told you was true. I m sorry to have brought you out here in the cold.
He took up the lamp, and, in an absolute silence, we returned to the
smoking-room.
He came into the hall with us and helped the Editor on with his coat.
The Medical Man looked into his face and, with a certain hesitation,
told him he was suffering from overwork, at which he laughed hugely. I
remember him standing in the open doorway, bawling good-night.
I shared a cab with the Editor. He thought the tale a gaudy lie. For
my own part I was unable to come to a conclusion. The story was so
fantastic and incredible, the telling so credible and sober. I lay
awake most of the night thinking about it. I determined to go next day
and see the Time Traveller again. I was told he was in the laboratory,
and being on easy terms in the house, I went up to him. The laboratory,
however, was empty. I stared for a minute at the Time Machine and put
out my hand and touched the lever. At that the squat
substantial-looking mass swayed like a bough shaken by the wind. Its
instability startled me extremely, and I had a queer reminiscence of
the childish days when I used to be forbidden to meddle. I came back
through the corridor. The Time Traveller met me in the smoking-room. He
was coming from the house. He had a small camera under one arm and a
knapsack under the other. He laughed when he saw me, and gave me an
elbow to shake. I m frightfully busy, said he, with that thing in
there.
But is it not some hoax? I said. Do you really travel through time?
Really and truly I do. And he looked frankly into my eyes. He
hesitated. His eye wandered about the room. I only want half an hour,
he said. I know why you came, and it s awfully good of you. There s
some magazines here. If you ll stop to lunch I ll prove you this time
travelling up to the hilt, specimens and all. If you ll forgive my
leaving you now?
I consented, hardly comprehending then the full import of his words,
and he nodded and went on down the corridor. I heard the door of the
laboratory slam, seated myself in a chair, and took up a daily paper.
What was he going to do before lunch-time? Then suddenly I was reminded
by an advertisement that I had promised to meet Richardson, the
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