2 The Time Traveler’s Surprise

CHAPTER 2 The Time Traveler's Surprise Aweek after that curious visit, I received a note from the Time Traveler inviting me to dinner again. The note said he would have another interesting story to tell. When I arrived at his home, the doctor and artist were already there. The mayor and Filby were missing, but two new guests had taken their place. There was

第2章时间旅行者的惊喜在那次奇怪的拜访一周后，我收到了时间旅行者的便条，再次邀请我共进晚餐。 纸条上说他还有一个有趣的故事要讲。 当我到达他家时，医生和艺术家已经在那里了。 市长和菲尔比不见了，但两位新客人代替了他们的位置。 有

the editor of a local newspaper, and a writer. The Time Traveler had invited us all to dinner, but he had not shown up yet. The doctor pulled a note from his pocket. "Our friend says we should start dinner without him if he is late. It would be a shame to let our meal get cold, don't you think?" So we went to the dining room, where our friend's housekeeper served us our meal. As we ate, we wondered where our host could be. I joked that he must be busy traveling through time. The editor didn't understand what I meant, so we described the events of the other night. Just then, the door from the hallway slowly opened. "Here he is at last," I said as the Time Traveler entered the room. The doctor looked up and cried, "Good heavens, man! What's the matter?" Our friend was a shocking sight. His coat was dusty and dirty. His hair was a great mess, and it seemed grayer. His face was pale, his chin was

他是当地报纸的编辑，也是一名作家。 时间旅行者邀请我们所有人共进晚餐，但他还没有出现。 医生从口袋里掏出一张纸条。 “我们的朋友说，如果他迟到了，我们就不用等他了。 让我们的饭凉了就太可惜了，你不觉得吗？”于是我们去了餐厅，我们朋友的管家给我们上了饭。 我们边吃边想主人会在哪里。 我开玩笑说他一定在忙着穿越时空。 编辑不明白我的意思，所以我们描述了那天晚上发生的事情。 就在这时，走廊的门慢慢地打开了。 “他终于来了。”时间旅行者走进房间时，我说。 医生抬起头喊道：“天哪！怎么啦？”我们的朋友是一个令人震惊的景象。 他的外套又脏又满是灰尘。 他的头发乱成一团，似乎更灰白了。 他脸色苍白，下巴

cut, and he looked very tired. We stared at him in silence as he stood in the doorway. Then he closed the door and walked to the table. His feet must have been sore or hurt, because he limped as he crossed the floor. The Time Traveler slumped into a chair. He weakly lifted his hand toward a pitcher of water. The editor filled a glass and handed it to him. Our friend drank the water in one gulp. Then he looked around the table and smiled. "What on earth have you been up to?" asked the doctor. The Time Traveler did not answer. Instead, he said in a whisper, "Don't let me disturb you. I'm all right." He held out the water glass and the editor filled it again. After emptying the glass once more, the Time Traveler's eyes seemed to brighten. He looked around the room at each of us as if he'd been away a long time. "I'm going to wash and change my clothes," he said quietly. "Then I'll come down and explain things. Save

他看起来很疲倦。 他站在门口，我们默默地盯着他。 然后他关上门，走向桌子。 他的脚一定是酸痛或受伤了，因为他一瘸一拐地走过地板。 时间旅行者瘫倒在椅子上。 他虚弱地把手伸向一壶水。 编辑斟满了一杯，递给他。 我们的朋友把水一饮而尽。 然后他环视了一下桌子，笑了。 “你到底在干什么？”医生问。 时间旅行者没有回答。 相反，他低声说：“不要让我打扰你。 我没事。”他伸出水杯，编辑又斟满了水。 再次倒空杯子后，时间旅行者的眼睛似乎亮了起来。 他环视了一下房间里的每个人，好像他已经离开很长时间了。 “我要去洗衣服，”他平静地说。 “那我就下来解释。 保存

me some dinner. I'm starving..." He put down his glass and walked to the doorway. It was then I saw that he wasn't wearing shoes on his feet, just ragged socks. After he left the room, we slowly returned to our meal. The writer was the first to ask, "Just what is going on?" I said that it must have something to do with the Time Machine, and we explained more about the model and how it had disappeared. The editor and writer thought we were joking. We continued to talk until the Time Traveler returned. He had washed and was dressed in evening clothes. But our friend still looked very tired, as if he had been through an enormous adventure. "I say," said the editor with a laugh. "Your friends here say you took a little trip into the middle of next week! Tell us all about it, will you?" The Time Traveler sat down. He smiled and

给我一些晚餐。我饿了……” 他放下杯子，向门口走去。 这时我才发现他脚上没穿鞋，只穿了一双破袜子。 他离开房间后，我们慢慢地回去吃饭。 作者第一个问：“到底发生了什么？”我说这一定和时间机器有关，我们进一步解释了这个模型以及它是如何消失的。 编辑和作家以为我们在开玩笑。 我们一直聊到时间旅行者回来。 他洗了澡，穿上了晚礼服。 但我们的朋友看起来仍然很累，好像他经历了一次巨大的冒险。 “我说，”编辑笑着说。 “你这里的朋友说你下星期中旬去旅行了！”把一切都告诉我们，好吗？”时间旅行者坐了下来。 他微笑着说

said, "What's for dinner? It will be wonderful to have a home-cooked meal again." "But tell us what happened!" said the editor. "Not until I've eaten something and gotten my strength back," said our hungry host. "I must ask one question," I said. "Have you been time traveling?" Our friend nodded his head and quietly said, "Yes." We all wanted to hear what had happened, but we had to wait while he finished his meal. We tried to talk about other things, but no one was really interested. Finally the Time Traveler pushed his empty plate away and looked at us. "I'm sorry," he said. "I've never been hungrier. But now, let's go into the study and I will tell you all about my adventure." Once we were seated in the next room, the Time Traveler looked around at us and began. "Since this morning, I have lived through eight

他说：“晚饭吃什么？能再吃一顿家常菜真是太好了。” “告诉我们发生了什么事！”编辑说。 “等我吃点东西恢复体力再说，”我们饥饿的主人说。 “我必须问一个问题，”我说。 “你做过时间旅行吗？”我们的朋友点了点头，平静地说：“是的。” 我们都想听听发生了什么事，但我们不得不等他吃完饭。 我们试着谈论其他事情，但没有人真正感兴趣。 最后，时间旅行者把空盘子推开，看着我们。 “对不起，”他说。“我从来没有这么饿过。 现在，让我们走进书房，我将告诉你我所有的冒险经历。” 我们在隔壁房间坐下后，时间旅行者环顾了一下我们，开始了他的演讲。 “从今天早上开始，我已经度过了八个年头

days—eight amazing days. I'm worn out, but I can't sleep until I've told you everything. But please, don't interrupt. And please don't tell me you don't believe me, or that it is impossible. Every word I say is true. "So, no interruptions! Is it agreed?" "Agreed," we all said. Our weary host then sat back in his chair. The room was dark except for the light from a lamp on the table. I glanced at the others as the Time Traveler began. But as I listened to his tale unfold, I could only look into his pale, white face.

天——神奇的八天。 我累坏了，但不把一切都告诉你，我就睡不着。 但是请不要打断我。 请不要告诉我你不相信我，或者这是不可能的。 我说的每一句话都是真的。“所以，不要插嘴！”大家同意了吗？”“同意，”我们都说。 然后，我们疲惫的主人靠在椅子上。 屋子里一片漆黑，只有桌上一盏灯发出亮光。 时间旅行者开始时，我瞥了其他人一眼。 但当我听着他的故事展开时，我只能看着他苍白的脸。