brass candlesticks upon the mantel and several in sconces, so that

the room was brilliantly illuminated. I sat in a low arm-chair

nearest the fire, and I drew this forward so as to be almost between

the Time Traveller and the fireplace. Filby sat behind him, looking

over his shoulder. The Medical Man and the Provincial Mayor watched

him in profile from the right, 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

The Time Machine