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
8