wash them selves in these Baths nigh every day, for that the Water is kept so hot with this same Electricity (by which they can accomplish well nigh every thing they wou’d), that they may keep them selves sweet-smelling (for they set great store by that), and in order to the cleansing off a kind of Soot or Dirt, that fly’s every where in the Air, and from whence comes this odour of Burning, that was about.
I had an uneasie Rest at first by reason of the many lowd Sounds without, but never-the-less I woke at the usual hour with me. My Host and his Wife made no sound, and neither within the House nor without was any Body stirring, which appear’d mighty strange to me. I thought, now ‘twill be safe, may hap, to return impuned to my House and Time, to gather what I will and bring all back here. I stole down, and after a while found how to open the Fastnings of the Door out to their Porch. There stood my Machine. I unlock’d it’s Rod, and remember’d, that I shou’d return to April, and so mov’d the Months Dial, besides the Years Dials, which I set back to my own Year. Then I saw the Green Spark rise in the Tube, that shew’d the Height, some three Metres on it’s Scale, and leave below it a Blew one. So I knew, I shou’d come out from here under the high Meadow at home, or there abouts. I study’d the Plats for moving your place narrowly, and mov’d their Buttons, untill I brought the Lines on ‘em back, to whence I begun, and the Green Spark sank down to swallow up the Blew. Now I try’d the Red Knob, letting alone the Green, and all was well, for I found my self in the Machine in the Lane at home near to the Barn, whence I had come. But I felt as if I had been in this Moment before, and a great Dizzyness and Glowdy-ness in my Head. Then I saw, that it was no dim Morning that I beheld, but a bright After-noon; and a Bird, that I had left perch’d upon a Bough close by, sate there exactly as’t had been. At length I knew, that I was back at the very Instant, when I had first mov’d the Machine, and that my Sorcerer shou’d be but now gone down the Alley, and might at once return. I had forgot my Hours and Days Dials. I mov’d ‘em straightway back eleven hours, to that day’s Sun-rise, before he had come. All my tarrying the night before was to no end, for I cou’d chuse any Time.
When I press’d upon the Red Knob there was I in a grey half-light. No Body was yet about, and step by step I mov’d my Machine down the Street, ‘till I came before my House, which (of course) was bolted and barr’d. Then I mov’d it inside in the great Chamber, and in the Gloom search’d about for my Hanger, a tall Jugg of Silver, a Snuff-box, a fine Time-peice that I had, a glass Bowl, two Books of Sermons and three Broad-sheets of Satyricall Verses, and the Volume of Mr Sympkins his Travells of a dozen years heretofore. Then I thought, I will need to Shave my self, so I found my best Razour. And I now knew, who ‘twas had these Things from my House, that Night, and not the Sorcerer. I took up an old Sack, in which to carry my Goods, but the Bowl and the Snuff-Box I wrapp’d in soft Cloth, and plac’d in a little Coffer I had. I plac’d all with some labour within the Machine, and was about to take my leave, when I bethought me of the time, and how at that hour I had been in Bed asleep. Am I then there in my Bed, or am I here? thinks I, and I stole into my Bed-Chamber to see. The Day-Light was coming in now, and there in the Bed was my Body asleep, my Face being turn’d half to the Wall. But there was a kind of Shimmering Motion in it. The Hair lifted on my Head and I turn’d Cold as Ice, my Mouth parch’d and my Heart knocking fit to burst it’s House. And I felt my Body (my own that I was in, so to speak) pull’d as it were a Grain of Iron by a Loadstone, towards the Body that lay on the Bed. That Body stirr’d and turn’d, and cry’s out, Ish (or some thing such). I flung out of the Chamber,
I had an uneasie Rest at first by reason of the many lowd Sounds without, but never-the-less I woke at the usual hour with me. My Host and his Wife made no sound, and neither within the House nor without was any Body stirring, which appear’d mighty strange to me. I thought, now ‘twill be safe, may hap, to return impuned to my House and Time, to gather what I will and bring all back here. I stole down, and after a while found how to open the Fastnings of the Door out to their Porch. There stood my Machine. I unlock’d it’s Rod, and remember’d, that I shou’d return to April, and so mov’d the Months Dial, besides the Years Dials, which I set back to my own Year. Then I saw the Green Spark rise in the Tube, that shew’d the Height, some three Metres on it’s Scale, and leave below it a Blew one. So I knew, I shou’d come out from here under the high Meadow at home, or there abouts. I study’d the Plats for moving your place narrowly, and mov’d their Buttons, untill I brought the Lines on ‘em back, to whence I begun, and the Green Spark sank down to swallow up the Blew. Now I try’d the Red Knob, letting alone the Green, and all was well, for I found my self in the Machine in the Lane at home near to the Barn, whence I had come. But I felt as if I had been in this Moment before, and a great Dizzyness and Glowdy-ness in my Head. Then I saw, that it was no dim Morning that I beheld, but a bright After-noon; and a Bird, that I had left perch’d upon a Bough close by, sate there exactly as’t had been. At length I knew, that I was back at the very Instant, when I had first mov’d the Machine, and that my Sorcerer shou’d be but now gone down the Alley, and might at once return. I had forgot my Hours and Days Dials. I mov’d ‘em straightway back eleven hours, to that day’s Sun-rise, before he had come. All my tarrying the night before was to no end, for I cou’d chuse any Time.
When I press’d upon the Red Knob there was I in a grey half-light. No Body was yet about, and step by step I mov’d my Machine down the Street, ‘till I came before my House, which (of course) was bolted and barr’d. Then I mov’d it inside in the great Chamber, and in the Gloom search’d about for my Hanger, a tall Jugg of Silver, a Snuff-box, a fine Time-peice that I had, a glass Bowl, two Books of Sermons and three Broad-sheets of Satyricall Verses, and the Volume of Mr Sympkins his Travells of a dozen years heretofore. Then I thought, I will need to Shave my self, so I found my best Razour. And I now knew, who ‘twas had these Things from my House, that Night, and not the Sorcerer. I took up an old Sack, in which to carry my Goods, but the Bowl and the Snuff-Box I wrapp’d in soft Cloth, and plac’d in a little Coffer I had. I plac’d all with some labour within the Machine, and was about to take my leave, when I bethought me of the time, and how at that hour I had been in Bed asleep. Am I then there in my Bed, or am I here? thinks I, and I stole into my Bed-Chamber to see. The Day-Light was coming in now, and there in the Bed was my Body asleep, my Face being turn’d half to the Wall. But there was a kind of Shimmering Motion in it. The Hair lifted on my Head and I turn’d Cold as Ice, my Mouth parch’d and my Heart knocking fit to burst it’s House. And I felt my Body (my own that I was in, so to speak) pull’d as it were a Grain of Iron by a Loadstone, towards the Body that lay on the Bed. That Body stirr’d and turn’d, and cry’s out, Ish (or some thing such). I flung out of the Chamber,
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