H.G. Wells (1866–1946). The Time Machine. 1898. Chapter I.

THE TIME TRAVELLER (for so it will be convenient to speak of him) was expounding a recondite matter to us.

THE TIME TRAVELLER (for so it will be convenient to speak of him) was expounding a recondite matter to us.

THE TIME TRAVELLER (for so it will be convenient to speak of him) was expounding a recondite matter to us.

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 our glasses.

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 our glasses.

Our chairs, being his patents, embraced and caressed us rather than submitted to be sat upon, and there was that luxurious after-dinner atmosphere when thought roams gracefully free of the trammels of precision.

Our chairs, being his patents, embraced and caressed us rather than submitted to be sat upon, and there was that luxurious after-dinner atmosphere when thought roams gracefully free of the trammels of precision.

Our chairs, being his patents, embraced and caressed us rather than submitted to be sat upon, and there was that luxurious after-dinner atmosphere when thought roams gracefully free of the trammels of precision.

Our chairs, being his patents, embraced and caressed us rather than submitted to be sat upon, and there was that luxurious after-dinner atmosphere when thought roams gracefully free of the trammels of precision.

And he put it to us in this way—marking the points with a lean forefinger—as we sat and lazily admired his earnestness over this new paradox (as we thought it) and his fecundity.

I shall have to controvert one or two ideas that are almost universally accepted.

The geometry, for instance, they taught you at school is founded on a misconception.’

You will soon admit as much as I need from you.

‘Nor, having only length, breadth, and thickness, can a cube have a real existence.’

Can an instantaneous cube exist?’

Filby became pensive.

‘Clearly,’ the Time Traveller proceeded, ‘any real body must have extension in four directions: it must have Length, Breadth, Thickness, and—Duration.

‘Clearly,’ the Time Traveller proceeded, ‘any real body must have extension in four directions: it must have Length, Breadth, Thickness, and—Duration.

‘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.

But through a natural infirmity of the flesh, which I will explain to you in a moment, we incline to overlook this fact.

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 intermittently in one direction along the latter from the beginning to the end of our lives.’

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 intermittently in one direction along the latter from the beginning to the end of our lives.’

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 intermittently in one direction along the latter from the beginning to the end of our lives.’

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 intermittently 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 remarkable that this is so extensively overlooked,’ continued the Time Traveller, with a slight accession of cheerfulness.

‘Now, it is very remarkable that this is so extensively overlooked,’ continued the Time Traveller, with a slight accession of cheerfulness.

‘I have not,’ said the Provincial Mayor.

‘I have not,’ said the Provincial Mayor.

That Space, as our mathematicians 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.

‘I think so,’ murmured the Provincial Mayor; and, knitting his brows, he lapsed into an introspective state, his lips moving as one who repeats mystic words.

‘I think so,’ murmured the Provincial Mayor; and, knitting his brows, he lapsed into an introspective state, his lips moving as one who repeats mystic words.

‘I think so,’ murmured the Provincial Mayor; and, knitting his brows, he lapsed 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.

All these are evidently sections, as it were, Three-Dimensional representations of his Four-Dimensioned being, which is a fixed and unalterable thing.

All these are evidently sections, as it were, Three-Dimensional representations of his Four-Dimensioned being, which is a fixed 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.

Surely the mercury did not trace this line in any of the dimensions of Space generally recognized?

‘But before the balloons, save for spasmodic jumping and the inequalities of the surface, man had no freedom of vertical movement.’

Our mental existences, which are immaterial and have no dimensions, are passing along the Time-Dimension with a uniform velocity from the cradle to the grave.

Our mental existences, which are immaterial and have no dimensions, are passing along the Time-Dimension with a uniform velocity from the cradle to the grave.

Our mental existences, which are immaterial and have no dimensions, are passing along the Time-Dimension with a uniform velocity from the cradle to the grave.

‘That is the germ of my great discovery.

For instance, if I am recalling an incident very vividly I go back to the instant of its occurrence: I become absent-minded, as you say.

Of course we have no means of staying back for any length of Time, any more than a savage or an animal has of staying six feet above the ground.

But a civilized man is better off than the savage in this respect.

But a civilized 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?’

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?’

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?’

‘But now you begin to see the object of my investigations into the geometry of Four Dimensions.

Long ago I had a vague inkling of a machine—’ 33

Long ago I had a vague inkling of a machine—’ 33

‘That shall travel indifferently in any direction of Space and Time, as the driver determines.’

Filby contented himself with laughter.

‘But I have experimental verification,’ said the Time Traveller.

‘One might travel back and verify the accepted account of the Battle of Hastings, for instance!’

‘Our ancestors had no great tolerance for anachronisms.’

‘Our ancestors had no great tolerance for anachronisms.’

The German scholars have improved Greek so much.’

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 strictly communistic basis.’

‘The experiment!’ cried Filby, who was getting brain-weary.

‘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 anecdote collapsed.

The thing the Time Traveller held in his hand was a glittering metallic framework, scarcely larger than a small clock, and very delicately made.

The thing the Time Traveller held in his hand was a glittering metallic framework, scarcely larger than a small clock, and very delicately made.

And now I must be explicit, for this that follows—unless his explanation is to be accepted—is an absolutely unaccountable thing.

There were also perhaps a dozen candles about, two in brass candlesticks upon the mantel and several in sconces, so that the room was brilliantly illuminated.

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.

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.

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.’

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.’

The Medical Man got up out of his chair and peered into the thing.

‘It took two years to make,’ retorted the Time Traveller.

It will vanish, pass into future Time, and disappear.

Look at the table too, and satisfy yourselves there is no trickery.

So that it was the Psychologist himself who sent forth the model Time Machine on its interminable voyage.

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!

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!

The Psychologist recovered from his stupor, and suddenly looked under the table.

‘Well?’ he said, with a reminiscence of the Psychologist.

‘Certainly,’ said the Time Traveller, stooping to light a spill at the fire.

‘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.’

‘Serious objections,’ remarked the Provincial Mayor, with an air of impartiality, turning towards the Time Traveller.

It’s presentation below the threshold, you know, diluted presentation.’

It’s presentation below the threshold, you know, diluted presentation.’

We sat and stared at the vacant table for a minute or so.

‘It sounds plausible enough to-night,’ said the Medical Man; ’but wait until to-morrow.

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.

I caught Filby’s eye over the shoulder of the Medical Man, and he winked at me solemnly.