

“There isn’t much I can say. Sir William has built a Time Machine. It has been tested, and I have been present during some of the tests, and the results have been conclusive. He has not said so as yet, but I suspect that he is planning an expedition into futurity.”

I smiled a little, and covered my mouth with my hand.

Amelia said: “Sir William is in perfect earnest.”

“Yes… but I cannot see a man of his physique entering a device so small.”

“What you have seen is only a working model. He has a full-sized version.” Unexpectedly, she laughed. “You don’t think I meant the model he showed you?”

“Yes, I did.”

When Amelia laughed she looked most beautiful, and I did not mind having misunderstood.

But large or small, I cannot believe such a Machine is possible!” I said.

“Then you may see it for yourself. It is only a dozen yards from where you are sitting.”

I jumped to my feet. “Where is it?”

“In Sir William’s laboratory.” Amelia seemed to have been infected with my enthusiasm, for she too had left her seat with great alacrity. “I’ll show you.”