The Time Machine - International World History Project

The Time MachineThe Time Traveller paused, put his hand into hispocket, and silently placed two withered flowers, notunlike very large white mallows, upon the little table.Then he resumed his narrative.‘As the hush of evening crept over the world and weproceeded over the hill crest towards Wimbledon, Weenagrew tired and wanted to return to the house of greystone. But I pointed out the distant pinnacles of the Palaceof Green Porcelain to her, and contrived to make herunderstand that we were seeking a refuge there from herFear. You know that great pause that comes upon thingsbefore the dusk? Even the breeze stops in the trees. To methere is always an air of expectation about that eveningstillness. The sky was clear, remote, and empty save for afew horizontal bars far down in the sunset. Well, thatnight the expectation took the colour of my fears. In thatdarkling calm my senses seemed preternaturally sharpened.I fancied I could even feel the hollowness of the groundbeneath my feet: could, indeed, almost see through it theMorlocks on their ant-hill going hither and thither andwaiting for the dark. In my excitement I fancied that theywould receive my invasion of their burrows as adeclaration of war. And why had they taken my TimeMachine?96 of 148